Actors

Getting to know some of our Brief (Political) Encounters Actors:

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TWOEY TRUONG is a Philadelphia-based theatre artist originally from Salina, Kansas. She earned a Master of Fine Arts in Theatre Performance from the University of Southern Mississippi. Twoey was recently seen in Delaware Shakespeare Festival's The Comedy of Errors, and in the readings Satisfaction by Nandita Shenoy and King of the Yees by Lauren Yee. She is excited to be a part of the Brief (Political) Encounters: Ten-Minute Play Festival.

Gil Johnson is an actor, director and theatrical instigator in Philadelphia. He is currently developing a monthly reading series for Übungsflugzeug. "The artist does not declare war, but never allows the enemies of human freedom to fight their war undeclared. And so at the front line of every war is the artist marching under a banner of peace."

Pizza Rolls & Palin

Matt McWilliams is a Philadelphia-based artist and a recent graduate from Temple University’s acting program. Most recently he was seen as Noah in @thewrittenword, a webseries featured on FunnyorDie.com. Past credits include Dean in MMF (Quince Productions), Helena in A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Indecorous Theatre Co.), and as Alex in One of the Guys, an Emmy Award-winning original webseries. He can next be seen in One Last Shot, or A Mexican Standoff in Ireland with Manayunk Theatre Company. He is excited to be a part of Pizza Rolls and Palin and is proud to share its topical and powerful message.

Estragon's Boot

Jess Otterbine is a Philly-based theater artist. As a solo performer, she creates pieces that utilize classical women to explore contemporary feminist themes. She is a company member of Svaha Theatre Collective, a physical theatre group that explores the limits of the human psyche, body, and soul. She is also a Core Ensemble Member of the Renegade Company. Jess is an adjunct professor of theater, teaching artist, and movement instructor. She holds a Masters in Theatre Studies from Villanova University and Bachelors in Theatre and Sociology from Quinnipiac University.

Evan Raines is a local performer and teacher here in Philadelphia. Recent productions include: The Nose (EgoPo Classic Theater), Wolves (Quince Productions), and A Midsummer Night's Dream (REV Theatre Co). Also a classically trained violinist, he has played in several theatrical productions as well as with the Bucks County Symphony. Additionally, Evan is a passionate supporter of new plays and works as a teaching artist for Philadelphia Young Playwrights. Many thanks to ReVamp for putting together a night of original and relevant works!

Burn the Witch

Jenna Kuerzi is an actor, director, singer, and resident gypsy-rag-a-muffin garbage person here in good ol' Philadelphia. Selected recent credits: Urinetown (Officer Barrel) with 11th Hour Theatre Company, The Taming of the Shrew (Katherine), Macbeth (Macduffling), and Twelfth Night (Maria) at the Philadelphia Shakespeare Theatre, and Birdie's Pit Stop (Jax) with On the Rocks in the Philadelphia Fringe Festival. www.jennakuerzi.com

James Joseph Jesberger Jr. / Jimmy is a recent graduate of Arcadia University with his BFA Acting Degree and Minor in Music/received the Dr. Fabrizio Award for Excellence and Honors in Music. For his senior year of college, Jimmy performed an original play, Midway, by Alisa Kleckner and directed by Maura Krause, a play with three people on one puppet at a time! Since graduating college, Jimmy has performed at Tecumseh! The Outdoor Drama with 75 performances in one summer, as Ben Fry/Understudy-Captain McDonald, while also performing the Scottish play/Mcboo (just don't say it), as Third Apparition/MacDuff Servant. Jimmy has also been known to try different forms of performance and this past October, he was a Line Haunter/Dr. Abnor Silo at the Valley of Fear - The Haunted Hayride; which was an entirely new experience! Jimmy's next adventure will be in Boston Massachusetts with the Commonwealth Shakespeare Company! Jimmy cannot wait to perform in Burn The Witch by Greg Nanni. Jimmy wants to thank Greg Nanni, Revamp Collective, Lesley Berkowitz-Zak, Gil Johnson, Jenna Kuerzi, and everyone who has helped him to get to where he is now! Lion's Pride, Lion's Heart

