// DARE — Breaking the Binary Theatre

// DARE:
A COLLECTION OF COMMISSIONED SCENES AND MONOLOGUES

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2024
3PM & 7PM at Playwrights Horizons’ Peter Jay Sharp Theater

co-conceived by L Morgan Lee (she/her) and George Strus (they/them)
directed by L Morgan Lee (she/her)
in partnership with Broadway Licensing

Sound Designer: Christopher Darbassie
Stage Manager: Rachel Denise April (they/them)
Stage Directions Reader: Sagan Chen

featuring new works by by D.A. Mindell, Dillon Yruegas (he/él), Esmé Maria Ng (they/he/she), Ianne Fields Stewart (they/she), Imani Russell (they/them), Jayne Deely (they/them), Jen Silverman (they/them), Jordan Ramirez Puckett (they/them), Nikhil Mahapatra (any pronouns), Nora Brigid Monahan (she/they), Sasha Velour (she/they) and Sophie Sagan-Gutherz (they/them)

featuring b (they/them), Brigette Lundy-Paine, Carl Clemons-Hopkins (they/he), Che Kabia (they/them/theirs), Joslyn Defreece (she/her) & Lux Pascal (she/her)

Following OVERHEARD and BLISS, BTB Core Community member L Morgan Lee and Founding Artistic Director George Strus are partnering with Broadway Licensing for the third year in a row to create // DARE: A COLLECTION OF COMMISSIONED SCENES AND MONOLOGUES. The twelve commissioned works inspired by the prompt "truth // dare" will be crafted together and brought to life by a cast of five TNB2S+ performers to close the 2024 Breaking the Binary Theatre Festival. The works will then be published and licensed by Broadway Licensing in 2025.

**L Morgan Lee** (she/her)

**Co-Conceiver/Director**
L Morgan Lee (she/her) is a Tony Award® nominated actress and storyteller known for her history-making turn in A Strange Loop on Broadway - a performance which also garnered her an Antonyo Award and a Drama League Distinguished Performance nomination. In London, she was seen playing artist Lili Elbe in a musical adaptation of *The Danish Girl* (currently in development). Other work includes well over a decade of Off-Broadway, Regional, International/National tours and concerts with artists from Paul McCartney to Our Lady J. In the studio, L Morgan was the voice of Ornate Williams in the *Sugar Maple Series* w. Fred Savage (Osiris Media) and can be found on Joe Iconis' *album* (Ghostlight Records), *The Rainbow Lullaby Album* (Broadway Records), and more. For more: @lmorganlee | lmorganlee.com

**George Strus** (they/them)

**Co-Conceiver**
George Strus (they/them) is a Tony Award-nominated and Obie Award-winning trans non-binary Latiné producer and dramaturg. They founded Breaking the Binary Theatre: an Obie Award-winning new work development and community building hub for transgender, non-binary, and Two-Spirit+ (TNB2s+) theatermakers. Since the organization’s launch in July of 2022, Breaking the Binary Theatre has paid out over $500,000 to over 400 TNB2S+ artists. Commercially, they were a proud co-producer of HERE WE ARE and ILLINOISE (2024 Tony Nomination). Current co-producing credits include OH, MARY!, THE ROOMMATE, ROMEO + JULIET. Upcoming co-producing credits ALL IN, and THE LAST FIVE YEARS. They were awarded the 2024 Prince Fellowship (in association with Columbia University School of the Arts), receiving mentorship from Kristin Caskey, Sue Frost, Jeffrey Seller, Thomas Schumacher, and David Stone. www.georgestrus.com

**D.A. Mindell**

**Writer**
D.A. Mindell is a playwright and educator based in Manhattan. He is a third-year MFA candidate at Columbia University. His objective with his work is to cultivate a canon of niche and incisive work in which trans artists can find as much breadth and depth of opportunity as cis artists have enjoyed for centuries. Recent recognition includes the 2024 Judith Champion reading series at Second Stage and the 2024 Fair Play Initiative Commission through Florida Atlantic University's TheatreLab. Educational work includes Mythik Camps, the Alliance Theatre, and SOJOURN. When not writing, he enjoys baking, embroidering, horror movies, and his dog, Birdie (named after Bertolt Brecht, with whom he shares a birthday).

