Director

EVREN ODCIKIN

**Evren Odcikin (he/him) is an arts leader, director, and writer with a commitment to championing historically excluded voices in the American Theatre. He most recently served as the Interim Artistic Director at Oregon Shakespeare Festival where he was the Associate Artistic Director and Director of Artistic Programming since 2019. As a director, he has worked at OSF, Guthrie, A.R.T., Woolly Mammoth, Portland Center Stage, PlayCo, NYTW, Geva, Northern Stage, Berkeley Rep, South Coast Rep, The Lark, Kennedy Center, InterAct, Cleveland Public Theatre, Magic Theatre, Golden Thread, Crowded Fire, and Playwrights Foundation with such writers as Kevin Artigue, Guillermo Calderón, Christopher Chen, Yussef El Guindi, Denmo Ibrahim, MJ Kaufman, Hannah Khalil, Jonas Hassen Khemiri, Mona Mansour, Betty Shamieh, Caridad Svich, Sharifa Yasmin and Amir Nizar Zuabi, amongst many others. Evren was born and raised in Turkey. Current directing projects: Macbeth at OSF and Christopher Oscar Pena’s Our Orange Sky at Profile Theatre. odcikin.com

Dramaturg

ARMINDA THOMAS

Arminda Thomas (she/her) is a dramaturg, director, and archivist. She currently serves as resident dramaturg and producing member of CLASSIX, and as a curator for New Perspectives Theatre’s On Her Shoulders reading series. Selected dramaturgy credits include The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window (Jones Theatre/Brooklyn Academy of Music), Death of a Salesman (Hudson Theatre), Renaissance Mix Tape (Apollo Victoria), Trouble in Mind (Hartford Stage), Wedding Band (Theatre for a New Audience), Black Picture Show (Artists Space), Mirrors (Next Door at New York Theatre Workshop), Black History Museum…According to the United States of America (HERE Arts Center), Jazz (Baltimore Center Stage), and June and Jean in Concert (Signature). She previously served as archivist and dramaturg for Dee-Davis Enterprises, where she was an executive producer for the Grammy-awarded audiobook, With Ossie and Ruby: In This Life Together, and consultant for the film Life’s Essentials with Ruby Dee.

Production Assistant

MONIQUE CRAWFORD

Monique Crawford (she/her) is ecstatic to be back in the room! This is her third year working with Bay Area Playwrights Festival. Monique is a multiracial African-Caribbean actor and artist from Fairfield, CA. She graduated from California State University Sacramento with her B.A. in Theatre. Monique is a working actor in The Bay, and enjoys PA-ing inbetween projects she’s performing in. She most recently closed the American Conservatory Theater’s inaugural A.C.T. OUT Tour of “Measure for Measure”. Her other previous Bay works include “EDIT ANNIE” (Crowded Fire Theater), “Mondragola” (Central Works), and “Cinderella” (African-American Shakespeare Company). Monique has a passion for social justice and founded BE FREE (Black Engaged Fundamental Racial Equity Everyday), calling for radical change within CSUS, where she also led affinity and Racial Healing Circles through The Center for Spiritual Awareness. Follow Monique on social media to stay updated with what’s coming next.

*Samuel Ademola (he/him) is a Nigerian born actor, screenwriter, standup comedian and poet. His Notable theatre performances include “A Time to Kill” (Chatauqua Playhouse), “Pass Over” (The California Theatre), “Between Riverside and Crazy” (Left Edge Theatre). Samuel’s film credits include Freaky Tales (MACRO), Nash Bridges (USA Network), First Date (Hulu). His motto is to see the world, live a compelling story, and make a difference.

*Rolanda D. Bell (she/her) | Born & raised West Oakland Ca, Rolanda has taken the route as a storyteller for her career and has been building relationships with theaters throughout the Bay Area since 2011. Her recent accomplishments have been working with Berkeley Rep Theater School as a director for 2024 High School Theater Festival, RHE Fellow recipient of 2024 and continues her acting career with the hopes of traveling as she does. Theater Credits include: POTUS with Berkeley Rep, Is God Is with Oakland Theater Project and Paradise Blue with Aurora Theater. Currently in Shotgun Players production of Midsummer Nights Dream extended through April 27th and will be in Crowded Fire’s production of Shipping & Handling opening Aug-Sept 2024. Film credits: Blindspotting, Netflix’s All Day & A Night and PIXAR Animation LIGHTYEAR deleted scenes as Izzy. Rolanda is SAG-AFTRA & represented by JE Talent.

*Ben Euphrat (he/him) is an actor, musician, and designer. Credits include: Water By the Spoonful, with SF Playhouse, Once, with 42nd Street Moon, The Siegel at City Lights, Shakespeare in Love at Marin Theatre Company, the SF and off-Broadway productions of Ideation with SF Playhouse, Project Ahab at Central Works [nominated: Outstanding Music Direction], Mirandolina at Center Rep, Twelfth Night at Shotgun Players, and HIR at the Magic Theatre. Ben has worked extensively in film and commercial, and has studied improv in LA with the Groundlings and IO West. Check out his music on Spotify and find more at beneuphrat.com.

*Cassandra Hunter (she/her) is a multi-hyphenate, multi-racial artist. As a writer, she was selected by ColorCreative for their inaugural Find Your People Program, founded by Issa Rae and Deniese Davis. Her short film, Don’t Hate Me, premiered at LA Comedy Film Festival in 2023, and continued its festival run at 4Scene Film Festival in February 2024. She is a graduate from the American Conservatory Theater’s MFA Acting program, Her credits within the program include Bright Half Life, By the Way Meet Vera Stark, and In Love & Warcraft, which was remounted for the mainstage at A.C.T. following the success of the MFA premiere. Cassandra is the recipient of the A.C.T. Fleishhacker Award for Acting Excellence.

*Member of Actors’ Equity Association or SAG-AFTRA
**Member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society