Cabaret Echo
Cabaret Echo is the second event of The Nest, Citizen Arts’s emerging artists program. Believing young artists need community as well as resources and mentorship, Cabaret Echo brings together performers and visual artists to share and celebrate their work. In the tradition of the artistic cabarets of over a century ago, we invite you to engage with the exciting visual art projects on display as well as a collection of short pieces that celebrate a variety of performance genres—from music to drama to clown work to spoken-word poetry.
We want you to feel at home at Cabaret Echo. Sit or stand wherever you’d like. Feel free to move about the space during the performance.
Performances
(listed in the order they will be presented)
“Spoken Word Set,” written and performed by Anahita Monfared
“In Doublet and Breeches,” written and performed by Melina Rabin
“Finding My Way,” music composed and performed by Dilara Naska
“Charles and His Office,” written and performed by Harris Singer, directed by Nabeel Jan, choreography by Lillian Smith, featuring Justin Mills, stage directions read by Atiana Skokan
“Gimcrack,” written and performed by Katherine Harrington
Untitled work, created by Leah Plante-Wiener and Shiloh Blue
INTERMISSION
“Pulse,” music composed and performed by Mia Cusianovic and Henry Alper, with poetry written and performed by Hannah Currie
“I Met God on the Bus,” written and performed by Michela Murray, featuring Julie Gester
“Things Are,” written and performed by Tess Walsh.
“VEGETARIAN,” written by Bito Boucher, directed by Henry Alper, featuring Talia Kai and Kris Wilson
“A Clown Never Dies,” written and performed by Aleksandr Kobrynich
“Blank Spaces (15),” written and performed by Kayla Fontana
Alexia Doan (she/they) (IG: @alexiadoan) is a multidisciplinary designer and artist, studying interior design at Parsons. With particular interests in immersive and narrative design, Alexia enjoys blending various specialties together to create beautiful and impactful experiences. Their current projects include scenic design for theatre and film, as well as fashion show production with company Bureau Betak.
Penelope Gould (she/her) is a Brooklyn-based playwright and painter. Her work has been presented at HERE, Rory Meyers College of Nursing, The Tank, the Kraine Theater, Berkeley Rep, PlayGround SF, The Contemporary Jewish Museum, and on the streets of New York.
Chenyu Huang (she/her) is a Chinese-born, New York-based emerging visual artist. She holds a BFA in Fashion Design from Pratt Institute and is pursuing an MA at Columbia University. Immersed within a realm of storytellers, Huang utilizes her artistic language to capture the profound essence of nature and humanity. Her creations unfold a mesmerizing narrative, a celebration of life's intricacies and warmth.
Amy Mullenex (she/her) is an artist and writer whose work critically analyzes emergent digital media cultures and their impact on figurations of the "human" and the "self." She is particularly interested in developing multimodal forms of artistic inquiry capable of glitching (AKA, disrupting) the ubiquitous, invasive, and proprietary algorithms utilized to surveil and ultimately control the digital behaviors of the everyday consumer. She received her MA in Media Studies from The New School in 2023.
Sammy Rivas (he/him) is an actor, writer, director, producer, musician, and puppet maker based out of New York City. He has a B.F.A. in Drama from NYU Tisch School of the Arts and is a co-founder of both The Fool Volk theater collective and the Shroom String Puppet Company. He is also a company member of the Czech-American Marionette Theater.
Henry Alper (he/him) is a performer, director, and musician from Palo Alto, California. He is a current student at the Classical Studio at NYU Tisch, expecting to graduate in 2025. Recent NYU credits include Richard III (Classical Studio), Sganarelle (NYU Florence), and A Midsummer Night's Dream (Tisch Drama Stage).
Shiloh Blue (she/her) is a Queens-based sound artist and performer. Her work focuses on the material aesthetics of communication, the power of chaos as a mathematical and spiritual force, and the joy of describing the indescribable (among other things). What this often leads to is work that toes the line between animal horror and animal excitement. You can find her through her email list at shilohblue.substack.com.
Bito Boucher (he/him) is a theatre and film artist. He is grateful to show his writing. He also loves you. Theatre and film credits include: Tisch MainStage: (Anxiety Is the Dizziness of Freedom, Midsummer Night’s Dream), Billy Elliot the Musical, Dying to Survive, and The Book Signing. No human being is illegal.
