SONGS FOR A NEW YEAR

Meghan Brown (Lyrics) writes plays about dangerous women. Her work has been produced or developed at Lincoln Center, Victory Gardens Theater, The Geffen Playhouse, Portland Center Stage, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Milwaukee Rep, and the Getty Villa. She and Sarah Taylor Ellis have loved working with the CLO developing their musical These Girls Have Demons at SPARK and NMW. www.MeghanBrown.net

Sarah Taylor Ellis (Music) is a composer, music director, dramaturg, and teaching artist based in Berlin. Her latest compositions include Hamlet for young audiences (The National Theatre), These Girls Have Demons (in development with Pittsburgh CLO), The Trojan Women (recipient of a 2019 OPERA America Discovery Grant), and an upcoming Instagram opera. Her book Doing the Time Warp: Strange Temporalities and Musical Theatre will be published with Methuen Drama in 2021. www.staylorellis.com

Stephanie Klemons (Choreographer, Director, Editor) is the Associate Choreographer and Original cast member at Hamilton. Her 16 year career in the arts has garnered a Drama Desk Award, a Grammy, and a World Choreography Award Nomination. She’s been in and/or been a part of the creative team on four original Broadway musicals, all of which have been nominated and/or won the Tony for Best New Musical, and gone on to tour, which Stephanie was also involved in (each and every time). 60 words is not a lot, so in lieu of trying to truncate words and play favorites with her credits she’ll say how grateful she is to PCLO for the opportunity to perform (VANESSA, In the Heights), choreograph (Rock of Ages) and now CREATE! www.stephanieklemons.com www.katiesartproject.org
 

Morgan Marcell (Actor/Dancer, Director of Photography) is an actor, director and activist based in New York. Shortly after moving to the city, Morgan opened Hamilton on Broadway (OBC, Peggy Maria Cover, Dance Captain) and went on to originate musicals such as Bandstand and most recently, Moulin Rouge. She can be seen in the FX series Fosse/Verdon and also worked behind the camera as assistant choreographer to Andy Blankenbuehler. Impassioned by education, Morgan founded the The Eliza Project, a philanthropic organization linking professional artists to the students of Graham Windham, the orphanage Eliza Hamilton started. She directed her first documentary about the project, called Sharing Our Stories: The Eliza Project, seen at the Napa Valley Film Festival and in the Smithsonian Archives. Check out her website for more upcoming projects - morganmarcell.com
 

Ryan O’Connell (Orchestrator) is an orchestrator, music director, composer, and pianist who has worked on over 50 musical productions. Highlights include Ernest Shackleton Loves Me (2ST), Loch Ness (The Rev), Claudio Quest (Chance Theater), Michael Bublé’s Christmas in Hollywood (NBC), Sinatra 100 (CBS), and co-writing music for Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge in Disneyland and Walt Disney World resorts.  www.ryanomusic.com

Katherine Anne Peyton (Vocalist) (they/she) is a 2020 graduate of Carnegie Mellon’s School of Drama. They are excited to be back with PCLO after appearing in New Musicals Weekend 2019 as Dayna in These Girls Have Demons. Most recent credit is Paula in a workshop of the musical adaptation of An Officer and a Gentleman. They also enjoy teaching and writing poetry.

Matt Schatz (Music & Lyrics) is an award-winning writer and composer. Postponed 2020 world premiere musicals include A Wicked Soul in Cherry Hill (Geffen Playhouse) and Untitled (Pittsburgh CLO). Other notable work: The Burdens (City Theatre). Recent/current collaborations include a scripted Spotify podcast with Kevin Christopher Snipes, a commissioned Ensemble Studio Theatre science musical with Anna Ziegler, and an animated Netflix series with Taika Waititi. He and his wife Jenna Hymes welcomed a daughter in March.  
 

LaTrea Derome (Choreographer) is an actor, dancer, singer, and teaching artist here in Pittsburgh. While Cincinnati will always remain home, LaTrea moved to Pittsburgh in 2010 to attend Point Park University where he graduated in 2014 with a BA in Theater Arts and a minor in dance. Since graduating, LaTrea has been dancing with the STAYCEE PEARL dance project where he is a senior company member and has also performed with several local theater companies including the CLO Cabaret, City Theater, The REP, and Pittsburgh Musical Theater to name a few.  

