The Cast
Ayodele Casel
Featured Artist
Lillias White
Musical Guest
Creative Credits
Suzan-Lori Parks
Conceiver, Writer and Composer
Suzan-Lori Parks is a multi-award-winning writer and musician. She is the first African-American woman to receive the Pulitzer Prize for Drama for Topdog/Underdog which recently won the 2023
Tony Award, for best revival. Her other plays include Sally & Tom (2024) Plays for the Plague Year (Drama Desk Award, Best Music, 2023) and Father Comes Home From The Wars (2014). Parks’ first marathon-writing “micro diary plays” 365 Days/365 Plays were produced worldwide in what was the largest grassroots collaborative theatre project to date. She is a MacArthur “Genius” Fellow, a novelist: Getting Mother’s Body (Random House), and a screenwriter: Girl 6, Genius: Aretha, and The United States vs Billie Holiday. Parks also writes songs and fronts her band “SLP & The Joyful Noise” with her punk-couture medicine show, The Tune Up world-premiering this summer. As a college student Parks is grateful to have studied creative writing with James Baldwin, who encouraged her to write for the theatre.
Niegel Smith
Director
Life Dance IV (Whitney Museum), The Bark of Millions (Sydney Opera House, BAM, Berliner Festspiele), Plays for The Plague Year (The Public), The Ritual of Breath Is the Rite to Resist (Lincoln Center, Hopkins Center, Stanford Live), Arden: But, Not Without You (The Flea), The Hang (HERE Arts Center, Drama League nomination for Best Director), The Fre (The Flea), Southern Promises (The Flea), How To Catch Creation (The Goodman), Taylor Mac’s Holiday Sauce (Town Hall, World Tour), Scraps (The Flea), Father Comes Home From The Wars… (The Goodman, BTAA Award for Best Direction), Syncing Ink (The Alley, The Flea), A 24 Decade History of Popular Music… (St. Ann’s Warehouse, Barbican, World Tour – Kennedy Prize & Pulitzer Prize finalist), Take Care (The Flea), Hir (Magic Theatre, Mixed Blood, Playwrights Horizons), Dream State of Affairs (The Invisible Dog), Marisol (Luna Stage), The Perils of Obedience (Abrons Arts Center), Seed (Classical Theatre of Harlem, Hip Hop Theatre Festival), Neighbors (The Public Theater), Limbs: A Pageant (HERE Arts Center). A Bessie Award winning director and performance artist, Niegel is the Artistic Director of The Flea; board member of A.R.T./New York; and co-creator of The Climate Sing.
Jian Jung
Scenic Design
Jian Jung is an Obie Award winning set designer from Korea, based in New York City.
Recent theater credits include STAFF MEAL at Playwrights Horizons, THE FOLLOWING EVENING at PAC-NYC, THE NOSEBLEED at LCT3, Woolly Mammoth Theater (DC), and New National Theater Tokyo (Fall 2025), KISS at Wilma Theater (Philadelphia), OCEAN FILIBUSTER at A.R.T. (Boston), BODIES THEY RITUAL at Wild Project, THE DAY YOU BEGIN at Kennedy Center (DC), SUICIDE FOREST at Bushwick Starr, and LUDIC PROXY at Soho Rep and Japan Society. She has been closely working with Latino theater community for a long time, and designed Spanish and bi-lingual productions in Puerto Rico, Cuba, and Venezuela. Opera and musical credits include DER FREISCHUTZ at Wolf Trap Opera (VA), PROMENADE at Fisher Center in Bard, LUCIO SILLA and EZIO at Huntington Theater (Boston), LE NOZZE DI FIGARO at Juilliard, and MOSKVA, CHEREOMUSHKI at Long Beach Opera (CA).
Jung received an Obie Award for Sustained Achievement in Set Design, a Barrymore Award for KISS, and Edith Lutyens & Norman Bel Geddes Design Enhancement Award for LUDIC PROXY. She was nominated for Henry Hewes Design Awards for SUICIDE FOREST and STAFF MEAL. Her design in Venezuela was presented in Prague Quadrennial.Jung received an MFA in Theater Design from New York University, and an MFA in Environmental Design from Ewha Women’s University in Korea, where she was born and grew up. She teaches at NYU Tisch Design MFA program and Sarah Lawrence College.
SLP & the Joyful Noise
Band
Fronted by Suzan-Lori Parks (guitar, vocals, original songs) this 9 piece band, featuring additional vocalists and a horn section, brings you the funk-folk vibe. Booty shaking statement making, letting you get real, get down and have a fun night out. Their new album is Human Being Human.
