NSYPF 2021 Actors

2021 Actors

Maggie Birgel Our Town, The Laramie Project (Theatrical Outfit), Bullets Over Broadway (Georgia Ensemble Theatre), The Last Night of Ballyhoo (Stage Door Players),  Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Pete the Cat, Stellaluna (Center for Puppetry Arts), Nell Gwynn, Strait of Gibraltar, Fancy Nancy  (Synchronicity), Enchanted April  (Weird Sisters), Damn Yankees (Theatre Buford), Madeline’s \ Christmas (Horizon).


Robin Bloodworth has been an Equity member for 24 years and worked in regional theater in 39 states. He is very excited to work with YPF and for the Horizon Theater again, both of which he considers very worthwhile. Selected theater credits: Nick’s Flamingo Grill, Macbeth, Time Stands Still, Clybourne Park (Suzi Award winners), Of Mice and Men (national tour 2010), Equivocation, Ah, Wilderness! (75th anniversary revival), Fiction, Art, Girl Science (EST), Cloud 9 (20th anniversary NY revival), Much Ado About Nothing (OOBR winner). TV/Film:Those Who Deserve to Die, Anatomy of the Throat, Halt and Catch Fire, Your Worst Nightmare, Swamp Murders, Necessary Roughness, The Game, House of Payne, The View, In the Heat of the Night, Midnight Edition, Talk Show.


Lamar K. Cheston is a New York City native, spiritually grounded at New Life Cathedral under the leadership of ArchBishop Robert J. Rochford, and daily meditates on the scripture “the Lord will perfect that which concerneth me.” (Pslam 138:8) He was last seen on the Atlanta stage in Horizon Theatre’s Pipeline. He thanks his family, mentor, and fraternity brothers for their continued support, and leaves you with the statement, “if there is no struggle, there is no progress.” (Frederick Douglass, 1895) www.LamarKCheston.com


Hannah Church is an actress/playwright around Atlanta. She has worked at the Alliance Theatre (Knuffle BunnyBorn For ThisA Christmas CarolLittle Raindrop Songs, The Yellow Wallpaper), Aurora Theatre (Mamma MiaBridges of Madison County), Synchronicity Theatre, Horizon Theatre, Arís Theatre, Hot(lanta) Theatre (The Last Five Years), and the Atlanta Musical Theatre Festival in her co-written musical The Yellow Wallpaper. International Tours: The Tower (Artspot Educational Theatre) where she performed in South America, the Middle East, and Asia. Favorite Regional credits: Spring Awakening and Romeo & Juliet (Roxy Regional). 2014/15 Playwright Apprentice at Horizon Theatre. Teaching Artist ages 3-18 at the Alliance Theatre. Film/Tv (The Oval, BET)


Juan Sebastian Cruz is an actor and entertainer based in Houston. Credits include: The Winter’s Tale, 72 Miles To Go… (Alley Theatre), Between Riverside and Crazy (4th Wall Theatre Co.), My Manana Comes (Stages Repertory Theatre), Guys and Dolls (Theatre Under The Stars), Romeo and JulietA Midsummer Night’s Dream (BakerShake), and The Music Man (St. Luke’s UMC). He has performed in two contemporary dance shows WITCH and Frenzied Phony (ReFine Arts). He helped create an all-original show as a part of Team A for Drama Squad (Catastrophic Theatre). Cruz is currently an active Teaching Artist with both the Alley Theatre and with Theatre Under The Stars. He is represented by Pastorini-Bosby Talent Agency. He holds a B.A. in Visual and Dramatic Arts from Rice University.


Megan Hayes is an award-winning writer, storyteller and actor. She has appeared at the Horizon in Waffle Palace Christmas, Sex with Strangers, Tree and Santaland Diaries to name a few. Her film and Television credits include Futureman on Hulu, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, Emmy-nominated Dolly Parton’s Heartstrings: These Old Bones, Ozark, Eastbound & Down. An avid storyteller, Megan has appeared on the Risk! Podcast, Eat Your Words, Hatedate and is a Write Club LA winner. She received her BFA in Acting from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts.


Asia Howard is an Atlanta based actor, theatre artist, and writer. Originally from Jacksonville Florida, Brandon has migrated from his artistic home and pursued training at Florida School of the Arts and Brenau University with the Gainesville Theatre Alliance, where he received his A.S. And B.FA. In Acting with additional focus in Directing. In the Greater Atlanta Area Brandon has been featured in works with the Atlanta Opera, Alliance Theatre, Theatre Buford, and most recently seen in The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime (Horizon & Aurora Theatre) and Indecent (Theatrical Outfit). He is represented in film television and commercial work with Stewart Talent Atlanta. 


