Astronauts Wanted

BIOS

CAST

Marisela Grajeda Gonzalez- she-her-hers (Tallulah) is a first generation Mexican American actor and comedian. Select Theater: Variations on on the Main (JACK), The Drinking Bird (New Ohio ICE FACTORY) Astronauts Wanted (Dixon Place), Primordial (The Tank), The Vicky Archives (The Tank). Select Readings: Orchid Receipt Service (The Bushwick Starr), Share Location (Drama League), Sister Stranger or Fireside Dances (New Dramatists), Mother;Knife (LaMaMa). Marisela is currently developing a memoir based solo show that she’ll perform at The Tank Dec 6th, 7th and 10th 2024. Marisela holds a BFA in Acting from Brooklyn College. For more please visit mariselagg.com

Regan Hicks- she-her-hers (Mae) is a Texas girl working in NYC as a professional actor, singer, and writer using the medium of theatre and music to tell inspiring stories that evoke change. As a writer, she enjoys telling stories that are historically based and folklore inspired to explore gender politics, morality, and current socio-political turmoil. Her recent acting credits include The Lightning Thief (TheaterWorksUSA, TYA national tour) and All Shook Up (the Madison Theatre). Her original music can be found on all streaming platforms. Follow @_regan_hicks_ on social media to follow her work!

Heloise Wilson -she-her-hers (Sorcha/ Playwright) is an actress, writer, voice over artist and filmmaker based between New York and Europe. She can be seen in the first season of the TV show "Unwanted," SKY's newest series. Her TV show concept Weezy Goes Outside, is currently in development with the mentorship program launched by Catalyst Institute in partnership with the Emmys. She has performed and been produced and developed at The Flea, Dixon Place, JACK, The Fringe circuit, Moxie Arts, The Plaxall Gallery, the I.R.T Theatre, Brooklyn College, and much more. 

She is the recipient of the Literary Truman Capote Prize in playwriting (2013) and a double recipient of the Himan Brown award in creative writing (2014 and 2015). MFA Playwriting Brooklyn College. Heloise is an affiliated New Georges Artist.

‭Gibran García - he him his - (Sol) Gibran‬‭ Garcia‬‭ is‬‭ a‬‭ bilingual‬‭ actor‬‭ fluent‬‭ in‬‭ English‬‭ and‬‭ Spanish. TV credits ‬‭include La‬‭ Casa‬‭ de‬‭ las‬‭ Flores‬‭/ House‬‭ of‬‭ Flowers,‬‭ Monarca,‬‭ Yankee,‬‭ or Señora‬ ‭ Acero‬‭. He has worked with  networks such as Netflix, Paramount, TNT, and Telemundo.‬ ‭ In‬‭ Mexico‬‭ City‬‭ he‬‭ began‬‭ doing‬‭ Micro‬‭ Teatro‬‭, which‬‭ he‬‭ loved‬‭ due‬‭ to‬‭ the‬‭ intimate‬‭ connection‬ ‭ between actors and audience.‬ ‭Trained‬‭ in‬‭ the‬‭ Meisner‬‭ Technique‬‭ at‬‭ the‬‭ prestigious‬‭ Maggie‬‭ Flanigan‬‭ Studio‬‭ in‬‭ New‬‭ York‬‭ City.‬ ‭ Gibran‬‭ has‬‭ a‬‭ deep‬‭ passion‬‭ for‬‭ comedy,‬‭ and‬‭ human‬‭ behavior.‬‭ He‬‭ started‬‭ doing‬‭ stand‬‭ up‬‭ comedy‬ ‭ in New York, where he explores his unique perspective of the world.‬ ‭ Dedicated‬‭ to‬‭ storytelling‬‭ that‬‭ resonates,‬‭ Gibran‬‭ continues‬‭ to‬‭ take‬‭ on‬‭ exciting‬‭ projects‬‭ that‬ ‭ challenge and inspire, leaving a lasting impact on the audience. 

CREATIVE TEAM

Saki Kawamura- she,her,hers- (director)  is a NYC-based theatre/film director originally from Japan. As an immigrant artist, Saki is interested in challenging notions of traditional American theatre by combining non-traditional theatrical elements including butoh dance, visual arts, different languages, and devising. She aims to create theatrical experiences which will build bridges across cultures. Recent directing credit includes: Alice by Heart (Trevor Day School), ICEBERG (Ren Gyo Soh), The Sugar Plant, Everest (Chain Theatre), Grown-ups, and The Giving Tree (Unfix NYC).  Associate/Assistant credit includes: The Counter (Off-Broadway), The Cher Show (1st National Tour), JOY: A NEW MUSICAL (George Street Playhouse), Clue (Paper Mill Playhouse, 1st National Tour), Mystic Pizza (Ogunquit Playhouse) and many more.  Saki is currently the Associate Artistic Director of Ren Gyo Soh, an award-winning butoh theatre company in NYC. MFA Directing at Actors Studio Drama School at Pace University. A member of Roundabout Directors Group Cohort 5. www.sakikawamura.com

