2024 Cohort
Kaliswa Brewster
Kaliswa Brewster(she/her) is a first-generation Liberian-American actress, producer, and educator based in New York City. She serves as President of the Board for Molière in the Park, which brings free, world-class theater to Brooklyn’s Prospect Park. A champion of art as a vehicle for connection in our divided world, she was a co-producer on the Off-Broadway commercial production of Duke & Roya at the Lucille Lortel Theatre, written by Charles Randolph-Wright and starring Jay Ellis and Stephanie Nur, and she also produced a Juneteenth special celebrating Black resilience and joy with Randolph-Wright. Kaliswa was a 2025 Bushwick Film Festival juror and has spoken at colleges and universities across the country, using the arts to inspire connection and change. An MFA graduate of the American Conservatory Theater, she teaches “The Business of Acting” in Brooklyn College’s MFA program. More information at kaliswa.com or @kaliswa.
Brandon Brooks
Brandon Brooks is a drummer, producer, and entrepreneur from Greenville, SC. Since moving to NYC in 2020, Brooks has earned an MBA from NYU’s Stern School of Business, made his Broadway debut as a drummer with MJ: The Musical, and as an AGM with & Juliet. Other productions he’s worked on include Ohio State Murders, Pictures From Home, Shucked, Spamalot, Dungeons & Dragons The Twenty-Sided Tavern, and Invasive Species. He currently plays drums for Hell’s Kitchen and looks forward to joining the next TPOC cohort.
Mayah Lourdes Burke
Mayah “My” Lourdes Burke is a Queer Caribbean-American Producer and Director born and raised in NYC. She is dedicated to creating accessible film and theater that explores culture, identity, and mental well-being, aiming to inspire, heal, and spark meaningful conversations on inclusivity and wellness. Projects include: NAMT’s 37th Annual Festival of New Musicals (line producer); Bethesda (short film, executive producer); The Ghost Writers Festival (new works festival, lead producer); 54 Sings Jessie J at 54 Below (cabaret, lead producer); Magical Girl Play by Emmy Kupershmid (play reading, co-producer). Awards: Howard Gilman Performance Art Residency Cohort Grant recipient; Staten Island Youth Award for Contribution to Arts and Culture. Member: MTEAF, the Maker’s Ensemble, SDC, and the Dramatist’s Guild. Mayah is exceptionally grateful for the opportunity to be here and would love to give thanks to God and all the people who have supported her along the way. @mayahlourdes
Yide Cai
From Shenzhen, China, Yide Cai is a MFA in Playwriting candidate at Boston University, and a graduate of Emory University with a BA in Playwriting & German Studies. He is a poet, translator, and an award-winning playwright with plays that have been selected to festivals such as KCACTF, Kanini Fest, WTP Table Series, and NSYPF. He is a fellow of the Laboratory for Global Performance & Politics. He also works as a director and dramaturg in productions worldwide such as the assistant director of Prague Shakespeare, and the dramaturg of the China’s premiere of “The Book Of Will” which he translated.
Christie Chang
Christie Chang (姜嘉琳) is a Hong Kong–based producer and performer. The Rice Eaters, written by Yide Cai (fellow TPOC alum) and directed by Gregory Keng Strasser, marked her New York theatre producing debut at the 2025 Broadway Bound Theatre Festival. She is now preparing a Chinese version of the play to be performed across China. She also produced Bright Light Burning, presented at the 28th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) in Dubai with Theatre of Others. Christie is part of the Theatre Producers of Color (TPOC) 2024–25 cohort. She previously worked at the China Shanghai International Arts Festival (ChinaSPAF), supporting international productions in the Chinese market, and at Theatre Mitu in New York in fundraising and development. She graduated from NYU Tisch School of the Arts (BFA in Drama, Musical Theatre; minor in Business of Entertainment, Media and Technology) and is also an actor with Hong Kong’s largest television channel, TVB.
Chesray Dolpha
Chesray Dolpha is a dynamic South African-born theater maker, director, and storyteller with a passion for creativity, joy, and social impact. She is the founder of StoryBridge Consultancy, which champions storytelling as a force for equity, connection, and community transformation. Chesray’s recent credits include Tina: The Tina Turner Musical on Broadway, Push Party, Bricks the Musical, Fabulation, Voices of Gen Z, Homecoming, and Spirit Songs. With experience as the Director of Education at the Classical Theatre of Harlem and Artistic Director of the Broadway Advocacy Coalition, Chesray has employed theatre as a tool to center marginalized experiences. Her clients include organizations like Columbia University’s Center for Justice, where she supports formerly incarcerated women in reclaiming their narratives, and the Arts Office, helping schools integrate arts to enrich educational experiences. As an Oprah Winfrey African Women Public Service Fellow, Chesray earned her Master’s in International Development and Non-Profit Management at NYU. She also holds a BA with distinction and an Honors degree from the University of the Western Cape in South Africa. Through StoryBridge, Chesray is dedicated to creating a just and vibrant world, one story at a time.