Margaret Ivey has performed at theaters including the Alley Theatre, Alliance Theatre, Cincinnati Playhouse, Contemporary American Theatre Festival, Ensemble Studio Theater, Manhattan Theatre Club, and The Fire This Time Festival. TV/Film credits include The Blacklist, Different Flowers, Madam Secretary, and a recurring role on Prodigal Son. As an actor and a teaching artist, she encourages student voices with Theatre For A New Audience and Epic Theatre Ensemble. Growing up in Atlanta, Margaret was continuously inspired by the work at Horizon, and she is delighted to be a part of this festival. More at www.margaretivey.com.


Cara Mantella has appeared on stages in and around Atlanta including Alliance Theatre, Aurora Theatre, Theatre in the Square, Georgia Ensemble Theatre, Actor’s Express, Horizon Theatre, Stage Door Players, Dominion Entertainment Group, and Théâtre du Rêve.  Recent TV & Film credits: Lodge 49, Stranger Things, Bobcat Goldthwait’s Misfits & MonstersAmerican SoulNashvilleThe OvalThe Founder, The Good Lie, NoelleI, Tonya, and moreBFA in Acting from the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana. imdb.me/caramantella


Brandon Michael Mayes is an Atlanta-based actor, celebrating his third year in the city. Originally from Florida, Brandon is a graduate of both The Florida School Of The Arts and Brenau University with the Gainesville Theatre Alliance in Gainesville, Georgia. After making Atlanta his home, Brandon has performed for The Aurora, Theatrical Outfit, The Atlanta Opera, and on the Horizon stage as Christopher Boone in The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime. He is glad to return to the New South Young Playwrights Festival for his third year to bear witness to the passionate talent of young and eager artists. Contact: Represented by Stewart Talent Atlanta, @itsbmayez on Social Media, brandonmichaelmayes.com


Kofi Osei Owusu attended Howard University where he double majored in theater arts and radio communications. He has used his acting skills across the industry in multiple arenas to include but not limited to independent films, theater, museum tours, dinner cruise MC and a plethora of background/extra work. With experience as an on-air radio personality, Kofi is also a skilled Disc Jockey with both vinyl and digital experience. He can also play the quad, tenor and bass drums along with the cello and perform body percussion.


Kevin Qian is an Actor based in Atlanta, excited to return to YPF! Past works include Nomad Motel (Horizon Theatre), Sunrise from the Moon (Essential Theatre), Vive La Fontaine (Theatre du Reve), Maybe Happy Ending (Alliance Theatre). IG: @kev


Naima Carter Russell is an Atlanta resident, FSU Alumnus and a Suzi Bass Award-winner for her role as Felicia Farrell in Memphis (Aurora Theater /Theatrical Outfit). Other regional credits include: The Nacirema Society…and Christmas Carol (Alliance Theatre); Big Fish and Godspell (Theatrical Outfit); Tranced and Lark Eden (Aurora Theatre); Antigone (Georgia Shakespeare), Caroline, or Change (St. Louis Black Rep), Rejoice (True Colors Theatre Company). Film/TV credits include: House of Payne, Let’s Stay Together, and Banshee. She is a passionate children’s book reviewer and shares the drama of mothering 2 girls @DramaMamaReads on Instagram.


Parris Sarter is happy to be back doing Horizon’s New Young Playwright Festival. Her previous works with Horizon were a recent reading of Earth Love and in the production of The Cake. She has worked extensively in Atlanta theater community and her credits include Angels in America Parts 1 and 2 (Actor’s Express), Eclipsed and Blue Angels Weekend (Synchronicity Theatre), The Revolutionists and TIT (7 Stages), Doubt and The Grown-up (Out of Box Theatre). She is a member of Working Title Playwrights and working with this particular festival is a personal favorite of hers. Thank you for supporting live theater and please stay safe and sane out there.


Kayode Soyemi was born in Lagos, Nigeria and considers Atlanta his home away from home. He began acting professionally a 12 years old in and around the southeastern coast and has since also been an accomplished playwright. He received his BFA from Meadows School of the Arts at Southern Methodist University and is an alumni of the 2018-19 Professional Training Company at Actor’s Theatre of Louisville. He is currently pursuing his MFA at the Yale School of Drama


Justin Walker is excited to return to Horizon Theatre. At Horizon, Justin previously appeared in The City of Conversation and Sweet Water Taste. Regional Credits include: the Alliance Theatre, Theatrical Outfit, TheatreSquared, Hangar Theatre, Arkansas Rep, Warehouse Theatre, Synchronicity Theatre, Serenbe Playhouse, Georgia Shakespeare, Aurora Theatre, Centre Stage, and Atlanta Shakespeare, among others. Justin holds an MFA in Acting from the University of Arkansas.