At Buffalo

Dr. Amma Y. Ghartey-Tagoe Kootin (Dr. Amma) creates artistic works based on archival research and writes about late 19th century black performance. A theatre professor at the University of Colorado Boulder, she has also worked for the National Endowment for the Humanities, National History Day, Inc., and A&E® Networks/The History Channel. Dr. Amma holds an A.B. in Afro-American Studies from Harvard University and an M.A.-Ph.D. in Performance Studies from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts.

Joshua Williams is a writer, teacher, director and PhD candidate in Performance Studies at U.C Berkeley. In 2007, New York Magazine named him "a star of tomorrow" in light of his forthcoming novel, Live To Tell Me So. His plays have been produced at Theatre Intime, Princeton University, the Capital Fringe Festival, U.C. Berkeley, and C.U. Boulder. Two of his short plays received readings at Berkeley Rep in 2013 as part of Monday Night PlayGround. jdmwilliams.com

Khalil Sullivan is a PhD candidate in English at University of California, Berkeley where he's currently working on a dissertation on the influence of classic blues on late Harlem Renaissance literature. Sullivan leads the Oakland, CA-based jazz/pop ensemble MAD NOISE, recognized as the “Best Band in the Bay” in the SF Bay Guardian's Reader's Poll for 2011, 2012, and 2013. In his spare time he's plays guitars for San Francisco, CA-based punk band, The Truants.

Jefferson is thrilled to join the cast of AT BUFFALO! Off- Bway/ NYC credits include: The Lion Theatre, 2nd Stage, Ars Nova and his One Man Show Let it Sing at Don't Tell Mama. Select Regional: Les Miserables, The Producers, Titanic, Beauty and the Beast, My Fair Lady, Cabaret, Oliver, and Funny Girl. As a tenor soloist, Jeff has appeared at Carnegie Hall, Notre Dame Cathedral, The Cathedrals of St. John the Devine and St. Francis of Assisi, and the Kennedy Center.

Playwright highlights--Standing Up: Bathroom Talk & Other Stuff We Learn From Dad FringeNYC; Poor Posturing Fire This Time Fest NYC and TFTT Boston; new play The First Time will be read at National Black Theatre this fall. Acting highlights--Baltimore Centerstage, Weston Playhouse, Actors Thea of Louisville, St. Louis Rep, Thea of the Stars, Great Lakes Thea Fest, Cinncinati Playhouse, Interact, TheatreWorks, Cleveland Playhouse, Delaware Thea, Westport Playhouse, Merrimack Rep, Virginia Stage, Florida Stage, Ogunquit Playhouse, Cape Playhouse, 48 Hours in Harlem, Endemol Theatre Prods, on tour nationally and abroad. 5 Inde Films. TV--SMASH, Ed, L&O: Criminal Intent, All My Children & Guiding Light. Next--Off Broadway musical, Bedbugs. www.traceyconyerlee.com

Stick Fly (Majestic Theater), The Blacks (Classic Stage Company), Ain't Supposed to Die... (Classical Theatre of Harlem), Intimate Apparel (Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theater), 365 Days/365 Plays (Public Theater), AmericanBlackout (NY Fringe Festival), Macbeth (Bonn International Theater Festival), Brooklyn Bridge (Children's Theatre of Minneapolis), Black Man Rising (National Black Theatre Festival), Flambeaux (Theater for the New City) TV: Law and Order, Today Show, commercials, voice-overs. Education: MFA, University of Washington Professional Actor Training Program.

Melissa has just ended a run with the legendary Billie Holiday Theatre in the Premiere of Maid's Door by Writers Guild Award winner and Emmy Award nominee Cheryl Davis; directed by Artistic Director Jackie Alexander. With an MFA from The New School she has studied under accomplished Artists in the industry: Program Director Robert LuPone and Acting Chair & Tony Award winner Ron Leibman. Joyner's credits can be found on her website: www.Melissa-Joyner.com
Representation: Multi-Ethnic Talent 

Jessica is excited to be involved with NYMF for the first time. New York: Pyre Cantata (FGP Playgroup), Easter Mysteries (Church of St. Paul and St. Andrew), The Quiet Clock (Stage 72). Regional: The Merchant of Venice, As You Like It (Notre Dame Shakespeare), Call My Name (Smithsonian American Folk Life Festival), Godspell, City of Angels (Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center). Proud Northwestern graduate.

