CHRISTOPHER RIVAS (Playwright/Performer) is quickly becoming one of the most sought after multi-hyphenates as an actor, author, podcaster, playwright, and storyteller. His critically acclaimed debut book, Brown Enough, explores what it means to be Brown in America. The book is part memoir and part social commentary, a roller coaster of finding one's true self while simultaneously having a racial awakening amidst the struggle to be "perfectly" Latinx, woke, and as Brown as possible to make it in today's America. His next book, You're a Good Swimmer is a children's book that's due out Summer of 2024. He's also the host and executive producer of two podcasts with SiriusXM's Stitcher: Brown Enough, which explores the parallel themes of this book through interview-style episodes; and Rubirosa, a 10-episode documentary-style investigation of Porfirio Rubirosa, a Dominican diplomat, race car driver, soldier and polo player who’s believed to be the inspiration for the famous character ‘James Bond’. On screen, Rivas is known for his work on the Fox series, Call Me Kat, opposite Mayim Bialik.

DANIEL BANKS (Director; Co-Founder/Co-Curator, DNAWORKS) is a director, deviser, dance dramaturg, and community organizer. He has directed, led workshops, and/or instigated projects in 39 states and 23 countries at such venues as the Belarussian National Drama Theatre, the NYC and DC Hip Hop Theatre Festivals, The Market Theater Lab (South Africa), McCarter Theatre Center, National Theatre of Uganda, the Oval House and Theatro Technis (UK), PlayMakers Rep, Playhouse Square, Dallas Theatre Center, ArtsEmerson, and The Public Theater. Daniel served as choreographer/movement director for productions at New York Shakespeare Festival/Shakespeare in the Park, Theatre for a New Audience, Singapore Repertory Theatre, La Monnaie/De Munt (Belgium), and Salzburger Landestheater (Austria), as well as for Maurice Sendak’s company The Night Kitchen. Daniel served on the dramaturgical team for Camille A. Brown & Dancers’ Black Girl: Linguistic Play and ink (touring) and directed DNAWORKS touring productions HaMapah/The Map and HaMapah/The Map Dance-on-Film, choreographed and performed by DNAWORKS Co-Founder Adam W. McKinney; Hollow Roots by Christina Anderson; and The Real James Bond…Was Dominican by and with Christopher Rivas. Current projects include The Secret Sharer and We The Messiah. Daniel is Co-Convener and Board Chair of Transform 1012 N. Main Street, the project to repurpose the former Ku Klux Klan Auditorium in Fort Worth, TX, into The Fred Rouse Center for Arts and Community Healing. He serves on the Drama League’s Directors Council and the National Cabinet of the US Department of Arts and Culture, and is Associate Director of Theatre Without Borders. Daniel is the 2020 recipient of Theatre Communications Group’s Alan Schneider Director Award.

The position of Director for this production is graciously underwritten by Barbara A. Rudiak, PhD.

JONATHAN GOMEZ  (Musician) is a percussionist, composer and arranger born in Bogota, Colombia. There is no question why he has been able to take traditional Colombian music to popular venues around the US. His musical career began at the age of 5 at “Orquesta Sinfonica Juvenil de Colombia”, then continued at the “Pontificia Universidad Javeriana” where he gained a better understanding of world music. He has performed in renowned festivals, such as Globalfest, Music of Colors (Detroit) and SXSW (Austin, TX), among others. Jonathan has an extensive career in the salsa scene in Colombia as part of “La Real Charanga”, recording two productions and taking first place in “Salsa al Parque” and "Jazz al Parque”. He has had the opportunity to play and record with many well-known artists, such as Luisito Carrión, Luis Felipe Gonzalez, Luis Fonsi, Daddy Yankee, Kader Japonaise & Shwekey. Jonathan currently resides in New York City.