**Dillon Yruegas** (he/él)

**Writer**
Dillon Yruegas (he/él) is a queer trans mixed coahuiltecan/xicano theatremaker from his ancestral lands in Central Texas. He holds both a BFA in Theatre and a BA in Spanish from Texas State University. On stage, off stage, and online, he has collaborated with theatre companies and cultural institutions across Turtle Island. He is a steering committee member of the Latinx Theatre Commons.

Esmé Maria Ng (they/he/she)

Esmé Maria Ng (they/he/she) is a queer, non-binary theater maker of Cantonese and Scottish descent who loves heartbreak and developing new plays. They have held artistic and producing positions at Manhattan Theatre Club, Ma-Yi Theater Company, Breaking the Binary Theatre, Eugene O’Neill Theater Center, and Little Island. As a playwright, Esmé has been recognized as a Eugene O’Neill Finalist, a Lambda Literary Playwriting Fellow, a Playwrights Realm Fellowship Finalist, and the 2024 June Bingham New Playwright Commission Recipient. Currently, Esmé is a writer with bylines in American Theater Magazine and a fellow at The Tank NYC and Creative & Independent Producers Alliance. @esmemariang // esmemariang.com

**Ianne Fields Stewart** (they/she)

**Writer**
Ianne Fields Stewart (they/she) is a multi-hyphenate creative working at the intersection of art, activism, and pleasure. Their work spans across many fields including: theatre, film, dance, creative writing, arts administration, and social justice. She is dedicated to creating art, facilitating spaces, and influencing organizational practices that allow Black queer and trans people to radically luxuriate in our own joy. To put it simply, she wants to make their people feel good. The 2022 toast honoree of The League of Professional Theatre Women, NY Audiences have recently seen Ianne performing at Lincoln Center with Sydnie L. Moseley Dances and as a company member with MOD Arts Dance Collective for the 23'-24' season. Concurrently, Ianne made their regional writing debut as the book writer for A Complicated Woman at Goodspeed Musicals in Spring 24'. Ianne can currently be seen in Sarah Mantell’s In the Amazon Warehouse Parking Lot at Playwrights Horizons (produced in association with Breaking the Binary Theatre).

**Imani Russell** (they/them)

**Writer**
Imani Russell is a multi-hyphenate artist from Crown Heights, NY (Lenapehoking). Trained in classical music, musical theatre, and acting, Imani recently made their Broadway debut as Mel in "How to Dance in Ohio," a groundbreaking new musical. Imani has also performed off-Broadway, at Edinburgh Festival Fringe, and is an emerging voice actor. As a writer, they explore the connections between time, space, family, queerness, and death-- and all the music and magic that lies within. For more info: www.imanirussell.com | @imanithecowboy

**Jayne Deely** (they/them)

**Writer**
Jayne Deely (they/them) is a queer Puerto Rican playwright and performer from Queens, NY, writing about gray area, lingering Catholicism, and women’s basketball. 2024 O’Neill Finalist, Relentless Award Honorable Mention, La Jolla Latinx New Play Festival Selection, and Terrence McNally New Play Incubator Semi-Finalist, for *I never asked for a gofundme*. Jayne’s work has been developed with Fresh Ground Pepper, the New Harmony Project, KCACTF, American Stage, and Renaissance Theatreworks, among others. They are a recent recipient of an EST Alfred P. Sloan grant to write *Lavender Dust*, a new play about the James Webb Space Telescope. MFA Indiana University. Proud member of AEA, SAG-AFTRA, and the Dramatists’ Guild.

**Jen Silverman** (they/them)

**Writer**
**Jen Silverman** (they/them) is a playwright, novelist, and screenwriter. Plays include: *The Roommate* (Broadway: The Booth; Regionally: Humana Festival, Williamstown Theatre Festival, Steppenwolf, etc); *Highway Patrol* (The Goodman); *Spain* (2ST); *Collective Rage: A Play in 5 Betties* (Woolly Mammoth, MCC, Southwark Playhouse London); *The Moors* (Yale Rep, The Playwrights Realm); and *Witch* (Writer’s Theatre, The Geffen). Books include: *We Play Ourselves, The Island Dwellers*, and *There’s Going to be Trouble* (Random House). Silverman has written on *Tales of the City* (Netflix) and *Tokyo Vice* (Max). Honors include fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Guggenheim.

