Astronauts Wanted

BIOS

CAST

Marisela Grajeda Gonzalez (Tallulah) (she/her/hers) Select Theater: Variations on on the Main (JACK), The Drinking Bird (New Ohio Theatre: ICE FACTORY) Astronauts Wanted (Dixon Place), Primordial (The Tank), Wood Calls Out to Wood (The Public Theater: Weasel Fest), 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 was a member of the 2023 MT+NYC writing residency in Montana where she developed her solo show Mari (workshop presentation, The Tank Dec. 2024). Marisela holds a BFA in Acting from Brooklyn College. mariselagg.com

Regan Hicks (Mae) (she/her/hers) is a born and raised Texan who graduated from Molloy/CAP21 with her BFA in musical theatre and is now working in NYC as a professional actor, singer, writer, and content creator. Her recent acting credits include The Lightning Thief (TYA TheatreWorks national tour), All Shook Up (The Madison Theatre), and The Roommate Contract (an acclaimed web series). Her recent writing credits include her original musical The Selkie Bride (which had a staged reading and premiere production in August of 2024 at The Madison Theatre) and her original musical Liberty (which had a staged reading in June of 2022 at the CAP21 studios). She is continuing development on her original works for the stage and screen, as well as serving as a co-Artistic director and producer at Little y production company, as well as performing and producing her original music which can be found on all streaming platforms. Social media: @_regan_hicks_

Heloise Wilson (Sorcha/Playwright) (she/her/hers) 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," SK and Apple'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 (Sol) (he/him/his) 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.

Katherine Bahena-Benitez (Kathlee) (she/they) is a queer Mexican Indigenous multidisciplinary artist who is bicoastal between New York and California. Katherine is an actor, writer, filmmaker, creative director, teaching artist and model. Katherine has trained with the American Conservatory Theater, 24 Hour Plays, Shakespeare and Company, the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center, California State University Sacramento and Broadway Advocacy Coalition at Columbia University. They’ve performed with New York Stage and Film, Teatro Linea de Sombra, Hemispheric Institute of Performance and Politics, NYU Skirball, National Queer Theater, La Mama Experimental Theater Club, and Teatro Espejo, among others. Katherine has been featured in HipLatina, Vogue, Remezcla, VoyageLA, Fenty, VoyageATL, Canvas Rebel, Brooks, and Apostrophe Magazine. Katherine is a Queer Art Fellow, a Miranda Family Fellow Alumni, and Stage Directors and Choreographers Associate Member. Katherine’s writing has been published in HEROICA, Museum Guild, and the International Human Arts Movement. It is with great joy that Katherine shares the debut of her solo show JOTA with Teatro Espejo (June 2025)—the very first theater she worked with, where she says, 'where my dreams came to life.' Katherine says, “Con mucho amor y cariño, I do this for our gente, I do this for us.” For more: https://linktr.ee/Katherinebenitez

CREATIVE TEAM

Saki Kawamura (Director) (she/her/hers) is a NYC-based theatre/film director originally from Japan. She is a current Directing Fellow at Roundabout Theatre Company. 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 (Production Stage Manager (she/her/hers) Sarah Daniel 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! https://smsarahdaniel.wixsite.com/sarah-daniel

Bentley Heydt (Lighting Designer) (he/him)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 Knifen (Projection Design) (he/him) 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.