Bowl EP

Essence Lotus

essence lotus is a brooklyn born Pana, lover, warrior, and ancestors’ baby. they are still learning so much, and are grateful to be getting paid to play while the world is still on fire. this is their first off-broadway production since being in MCC’s soft by playwright Donja R. Love directed by Whitney White, and since graduating from goldsmiths, university of London, and the University of Oxford in 2024. essence is grateful to still be alive and learning, and their work primarily concerns the urgent liberation of those at the margins, and how softness, embodiment, relationship, community, ritual, and nature are our greatest tools for getting free. Through their work they ask us: how can we be beings who caress the Earth with our presence?

Felicia Curry

FELICIA CURRY Recently: Age of Innocence (Arena Stage), Sandra (TheatreWorks Hartford). Tony-nominated Broadway revival and national tour of Into the Woods. Off-Broadway AUDELCO nominations: Undine, Lynn Nottage’s Fabulation (Billie Holiday Theater); Queen’s Girl in the World (Abingdon Theatre Company). Helen Hayes Award winner for Lela & Co., an RTCC Award winner, a Berkshire Theatre Critics Award winner for Nina Simone: Four Women and a recipient of the Anderson Hopkins Award for Excellence in Theatre Arts. Artistic Associate at Ford’s Theatre, Resident Company Member at Factory 449 and Everyman Theatre, and the Emmy-nominated host of WETA Arts on WETA/PBS. @thefeliciacurry

Kalonjee Gallimore

KALONJEE GALLIMORE is truly blessed to make his Vineyard Theatre debut in this beautiful black and queer ass company! He wants to thank Nazareth for their trust and leadership, Víctor and Sujotta for their continued confidence, his fearless reps Judy, Jenna, and Brett for their tireless effort, Jonathan for his mentorship, and his love Nimene for her support. Dedicated to all the black boys still figuring out their freest self. BROADWAY: A Beautiful Noise; FILM: “Girls Getaway Gone Wrong 2;” REGIONAL: Alliance Theatre, Theatre Aspen, Argyle Theatre; Flat Rock Playhouse, Surflight Theatre; BFA: NYU Tisch @Kalon.jee GLORY TO GOD!

Oghenero Gbaje

Oghenero Gbaje Oghenero Gbaje (a.k.a Oghie) is an actor/musician born and based in Brooklyn, New York (you’ll catch him skateboarding down Flatbush Ave if you look hard enough). He found his love for acting in the 6th grade and later attended LaGuardia High School and Ithaca College. Also, Oghie has a deep love and passion for music. He’s an artist, producer, multi-instrumentalist, and songwriter. If it has to do with music, he probably dabbles in it. Check out his album, “Lvl. 1 by Oghie,” streaming on all platforms. Oghie loves his community and is grateful for their unwavering support! @oghiemonster

Ava Novak

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR

Ava Elizabeth Novak is deeply committed to resourcing artists to fully dream into process as well as finding more accessible ways to strengthen Theatre and Community. At NBT, they work as a creative producer, production manager, and company manager, as well as assist with programmatic planning and building out NBT's library. Their favorite part of being part of the NBT Family is assisting Belynda with supporting the development of our I Am Soul Residents. Outside of NBT, you can find them directing plays and light designing for live performance.

Judah “Free Fool” Girvan

MUSIC & RAP CONSULTANT

FreeFool is a musician, writer, and rapper from East Point, Georgia. Fool’s catalog includes compositions like “Kibini Bottom(Sweet Hut),” “High Free & Foolin,” (as heard in the production of Bowl Ep), and his most recent single “PutItOnGawd, previewing a newer sound that will be featured in his first project anticipated to drop this summer. He began collaborating with Nazareth Hassan on the “Bowl EP” music about 6 years ago and was even featured on Nazareth’s 2021 single, “Moonface.” The music in the play highlights a blend of old school punchline rap and alternative hip-hop/ house beats with modern and dynamic flows that will leave you bobbing your head and reciting every word. @freefooltheafrodragon

Adam Rigg

CO SCENIC DESIGNER

Adam Rigg is a New York-based set and costume designer. Selected Broadway:The Skin of Our Teeth (Tony nomination, OCC Award) and Illinoise. Off-Broadway: Teeth, On Sugarland (Lucille Lortel Award, Drama Desk), Cullud Wattah, Blood Quilt, Is God Is, and Fefu and Her Friends (Henry Hewes Award). Opera: El Niño (Met), The Lord of Cries (Santa Fe), Breaking the Waves (Opera Philadelphia), and Prism (LA Opera). Upcoming: Lincoln In The Bardo (Met Opera), Nacht ohne Morgen (Berlin Staatsoper/Paris Opera), Sylvia, Sylvia, Sylvia (Geffen), and All The Men Who Frightened Me (La Jolla). @adamriggdesign

Anton Volovsek

CO SCENIC DESIGNER

Anton Volovsek is a scenic designer, artist, and theater maker currently based in Brooklyn, New York. Recent design credits: Our Town, Life is a Dream, Everything That Never Happened, Akeelah and the Bee (Baltimore Center Stage), Little Shop of Horrors (People's Light), Curse of the Starving Class (PTP, Williamstown Theatre Festival), Mr. Burns (Brown/Trinity), Hype Man (The Flea Theatre), Princess Phooey (TADA! Youth Theater). MFA from NYU Tisch School of the Arts. BFA from the University of Michigan. Go Blue! You can find more of his work at www.antonedward.com. @antonvolov

DeShon Elem

COSTUME DESIGN

DeShon Elem is an Afrofuturist/Afrosurrealist artist and designer from The Bronx, by way of Harlem. Their design career has been centered around working on shows that highlight and uplift Black stories and voices. She is Emmy nominated for her contributions on The Roll Call: The Roots to Strange Fruit (PBS/All Arts) Some of their theater works include The Worthy (The Flea Theater), The Gospel Woman (National Black Theatre), This Land Was Made (Vineyard Theatre), (pray) (Ars Nova & Nation Black Theatre), Being Up in Here... (Exponential Festival & The Brick).