**Jordan Ramirez Puckett** (they/them)

**Writer**
Jordan Ramirez Puckett (they/them) is a Chicanx writer from the San Francisco Bay Area. Their plays include *A Sapphic Family Christmas, Transitional Love Stories, Untitled Dad Play, Huelga, En Las Sombras, To Saints and Stars, A Driving Beat, Las Pajaritas, Restore,* and *Inevitable*. These works have been produced and/or developed by Creede Repertory Theatre, Goodman Theatre, Intar Theatre, Playwrights Realm, San Diego Repertory Theatre, San Francisco Playhouse, and TheatreWorks Silicon Valley, among others. Jordan was named a finalist for the 2022 Yale Drama Series Prize and is a 2024 graduate of the Juilliard School’s Lila Acheson Wallace American Playwrights Program.

**Nikhil Mahapatra** (any pronouns)

**Writer**
Nikhil Mahapatra is a silly little multi-disciplinary writer (so silly!). Also, a Dramatists Guild Foundation Fellow, O'Neill National Playwright's Conference Finalist, SPACE at Ryder Farm Creative Resident, Yaddo Resident, Clubbed Thumb Early Career Writers Group, and a finalist for a bunch of other important-sounding stuff. Their work has been showcased at The Road Theatre, En Acte Arts, Buck's County Playhouse, The Brick, Gingold Theatrical Group, The Tank, The Wild Project and more. Latest theatrical works include *Unfortunately, everyone will die..., BRIDGE PLAY, SWEETFISH!, American Hunger, CARNAL, Lost in the Fire, Bali Babes* and an untold amount of other things of questionable quality. Other media includes the short film *SPF* (NYITFF), and select short stories and poems published in America and Singapore.

Nora Brigid Monahan (she/they)

Writer

Nora Brigid Monahan (she/they) is a playwright and performer best known for creating and starring in the cult hit solo musical DIVA: LIVE FROM HELL (music & lyrics by Alexander Sage Oyen), which has been performed around the world. Other produced works include the play Aunt Jack and a musical adaptation of Virginia Woolf's Orlando (music & lyrics by Cynthia Saunders). As a performer, Nora has originated roles by Charles Busch, Ken Urban, and, most recently, Ianne Fields Stewart and Jonathan Brielle in the new musical A Complicated Woman at Goodspeed's Terris Theatre. Nora is grateful to become part of the BTB community.

**Sophie Sagan-Gutherz** (they/them)

**Writer**
Sophie Sagan-Gutherz (they/them) is an artist who schleps around NYC occasionally donning a butterfly-covered cane. They often write about the body’s relationship to being physically disabled and trans, the five boyfriends they had in seventh grade, and the magical woods of Massachusetts. Their first screenplay POSSUM (writer/actor/producer) is a Hollyshorts Screenplay Quarterfinalist, audience award winner at its World Premiere in the queer horror block (Final Girls Berlin), and is currently on the international festival circuit. They've been a finalist for a lot of playwriting groups you’ve heard of, are a DisabilityBelongs Entertainment Lab Fellow and the Secretary of their Block Association. sophiesagangutherz.com.

**Christopher Darbassie**

**Sound Designer**
(Select Credits): *The Counter* (Roundabout)*, Almost There* (Audible @ Minetta Lane), *Table 17* (MCC)*, Six Characters* (LCT3)*, Apiary, Camp Siegfried* (2nd Stage) Antiquities, *Amusements (*Playwrights Horizons), *Grangeville*, *A Bright New Boise, A Case for the Existence of God* (Signature Theater), *Uncle Vanya* (O’Henry Productions), *This Beautiful Future (Cherry Lane Theater), Fly Away (Petzel Gallery)*, *Black Exhibition* (The Bushwick Starr). Chris has designed for art installations, radio plays, and devised works in collaboration with The National Black Theater, The Public, Ars Nova, and more. *www.darbassiedesign.com* | Free Palestine | Free Congo

**Rachel Denise April** (they/them)

**Stage Manager**
Rachel Denise April (they/them) is a Guyanese-American Stage Manager, who has studied Theatrical Design and Stage Management at the City College of New York. Select Credits include: *Jordans* (The Public Theater), *The Mood Room* (Big Dance Theater) *Bernarda’s Daughters* (The New Group), *soft* (MCC) *Chicken and Biscuits* (Queens Theatre), *The Baby Monitor* (Different Translation), *The Big Green Theater Festival* (SuperHero Playhouse) *The Hole* (Zhailon Levingston), *Neptune* (Timothy DuWhite), , *Anaïs Nin Goes to Hell* (MTWorks), and The Fire This Time Festival 2015 (The Kraine Theater). They have worked on projects throughout the United States and internationally.

