First Edition Zine Contributors

is an actor, writer, and composer. His show Rags Parkland Sings The Songs Of The Future (Ars Nova, dir. Jordan Fein) won the 2019 Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding New Musical, made the New York Times' Best Theater of 2018, and was nominated for 9 Drama Desk Awards. The show's cast album is out now from Broadway Records and is available on all streaming platforms! In 2018 Andrew received The Jonathan Larson Grant for emerging musical theater makers. Andrew has worked on many beautiful and bonkers projects with FGP's support, including Rags Parkland, Folk Wandering, a musical about the Miami Zoo during Hurricane Andrew, several iterations of "The Toobies", many dance parties, sketch comedy by Political Subversities, plays by Haruna Lee, plays by Jaclyn Backhaus, and who even knows what else. He holds a BFA from NYU's Experimental Theater Wing. andrewrbutler.com

is a New York based director and writer. Currently, Arpita is working on the featurette Running, written by and starring Danny Pudi. Arpita’s recent directing credits include Bollywood Kitchen by Sri Rao (Geffen Playhouse), Jump by Charly Evon Simpson (APAC), House of Joy by Madhuri Shekar (San Diego Rep), Maya by Cheeyang Ng and Eric Sorrels (Pace University New Musical Lab), One Way by Ben Bonnema and Christopher Staskel (NAMT), and Eh Dah? Questions For My Father by Aya Aziz (Next Door @NYTW). Arpita has developed work at WP Theater, the Public Theater, and Ma-Yi Theatre amongst others. She is a 2021 Resident Director at the Drama League, a 2018 - 2020 Women's Project Lab Member and a 2018 Eugene O’ Neill National Directing Fellow. She is an alumni of the Lincoln Center Directors Lab. Arpita is currently the book writer for Monsoon Wedding musical and the Artistic Director of Congressional Award winning Hypokrit Productions. Arpita is developing theatre and TV/film projects in India and America. With Rahul Chitella, Arpita has recently written the screenplay for Gulmohar for Disney+ and is currently writing a screenplay for an upcoming film, directed by Mira Nair.

is an interdisciplinary artist based in Brooklyn and Taiwan. She was a Mabou Mines SUITE/Space artist, Creators Collective’s AEIN artist, as well as a Theater Mitu affiliated artist presenting work though their Hybrid Arts Lab and Expansion Works programming. Cinthia also works as a projections designer in theater, and was recognized for her work at the La MaMa’s Design Fest 2020. Shows she has designed for have been presented at venues such as IRT, Dixon Place, Lenfest Art Center, and BRIC. She is also a film editor and has worked for independent artists and production companies such as Five Sisters Productions and ARRI China.

is a designer, educator, activist and producer. He is a 5-time TONY Award Nominee and the recipient of a TONY Award for Best Costume Design of a Play for Eclipsed - the first person of color to win in this category. He has designed sets and/or costumes for over two hundred theater, opera and dance productions. Film credits include: Production Design for Lingua Franca by Isabel Sandoval for Netflix; and costume design for RESPECT, the Aretha Franklin biopic starring Jennifer Hudson for MGM. Clint is the Producing Creative Director for Encores! at New York City Center and he serves on the American Theater Wing’s Advisory Committee. His lifelong advocacy is for an equitable landscape in theater and film for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color and for the rights of immigrants.

is a proud Gay, Mexican-Latinx Scenic Designer. He is originally from Puyallup, Washington, but now resides in New York. He received his B.A. in Theatre Arts from Pepperdine University & received his M.F.A in Stage Design from Southern Methodist University. He has worked as an Associate Scenic Designer to Clint Ramos on projects such as Slave Play, KISS MY AZTEC!, Wild Goose Dreams, Grand Horizons, and currently X: The Life & Times of Malcolm X.

wants to be a scientist when he grows up. He enjoys Pokemon, drawing, and non-fiction. He was born in Brooklyn, but lives in Queens. This year for Halloween he went as Kevin McCallister. Thank you Ellie for inviting me to be part of the zine! Hi Zara!