Hannah Currie (she/her) is a queer multidisciplinary artist, currently obtaining a BFA in Acting from NYU Tisch where she can be seen performing in the Classical Studio’s production of Richard III. Hailing from the UK, her previous training includes RADA, Theatre Peckham Rep Company and Southwark Playhouse Young Writers Cohort. Professional theatre credits include: Punk Rock (Theatre Royal Stratford East) and Originate (Theatre Royal Peckham). She thanks the Citizen Arts family for this exciting whirlwind of a creative journey! Represented by A&J Artists.
Mia Cusianovic (she/her) is a Chilean-Croatian actor, musician, and theater-maker based in Brooklyn. She is in her final semester at NYU with a passion for new works. She studied at Stella Adler, ETW’s International Theater Workshop in Amsterdam, and is currently working on Richard III at The Classical Studio. Thank you Citizen Arts and Meg for making community-engaged events like this possible!
Kayla Fontana (she/they) is an alumna of NYU Tisch Drama (Experimental Theatre Wing and The Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute), the National Theatre Institute, and the International Theatre Workshop Amsterdam. They make all the things in all the ways. She would like to dedicate her piece to all the silent survivors. I see and believe you even if you only tell me in your heart.
Julie Gester (she/her) is a bisexual writer and performer who received her BFA in Acting from The Theatre School at DePaul University. Additionally she makes online content rooted in feminism and LGBTQ rights which has amassed a TikTok following of 700k+. @plantbasedbirdgirl (TikTok) & @birdgirrrl (IG).
Katherine Harrington (she/her) is an actor and writer based in NYC. Harrington is heavily inspired by Zadie Smith, James Baldwin, and Brit Marling. TV/film credits include Netflix Prop Drop, Apple MacBook Air, Google Chrome pixel, Cosmopolitan the Braid up, Audible dreamers, An Astute Woman at the Comedy Cellar. Theater credits include War Dreamer at the Actors Studio. Harrington is repped by Rebel Creative Group and Take 3 Talent.
Nabeel Jan (he/him) is excited to be here! He likes making theater and film and hanging out with his dog. He wants to thank Harris for letting him be a part of this!
Talia Kai (she/her) is an actor/creative from Alaska based in New York. She’s pursuing a BFA at NYU Tisch and finishing up her third and final year of training at the Stella Adler Studio for Acting, where she’s currently working on a production of Lorca’s The House of Bernarda Alba that goes up in May. She is so excited to have been brought onboard to be a small part of this evening and is so grateful to Citizen Arts for the way they support young, emerging artists in their creative endeavors. @taliakaii on instagram.
Aleksandr Kobrynich (he/him) is a queer theater maker studying drama at NYU Tisch’s Meisner Studio. He is very excited to be a part of this festival and would like to thank everyone involved in the creation and selection of this project. This performance marks his New York City and writing debut! Enjoy the show!
Fiona MacPhail (she/her) is a current senior at NYU, in her third year of acting training at the Stella Adler Studio of Acting. She is also studying Italian Studies through CAS and is continuing her classical training at Commonwealth Shakespeare this summer in Boston. This is her first time having the title of stage manager anywhere and her first time working with Citizen Arts and she is so happy to be here!
Justin Mills (he/him) is a young actor studying Drama at New York University’s Tisch School Of the Arts. He has been involved in theater for most of his life and is honored to be a part of Charles and his Office. His recent credits include the world premiere of Lisa by Dylan Guerra and Laura Dupper at The Lee Strasberg Theater and Film Institute, The Presidential Reality Show directed by Preston Martin at Radio City Music Hall, and Memorial directed by Shadi Ghaheri in the Abe Burrows theater. He wants to thank everyone in his life that supports and loves him every single day! Instagram: @typicaljustinnn
Hita Monfared (they/he/$he) is an actor, spoken word poet & dancer. Their work centers radical feminism, gender fuckery & mad pride. Most recently they wrapped For Her, an indie film centering the woman, life, freedom revolution in Iran & are co-writing, Beyond Consent: Transforming Rape Culture into Queer Trans Nurturance w/ Angelic Goldsky (Thorntree Press, 2025), and, currently finishing their theatre degree at NYU! Catch them on the gram @anabringsthehita to stay connected <3
Michela Murray (she/her) is an Actor and Artist based in NYC. Her ultimate goal is to cultivate a shared joy of playing. She likes to work on strange pieces that feature angry young women.