Sarah Daniel (stage manager/ she/her/hers) is a second-year MFA stage management student at Columbia University. Previous credits include Idaho Shakespeare Festival: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 (PA); Columbia University: Passion Play, Small Tragedy (ASM), On Secrets, Lia Del Mar (PSM); Keegan Theatre: Shakespeare in Love (ASM), Marjorie is Dead (PSM); Cleveland Symphony Orchestra: The Sound of Music (ASM); Beck Center for the Arts: Ghost (ASM); Baldwin Wallace University: The Wild Party (ASM), Fyoo Zh En '21: FLOOD CITY (PSM), The Modern Prometheus (PSM), Muses Anonymous (PSM), Natural Shocks (PSM), Uncle Vanya (ASM), Pelléas + Melisande (ASM), and Testing Ground (ASM). Up next, catch her in her hometown of Washington, DC as the PSM for the DC premiere of Apropos of Nothing at Keegan Theatre. Passionate about all things outdoors, she hopes to find lots of outdoor productions in her future and work towards greener industry practices. Many thanks to her family, friends, and cohort! 

Rabiah Rowther (assistant director/ she/her/hers) is a director, screenwriter, and producer based in New York City. She has served on the Screening Committee for the Hamptons International Film Festival since 2022, and recent directing credits include: Five Times In One Night (LTV East Hampton), The Trojans (Loading Dock Theatre, Assistant Director), The Watcher in the Woods (Urban Stages, Associate Director), Five Times In One Night (ASDS Rep Season), two dudes, a couple of brews, and a rusty canoe (ASDS Rep Season), and Hillsdale (Sovereign House). After receiving her BS in Film and Television from Boston University, Rabiah went on to receive an MFA in Dramatic Writing from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, and an MFA in Theatre Directing from the Actors Studio Drama School at Pace University. Follow her on Instagram at @rabiahrowther.

Bentley Heydt (he/him, lighting designer) is a NYC based Korean American lighting designer with a limb difference. Select Design Credits: The Color Purple (Theatre Latte Da and Geva Theatre); you don't have to do anything (HERE Arts); (no)man (IMGE Dance); A Number (A.R.T./NY-Drama League); The Seventeenth Chapel (A.R.T./NY-Drama League); She Talks To Beethoven (A.R.T./NY-Drama League); Girlfriend the Musical (A.R.T./NY-Drama League); I Dream of Hornets (Boundless Theatre); Gen Z On Fire (Royal Family Productions); Cubic and Quartet (Born Dancing); The Weak and The Strong, Uzume, and Resistance (Planet Connections Theatre/14th Street Y). Assist/Assoc*: Life of Pi (Broadway, 2023 Tony Award); How To Dance In Ohio (Broadway); Mr. Holland’s Opus* (Ogunquit Playhouse World Premier); Rent 25th Anniversary National Tour (Work Light Productions); A Christmas Carol (Indiana Rep 2022*, 2021, and 2017); The Nutcracker Ballet (Connecticut Ballet 2021, 2019). MFA, Ohio University. www.bentleyheydt.com

Chase Kniffen is a NYC-based director and designer.  Most recently, he directed and designed scenery and projections for the world-premiere production of Watcher in the Woods. He was the Associate Artistic Director of Virginia Repertory Theatre for ten seasons, where he produced, directed, and designed numerous productions. Select Directing credits include The Sound of Music, The Color Purple, Dreamgirls, Other Desert Cities, Caroline, or Change, Violet, Next to Normal, Gypsy, Fun Home and South Pacific. He has won multiple Richmond Theatre Critics Circle Awards for his work on those productions. Chase has also designed sets, lighting, and projections for multiple plays, musicals and concerts. He received his BA in Theatre with a concentration on Scenic Design from Virginia Commonwealth University and his MFA in Directing from Pace University. www.chasekniffen.com.

Lana Boy (she/her, set design) Lana Boy is an award winning production designer who has worked around the world and is recognized by the Emmy’s and Vimeo Staff Pick. She started off in conceptualizing sets for theatre, musicals & festivals in Paris, Thailand & NYC. After growing up in Bangkok, she moved to New York and began designing for theatre, narrative, fashion, music videos & commercials. She specializes in world building, stop motion, fashion & of course, clouds.

JEANNA DIPAOLO Costume design (she/her/hers) is a NYC based Costume Designer who works primarily in theatre, dance, opera, and circus. Her recent design credits include: Miss Warrens Profession (Off Broadway- co design), Miss Jules (Culture Lab), Queer Space Network (Performance Art), Trevor Day School: Alice by Heart, Chemical Imbalance, Little Women, Steel Magnolias, Winter Dance Concert ’23-25, Grace Church School: Freaky Friday, Cyrano de Burgershack, Chicago, Fools, Winter Dance Concert ’23-25. Assistant credits include: Life of Pi (First National Tour), Blind Injustice (Jazz for Lincoln Center), The Little Mermaid (MUNY), Grapes of Wrath (Carnegie Hall), The Twelve and Anne of Green Gables (Goodspeed Opera), Canvas Sky (Hideaway Circus), Vanities (York Theatre). BFA in Costume Design from SUNY Purchase College and member of 829 Designers Union.