Podcast Guest Bios
Raquel Almazan was born in Madrid, Spain, is also of Costa Rican descent and has lived most of her life in the U.S. As an interdisciplinary artist, she holds an M.F.A. in Playwriting from Columbia University. B.F.A. in Theatre from University of Florida/New World School of the Arts Conservatory. She develops work as a writer, director, actor, dramaturge and is also a Butoh dance practitioner. Almazan is the Artistic Director of LA LUCHA ARTS, producing several of her original works, including the LATIN IS AMERICA play cycle and lecture-performance, a collection of bi-lingual works in dedication to each Latin American country.
Maybe Burke is a New York based actor, writer, and human rights advocate interested in telling the stories that haven't been told. Their work has been seen at Joe's Pub, Lincoln Center, Cherry Lane Theatre, Ars Nova, New Dramatists, HERE Arts Center, The NYC LGBTQ Center, and more. Their solo show, Love Letters to Nobody, received the 2017 Fresh Fruit Spirit Award for Fostering Pride, Survival, History, and Progress and earned them a nomination for the 2018 Doric Wilson Independent Playwright Award.
Yvette Heyliger, author of What a Piece of Work Is Man! Full-Length Plays for Leading Women, is an award-winning playwright, producing artist and activist. Activities this year include: producing and hosting a workshop for Theatre Resources Unlimited called, “It Doesn't Have to be #MeToo: Sexual Harassment and Prevention for the Theater”; hosting a Twitter Chat with HowlRound about the progress of the theatre industry in raising awareness about sexual harassment. Yvette was recently named the Dramatists Guild NYC Ambassador and continues to serve as co-VP of Programming for the League of Professional Theatre Women.
Micaela Mamede is a classically trained dancer and movement educator who teaches yoga, Pilates, acrobatics, dance, and mindfulness based techniques. After graduating from Gibney Dance’s Community Action Program, Micaela, a Portuguese immigrant, created WOMA.nyc - women stories told to all by all - an itinerant women’s theatre company working with local immigrant communities to merge movement and social integration through storytelling events. Micaela’s show “Maria” is WOMA.nyc’s first production, and advocates for the decriminalization of sex work, for imposing higher penalties on domestic violence charges, for immigration reform and for the acceptance and inclusion of difference.
Krishna Christine Washburn has performed with many dance companies, including Infinity Dance Theater, thinkdance, Heidi Latsky Dance, and LEIMAY, and has collaborated with many independent choreographers, notably, A.I. Merino in her signature role, Erzszebet Bathory. She has several ongoing artistic collaborations, including work with wearables artist Ntilit (Natalia Roumelioti). She is the artistic director of The Dark Room, a multi-disciplinary project with fellow visually impaired dancer, Kayla Hamilton.
