Send Dex a text!No one has likely welcomed more audience members to DC theaters than Joy Johnson, and certainly no one has done it with more humor, grace, and compassion than Joy. A patron services professional in the District for almost 20 years--first at Shakespeare Theatre and now the Folger Library--she knows what makes a good box office employee, the supportive and risk-taking nature of DC audiences, how gatekeepers need to leverage their positions to better welcome new patrons and artis...

Send Dex a text!Shonali Burke is the Chief Marketing and Strategy Officer at Arena Stage, one of the largest and most prominent theater companies in the District. Trained as an actor and director in her native India, Shonali is today one of the best in the business of understanding and applying analytics. Adept in all things PR and marketing, she discusses content development, how data crunching is a form of listening, measuring and understanding patron relationships, Arena Stage's role in th...

Send Dex a text!Kathryn Chase Bryer is a director, dramaturg, teacher, and administrator with a storied career at Imagination Stage, one of the country's largest and most innovative children's theater companies. Theater for Young Audiences has been central to Kate's career, which includes work at Missoula Children's Theatre, Round House's "Street 70" program, and Wolf Trap. At Imagination Stage, she has developed, devised, and directed dozens of plays and worked with generations of talented t...

Send Dex a text!James J. Johnson has been bringing his blend of charm, poise, and humor to roles across DMV stages for almost 30 years, working at companies such as the African Continuum Theatre, Arena Stage, Imagination Stage, Woolly Mammoth, Theater J, and Keegan. Now making his name as a playwright--with his a play, Wannabe, debuting at the 2024 Capital Fringe Festival and Central Time with Mosaic's H Street Oral History Project--he is also an established educator and audiobook narrator. H...

Send Dex a text!Chani Wereley is one of the most versatile and talented performers in the DMV. After attending Young Artists of America in Maryland and Catholic University in DC, they've racked up an astonishing number and variety of projects, from new musicals to classic plays to her own cabaret triptych, HARD TIMES. Currently starring as Audrey in LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS at Ford's Theatre, Chani is without a doubt an artist whose continued rise will be well worth the watch. She shares her ST...

Send Dex a text!Danielle Preston is a DC-based costume designer who has worked her way up and all around the DMV theater scene. She has brought her keen eye, steady hand, and agile mind to thought-bold, provoking productions at companies from Avant Bard to Theater J to Washington National Opera. She talks about her early days as a fellow at Kennedy Center and Arena Stage, learning the freelancing life, how designing period and modern shows differs, the intimacies of the fitting room, and how ...

Send Dex a text!Aria Velz is a director, dramaturg, sound designer, teaching artist, and an emerging lesbian media critic. She has worked at a long list of DMV theaters, including Signature Theatre, NextStop Theatre Company, Olney Theatre Center, Imagination Stage, Flying V, Mosaic Theater, and Theater Alliance. Aria is as enthusiastic to watch plays as she is to make them, and we talk about the plays and musicals she loves, how she navigates the hustle of freelancing, her collaboration...

Send Dex a text!Lizzi Albert and Gerrad Alex Taylor are DMV actors, directors, and educators. Longtime colleagues, they now serve as co-artistic directors of Perisphere Theater, a professional company which "produces plays that examine personal and collective history and the notion of history itself." The two discuss their careers, including tenures at Chesapeake Shakespeare Company, the roles of exploration and boundaries in art and life, and how to sustainably foster creativity and empathy ...

Send Dex a text!Nova Y. Payton is one of the DMV's brightest stars. Known for her amazing voice, gracious presence, and serious acting chops, she has worked in theaters across the region, with a special connection with Virginia's Signature Theater, where she has performed in shows such as Into the Woods, The Color Purple, and Dream Girls. A multiple Helen Hayes Award nominee and winner, Payton discusses the importance of family, self-care, and new works, as well as how she brings her best to ...

Send Dex a text!Kate Kenworthy is an actor in Washington, DC. They performed in two of 2023's most acclaimed productions with Rorschach Theatre and Spooky Action Theater, as well as other play readings and projects. They have no shortage of charisma and enthusiasm on stage, and the same goes for off stage. They discuss how they broke into DC theater, the need to be mindful of the projects one takes on, the power of activism through theater, and the importance of maintaining multiple creative ...