#SuiteReality

Ashley Ayanna is a Philadelphia native. She is a proud alum of Temple University and Freedom Theatre and is currently studying at The William Esper Studio in New York. She has worked locally at The Walnut St Theatre, The Adrienne, and Suzanne Roberts Theatre. She is so excited and grateful to be a part of such an important piece of theatre. She believes that art should be used to make a statement, to speak to people. Hopefully, this piece is heard loud and clear.

Ashley B. Spearman grew up in Philadelphia and is an alumnus of Temple University. Her credits include: The Last Days of Judas Iscariot, Long Time Since Yesterday, Dentity Crisis, Two Gentlemen of Verona, In Arabia We'd All Be Kings, Harriet Jacobs and Love and Communication.

Aliyah Isis hails from Philadelphia by way of New York. Aliyah began her training at Arden Theater Company at 3 and a half years old. In her short but exciting career, she's won an online photo competition with Curly Kids Haircare and is currently Philly's Brand Ambassador for the international mixed haircare line. She's worked professionally in New York City with commercials and the Five Under Five Project. Her recent credits include: Reasons (a 50's style short film) and Van Selfie (a commercial for 6ABC). This is Aliyah's theatrical debut and as nervous as she is, she's as excited and thankful for this opportunity. She thanks her mom, dad, ReVamp Collective, and her #SuiteReality fam. #AliyahIsis Out.

Tiffany Barrett
New York native, Tiffany Barrett is a multi faceted artist. An accomplished actor, talented dancer, published model and co writer of the Award winning web series "Singledom"; Ms. Barrett is always working. Tiffany is a graduate of the Temple University Theater program. Her theater credits are vast, and in the last few years Tiffany has been tackling Film and TV as well. Tiffany serves as a teaching artist for Interact Theater and other theater companies in Philadelphia, PA in Dance as well as Acting. Ms Barrett also spends a great deal of time working to give back through her own company Philly Arts Intensives which works hard to bring affordable arts education to underserved areas. And if all that isn't enough she also is Mother to 3 wonderful children; her daughter's Dominique and Stasia and a son Nafeese. You can follow her on Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat: @thetiffbarrett

Karina E. Banks (Choreographer) was raised in Harrisburg, PA. She started her dance career at the age of three years old at Sharon's School of Dance where she competed nationally until the age of eighteen. Her dance background includes Jazz, Ballet, Modern, Hip-Hop, and gymnastics. She later went on to study at Temple University where she acquired her BFA in dance. Ms. Banks has also had the opportunity to study modern jazz in Rome, Italy. She is currently a choreographer and artist developer in Philadelphia for many hip-hop and gospel artists.

Grilling the Octopus

Van Johnson is an aspiring actor/boxer/poet coming from west Philadelphia and currently a student at the community college of Philadelphia. Also a member of Raw-street productions/Once more theater, previous work; Plutus, The Scottish wife's revenge, Gas heart, RuR/insect play, The ruthless spouse & Right behind. "If you're passion doesn't bring pain there is nothing to gain". On this journey I am eternally grateful to be doing something I love with positive role models to help pave my own way.

Allison Kessler is excited to be a part of this 10 minute play festival with ReVamp Collective! Some of her latest credits include: Doubt (Sister James) as part of the Philly Fringe Festival, Little Women (Amy) at Ebenezer Maxwell Mansion, Cabaret (Frenchy) at Sketch Club Players, Gemini (Judith) at South Camden Theatre Co., Back Stories (Megs) at A Saturday’s Child and Dolly for Sue (Counselor) with Lucky Nickle Productions.
She is currently in production for a feature film called Without You written by Teresa Warwick and directed by Sonny Vellozzi. Allison also just finished Assistant Directing Water by the Spoonful at SCTC which opened last month.