LEAD CREATIVES

CREATIVE TEAM

SARAH GRACE HOUSTON (she/her, Movement Choreographer) Sarah is a NYC based dancer, actor, and choreographer. Born and raised in Dallas, TX, she trained extensively in classical ballet but always held a passion for storytelling. While attending the Fordham University and Alvin Ailey BFA Program, she had the pleasure of dancing with and learning from some of the world’s most brilliant choreographers while studying how human beings move. Sarah Grace met director Sarah Norris while choreographing for the award-winning Pendragon Theater and is thrilled to be working with her again on War Words.

GAMA VALLE (él/him, Casting Director) Gama is a New York based director, playwright, screenwriter, children's book author and casting director. He holds an M.F.A in Directing from The New School and a B.A. in Drama from University of Puerto Rico. His Spanish language debut picture book, PITU LE BAILA AL AMAR (Pitu Dances to the Sea) is an International Latino Book Awards winner. He is a recipient of the Van Lier Directing Fellowship at Repertorio Español. Gama received the First Prize in playwriting from Puerto Rico’s Institute of Culture for his play “Queishd&Dilit”. ​Casting credits include: The American Tradition, The Great Novel, Split Second, I Wanna Fuck Like Romeo and Juliet, among others. Directing credits include: The Lesson, L’Amfiparnaso, I Catch You Dreaming,  Among Who, Whom and Ever, Jump It, In Love but Discreet, The Girl Who Used to Die Often. @gamavalle

MARIANA RAMIREZ (she/her; Percussion Orchestration) Mariana is a NYC based freelance percussionist who began her music studies at the National Conservatory of Mexico in Mexico City. She went on to receive her Bachelors of Music in Percussion at Rutgers University. In addition to Broadway, she has performed in Europe, Asia, and Mexico playing with Mexican Traditional Music bands, Symphonic Ensembles, Chamber Orchestras and Pop Bands. ​Mariana also founded the Percussion Quartet Excelsis. Mariana has performed with orchestras in Mexico and the United States, including the National Symphony of Mexico, Orquesta de Minería, Dartmouth Symphony, South Florida Symphony, the first all-women Orchestra of Mexico, New England Ensemble, Fairfield Orchestra, and most recently with The Dessoff Choir. Broadway: New York New York, Once on This Island, Ain’t Too Proud, Head Over Heels. Off-Broadway: Merrily We Roll Along, Fiddler on the Roof in Yiddish. Mariana is currently the percussionist of Six on Broadway. @mariana_drums MarianaPercussion.com

ANDREW BEALL (he/him, Percussionist) Hailed by NYClassical Review as “Spectacularly Virtuosic,” international composer/soloist Andrew Beall’s work has been performed in Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa, and the Americas. Grammy-winning Broadway Records released albums of his musicals, Song of Solomon and Platinum Girls, both of which have been produced on the international and domestic stage, and Goodbye NewYork, a commission by NewYorkRep, will receive its London premiere in 2024. Recent commissions: “This Is Your Show” for Compassion & Choices and “Jennifer’s Lullaby” for the feature film Four Cousins and a Christmas. Broadway: Les Miserables, West Side Story, The Lion King, In The Heights, Beetlejuice, Aladdin, Six, Spiderman, A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder. Twice Mr. Beall has appeared as a soloist with the Siberian Symphony Orchestra, performing his percussion and marimba concerti. He is the orchestra manager of Parlando, a graduate of Manhattan School of Music andNew York University, and the owner of Bachovich Music Publications

ELAINE WONG (she/they, Lighting Designer) Elaine is from Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, and received her MFA in Lighting Design from Rutgers University’s Mason Gross School of the Arts.  She is currently a Project Manager with MossLED, a freelance lighting designer, and the resident Lighting Designer with Resolve Productions NY.  Previously, she served for four seasons as the Resident Lighting Designer for the Pagosa Springs Center for the Arts, and for five years as a Faculty Master Electrician for Montclair State University’s Department of Theatre and Dance. Her previous design work has been seen with Resolve Productions, New Light Theater Project, Box Period Productions, Thingamajig Theatre Company, Mile Square Theatre, The Flea, Snapped Productions, American Theater Group, The State Repertory Opera of NJ, The Princeton Festival, Access Theatre, Black Angus Productions, LSNelson Productions, and others. www.elainewong-lx.weebly.com

