LAUREN (co-director) is as an advocate and facilitator for justice and change. Lauren is the founding Producing Artistic Director of No Dream Deferred NOLA, a community-anchored theatre production company that is dedicated to the development of new works originating in the South. Additionally, Lauren leads as founder and Executive Director of the Andre Cailloux Center for Performing Arts & Cultural Justice. Her work lives where storytelling, community building, and politics intersect.

AMARA (She/They) is a New Orleans born sound designer and music producer. Since gaining her bachelor’s degree at Loyola in Music Industry Studies, Amara has built their own recording studio and has collaborated with over 50 artists. She attends Berklee NYC obtaining her Masters of Creative Media in Live Music Production and Design. Her recent strides include the 2023 We Will Dream: New Works Festival, New York Stage and Film 2023 summer season, KM Dance Project, Boise Contemporary Theater, SteppenWolf Theater, The NOLA Project, and Crescent City Stage. Amara’s ultimate goal is to inspire other young sound artists.

LISA (conceiver and co-director) is a New Orleans born theater professional and a dedicated educator with a robust portfolio of diverse, award-winning performances. Co-founder of Catapult, a community space dedicated to original theater, she makes theater at home and abroad. She shares the values of telling under told stories to uproot oppression and creating theater in place to support a community based participatory culture.

MIA (graphic design) a native of New Orleans, has been devoted to the arts from an early age, driven by a profound passion for creativity. Over the past two years, she has gained extensive experience working at the Contemporary Arts Center where she has contributed in roles including art handling, gallery attendant, and artist liaison. This experience has enriched her skill set and deepened her understanding of the art world. In addition to her gallery work, Mia pursues her career as a mix media artist. Her work has been showcased in two exhibitions, reflecting her versatility and passion for her craft.

Jeff Becker is a designer, director and sculptor who specializes in audience interactive performances and outdoor spectacles. His work focuses on issues surrounding racism, abuse of power and environmental justice. He has toured extensively nationally and abroad and is the recipient of numerous awards and grants. Jeff is the co-founder of Catapult, a performance laboratory in New Orleans dedicated to the development of original theater and innovative design. setsalive.com

R'Myni Watson is a Louisiana-born multi-hyphenated artist specializing in directing, choreography, playwriting, producing, and arts education. She holds an MFA in Theatre Directing from UNO. Her directing credits include Blood at the Root, which earned national recognition at the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival. R'Myni also served as Intimacy Coordinator for the New Orleans Opera's Tosca. As the Creative Producer for Blue Light Underground Ensemble, a Black woman-led company, she collaborates to amplify Black narratives. Now, as the Director of Artistic Programs for the André Cailloux Center for Performing Arts and Cultural Justice, R'Myni leads initiatives that uplift Black culture and foster community engagement through the arts.

Steve Gilliland is a musician, sound designer and audio engineer currently based in New Orleans. He is a member of Goat in the Road Productions, having most recently sound designed, scored and produced an immersive audio guide for the Walter Anderson Museum. His other recent sound design and composition credits include Tulane University’s Julius Caesar and GRP’s Top 5 Survival Moves. He releases music under the name “GillaWatts."

April Louise, a multi-hyphenate creative, currently serves as Arts Integration Coordinator with Young Audiences of Louisiana. She first worked with Goat in the Road productions on The Stranger Disease. Recent credits include The Family Line with (GRP) and Go Swiftly Along - a film project with FosterBear Films. Her most humbling accomplishments include performing in the 24 Hour Musicals in New York, being crowned Stage Door Idol at the National World War II Museum, and celebrating the win of 4 awards with the cast and crew of The Stranger Disease as well as 4 awards with the cast and crew of The Family Line.

Lorrin Dabon, a young and passionate actress, is currently pursuing her acting dreams at the renowned New Orleans Center for Creative Arts. Since a young age, she has been mesmerized by the art of acting and has seized every chance to express herself through dramatic performances. Beyond her studies at the center, Lorrin has also made notable progress in her acting career by participating in Talented Theater Arts from elementary school through middle school. She remains committed to continuously honing her craft and expanding her acting horizons.

Cal Williams – Singer/Actor Cal Williams, is a dynamic R&B singer and actor from New Orleans, Louisiana, blending smooth vocals with heartfelt storytelling. As a solo artist and a member of the music group Unique Visions (UV), he delivers soulful performances that captivate audiences. His standout tracks, Obsessed and Take It Slow, showcase his signature mix of passion and melody. His music can be found on all streaming platforms under the name Cally Cal. In addition to his music, Cal is making his theater debut in the production of Wonder Wander City Park and is excited to be a part of the cast. Stay connected with him on Instagram: @callycal_.

Matt Story is thrilled to be working with NDD for the first time! Previous NOLA stage credits include Kingdom of Earth (TWTC, Associate Director), and On an Average Day (co-produced with Monica R. Harris, in conjunction with The Elm Theatre). Film credits include Beware the Box Folk (Unoriginal Films) and The Beguiled (American Zoetrope), directed by Sofia Coppola. Story is a proud member of SAG-AFTRA.

Juniper Cassaway (they/he) is a Black, disabled, queer, neurodivergent, trans non-binary creative. In addition to working as a sign language interpreter, Juniper is also a playwright, poet writer, directer, and producer of three original plays, and a debut poetry book in 2019. Their favorite performance credits include Stoner Chick in Heathers (2017), Frank in Rocky Horror Picture Show (2020), and Joanne in RENT (2023). A passionate advocate for social justice, Juniper also strives to use their platform to uplift fat liberation, disability justice, trans rights, Black power, Indigenous sovereignty, and a free Palestine. Juniper would like to thank their friends and queer/trans community for their unending support in everything they do! IG: @juni.patootie

Owen Ever is an artist and storyteller committed to wonder, history and healthcare justice. He most recently performed in the dance floor, the hospital room, the kitchen table, a show about HIV, archives and queer care. Owen co-hosted the acclaimed documentary science podcast A Field Guide to Gay Animals and currently leads medical history tours at The New Orleans Pharmacy Museum and works in HIV prevention at Crescent Care. Owen finds queer joy in birdwatching.

Jeffery U. Darensbourg grew up in Itta Homma (of which “Baton Rouge” is a translation) and currently resides in Bulbancha, which others incorrectly know as “New Orleans.” He works with words, crafting essays, poetry, academic articles, and public talks intertwining traditional academic research with autoethnography and memoir. Jeffery is a Louisiana Creole, an enrolled member of the Atakapa-Ishak Nation of Indians, and holds a Ph.D. in cognitive science.