Julianne Avolio (Vocalist) is a local actor and teaching artist who is always delighted and honored to sing words by Matt Schatz. She looks forward to remembering what it’s like to create art together, and is grateful to do it at a distance in the meantime. 

Kaitlin Kulasa (Dancer) is a Pittsburgh based artist who is currently in her second season with STAYCEE PEARL dance project and Soy Sos. Prior to performing and teaching for SPDP, she graduated from Slippery Rock University in 2019 with a BFA degree in Dance Performance and Choreography. Throughout her training, she has been cast in works choreographed by Bill T. Jones (Jenna Reigel), Martha Graham (Jesse Factor), and DIAVOLO (Alicia Garrity). She is thrilled to now take part in Songs for a New Year.
 

Simon Phillips (Dancer) is inspired by the nature of sensation and physiological responses of the human body. Originally from Macon, Georgia, he began dance training primarily for recreation. Simon attended Kennesaw State University where he graduated with Bachelor degrees in Psychology and Dance. His career brought him to Pittsburgh, where he has worked as a dancer and teaching artist with Attack Theatre since 2017.

Austin Dean Ashford (Music & Lyrics) was born and raised in California's Bay Area, but his passion for performance has taken him all over the world! From the Kennedy Center in DC to the United Solo Festival in NYC, Edinburgh Fringe Festival, and New Zealand Fringe Festivals!

Brian Quijada (Music & Lyrics) is an actor, playwright, and composer. Quijada has spent most of his career acting in Off-Broadway and Regional Theaters including The Public Theater, Roundabout Theatre Company, Victory Gardens, and Actors Theatre of Louisville. As a playwright/composer, Brian’s plays and musicals have been developed at Pittsburgh CLO’s Spark Festival, Victory Gardens’ Ignition Festival, Ars Nova’s Ant Fest, New York Stage and Film’s Powerhouse Festival, The Kennedy Center’s Page-to-Stage, and The O’Neill’s NMTC. Quijada is a two-time Jeff Award winner and two-time Drama Desk Nominee.

Juel D. Lane (Choreographer) is a dancer, choreographer, filmmaker, and one of Dance Magazine’s “25 to Watch.” Most recently he won Celebration of Dance: Choreographer of the Year and Best Choreography for Live Performance for Ailey II’s “Touch & Agree.” He has performed nationally and internationally with Ronald K. Brown/Evidence, and currently dances with Bessie Award winning Camille A. Brown & Dancers. In 2012, Lane became the first black independent Atlanta-based choreographer ever to be commissioned by the Atlanta Ballet, choreographing Moments of Dis for the company. Lane was selected to participate in the 2015-2016 Alvin Ailey Dance Foundation New Directions Choreography Lab. Lane’s dance on film,”The Maestro” was featured on AfroPunk.com. He recently choreographed on Ailey II and Dallas Black Dance Theatre. Lane was last seen as a dancer in the Emmy Award winning tv special, Jesus Christ Superstar Live on NBC. He was recently awarded The University of North Carolina School of the Arts Chancellor’s Alumni Artpreneur of the Year Award, Southwest Arts Center Young Innovator Award and Best Music Video for Bronze Lens Festival. Currently his film, Touch & Agree is  being screened at multiple film festivals! 


Fahim Razin El (Cinematographer/Editor) (known to some as Brandon Forrest), Founder and Ceo of Conscious Creativity llc, began his journey of filmmaking in 2010. Starting out as a professional dancer, then slowly his skill and desire to capture dance on film matriculated into a passion to make movies and tell stories. Currently Fahim is working on his own short films, one entitled ‘Re-Educate.’ Fahim has also filmed behind the scene content for celebrities, as well as documenting interviews and special events. Fahim’s ultimate goal with Conscious Creativity is to correct the narrative and negative image portrayed of the asiatic man and woman in American culture. 