BRIAN DUDKIEWICZ (he/him, Scenic Designer) Brian is an award-winning designer whose work has been seen all over the United States, Canada, and in Asia. He is thrilled to be joining the War Words Team! Previous credits include many productions with Sarah Norris and New Light Theater Project, and designs for the Abingdon Theatre, TheatreworksUSA, Orlando Rep, St. Petersburg Opera, the Westin Playhouse, Mirvish Productions, Theatre Calgary, and Drayton Entertainment, just to name a few. Brian holds an MFA in Set Design from the Yale School of Drama and a BSc in Architecture from McGill University. @briandud1 BrianDudkiewicz.com

DANIELLE PECCHIOLI (she/her, Assistant Scenic Designer, Property Master) Danielle is a NY-based scenic and properties designer. Her recent projects include The Lights Are On (Theatre Row), Friends With Amenities, The Muppet Cabaret, Sleeping Beauty, Sort Of. (Pendragon Theatre), and Mr. Burns, A Post Electric Play (Adelphi University). Adelphi University BFA Theatre Design and Technology ’26. @danielleptech wwww.daniellepecchioli.wixsite.com/mysite

JULIA SQUIER (she/they, Costume Designer) Julia Squier is an NY/NJ based costume designer with a BFA in Theatrical Costume Production and Design from Marymount Manhattan College. Recent costume design Credits: Our Town; Sleeping Beauty: Sort of; The Muppet Cabaret (Pendragon Theatre); Lysistrata; Mr. Burns; Urinetown (Marymount Manhattan College); My Father’s Play (Alchemical Studios); Let’s Dance! (Transcendence Theater Co.); The Winter’s Tale (NY Shakespeare Exchange). Other credits include assistant costume design for (pray) (Ars Nova) and costume coordinator for Hamlet, The Harder They Come, A Raisin in the Sun, Fat Ham (The Public Theater). JuliaSquier.com

ALEX WOLF (he/him, Costume Assistant) Alex is a Costume Assistant and Dressmaker based in NYC. A recent graduate of Marymount Manhattan College, his Assistant credits include Self-Defined Circuits (HERE Performing Arts Center), and Urinetown: The Musical (Theresa Lang Theatre). He also works as a stitcher at John Kristiansen New York to create costumes for a variety of theatre productions. Recent dressmaking credits include Nova (Edinburgh Fringe), Six (Brooks Atkinson Theatre) and Bad Cinderella (Imperial Theatre). 

THE ROLY POLYS aka ANDY EVAN COHEN & JANET BENTLEY (Sound Designers) The Roly Polys are Janet Bentley (they/them) and Andy Evan Cohen (he/him). NLTP credits: According to the Chorus, The End Of Hester, Calendar Girl, Brecht: Call and Response, and many others. Other select credits: the orchard (Off-Broadway/Baryshnikov Arts Center), Candlelight (Nylon Fusion), (a)loft modulation (american vicarious – Audelco Awards Nomination for Sound Design), Basement (nominated for two NYIT Awards), Mr. Chekhov and Mr. Porter (Medicine Show), The Big Funk (Nylon Fusion Theatre Co). Film & streaming: “We Dissent: Voices For Reproductive Rights” (ReproFreedom Arts), “Less Than Or Equal To” (Fair Housing Justice Center), “Jewish Plays Project” (2020-2022 seasons). RolypolyProductions.com

MADELEINE BLOSSOM (she/her, Production Stage Manager) Madeleine Blossom is a New York-based AEA stage manager and actor originally from California. She holds a BA in Theatre Arts from Drew University and a certificate of Mental Health First Aid from The National Council. Madeleine also studied with Intimacy Directors and Coordinators through their Stage Managing Intimacy course, along with similar workshops relating to safety and well-being while making art. Off Broadway: According to the Chorus (New Light Theater Project), Ink’dWell (New Light Theater Project). Regional: Sweeney Todd, Kings, & The Velveteen Rabbit (South Coast Repertory), Fly By Night, Evita, & God of Carnage (Southern Colorado Repertory Theater.)