Abby Espiritu
Abby Espiritu (she/her) is a bicoastal Filipino-American actor and producer working in both Los Angeles and New York. She is making her Broadway co-producing debut with the upcoming production of “The Lost Boys” (Spring 2025). Her producing journey draws on over 15 years of experience as a performer and creative. She has worked in casting and production offices, including The Telsey Office, Robert Ahrens Productions, and Impossible Casting, and is passionate about increasing representation and equitable opportunities for underrepresented identities in the entertainment industry. As an actor, Abby’s face and voice have reached millions worldwide – from Disney Channel shows and popular Japanese video game franchises, to a featured appearance speaking at Los Angeles Comic Con. Select credits include – Theatre: “Into the Woods” (Little Red), “…Spelling Bee” (Marcy Park), “Take the Lead” Equity Reading (Styx [Originated Role]); Film: Barbie, The Idea of You, The First Slam Dunk; TV: Yu-Gi-Oh!, Pokémon, Hamster & Gretel; Video Games: Genshin Impact, Honkai: Star Rail, Fire Emblem Shadows. She is a proud graduate of Brown University, holding a degree in American Studies with a focus on “Asian American Representation in the Media.” Learn more at abbyespiritu.com and follow her on Instagram, Twitter, and Twitch @missabbyespirit.
Danilo Gambini
Danilo Gambini is a director and producer originally from São Paulo, Brazil. He is currently the Associate Artistic Director at Studio Theatre. Recent directing credits include the world premieres of Ni Mi Madre (Rattlestick Theater/ OBIE Award Winner, Drama Desk Nom., NYT Critics Pick), and Stravinsky’s The Rake’s Progress at Yale Opera. Upcoming: Tchaikovsky’s Iolanta at Yale Opera, Aurora Real de Asua’s WIPEOUT at Studio Theatre, and the development of Arturo Luíz Soria’s Sin Padre at Rattlestick Theater. His production of Agreste at Spooky Action Theater in DC has received six Helen Hayes Awards Nominations, including Outstanding Director. Other credits: Fun Home, The Tempest, Rock Egg Spoon (Yale School of Drama), Agreste (Drylands), Bakkhai, The Swallow and the Tomcat, Truck (Yale Cabaret). Opera: Don Giovanni, Ariadne Auf Naxos, Eugene Onegin (Theatro São Pedro). He has developed work at The Public Theater, Joe’s Pub, The Old Globe, Ars Nova, Milwaukee Rep, Chautauqua Opera, Yale Opera, Gulfshore Playhouse, Latinx Playwrights Circle, amongst others. Education: MFA in Directing from the Yale School of Drama; BFA in Film and Television and a graduate from the School of Dramatic Art (Escola de Arte Dramática – EAD) both from the University of São Paulo. danilogambini.com
Chandler Gregoire
Chandler Gregoire is a multiracial (Black, Korean, and white), NYC-based theater artist who cares deeply about representation and elevating diverse stories. After graduating from LaGuardia Arts High School and Yale University, she spent seven years working as a professional actress. She has performed in the Backstage Critics’ pick play Hotel Savoy, narrated the audiobook Society of Lies by Lauren Ling Brown (Reese Witherspoon book club pick), and worked on new plays like A Brief List of Everyone Who Died by Jacob Marx Rice. During the actors’ strike Chandler realized she would be better positioned to create the long-term, meaningful change she hopes to see in this industry as a producer. She is currently in her first semester of an MBA program at Columbia Business School focusing on entertainment, the arts, and nonprofits. As a producer, her goal is to elevate—and maintain the artistic integrity of—BIPOC stories, make theater more accessible to diverse audiences, and make art that changes how people view their world.
