Reena Dutt is a city girl with a country soul who believes in creating with a conscience, on and off stage. West Coast: “Gypsy” (Stageworks PNW, TBA), “This is Not a True Story” (Artists at Play, TBA), “The Sitayana (Or how to make an exit)” (East West Players), “Antigone, Presented by the Girls of St. Catherine’s” (Sacred Fools), “Defenders” (Pandelia’s Yellow Canary Company | Theatre Planners), “Rise & Shine: I thought I was white” (Bad Hindu Productions), “Katy and Jennifer” (Fierce Backbone). Associate/Assistant Directing: “Cullud Wattah” (The Public dir. Candis Jones), “Hannah and the Dread Gazebo” (Fountain Theatre dir. Jennifer Chang), “The Untranslatable Secrets of Nikki Corona” (The Geffen Playhouse dir. Jo Bonney. Fellowships/Recognitions: 2021-2022 Drama League NY Directing Fellow, 2018 and 2017 Producers Encore Award (“Katy and Jennifer”, and “Waitless”), Lincoln Center Directors Lab, Directors Lab West. Dutt is also a producer having screened her films at Sundance, LAFF, Outfest, Frameline, Cucalorous, NBCUniversal, BET, PBS/Latino and HBO. Website: www.ReenaDutt.com

Sidney Edwards is an actress (AEA), singer, dancer, improv artist, and director based in Los Angeles, California. She has a BFA in Musical Theater from William Peace University, an MFA in Acting from the University of Louisville, and a graduate certificate in African American theatre from the University of Louisville in Louisville, KY. 

One of her proudest accomplishments is being awarded a Distinguished Actor award at the 2018 Kennedy Center's American College Theater Festival for her thesis performance as Ida B. Wells in Miss Ida B. Wells. Sidney was also honored to perform at the 2017 National Black Theatre Festival in Kritsten Greenidge's Baltimore, directed by Nefertiti Burton. She was the recipient of the annual Warren Oates award for her outstanding work and promise as an MFA student. 

Some of her favorite roles include Amneris in Karamu House's 2019 production of Aida, Sally Bowles in Cabaret (NC), and Squeak in The Color Purple (NC). 

Sidney is passionate about arts education and has worked as a teaching artist for Cleveland Play House and the legendary Karamu House Theater. Sidney has served as Theater Faculty at Baldwin Wallace and The University of Louisville, where she was the Director of the African American Theater Program.

www.sidneyedwards.com

Xinyuan Li is a scenic and lighting designer and visual artist based in California and Shanghai. In the US, his designs include The Water Station (UMass Amherst), The Dream Play (UMass Amherst), Re/Emergence (Park Hill Orchard). He has assisted George Tsypin and served as Studio Assistant for James F Ingalls. In China, his designs include The Postman (Shanghai Theatre Academy Duanjun Theatre and tour), The Godfather (STA Grand Theatre), Jigokuhen (Shanghai ET Theatre), The Love Prison (7th Pioneer Youth Drama Festival and tour). He worked as a freelance, resident, and touring lighting designer in more than thirty theaters and venues. His installations Curious Perspective and Reflection Landscape were featured as part of the 17th Shanghai International Art Festival and the Shanghai Urban Space Art Season, respectively.

Melanie Queponds (she/her/ella) is a Mexican-American director, dramaturg, and theatre artist originally from the Inland Empire in Southern California. She earned her MFA in Directing from The Theatre School at DePaul University in Chicago in 2020. Since graduating with her MFA, Melanie has directed at A Red Orchid Theatre (Chicago), Renaissance Theatre Works (Milwaukee), Breath of Fire Latina Theatre Ensemble (Santa Ana, CA), Same Boat Theater (SF) and Teatro Frida Kahlo (LA). She has developed new plays and directed workshop readings at La Jolla Playhouse (San Diego, CA) and Renaissance Theatre Works (Milwaukee). She has worked as a dramaturg at Teatro Leyden (Chicago), Austin Latinx New Play Festival (Austin, TX), and Pork-Filled Productions (Seattle), as well as working closely with several playwrights, all to develop new plays. melanieclaireq.com