Dilara Naska (she/her) is a Turkish-Albanian artist from Chicago, Illinois, and a Senior at NYU Tisch. She studied at Meisner, ETW, ITW Amsterdam, and is now at Stonestreet for her last semester. She also graduated from Interlochen Arts Academy with an award in Fine Arts. Her recent credits include Oedipus Rex (Jocasta), Richard II (Northumberland), Borderline; (a dance), Everybody (Everybody), 9 Studies for a Dance Opera, The Wolves (#46), and As You Like It (Rosalind u/s, Hymen).
Leah Plante-Wiener (she/her) is a playwright and multidisciplinary artist originally from Montreal. She is currently obtaining her MFA in playwriting at Columbia. She is a fan of the unpleasant and the absurd. leahpwrites.com // @leah.annia
Melina Rabin (she/her) is an NYC-based actor and dramaturg who is incredibly excited to be combining both skills at Cabaret Echo! As a dramaturg, she has worked on productions with Foul Fiend Theatre Troupe, Theatre 315, and NYU Tisch School of the Arts, where she recently completed her BFA in Drama. Melina is a founding member of Lighthouse Ladies, a women-led film and theater production company (@lighthouseladiesco).
Harris Singer (he/him) is a playwright, actor, director, illustrator, and/or whatever he needs to be that day. At this moment, a playwright. He has a BFA from NYU’s Tisch School for the Dramatic Arts (Playwrights Horizons Studio as well as NYU’s Classical Shakespeare Studio). He is the founder of The Fool Volk (an experimental classical and new work theatre company) previously in residence at La MaMa Galleria. Harris demands whimsy.
Atiana Skokan (she/her) is an actress and fine artist based in Brooklyn/NYC by way of San Francisco. She is a recent graduate of NYU Tisch School of the Arts, where she completed her training at the Meisner Studio and the Stonestreet Film Residency. Some of her favorite credits include: Romeo and Juliet (Juliet) @ The African American Shakespeare Company (2015), The House of Bernarda Alba (Bernarda) @ Meisner Studio, Pale Blue Dot(s) (Lorena) @ Meisner Studio, and Farewell to Blammerton (Valerie) @ The Chain One Act Festival.
Lillian Smith (she/her) is a dancer, performer and choreographer from Teaneck, NJ. At three years old she began her training at the school of performing arts at Bergen PAC, the New Jersey Ballet School and Nunnbetter Dance Theatre. under the artistic direction of Leath Nunn and Ernie Prinz. While at NDT she performed principal roles in both classical and contemporary works including The Nutcracker, Swan Lake, La Bayadere and Jerome Robbin's West Side Story Suite.
Tess Walsh (they/them) is a dramaturg, writer, performer, and strong mover from Brooklyn. They recently graduated from SUNY Purchase with degrees in Anthropology and Theatre + Performance. They have worked on productions at Purchase, NYU Tisch, Columbia School of the Arts, the Tank, and the Brick. They currently intern at En Garde Arts.
Kristofer Wilson (he/him) is an actor, poet, and playwright from North Carolina now based in New York City. He is thrilled to be back at the second installment of The Nest; this time as an actor! He is currently a junior training toward his BFA in Acting at Stella Adler Studio through NYU Tisch School of the Arts. Recent acting credits include: Prospero in The Tempest, Zeus in The Odyssey and Lenny in In Arabia We’d All Be Kings. Playwright: Smoke Break (Citizen Arts: The Nest). Thanks to Citizens Arts for uplifting the future generations of artist.
Our Creative Team
Meg Araneo, Co-Producer Cabaret Echo and Co-Artistic Director Citizen Arts and Education
Mia Cusianovic, Co-Producer Cabaret Echo
Kevin Gill, Production Assistant
Fiona Macphail, Stage Manager
Tom McGovern, Videographer
Rob Reddy, Co-Artistic Director Citizen Arts and Education
Special thanks to: Harris Singer, Anvita Gattani, Mary Bitel, Kevin Gill, Fiona Macphail, Rob Reddy, and Theresa Cannone. It does take a village!