Diane von Furstenberg Archives
Select Costumes
Rodrigo Muñoz
Costume Design
RODRIGO MUÑOZ is a NY based Costume Designer, Originally from Mexico City, recent credits: Sally & Tom (Drama Desk, Lucille Lortel Nominee), Plays for the Plague Year (The Public Theatre); What Became of us (Atlantic Theatre): Bernarda’s Daughters (The New Group); Sorry for Your Loss (Minetta Lane Theatre); RENT (Paper Mill Playhouse); Divinity (Apollo Theatre);House of India (The Old Globe): La Rondine (Manhattan School of Music); Notes From Now (Prospect Theater Company); This Space Between Us (Theater Row); Preparedness (Bushwick Starr); Volpone, The Revenger’s Tragedy (Red Bull Theater); Mother Road (Berkeley Rep); The Bluest Eye (Huntington Theatre), Red Velvet (Shakespeare Theatre Company), Dial M for Murder, Torera (Alley Theatre); Cabaret; (Barrington Stage Company); Hot Wing King(Denver Center for the Performing Arts); The Palacios Sisters (Gala Theatre); Somewhere (Geva Theatre); How to Make an American Son (Arizona Theatre Company); Mushroom (People’s Light); Fall of the House of Usher (Boston Lyric Opera); Bad Dates (Portland Stage); Jazz Singer (Abrons Arts Center)
Ania Washington
Lighting Design
Ania Washington is a New York-based Lighting Designer who has been working in the music and theater industry for 20 years. Her love of lighting was born from a love of music. With a background as a jazz trumpet player, she stumbled into lighting while studying at Manhattan School of Music. Quickly falling in love with the magic of theater and its ability to transport audiences to different worlds, she decided to pursue a career in Lighting Design. Ania has always been fascinated by the deep ties between lighting and mood and how the most delicate design shift can alter the emotional landscape of an environment. Her design aesthetic ranges from subtle lighting changes that build the atmosphere inhabited by performers and audiences alike, to vibrant, high contrast shows, where the pulse of the lighting not only supports the story but becomes integral to the full theatrical experience.
Ania is currently the Director of Production at Joe’s Pub at The Public Theater, as well as the Resident Lighting Designer for Random Farms Kids’ Theater, the preeminent children’s theater company in Westchester, NY. She is also a freelance Lighting Designer in the New York City area. Recent credits include Plays for the Plague Year (The Public), Samora Pinderhughes: On Living, Rituals for Abolition, Grief & Process (The Kitchen), and Black Light (The Public). Ania holds a BFA in Lighting Design from SUNY Purchase College, Conservatory of Theater, Design and Technology.
Shannon Slaton
Sound Design
Shannon Slaton on Broadway has designed Melissa Etheridge: My Window and The Illusionists as well as being the Associate Designer for The Humans, Blackbird and serval other shows. He has also designed more than fifty national tours including: Shrek, The Producers, Kiss Me Kate, Noise/Funk, The Full Monty, Contact, A Chorus Line, Tap Dogs, Aeros, Sweeney Todd, The Wizard of Oz, The Drowsy Chaperone, and The Wedding Singer. Shows he mixed on Broadway include: Springsteen on Broadway, Cabaret, Annie, and Anything Goes. Man of La Mancha, Bombay Dreams, A Christmas Carol, Sweet Charity, Jersey Boys, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, The Drowsy Chaperone, Spring Awakening, Fela!, Anything Goes, Annie, Legally Blonde, and Cabaret.
Nitzan Gavrieli
Music Director
Nitzan Gavrieli is a jazz pianist and composer who is a vital force on New York City’s jazz scene. His music expands on the traditional piano trio format, blending elements of classical music and Middle Eastern influences into a sound that is both distinctive and emotionally rich.
In addition to leading his own trio, Nitzan is an in-demand sideman, arranger, and collaborator. He has recorded and performed with world-renowned artists such as Dennis Chambers, Mike Stern, Melissa Aldana, Francisco Mela, Mark Murphy, Chris Cheek, Steve Cardenas, and many others. His versatility and sensitivity at the piano have made him a valued contributor to dozens of albums and projects across genres.
Nitzan is the featured pianist on the 2025 GRAMMY-winning album Bianca Reimagined (Best Large Jazz Ensemble) and the GRAMMY-nominated track Little Fears by Dan Pugach and Nicole Zuraitis (Best Jazz Performance).
He has toured extensively throughout the United States and Europe, performing at major jazz festivals and venues, including Town Hall, the Kennedy Center, Blue Note, Birdland, Smalls and Lincoln Center, among many others.