**Sagan Chen**

**Stage Directions Reader**
Sagan Chen is a queer genderfluid Chinese American artist who centers their work on highlighting underrepresented new narratives. He strives for his artistry to reflect social responsibility and pursue liberation for all. Recently onstage: Isabel (NAATCO), WORK HARD HAVE FUN MAKE HISTORY (BTB, Clubbed Thumb), Happy Life (The Hearth at Soho Rep), Fight Call (Breaking the Binary at The Public), Two Mile Hollow (Yale). Onscreen: Survival of the Thickest (Netflix/A24), Grand Crew (NBC), High Maintenance (HBO), This Really Happened (Tribeca), Girl Talk (Outfest). Audio: Audible Original The 126 Year Old Artist, multiple audiobooks. He has directed in NY and Dartmouth College. Sagan is currently seeking representation. Follow them on Instagram: @sagan.chen

b (they/them)

**Performer**
b acts. They are a gender deviant. b was born and raised in Fresno, CA, but is based in NYC. When they aren’t onstage or on screen, b is boxing, biking, sleeping, or eating at ur local vegan restaurant. TV: YOU (Netflix), THE TERROR (AMC), WECRASHED (Apple TV+), LET THE RIGHT ONE IN (Showtime), STATION 19 (ABC). Off-Broadway includes TOROS (2ST; HOLA Award), AMERICAN (TELE)VISIONS (NYTW), BODIES THEY RITUAL (Clubbed Thumb), SEVEN DEADLY SINS (Tectonic), and many others. b has also done hella narrative podcasts including co-executive producing and starring in BIRDS OF EMPIRE (QCODE). b is a graduate of The Juilliard School. @b_intheworld.

**Brigette Lundy-Paine**

**Performer**
Brigette Lundy-Paine is an actor known for playing Casey Gardner in the Netflix original series “Atypical” and Maddie in Jane Schoenbrun’s I SAW THE TV GLOW. in 2022, Brigette starred in the surrealist horror film AMELIA’S CHILDREN directed by Gabriel Abrantes. In 2019, Brigette played Megyn Kelly’s frightened assistant in BOMBSHELL (Jay Roach) and in 2020 played Billie Logan, Ted's Kid, in the third installment of the BILL & TED trilogy, BILL & TED FACE THE MUSIC. Brigette is the creative director of Waif Magazine, an absurdist art and fashion publication.

**Carl Clemons-Hopkins** (they/he)

**Performer**
Carl Clemons-Hopkins gained national popularity with their breakout performance as “Marcus” on MAX’s hit comedy series, “Hacks”. Carl’s portrayal earned them an Emmy Nomination in the category of Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series in 2021. Season three of the acclaimed series received the 2024 Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series. Film credits include Monkeypaw Production’s “Candyman,” and Carl’s television credits include NBC’s “Chicago Med,” and “Chicago P.D.,” Showtime’s “The Chi,” as well as Paramount Animations “Star Trek: Lower Decks,” On stage, Carl performed in the Chicago production of Hamilton as Aaron Burr and George Washington and made their Steppenwolf Theatre premiere in “…Mizz Martha”. www.carlclemonshopkins.com

Che Kabia (they/them/theirs)

Performer

Che Kabia is thrilled to be apart of the Breaking the Binary Theatre Festival! Che is a New York and New Jersey based Actor, Dramaturg, Poet, and Technician. Currently they are a Resident Actor at Mercury Store located in Gowanus. Their recent credits include (U/S) King Edward IV & King Henry VII in Richard III (Soho Shakespeare Company), Freddy in Crooked Parts (Fresh Soil Arts Collective), and Sebastian in Twelfth Night (Catskill Mountain Shakespeare). Che received their BFA in Theatre Arts from Boston University.

2024 FESTIVAL STAFF

Co-Sound Designer: Bailey Trierweiler (he/him)
Literary Manager: Bryar Barborka (they/them)
Casting Director: Charlie Hano, CSA (he/him)
Co-Sound Designer: Christopher Darbassie
Associate Producer: Esmé Maria Ng (they/she/he)
Assistant Producer: Flower Estefana Rios
Founding Artistic Director: George Strus (they/them)
Graphic Designer: Marc Ella Roy (they/them)