(she/her) is an admirer of our world whose drawing pens meander on paper and birch bark alike. At 23 years old, she recently graduated college with a degree in environmental sciences, and she hopes to align her ecological interests with creations relating social justice and art. Most of her time is spent practicing regenerative farming, constructing an upcycled greenhouse, empowering the use composting toilets, and loving the company of trees.

JJJJJerome Ellis is a blk disabled animal, stutterer, and artist. jjjjjerome.com

is a California-born, New York and Copenhagen-based actor, director, and producer. She loves bringing new works to life, bringing people together, and processes that value collaboration and growth. Jessica has worked on new pieces at World Pride, Second Stage, EST, The Lark, Drama League, Signature Theater, Prospect Theater, and NY International Fringe Festival, among others. She’s the voice of E.L. James steamy bestselling novel The Mister. Jessica co-founded the film making collective Burn It Down and produces the digital zine IN HERE | OUT THERE. She’s a graduate of NYU Tisch School of the Arts and a member of AEA. jessicaoharabaker.com

A Brooklyn-based photographer/videographer with a passion for live performance (theater, dance, music, weddings, live events, etc.), photo journalism, and portraiture. I strive to tell stories through images that convey a deep sense of intimacy along with the aliveness of the present moment. The audience should feel as if the whole thing exists just for them and my hope is that they feel intrigued and invited into the subject(s) of the work.

is a theater-maker, amateur farmer, writer and experimental violist. You may find them screeching the old horse-hair bow on weathered strings in the woods. Or, more recently, planting garlic and cleaning out composting toilet systems. They would love to collaborate with you!

is an actress, playwright, and human hailing from the foothills of the Sierra Nevada. She now calls the Borough of Kings home. Ms. McGuire earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts from Marymount Manhattan College theatre department where she graduated with honors. Her debut play The Red Room premiered with The Shelter at the TBG theatre and was a New Yorker critics pick. She received The Farm Theater’s College Collaboration Commission where she developed her most recent full length play, In the Cotton, with three colleges in Maryland. She was recently awarded The Kennedy Center's David Mark Cohen National Playwriting Award for the same play. Her play “tselem” was a finalist for the DVRF playwrights program and she was a member of their 2019 round table. For other somewhat useful or useless information visit www.morganamcguire.com

I recently did an instagram filter where it tells you what career matches your face, and it said chef, so this might be the last bio describing me as a director, producer and actor. Most recently wrote an directed a campaign for Nike in honor of Native American Heritage Month, a green energy campaign for Anheuser-Busch, and a project for Netflix called Netflix by Bots, which is a comedic doom and gloom about how writers are obsolete! A roomba even wrote this bio. Honored to contribute to the FGP ZINE !

is Co-Founder and Artistic Director of The Bushwick Starr. As an actor, he has performed in various theater, television, and film productions in and out of New York City. At the Starr, he has programmed artists and companies such as Heather Christian, Jeremy O. Harris, Dave Malloy, Raja Feather Kelly, and so many more. He has helped create the Starr’s workshop Creating Performance at El Puente Bushwick, and the after-school program Big Green Theater.

(they/them) is an award-winning writer, performer and educator known for using history's lens to highlight the biases that separate rather than unite us. Mason was recently dubbed by The Brooklyn Rail as "quickly becoming one of the most significant playwrights of the decade." Their playwriting has been seen on Broadway at Circle in the Square (Circle Reading Series); Off and Off-Off-Broadway at New York Theatre Workshop, New Group, The Fire This Time Festival, Dixon Place, American Theatre of Actors, Flea Theatre, and Access Theater; and regionally at McCarter Theatre, Center Theatre Group, Victory Gardens, Chicago Dramatists, Steep Theatre, Serenbe Playhouse, Theatre Rhinoceros, Open Fist Theatre Company, EST/LA, Coeurage Theatre, Rogue Artists Ensemble, Son of Semele, and Skylight Theatre. They are an honoree of the Kilroys List; the Chuck Rowland Pioneer Award; the Fire This Time Festival Alumni Spotlight, and the Hollywood Fringe Festival Encore Producers Award. Mason's films have been recognized by the SCAD Film Festival, AT&T Film Award and Atlanta International Film Festival. They've screened at Hollyshorts, Outfest, Bentonville Film Festival, Outshine Film Festival, and the Pan African Film Festival. Mason holds degrees from Princeton University, Middlebury College, and Northwestern University. They are a member of Page 73's Interstate 73 Writers Group, Primary Stages Writing Cohort, the co-host of Sister Roger's Gayborhood podcast, and the co-founder/lead mentor of the New Visions Fellowship for Black Trans and Gender non-conforming playwrights.