Kate McGee

LIGHT DESIGN

Kate McGee is a trans lighting designer, new media artist, and deviser of theater works. She is currently in the midst of a years long world tour as Lighting Designer for Esperanza Spalding and Antonio Brown Dance. Recent Off Broadway - The Beastiary (Ars Nova), I'm Revolting (Atlantic Theater Company), Snatch Adams, and Notes on Killing (Soho Rep), The Hang (Here Arts). She was a 2022/2023 artist in residence at Soho Rep where she developed the VR piece Girl Mode since seen at Fabric Arts Workshop and the ASU's MIX Center. Kate made several pieces with Peter Mills Weiss and Julia Mounsey that have been seen in NYC and Europe.

Ryan Gamblin

SOUND DESIGN & ADDITIONAL COMPOSITION

Ryan Gamblin is a sound designer, composer, and performance-maker based in Brooklyn, NY. Their practice centers found media, original composition, and the use of the sound system as an instrument. Recent designs include: Weathering (Faye Driscoll / NYLA), Radio Downtown (The Civilians), The March (Big Dance Theater), Cold Water (Little Engine Theater), The Following Evening (600 Highwaymen), The Criminal Queerness Festival (National Queer Theater), Metamorphosis 2 (Stacy Grossfield / The Chocolate Factory). RyanGamblin.com @sound.by.ryan

Zavier Augustus Lee Taylor

VIDEO & PROJECTION DESIGN

Zavier Augustus Lee Taylor Is a multimedia artist and designer known for his interactive and impactful video design for live performances. Zavier has a BA in Dramatic art from UNC-Chapel Hill and an MFA in Media Design from UMD-College Park. Zavier operates a multimedia production company; ZALT Productions. ZALT Productions enables people and businesses to realize their potential through design. Zavier is eager to connect with and build a network of creatives across industries. Zavier’s design work stretches across mediums and venues and is characterized by flexible and intuitive collaboration. Learn more about Zavier’s work by searching #ZALTproductions. @zaltslaw

Teniece Divya Johnson

FIGHT CHOREOGRAPHER & INTIMACY DIRECTOR

Teniece Divya Johnson (they/them) is an Intimacy Director, Fight Director, Stunt Performer, and Movement Storyteller working across television, film and stage. The first Black and first non-binary intimacy director on Broadway with Slave Play, Teniece serves as a resolute advocate for a decolonized collaborative approach to art, Black intimacy, Kink and Queer representation.

They are also the founder of www.BlackIntimacyConsentCollective.org, a community based educational organization around Black intimacy, consent and wellness. Some additional credits include Paradise on Hulu, POSE, Lovecraft Country, American Saga Wu-Tang on Hulu, Barry Jenkins’ The Underground Railroad, RAMY, Diarra From Detroit, and West Side Story with Steven Spielberg. Off-stage sharing boundaries and empathy masterclasses with colleges, universities and corporations. @teniecedivyajohnson

Daniel Brothers

PROPS & SPECIAL EFFECTS SUPERVISOR

Daniel Brothers is a props person, a poet, a painter, and a playwright. His stage work includes Props Design for Amani (NBT), and Will You Come With Me (playco), as well as various artisan work for Gallery Players and the Public Theater. He wonders if you've told someone that you love them today, he wonders if you know he wrote that himself. Lastly, he is seeking a producer for his play "Living together." And his book "50 words for Grief: Two Brothers' Reflections on Loss" can be found on Amazon. Bing Bong, Enjoy the show. @lordjurgan

Faheem Allah

SKATEBOARDING CONSULTANT

Faheem Allah has professional skills in teaching skateboarding as well as modeling. Faheem is sponsored by a globally known skate company called Hopps and teaches skateboarding from toddler to adults full time at Skate Yogi! Interests include traveling, creating and painting! @fahhhbless

Esti Bernstein

PRODUCTION STAGE MANAGER

Esti Bernstein (Production Stage Manager) is a Brooklyn-based theatermaker and ice cream eater. Vineyard Theatre: Sam Kissajukian: 300 Paintings, Is This A Room, sandblasted, The Beast in the Jungle, Kid Victory, and Gigantic. Off-Broadway: Travels (Ars Nova), The Good John Proctor (Bedlam), WORK HARD HAVE FUN MAKE HISTORY (Clubbed Thumb), the bandaged place (Roundabout Theatre Company), Watch Night (PAC NYC), Indra's Net (Meredith Monk, Park Avenue Armory). Regional: Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival and Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival. Proud Resident Stage Manager for Broken Box Mime Theater. Love and thanks to friends and family, ACL, BBB, GVB, BNB, and FFB. @callme_estib

X Casting, Victor Vazquez, CSA,

CASTING

VICTOR VAZQUEZ, CSA (Casting Director) is the founder of X Casting (xcastingnyc.com). He casts in LA and NYC for Broadway, West End, Tv and Film. He is the proud son of Mexican immigrants. IG: @victorvictorv