Carolyn Harrison
Carolyn Harrison is a NYC theater arts educator and producer. Her training includes work for the John Houseman Acting Company under the direction of Margo Harley, the development of new works for youth at the Carpetbag Theatre under the direction of Linda Parris Bailey, freelance Stage Director, and Theater Arts consultant for schools in Detroit, MI, Spokane, WA, and Knoxville, TN, and administrative leadership as Department Chair for two private schools. Carolyn’s career includes the creation of theater curricula for secondary and post-secondary institutions, as well as show production history of 30+ plays and musicals. As Founder and Executive Producer of Good Light Productions, LLC (GLP), Carolyn collaborates with underrepresented theater artists to create liberating and illuminating theatre.
Candice Hatakeyama
Candice Hatakeyama is a multi hyphenate artist originally from Honolulu, Hawaii, now based in NYC. Select performance credits: Funny Girl (Broadway), Anything Goes (MUNY), “Sally Bowles” in Cabaret (Hangar Theatre), and “Irene Roth” in Crazy For You (Asolo Theatre). She holds a BFA in Musical Theater from Syracuse University, and is a VPA Scholar and Young Research Fellow. Her research culminated in writing a musical-adaptation of Ruth Ozeki’s novel, A Tale for the Time Being, and she produced and edited a virtual hour-long presentation of the musical that debuted on Facebook Live in fall of 2020. She now co-owns a production company, Next Stop Creatives, that focuses on reels for performers, concept video production, business content creation, and live productions. Recent Next Stop Creatives productions in NYC: Make Yourself At Home by Alexa Belli, The Queen of England by Kate Crabtree, and Object Lesson by Brea Glosson.
Yulidal Hernandez Kin
Yulidal Hernandez Kin is a producer, actress, and writer based in New York City. With a background in theater production she has the honor of being a former Development and Production Management Intern for Docu-series Wild Hope, was a Radio Assistant for SWB Radio, and was a Production Management Fellow at New York Theatre Workshop where she supported the production and planning of Merry Me, I Love You So Much I Could Die, and 2024 Pulitzer Finalist Here There Are Blueberries. Yulidal was born and raised in the boogie down Bronx which she proudly represents; she even worked as a Production Assistant on a docu-series, The X, a docu-series which discusses the history of her beloved neighborhood. Eager to share stories on stage, Yulidal produced a one-act called False Prayer at a virtual play festival; reported and published a story about the shutdown of Broadway publicated by the HarlemView; and was also a participant for the Possibility Project, a not-for-profit organization allowing youths to use their life stories as an opportunity to create theater. Graduating from City College with a bachelor’s degree in Theater and Journalism she strives to use the arts as a way to bring awareness to a new generation that is demanding their stories be told.
HyoJu Hong (Ju Hong)
HyoJu Hong (Ju Hong) is a Theater Manager originally from Seoul, Korea. She began her artistic journey as a traditional Korean dancer before transitioning into theater management. She earned her second bachelor’s degree in Theater from CUNY Hunter College and later completed a master’s degree in Arts Administration at CUNY Baruch College. Since 2010, HyoJu has worked extensively in the New York City theater industry across both nonprofit and commercial sectors, serving in Stage Management, General Management, Company Management, and related management roles. She has also contributed to the Korean theater industry, serving as Production Stage Manager on The Lower Depths and The Crucible at Kim Soo-Ro’s Project Workshop, and most recently as U.S. Line Producer/Associate Producer for the 29-hour reading and workshop of Fly to Tomorrow with JooDa Culture. She has also collaborated as Associate Producer with Studio Vibe Stone in Korea. She is currently serving as a Producing Associate/Associate General Manager at Martian Entertainment and as the Associate Company Manager for The Play That Goes Wrong. After completing the TPOC Producing 101 Program, HyoJu is now actively focusing on her producing career. She is dedicated to fostering cross-cultural collaborations between Korean and U.S. theater, with a particular emphasis on developing and producing new works that connect audiences across cultures. She also aspires to collaborate with artists from diverse cultural backgrounds, creating projects that extend beyond Korean themes to embrace a wide range of global perspectives.
Cooper Howell
Cooper Howell (they/them) is a director, producer, playwright, and actor from central Utah, now based in New York City, determined to spearhead an audience revolution—creating high-voltage, avant-garde theater events where content rips open convention, bends art forms until they break, and unapologetically centers queer, trans, and POC voices. They currently serve as Co-Artistic Director of WILDEHAUS, a new production company positioning itself to become America’s foremost producer of radical queer performance. They are also part of the artistic collective at National Queer Theater (NQT) and are the writer of LOOP, the world’s first Silent Disco play—an immersive modern adaptation of Arthur Schnitzler’s La Ronde, told entirely through headphones as audiences travel scene to scene. On Broadway, they serve as Associate Director of Cats: The Jellicle Ball (directed by Zhailon Levingston and Bill Rauch), an acclaimed ballroom reimagining of the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical. Other New York directing credits include Baldwin et Lucien at City Center and Little Kingdom by JC Pankratz for The Workshop Theater. As an actor, they have starred in six Off-Broadway plays, including playing “Sunny” in Emojiland the Musical, Lin-Manuel as Hamilton in Spamilton: An American Parody for Forbidden Broadway, and the villain Antinous in Penelope at York Theatre Company, where they can be heard screlting with glee on the original cast recording. “All my love to Sawyer.”
