Theater District

Kathryn Chase Bryer is a director, dramaturg, teacher, and administrator with a storied career at Imagination Stage, one of the country's largest and most innovative children's theater companies. Theater for Young Audiences has been central to Kate's career, which includes work at Missoula Children's Theatre, Round House's "Street 70" program, and Wolf Trap. At Imagination Stage, she has developed, devised, and directed dozens of plays and worked with generations of talented theater makers. She is also an accomplished director at several DC theaters, including Constellation, Spooky Action, and Next Stop, as well as several area universities. Kate shares the joys, challenges, and opportunities of making TYA, and why Imagination Stage does not make "fuzzy bunny" theater. 

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James J. Johnson has been bringing his blend of charm, poise, and humor to roles across DMV stages for almost 30 years, working at companies such as the African Continuum Theatre, Arena Stage, Imagination Stage, Woolly Mammoth, Theater J, and Keegan. Now making his name as a playwright--with his play, Wannabe, debuting at the 2024 Capital Fringe Festival and Central Time with Mosaic's H Street Oral History Project--he is also an established educator and audiobook narrator. He shares the growth in opportunities for Black artists he's witnessed over his career, how he stays motivated while working on multiple projects at once, his love of standup, and growing up with a community of peer artists. 

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Chani Wereley is one of the most versatile and talented performers in the DMV. After attending Young Artists of America in Maryland and Catholic University in DC, they've racked up an astonishing number and variety of projects, from new musicals to classic plays to her own cabaret triptych, HARD TIMES. Currently starring as Audrey in LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS at Ford's Theatre, Chani is without a doubt an artist whose continued rise will be well worth the watch. She shares her STEM to stage journey, a few of their favorite people, and how to be a flexible and adaptable artist. 

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Danielle Preston is a DC-based costume designer who has worked her way up and all around the DMV theater scene. She has brought her keen eye, steady hand, and agile mind to thought-bold, provoking productions at companies from Avant Bard to Theater J to Washington National Opera. She talks about her early days as a fellow at Kennedy Center and Arena Stage, learning the freelancing life, how designing period and modern shows differs, the intimacies of the fitting room, and how she collaborates with directors and actors in her design process. 

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Aria Velz is a director, dramaturg, sound designer, teaching artist, and an emerging lesbian media critic.  She has worked at a long list of DMV theaters, including Signature Theatre, NextStop Theatre Company, Olney Theatre Center, Imagination Stage, Flying V, Mosaic Theater, and Theater Alliance. Aria is as enthusiastic to watch plays as she is to make them, and we talk about the plays and musicals she loves, how she navigates the hustle of freelancing, her collaborations with her wife--the playwright KJ Moran-Velz--and more. 

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Lizzi Albert and Gerrad Alex Taylor are DMV actors, directors, and educators. Longtime colleagues, they now serve as co-artistic directors of Perisphere Theater, a professional company which "produces plays that examine personal and collective history and the notion of history itself." The two discuss their careers, including tenures at Chesapeake Shakespeare Company, the roles of exploration and boundaries in art and life, and how to sustainably foster creativity and empathy in artists and audiences alike. 

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Nova Y. Payton is one of the DMV's brightest stars. Known for her amazing voice, gracious presence, and serious acting chops, she has worked in theaters across the region, with a special connection with Virginia's Signature Theater, where she has performed in shows such as Into the Woods, The Color Purple, and Dream Girls. A multiple Helen Hayes Award nominee and winner, Payton discusses the importance of family, self-care, and new works, as well as how she brings her best to every new challenge that comes her way. 

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Kate Kenworthy is an actor in Washington, DC. They performed in two of 2023's most acclaimed productions with Rorschach Theatre and Spooky Action Theater, as well as other play readings and projects. They have no shortage of charisma and enthusiasm on stage, and the same goes for off stage. They discuss how they broke into DC theater, the need to be mindful of the projects one takes on, the power of activism through theater, and the importance of maintaining multiple creative pursuits. 

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Zavier Augustus Lee Taylor is a projection designer, artist, and filmmaker based in Washington, DC.  He graduated from UMD-College Park in 2022 with an MFA in Media & Projection Design, and runs the multimedia production and design company ZALT Productions. He shares his thoughts on the differences between New York and DC theater, sustainability efforts in the theater, "conceptual responses images," and the possibilities of digital technology. 

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Jordan Friend is an actor, director, and musician who founded and led the  4615 Theatre Company from 2013 until its closing in 2023. Jordan discusses the company's origins, mission, and operations, as well as provides insights into running a small company and being a multi-faceted artist. 

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