Janelle is very excited to be a part of AT BUFFALO here at NYMF! Recent Credits include: This is 30 (also at NYMF 2014) and the Hair International Tour (Abe Lincoln/White Boys Trio). She is a proud graduate of the University of Pennsylvania where she received a B.A. in Africana Studies. Infinite gratitude to God, her incredibly supportive family, encouraging friends and the AT BUFFALO team! www.janellemcdermoth.com

Sean Patrick is excited to return to his second reading with NYMF, Sugar Hill Sisters (’12). Originally from San Francisco Sean has made NYC his home for four years now. Strike Up the Band! (Musicals Tonight!), A Man of No Importance (Gallery Players), Jekyll & Hyde (WBT), Emma (TheatreWorks, Palo Alto), and many…many more. Sean Patrick is currently working on his debut cabaret in NYC early this fall. Proud member of AEA. www.seanpatrickmurtagh.com

Jack is an actor and musician here in NYC. Jack can be seen on Blip TV's The Thing, Walking House Productions Triangle, 30 Rock, and those pesky commercials. He is super happy about working again in NYMF and for the first time with Deadria D. Harrington Productions. jackperryactor.com

Neil is a New York Based Actor/Singer/Writer. His work has most recently been seen at The Tank Theater, Labyrinth Theater Company, Primary Stages, McKittrick Hotel and The Cherry Lane Theater. He is honored to be in the company of such amazing artists. He would like to Thank God, The AT BUFFALO team, His Family, friends, and YOU for your support of works in development.

Book of Mormon (Ntl Tour); Seaweed, Hairspray (Drury Lane); Cordelia, Lear (EPBB); Paul, when last we flew (Fringe Encores, GLAAD Award - Best Off-Off Broadway Play); Matt, Fantastiks (Cincinnati Playhouse); Various play and musical workshops at Manhattan Theatre Club, New York Theatre Workshop, Public Theater, New Dramatists, National Black Theater, The Movement Theatre Company. BFA: Carnegie Mellon.

New York: Gallimard in M. Butterfly, Lush in The Hothouse (Columbia Stages); FriendAndy.Com (Forward Flux); Regional: Henry IV Parts 1 & 2, Much Ado, Twelfth Night (Shakespeare Theatre DC); Venus In Fur (Studio Theatre DC); Diesel in West Side Story, Rooster in Annie (Mount Washington Valley); National Tours: The Wedding Singer, All Shook Up; Education: BFA Musical Theatre, SUNY Fredonia.

A native of Aiken, South Carolina, he is an alum of USC-Aiken with a Bachelor Of Arts degree in Voice Performance and AMDA. He recently appeared in Migdalia Cruz's Two Roberts and Sweethearts of Swing (Theater Lab). He thanks God for all blessings and family and friends for love and support. NY Theatre: A Soldier's Play, Split Second, Miss Saigon. Regional: Joe Turner's Come And Gone, Seven Guitars, A Lesson Before Dying. Film/TV: Ying-Yang (2013).

David Mendizábal is a director, designer, and Producing Artistic Leader of The Movement Theatre Company. He conceived and directed Look Upon Our Lowliness by Harrison David Rivers. Other directing: Bintou by Koffi Kwahulé, trans. Chantal Bilodeau (TMTC), EVENSONG by Christina Quintana (INTAR), Ashé by Ricardo Pérez-González (UP), and Minotaur by Harrison David Rivers (Drama League). Drama League Directing Fellow, Civilian’s R&D Group, Lincoln Center Directors Lab, Labyrinth Intensive Ensemble. B.F.A. NYU/Tisch at PHTS.

Recent: Much Ado… (Barrington Stage Company); Next to Normal (Musically Human); Maltby & Shire: What Could Be Better? (54 Below), William Finn’s Songs by… (54 Below, BSC). Asst. MD/Piano: On the Town (pre-Broadway). Orchestrations: Songs of Henry Krieger (Lincoln Center: American Songbook); Getting to Know You: Music of Rodgers & Hammerstein (92Y: Lyrics & Lyricists). In development: MD/arranger, JUNK: A Rock Opera (Joe’s Pub, National Opera Center); Associate MD, Kerrigan & Lowdermilk’s Republic (York Theatre).

Select credits include: Off-Broadway – Architecture of Becoming (Women’s Project Theatre). Off-Off-Broadway: Harrison David River’s Look Upon Our Lowliness (The Movement Theatre Company), 4 Sustenance (Bleecker Street Theater), Wilson Revised (Studio Museum in Harlem). A Vassar College graduate, Deadria is a Producing Artistic Leader with The Movement Theatre Company where she focuses on developing new work by artists of color. She is a member of ART/NY’s Theater Board.

Amy Osatinski is a Director, performer, teacher, scholar, theatre artist and PhD. candidate at the University of Colorado where she is investigating the connections between musical theatre, popular culture, new media, and technology. Amy is also active in the Denver/Boulder theatre scene as an performer and a director where she has directed countless musicals including the Denver regional premiere of Spring Awakening the Musical.