Paul Kim (Dancer) is a Korean American dancer living in Atlanta, GA. He specializes in choreography and hopes to represent Xcel Talent as a commercial dancer. He has experience in a variety of dance styles including bhangra, street jazz, breaking, tap and afro-modern fusion. Recent work includes the concept video “Paradise.” See more on YouTube or Instagram: @phkim5678

Rona Siddiqui (Music & Lyrics) is a NYC-based composer/lyricist. Musicals: Salaam Medina: Tales of a Halfghan, Hip Hop Cinderella, One Good Day, The Tin, Treasure in NYC. Commissions: Wicked: Flying Free, Atlantic Theater Company, 24-Hour Musicals, Prospect Theater Company, The Civilians. Awards: Jonathan Larson Grant, Billie Burke Ziegfeld Award, ASCAP Harold Adamson Lyric Award, ASCAP Foundation Mary Rodgers/Lorenz Hart Award and the ASCAP Foundation/Max Dreyfus Scholarship.

James Washington Manning (Choreographer), a native of Rochester, NY graduated from the Conservatory at Point Park University. James was a founding member of the August Wilson Dance Ensemble (Top 25 to watch, Dance Magazine) and also performed with Owen/Cox Dance Group, Houston Met Dance Company and Ballet INC. James has also been seen on the stages of Paper Mill Playhouse, Pittsburgh CLO, Lincoln Park Performing Arts Center, Broadway Dance Lab and is a proud member of Actors Equity.  Choreography credits include: Slippery Rock University, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, Lincoln Park Performing Arts Center, Netflix and Lifetime television. As an educator, James is currently the Dance Department Chair at Pittsburgh CAPA 6-12 Magnet within the Pittsburgh Public Schools. 
 

Melessie Clark (Vocalist) is a Pittsburgh native, actor and no stranger to Pittsburgh CLO. A graduate of Point Park University with a B.F.A. in Musical Theatre, Melessie has been seen in PCLO’s Grease (Jan), Rock of Ages (Waitress #1), The Wedding Singer (Crystal/Tina Turner), and Gypsy (Ensemble). Catch her this fall in CLO Cabaret’s upcoming production, Untitled: A New Musical Comedy About Serious Drama. www.melessieclark.com. Instagram: @melessieclark

Kaylin Horgan (Dancer) (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) is a proud graduate of both Pittsburgh CAPA and Point Park University. She is a founding member of the Pillow Project (Pearlann Porter) and the August Wilson Center Dance Ensemble (Greer Reed.) She is currently a member of AntonioBrownDance (NYC) and Wylliams Henry Contemporary Dance Company (Kansas City, MO), and has been assisting choreographer Christopher Huggins, nationally and internationally since 2017. Kaylin’s choreography has been seen at The DUMBO Dance Festival, The Space Upstairs, Deeply Rooted Dance Theater, The Junior Theater Festival (Moana Jr. pilot) The Edinburgh Fringe Festival, One Billion Rising Rally, Wylliams Henry Contemporary Dance Company, Point Park University’s Summer Dance and with musical artist, Brittney Chantele. She is currently teaching dance at Pittsburgh CAPA, where she loves guiding young artists with the same dream she had at that age. IG:@kaylin1horgan
 

Sam Quinn (Editor) received his BFA in dance from the University of Arizona. Credits include Bad Boys of Ballet, Radio City Christmas Spectacular, River North Dance Chicago and regional theatre across the US. He organized the viral #boysdancetoo movement in August 2019. His video editing has been featured in Broadway World and NY1 and more. 

Jillian Walker (Music & Lyrics) writes and performs sacred texts for the theatre and beyond. Her work(ings) include the critically-acclaimed SKiNFoLK: An American Show and Songs of Speculation (Third Coast “Audio Unbound” Award). She is currently co-conspiring with The TEAM as a writer/performer on Reconstruction, Soho Rep (where she is the 2020-21 Tow Playwright-in-Residence and a member of Project Number One), and the readers of her newsletter, The Free List. www.thisisjillianwalker.com

Kasaun Henry (Music & Lyrics) is a filmmaker and composer from Harlem, NY. He won the 2020 Best Orchestrations Antonyo Award for SKiNFoLK: An American Show. In 2019, he received the Ujamaa Short Film Black Male Writers Award at the Kwanzaa Film Festival. He has a Master of Arts in music theory from the University of Michigan, a Master of Letters in philosophy from Faulkner University, and a Master of Arts in history from Drew University.