is an Iranian-American writer, director, and DJ whose work has been described as “ambitiously subversive” and “unapologetically experimental” (Time Out NY). She recently directed LOVE & INFORMATION by Caryl Churchill (American Academy of Dramatic Arts), VOICES FROM A PANDEMIC (Best Direction Nomination: Broadway World), and BLOODSHOT by Elinor Vanderburg (Exponential Festival). Before that, she developed and directed DANGER SIGNALS, a unique collaboration with British playwright Nina Segal and pop musician Jen Goma. Described as ”visually arresting” (ONE Magazine), it received its world premiere in New York City as part of the Archive Residency program. Her writing was recently featured in Theater in Quarantine's CLOSET WORKS, presented by the Invisible Dog Arts Center. Before that, her play RED WEDNESDAY was presented by Mabou Mines through their SUITE/Space Initiative. Sanaz is a Drama League Alum, New York Theatre Workshop Usual Suspect, and currently in residence at New Georges.

(they/them) is often found originating roles in musicals + plays and writing queer characters into their own projects. Select NY Theatre credits include: TFANA, The Public, Ars Nova, LCT3, Rattlestick, 54 Below, The National Queer Theatre, TheatreworksUSA, and regionally at the Williamstown Theatre Festival (WTF) and the Forestburgh Playhouse. Film: It Felt Like Loss; 2 Anxious Bisexuals. Their writing has been developed with the Fresh Ground Pepper PAL Group, Pride Plays, Gingold Theatrical, the 24 Hour Play Festival, WTF and Am I Write Ladies?. They've been a Finalist at the Greenhouse Lab (Orchard Project, 2021), Youngblood (EST, 2021), The Jam (New Georges, 2020), Emerging Writers Group (The Public, 2020) and a semi-finalist at the R&D Group (The Civilians, 2020) and Pipeline (Playspace, 2019). BFA: NYU Tisch w/ an honors thesis in theatre studies. sophiesagangutherz.com / newplayexchange.org.

is an interdisciplinary artist, educator and community organizer. His work aims to highlight narratives of the oppressed, with levity and resilience. He has developed or performed in work at Joe's Pub, HERE Arts, LaMama, Target Margin Theater, The Tank, CyberTank, Orlando Science Center, NoCA, The Brick, IRT 3B, New Ohio, Dixon Place, Loading Dock, Theater for the New City, NYU Tisch/ETW, and has worked with Public Works, Pipeline Theater Co, Theatre Reconstruction Ensemble, Great Small Works, Downtown Urban Arts Festival, American Realness, Theater Plastique, Talking Band, Mad & Merry, and Jewish Voice for Peace. He currently makes groovy music as Grass Future Society, and is the Co-Artistic Director of YES Theater, both of which you can find more info about at www.nikolaimishler.com BFA: NYU Tisch/ETW

likes: tiny poems, nuance, straightforwardness, jokes that appeal to 12 year olds (farts, et al), campfires, breaking bread, vanity license plates, inflatable tube people (outside car dealerships, et al), dumplings, discreet and considerate usage of cellphones, and letting the produce speak for itself. Wil Petre dislikes: absolutes, superlatives, lima beans, proud ignorance of America’s shortcomings, tripe, people who fail to acknowledge how beautiful his dog is, and the incurious. If you ask nicely, he will likely sit down with you for a coffee or glass of wine. His love languages are Quality Time and Physical Affection. wilpetre.com for bording work-related stuff. Oh, buy Social Alchemix, an alchemical conversation card game he made- SocialAlchemix.com