Nitzan also serves as musical director for Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Suzan-Lori Parks in her musical collective SLP & the Joyful Noise.
Linda Marvel
Production Stage Manager
Alex Cummings
Musician
Alex Cummings is a woodwinds specialist, producer and and music educator from Camden, New Jersey and a long time resident of New York City. Since the age of ten, Cummings started using the saxophone as a means of creative expression guided by hometown community heroes Jamal Dickerson, Nasir Dickerson and Hassan Sabree. After graduating Oberlin Conservatory with a B.A. in Jazz Performance and Arron Copeland Music School with an M.M. in Jazz Composition, Cummings now performs all around the New York City metro area as well as the rest of the United States, Europe and Asia. Such Collaborations include Robin Eubanks, Billy Hart, Michael Mossman, among other band projects including the Alex Cummings quartet, EarthTone, Street Beat Brass Band, Twilyte Axis, Spice Cabinet, and many more.
Bobby Spellman
Musician
Bobby Spellman is a trumpeter, composer, and educator known for his eclectic musical style, dynamic performances, and experiments fusing jazz and improvised music with disparate musical traditions from around the globe. A native of Boston, Bobby studied philosophy before earning a master’s degree in jazz performance from New England Conservatory, where he had the opportunity to study with John McNeil, Jerry Bergonzi, Joe Morris, Bob Moses, Dave Holland, and Ben Schwendener. Since moving to New York in 2014, Bobby has led a series of groups including his “Revenge of the Cool” Nonet, Dingonek Street Band, and the Voodoo Club. Beyond leading and writing for his own ensembles, Bobby has performed across the Northeast U.S. with Motown legends the Temptations and the Four Tops, and with experimental jazz groups including the Either/Orchestra, Moppa Elliott’s Acceleration Due to Gravity, and the Sungazer Big Band. Bobby is also a member of the Ed Palermo Big Band, which performs monthly at the Iridium and specializes in playing the music of Frank Zappa. Bobby currently lives in Ridgewood, Queens with his wife, woodwind doubler Emily Pecoraro.
Christian Konopka
Musician
Malik Washington
Musician
Marty Scott
Musician
Marty Scott is a NYC-based trombonist originally from Long Island, NY. A graduate of SUNY Purchase (B.M. in Jazz Performance) and the Manhattan School of Music (M.M. in Jazz Arts), Scott has developed his craft as a working jazz trombonist and is currently pursuing a second master’s degree in Music Education at Teachers College, Columbia University. Influenced by Bebop, Hard Bop, Latin Jazz, and other styles, he has performed with various artists at venues including The Blue Note, Birdland, Dizzy’s Club, and The Django, both in and outside of New York City. Scott is dedicated to pushing the music forward while honoring the tradition that shaped him.
Nitzan Gavrieli
Musician
Nitzan Gavrieli is a jazz pianist and composer who is a vital force on New York City’s jazz scene. His music expands on the traditional piano trio format, blending elements of classical music and Middle Eastern influences into a sound that is both distinctive and emotionally rich.In addition to leading his own trio, Nitzan is an in-demand sideman, arranger, and collaborator. He has recorded and performed with world-renowned artists such as Dennis Chambers, Mike Stern, Melissa Aldana, Francisco Mela, Mark Murphy, Chris Cheek, Steve Cardenas, and many others. His versatility and sensitivity at the piano have made him a valued contributor to dozens of albums and projects across genres.Nitzan is the featured pianist on the 2025 GRAMMY-winning album Bianca Reimagined (Best Large Jazz Ensemble) and the GRAMMY-nominated track Little Fears by Dan Pugach and Nicole Zuraitis (Best Jazz Performance).
He has toured extensively throughout the United States and Europe, performing at major jazz festivals and venues, including Town Hall, the Kennedy Center, Blue Note, Birdland, Smalls and Lincoln Center, among many others.
Nitzan also serves as musical director for Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Suzan-Lori Parks in her musical collective SLP & the Joyful Noise.