Charles Jackson Jr.
Charles Jackson Jr. is a Tony Award ®-nominated and critically acclaimed producer and director from Fort Worth, Texas. He is committed to producing works that champion the voices of marginalized communities. Charles graduated from Southeastern Oklahoma State University with two Bachelor of Arts degrees and received his Master’s from Regent University. Charles was selected as the inaugural Producing Apprentice at Amphibian Stage Productions and previously held the position of Vice President of the Dallas Theater Center Young Professionals Board. As the Associate Producer of Jubilee Theatre, the oldest African American Theatre in North Texas, Charles was honored with the Bill Garber Young Theatre Artist Award by the Live Theatre League of Tarrant County. Charles recently served as the Black Theatre Coalition Producing Fellow at Alchemation and was the BTC Producing Fellow at ShowTown Theatricals for Oh, Mary! on Broadway. Charles’ Broadway co-producing credits include the revivals of Othello, starring Denzel Washington, and Gypsy, starring Audra McDonald. Charles is a proud alumnus of the BMP Producer Academy 2024 Cohort and the 2024 Cohort of Theatre Producers of Color. www.charlesjacksonjr.com
Denzell Jobson
With a background in business operations and a passion for the performing arts, Denzell is excited to join the Theatre Producers of Color community through the Producing 101 course and contribute to a more inclusive, representative and interesting theater community.
Jasmine A. Mitchell
Jasmine A. Mitchell is a producer, director, and arts administrator focused on social change and community engagement. As an anti-racist theatre practitioner and woman of God, she is driven to produce work that creates space for Black women and marginalized groups to heal and be joyful. Jasmine is a proud descendant of immigrants from Dominica, raised in the DC/Maryland/Virginia area — and has the ultimate foodie list to prove it. Jasmine is currently working as the Black Theatre Coalition Artistic Director Fellow at New York Theatre Workshop. She has also worked at theaters throughout the DC area such as Woolly Mammoth, Mosaic, Rorschach, Young Playwrights Theatre, Kennedy Center, and the University of Maryland. Jasmine is a proud alum of “The 24 Hour Plays: Nationals” and earned her Bachelor of Arts in Theatre from the University of Maryland, College Park. @jasmineamitchell
Malia Munley
Malia Munley is an actor and producer from Honolulu, HI now based in NYC. She graduated from Yale University in May where she double majored in History and Theater. She is particularly passionate about producing new works and shows that provide opportunities to center the artistry and stories of Asian and other BIPOC creatives. Some of her favorites projects include Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 (Natasha, producer), Gypsy (Louise), Pride and Prejudice (Jane), Sweeney Todd (Johanna), Grimly Handsome (producer), and I And You (director, YSD Cabaret). She is so excited to be a part of this incredible cohort and learn from those who have and will continue to change the industry.
Rosette Nteyafas
Rosette is a seasoned producer, Festival and arts manager with over 12 years of experience coordinating, managing, and producing arts events, festivals, and capacity-building programs in Uganda and across Africa. She currently serves as the Line Producer for Tebere Arts Foundation and the Kampala International Theatre Festival, where her expertise in arts management has significantly contributed to the growth and visibility of these cultural platforms. Rosette’s extensive experience includes key international roles such as serving as an International Jury Member at the 2023 Zürcher Theater Spektakel in Zurich, Switzerland, and as an International Mentor at the Les Practicables Festival in Bamako, Mali 2023. She has also been recognized as an Alumni Leader at the Atelier Festival Academy in Kampala (2022) and is an alumnus of the Atelier Festival Academy in Malta (2019). During her eight-year tenure with the Bayimba Foundation as the Director of Bayimba Academy, Rosette played a pivotal role in managing and producing the Bayimba International Festival of the Arts and the East African Performing Arts Market, DOADOA. Her leadership and innovative approach have left a lasting impact on the creative arts sector in Uganda and the East African region. Rosette’s passion for the development of the creative arts sector in Uganda and Africa is evident in her dedication to mentoring young artists in production management and arts administration. She is also a talented poet, known for her soulful and inspiring poetry that resonates with audiences. Rosette holds a Bachelor of Arts in Tourism from Makerere University, and her diverse skill set, coupled with her commitment to nurturing the next generation of artists, makes her a vital force in the African creative arts landscape. Rosette continues to shape the future of arts and culture in Africa through her leadership, mentorship, and creative endeavors.