OLIVIA FLETCHER (she/her, Assistant Stage Manager) Olivia is a freelance stage and company manager based in NYC. She holds a BFA in Technical Production from Texas State University. She recently worked with The Juilliard School as the Production Stage Manager for Future Stages and as the PSM on Silverglass Productions showing of alt Hamlet at The Players Theater. She is excited to be working with NewYorkRep on this production of War Words after being part of the reading for it in April 2023. She looks forward to continuing work with NewYorkRep in the future!

KLEO MITROKOSTAS (she/her, Production Manager) Kleo is a NYC based actor and producer. Recent performance credits: Off-Broadway: According to the Chorus (59E59 Theaters). Regional: Circle Mirror Transformation, The Muppet Cabaret, Our Town (Pendragon Theatre); Sweet Charity (Cotuit Center for the Arts). Recent producing credits: Off-Broadway: Friends with Amenities (59E59 Theaters); The Lights Are On (Theatre Row). NYU BFA Drama ’24. KleoMitrokostas.com

KAYLINE KELLIN (she/her, General Manager of NewYorkRep) Also known as Kaylin AK, Kaylin is an NYC-based multi-hyphenate specializing in producing, management, and social media marketing. Her recent credits include The Cottage (Broadway), Golden (Worksession), ROOM (Broadway), Harry Potter, and The Cursed Child (Broadway) Embrace the Season Gala (Drama League). A co-founding member of BlackLight Community, a non-profit helping POC in the arts. Sending joy. @kaylin_ak kaylinak.com

GAYLE WAXENBERG (she/her, Executive Director of NewYorkRep) Gayle’s career began on Wall Street where she managed the marketing and corporate communications for a premiere investment bank. She later started her own marketing consulting firm, Waxenberg & Associates. A born advocate, she left the for-profit sector and committed herself to raising awareness for those less fortunate. She launched the Telling Company in 2012 as a forum for telling real-life stories influencing social change through art.  She has now brought The Telling Company to NewYorkRep. Her first play, A Bitter Pill, premiered in 2016 at the Hudson Guild Theater, as part of the Venus/Adonis Theater Festival. Gayle also produced the multi-award winning film Influence, and the London production of Stalking the Bogeyman, which received an Off-West End nomination for best production and direction. Produced readings included Ben Elton’s Olivier award winning play, Popcorn, starring Sharon Stone and Stacey Keach. Gayle is also a Board Member of The Graham School Education Foundation and of Danza Espanza, The American Spanish Dance Theater. She is a member of the Dramatists Guild of America, the Off Broadway Alliance, Theater Resources Unlimited and a member of the League of Professional Theater Women.

NewYorkRep (Producer) NewYorkRep develops and produces new plays and musicals that inspire and compel social change by telling stories that expose our humanity. By illuminating social and ethical questions through art, we strive to create provocative theater that promotes empathy, compassion, and inclusion. In order to increase access to the stories we tell, NewYorkRep, produces content across artistic mediums.

NEW LIGHT THEATER PROJECT (Associate Producer) New Light nurtures a collective of artist-practitioners through the presentation of compelling stories across theatrical genres. Since 2013, New Light has mounted over 40 productions which have received critical praise including a Drama Desk nomination (According to the Chorus), Sold Out Run and ‘Best of EdFringe 2019’ (The Stage for H*tler’s Tasters), Best of Theater 2014 (The L Magazine for Picture Ourselves in Latvia), TimeOut NY Critics’ Pick (H*tler’s Tasters, Everything is Super Great, The American Tradition, Breeders, and Bubba), resident company of 59E59 Theaters and past recipients of The Flea Theater’s Anchor Program, Theatre Row Residency Program, Woodstock Byrdcliffe Residency Fellowship, Chicago Dramatists Grafting Project, and the Access Theater Residency Program. New Light is a 501(c)3 organization. NewLightTheaterProject.com