Cady McClain (Director, Producer) is proud to be Axial Theatre’s new Artistic Director. Her first production as AD was directing Youlim Nam and Tom Ryan in Never the Sinner by John Logan. Cady studied theater directing with legendary artistic director of Ensemble Studio Theater, Curt Dempster, and studied acting for eight years with Michael Howard. Directing work includes Paint Made Flesh by Howard Meyer, Seeing is Believing: Women Direct, a documentary on female directors (winner Audience Award at the SOHO Film Festival, Jury Prize at the Newport Beach Film Festival, among others), and Burnt Feathers, Broken Wings, a short doc about foster youth struggling with addiction. Also an actor, she was recognized by Deadline for being a history-making three-time Emmy© winner. cadymcclain.com

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Youlim Nam (Jane, Playwright, Producer) is a Brooklyn-based actor, and playwright hailing from Seoul, Korea. She's been in multiple off-off-Broadway productions such as 12 Angry Women, and Peter/Wendy. Her numerous short plays: 28+2, A Watch, Acting Is My Destiny, Get Out of My Head!!!, Just B'day Dinner in NYC, etc. have been actively produced at off-off-Broadway theaters since 2018. You can also find her in award-winning indie films such as Mingle, and Your shade of Blue. Before her new chapter in NYC, she had acted in Korean productions in Korea’s off-Broadway sector, Dahak-ro in Seoul. Awards: 'Best Actress' at The Equity Library Theater, 'Best Actress' at the International Independent Short Awards, 'Best Monologue' at Actors Awards, LA, the City Artist Corps Grant, and Ma Yi Theater Micro-Grant. An alumnus of HB Studio where she studied with master teachers including Austin Pendleton. She's an ensemble member of Axial Theatre and a member of the Dramatists Guild. She's grateful to collaborate with Cady McClain, Tom Ryan, and Allegra Venturi again after the Axial's production of Never the Sinner, where she starred. youlimnam.com 

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Tom Ryan (Bill) has enjoyed roles on stage and in film since 2015, beginning in Seattle, then New York in 2019. He just completed a two year conservatory program at Michael Howard Studios. In November 2022, he lead the cast of Never the Sinner, produced by Axial Theatre, which is where he and Youlim met, and struck up an acquaintance. Tom is grateful to join Youlim in a reading of A Connected Place.

 

Allegra Venturi (Enaj) is a London bred, Spanish- Italian actress and producer currently based between New York and London. She graduated in 2018 from NYU with a BA in Arts Management and Art History, and is a recent graduate from the Two Year Conservatory program at Michael Howard Studios. She has worked in various departments on Film and Theatre productions, as well as starred in numerous short films, some of which have successfully entered the festival circuit. Her most recent, Curtain Call, premiered at the San Francisco Independent Festival in February. She is currently developing her second short film which will take place in Spain. This is Allegra’s first time portraying a role in her native tongue and is very grateful for the opportunity to be part of this reading.

 

Nathan Flower (Moderator) [he/him] Founding Artistic Director - the Hudson Valley Moving Company(HVMCo) – a physical performance collective. Nathan is the Head of Movement Training at the Terry Knickerbocker Studio in Industry City, Brooklyn. Nathan is an associate arts professor at NYU where he is currently the Program Director for the MSNR Studio @ Tisch Drama. He served for three years as Associate Chair of Tisch Drama and has been Director of the Tisch Future Theater Artists Program for over five years. Nathan is a certified Williamson Practitioner and has spent 20 years developing his own uniquely integrated process for movement training and physical performance as well as role-preparation and on-set coaching for actors. Additionally, he teaches Acting through a nimble, innovative approach to the Meisner Technique. Directing and performance credits include: BAM Fisher, Judson Church, Center for Performance Research, Julia Crockett Group @ 99 Scott, Aquila Theatre Co.: National and International Tours, Clark @ Lincoln Center, Lucille Lortelle, The Acting Company, Classic Stage Company, Duanjun Theater at Shanghai Theatre Academy (China), Shakespeare Festival Neuss (Germany), Festival at Syros (Greece), Crossroads Theater, Hangar Theater, Vermont Stage, Shakespeare in Delaware Park, National Shakespeare Co., Westchester Collaborative Theater, Axial Theater Co., Aery 20/20 Festival & Ariane Festival @ Depot Theater. 

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Mohammed (Photographer, Videographer) is a writer and director from NYC and has worked on Lova’s Game (2022) and Outside the Lighthouse (2020). He’s also written the novella Mindful Vice, available now on Amazon. 

 

Mao Hanada (Photographer, Videographer) is an NYC-based filmmaker, hailing from Tokyo, Japan. https://maohanada.wixsite.com/info

 

Special Thanks to Micheal Howard Studio who generously provided their space for rehearsals. Also Suzanne Ordas Curry, Bruce Apar, and Evelyn Mertens who help us market the event.