Devi Peot
Devi Peot (she/her) is a New York City-based Producer, Casting Professional, and CEO. Recognized for transforming challenges into opportunities, she approaches each project with creativity and adaptability. As the founder and CEO of South Asians on Broadway LLC, her company is dedicated to celebrating and amplifying the rich diversity and cultural heritage of South Asians through the power of theater. Devi is currently producing MAYA, set to debut in London this spring. Her casting credits include A Wonderful World (Broadway), My Best Friend’s Wedding (Ogunquit Playhouse), Frozen (Ogunquit Playhouse), Life of Pi (Tour), Chicago (Broadway/Tour), GATSBY (A.R.T.), and Peter Pan (Tour) at Casting by ARC. She also served as an assistant producer on the film Land of Gold (HBO Max), which won the 2022 AT&T Untold Stories Award at Tribeca Film Festival. Committed to fostering new talent with a focus on equity and diversity, Devi strives to inform every aspect of her career with these values. @devipeot | @southasiansonbroadway.
Patrick B. Phillips
Patrick B. Phillips (he/him) is a NYC-based music director, orchestrator, and producer specializing in the collaborative cultivation of new musical theatre from inception to the stage. Described as energetic with a fervent attention to detail, Patrick is particularly interested in the possibilities of intersectionality in musical theater in regards to social justice, race, sexuality, and identity. He is proudly a son of immigrants from the Philippines and Barbados and is a member of the LGBTQ+ community. He has experience as a pit musician, conductor, and music director on Broadway, Off-Broadway, and at the regional level. He is a proud alumnus of Rutgers University. www.patrickbphillips.com @patrickthepianist
Jhansi Rajgarhia
She is a lyricist at the BMI workshop, and the newest cast member of the USA based comedy group : Broad Comedy! She is currently developing the first ever Desi Musical Theatre Songbook, a collection of songs that reflect all facets of the South Asian experience, to be used by the diaspora for auditions, recitals etc.
Mandi Samek
Mandi Nyambi Samek is a creative scientist and passionate theater investor with a unique background in tech and business. Holding degrees in Human Nutrition from Columbia and Human Developmental and Regenerative Biology from Harvard, Mandi currently works in Business Development focused on autonomous vehicles at Uber. Her theater investments include the Tony-winning An Enemy of the People and the record-breaking Romeo+Juliet directed by Sam Gold. Mandi is eager to bring her strategic expertise in business development and partnerships to the theater industry, aiming to create productions that are both creatively rich and financially successful.
Annys Whyatt
Annys Whyatt (she/her) is a creative producer and facilitator based in the UK. She previously trained at The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama. As a producer, she has worked across prestigious venues in London such as the Lyric Hammersmith, Old Vic and Almeida Theatre. Her freelance work has involved producing workshops, research and development projects and productions of new work alongside a diverse array of artists and creatives. Currently she is working in creative development at ATG Productions.
Elisha Xin-Yii Beston
Elisha is a Theatre for Young Audiences performer and producer based in Singapore. After earning her BFA in Musical Theatre she joined Bay Area Children’s Theatre as a resident actor, teaching artist and administrator where she was fortunate enough to perform on a National Tour and also serve as their Business Manager. Upon returning home to Singapore, she founded the non-profit Freddo Children’s Theatre (FCT) in late 2022, aiming to produce American-style theatre infused with local culture for young audiences. Elisha advocates for diversity on stage, supporting emerging artists and promoting representation across gender, race, and body types. Committed to elevating professional standards in children’s theatre, Elisha seeks to create engaging, dynamic performances that resonate with young viewers, while fostering equitable opportunities in the local theatre industry.
Ricky Zhao
Ricky Zhao is a Chicago-based theatre enthusiast and aspiring producer, deeply engaged in the local theatre scene. Through the Theatre Producers of Color (TPOC) cohort, he has built the skills to produce theatre and connected with emerging producers worldwide. Passionate about unique and compelling stories, Ricky is committed to bringing diverse narratives to the stage and believes in the enduring power of theatre to inspire and unite. Find him on Instagram: @fabawesome101.