Current Students
Kai M. DonDero
(She/They) is a theatre artist from Elmira, NY. They focus on directing, Playwriting,
Devising, and have recently started developing their visual art skills.
They have a BA in Theatre and Performance from SUNY Purchase. They also attended Corning
Community College, where they learned the importance of theatre community, and how
to create theatre in non-theatre spaces. Their work focuses on an artist's struggle,
and aims to create empathy in audiences through fantastical or familiar worlds. They
are looking forward to sharing the skills they are learning at Towson University with
the artistic community back home in Elmira, and anywhere the wind takes them. A few
of their works: The Fluid Project, [Deviser, Director, Playwright.] Cheat Day! [Director], OUR WORST SELVES: a reincarnation play and
Dog Deer and Me, [Playwright, Director.]
Tracy (Symphony) Hall
(she/her) An alumna of Morgan State University holds a B.A. in Theatre Arts and a
minor certification in Music-Vocal Performance. She is a Baltimore County Public Schools
Secondary Vocal Music Teacher. Tracy is super excited about her current enrollment
in Towson University’s MFA Program & her Teaching Assistant position in the Theatre
department here at Towson. She will receive her Master’s Degree in the Spring 2024.
She is an active alum of the Ira Aldridge Players (IAP), and a member of Alpha Psi
Omega (National Theater Honor Society). She has worked on and off stage in various
areas of theatre at Morgan State University & Towson University. She has also had
those experiences in professional and community houses. Recently Tracy has created
programs and developed curriculum that will allow children early exposure to theatre
while enhancing Reading and Language development. She is a member of the
Performing Arts Ministry at Life Music Christian Fellowship (LMCF) her church home
for over 20 years. Tracy has received training and certification as a Teaching Artist
through Chesapeake Shakespeare Company, Summer Arts Learning Academy (SALA), & Dance
& BMore. She has tutored and taught many actors in Baltimore over the years in varying
capacities. She has also shared techniques & critical tools that will engage and inspire
future Spoken Word Artists. Although Tracy has a passion for teaching, she is no stranger
to the stage and feels quite at home. She has utilized her education in Theatre and
branched off into Directing & Playwriting. In March of 2021 Tracy was commisioned
by Rep Stage as a Playwright to premiere her piece in LOVE/languages which was a virtual
event that featured the writings of various
DMV selected Playwrights. That piece means even more to Tracy now as the actor from
her piece has gone on and made her Broadway debut! “It’s a 6 degrees of separation
thing.” Tracy is super excited to make her debut at the Strand Theatre. She is the
Playwright, the Director, and an Actor in the production of Framing My America that
opens October 14th and runs until October 30th. This connection to Strand
is a special one since her initial introduction to this theatre was via the late and
so so great Dr. Shirley Basfield Dunlap. “Dr. D was not only my Instructor & Mentor,
she was my friend...SHE WAS EVERYTHING and I AM EVERYTHING ELSE. Tracy dedicates her
journey with the MFA Cohort to “Dr. D” Ase!
Sha-Nel Henderson
Sha-Nel Henderson (she/her) is an Indiana native and alumna of Indiana University-
Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) with a degree in Communication Studies and
a Theatre certificate. Whenever the opportunity arises, she finds a way to intertwine
her passion for community, performance and advocacy. Henderson is the Manager of Partnership
Cultivation at Black Stage, a publication that centralizes the voice of Black theatre-makers in Indiana. She
enjoys creating and performing vignettes that challenge and introduce conversations
that can create social change. Henderson’s work is not solely devised in the ideas
of prestigious theatre, but using the art form in nontraditional spaces that allow
for storytelling to unconventionally connect people. Her fascination with the art
of communication, social change and performance
has led her to Towson University. As a lifelong learner, she is interested in the
cycle of
unlearning and relearning ways that theatre can create safe spaces for people to experience
storytelling that speak to them personally and artistically.
Alanna Kiewe
Alanna (she/her) has been working in the performing arts for most of her life. Some of Kiewe's first memories include her unusual birthday parties. These parties involved Kiewe casting all of her friends as actors in performances that took place in her backyard. As the birthday girl, Kiewe both directed and starred in each production, carefully choosing costumes and props for each of her friends. These productions cemented Kiewe's lifelong passion for all aspects of the performing arts. Her love of theater helped her re-instituted the Warren County Community College Drama Club and organized their first production in over ten years. Kiewe's passion for theater shines in her productions and commitment to bringing theater to children all over the United States. She ran her own children's theater company from 2009 to 2014 in New Jersey and worked with the local children's theater, The Growing Stage - The Children's Theater of New Jersey. When she wasn't running her children's theater, or completing her Bachelor of Arts in Education, she acted with the theater department at Centenary University. She then moved to Alaska, where she taught for a few years, bringing theater to some of the most remote schools in the United States. After her time in Alaska, Kiewe moved to Maryland where she worked as an educator for Montgomery County Public Schools. Since moving here she has worked with a number of children's theater companies and community theaters. You might have seen some of her children's shows at The Drama Learning Center or seen her production of Puffs at Spotlighers Theater where she has been a guest director. In her spare time, Kiewe attended the University of Northern Colorado and obtained her Master's in Theater Education.
JAM
JAM (he/him/his) is an interdisciplinary artist, mixing the oral tradition, myth, pop culture references and spirituality into a theatrical experience. He earned a BA from the University of Maryland in Theatre Performance. his influences include the DVD player he grew up with, X-Men action figures, Nicki Minaj and stand up comedians. JAM is currently producing a series of original audio plays, which he says "bridges the gap" of theater accessibility in a socially distant, digital age. JAM aims to earn his MFA degree in order to bring theater eductaion into non-theater spaces.
Debra Buonaccorsi McWilliams
Debra Buonaccorsi McWilliams (she/her) is a creator, performer and teacher of theatre and music. Her work has been seen and heard in esteemed venues like the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC and the Pershing Square Signature Center in NYC and in gritty performances spaces and dive bars like the Baldacchino Gypsy Tent of DC's Capital Fringe Festival and the 5 Spot in East Nashville. Debra is a graduate of NYU's Tisch School of the Arts and a Helen Hayes Award winner.
Debra began her professional career as an actor, working in NYC at LaMaMa E.T.C., Theatreworks USA, and the New York Musical Festival and in DC at Arena Stage, Ford’s Theatre, Signature Theatre, Olney Theatre Center, Spooky Action Theatre, Open Circle Theatre, among others.
In 2008, Debra and partner Steve McWilliams created Dizzy Miss Lizzie’s Roadside Revue, an inter-genre, interdisciplinary hybrid theatre company meets rock band meets roving band of gypsy troubadours. With a core group of actor-musicians, DMLRR produced original works, “adapting literary greats into raucous, engaging, utterly modern tales” performing at venues in the DC area at the Capital Fringe, and The Kennedy Center Millennium Stage, among others. Dizzy Miss Lizzie’s Roadside Revue was awarded the 2012 Helen Hayes-John Aniello Award for Outstanding Emerging Theatre Company.
Debra is a founding member of the Americana/folk-rock group The TrueHearts. Formerly based out of East Nashville, The TrueHearts perform throughout the country and have released 4 albums.