Osei Kweku
Musician
Repertory Design
Mary Ellen Stebbins
Lighting Designer, Repertory Lighting Plot
Nicholas Pollock
Associate Lighting Designer, Repertory Lighting Plot
Shannon Slaton
Sound Designer, Repertory Sound System
Nikki Belenski
Associate Sound Designer, Repertory Sound System
Production Staff
Ariana Michel
Assistant Stage Manager
Audrey Petersen
Associate Costume Designer
Josh Barilla
Assistant Scenic Designer
Conor Mulligan
Associate Lighting Designer
Parker Slaton
Associate Sound Designer
Production Crew
Simon Lass
Production Carpenter
Michael Cahill
Production Electrician
Harper Williams
Production Audio
Elsa Lepicki Bean
Wardrobe Supervisor
Manny Marroquin
Deck Crew
Ruth Faulkner
Light Board Operator
Lee Rivas
Spotlight Operator
Andrew Garvis
Lighting Programmer
Wes Halloran
A1
Corbin Leonard
Monitor Engineer
Maddie Hanley
A2
Zaya Howell
A2
Volmar
A2
Vendors
Additional Rigging by Sapsis Rigging Inc
Lighting Equipment provided by PRG Lighting
Audio equipment provided by Sound Associates, Inc.
Backline rental provided by Boulevard Carroll Entertainment Group
Year-Round Staff
Executive
Laura Clement
Executive Director |
Zack Winokur
Producing Artistic Director |
Jennifer Ardizzone-West |
Chief Operating Officer |
Shawn Cargil |
Senior Director of Park Operations |
Kelsey Martinez |
Senior Director of Artistic Programming |
Michael Wiggins |
Senior Director of Engagement and Strategic Programs |
Jon Grenon |
Executive Assistant |
Horticulture
Orrin Sheehan |
Director of Horticulture |
David Pallatta |
Horticulture Supervisor |
Jennifer Pacuruco |
Horticulture & Facilities Associate |
Park Operations
Jessica Douglas |
Park Operations Manager |
Tyreek Holland |
Senior Park Supervisor |
Adelin Rodriguez |
Park Supervisor |
Sanjeev Uppal |
Park Attendant/Assistant Park Supervisor |
Susannah Shyyunn Go |
Assistant Manager of Park Administration |
Isabel Allen |
Park Operations Associate |
Shanequa Coleman |
Custodian/Assistant Park Supervisor |
Stephen Jenkins |
Park Attendant/Assistant Park Supervisor |
Leonela Vicente Nivar |
Custodian/Custodial Supervisor |
Ana Maria Del Orbe Gil |
Custodian |
Mariyeni Perez Tobal |
Custodian |
Johnny Brown |
Park Attendant |
Ramfy Acosta |
Park Attendant |
Yumilka Perez |
Park Attendant |
Facilities
Grace Cho |
Facilities Manager |
Anthony Fillat |
Maintenance Technician |
Noel Molina |
Junior Maintenance Technician |
Robert Casellas Jr |
Junior Maintenance Technician |
Artistic Programming
Ed Wasserman |
Associate Producing Artistic Director |
Maan Singh Tinna |
General Manager |
Patrick Lachance |
Production Manager |
David Glista |
Technical Director |
Sarah Bellin |
Producer |
Maxwell Friedman |
Producer |
Cameron Appel |
Associate General Manager |
Kris Pritchard |
Associate Production Manager |
Taji Senior |
Executive Assistant, Artistic Programming |
Jonathan Chang |
Assistant Producer |
Marketing & Communications
Abby McLoughlin |
Director of Marketing & Communications |
Danielle Ruff |
Senior Marketing & Communications Lead |
Education & Community Relations
Santos Collado |
Assistant Manager of Workforce Development |
Human Resources
Sonja Toulouse-Martin |
Assistant Director of Human Resource Operations |
Melanie Dorsey |
Talent Manager |
Mariama Bah |
Human Resources Operations Manager |
Jaali Michael Phillips |
Human Resources Coordinator |
Finance
Ben Clark |
Director of Finance |
Sara Lacey |
Finance Manager |
Sara Houston |
Payroll Specialist |
Kai Chieh Tu |
Finance Associate |
Business Affairs
Lisa Guzman |
Assistant Director of Business Affairs and Capital Planning |
Joshua Perdomo |
Administrative Associate |
Arcinello Jocson |
Administrative Coordinator |
Additional Programming Support
Arthouse: Sara Fitzpatrick, Marc Mettler, Sarah Marcus Hansen, Justin Yu, Travis Moser, Yael Matlow, Brandon Stansell, Kat Largent, Gina Suriano
Advertising & Social
DKC/O&M: Rick Miramontez, Ellie Detwiler, Abby Kelley
Public Relations
Amiah McGinty
Emerging Producer
Madyson Barnfield
Assistant Producer
Vivian Yining Cao
Company Manager
Riley Donelson-Newhouse
Assistant Production Manager
Annie Maclin
Assistant Production Manager
Liz Coulter
Assistant Production Manager
Kevin Marquez
Artistic Programming Fellow
Nathalia Velasco Herrera
Marketing and Communications Fellow