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Art that awakens the senses and inspires creativity.
As part of JCAL's Building Equity for BIIPOC Artists initiative, we are excited to showcase Conch Shell Productions’ New Works Reading Series. This engaging play reading series will feature three new one-act works written by talented members of Conch Shell Productions’ Artist Collective - Magaly Colimon-Christopher, Tanya Perez, and Gretchen Suárez-Peña.
These thought-provoking plays delve into themes that inspire social change, including self-empowerment, identity, sexism, trauma, and sexuality.
Following each play reading, there will be an insightful artist Q&A session led by Jasmeene Francois, who serves as Conch Shell Production’s resident dramaturg.
ABOUT THE PRESENTERS OF THIS EVENT
This event is made possible through the generous support of Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning's Building Equity for BIIPOC Artists initiative, which is sponsored by NY Community Trust.
(Event Videographer - Chris Richardson)
Q&a moderator
Jasmeene Francois is a talented Haitian-American theatre artist, storyteller, and Applied Theatre Practitioner from Riverside, California. As a dramaturg, she focuses on facilitating engaging workshops that center around oral storytelling, devising, and creative writing, all of which explore themes of home and belonging. Currently, Jasmeene serves as an instructor with The Moth Community and Education program, as well as an adjunct lecturer at Brooklyn College.
playwrights & Directors
Tanya Perez is a talented NYC Latinx performer, writer, and clown who specializes in short-form comedy. Perez has made a name for herself as a creator on both stage and screen, earning numerous awards and accolades for her standout work. Notable TV credits include appearances in Evil, Orange Is the New Black, and Jessica Jones. On stage, she has delivered memorable performances at prestigious venues such as Laguna Playhouse, Seattle Rep, Carnegie Hall, and Lincoln Center, as well as touring throughout Italy. Her film, Peep Show, was recognized as a finalist at the Women in Comedy HBO Insider Competition. With over 22 global screenings, her film Veronica won ‘Best Actress’ at SISFA, ‘Best Screenplay’ at OutlantaCon, and ‘Best Latinx Short’ at IndieFest. Additionally, Perez received an Audioverse Award recognition for her audio play, Rincon. She is the winner of New Circle Theatre Company's L.B. Williams Playwriting Festival and a featured writer for The Light Ahead podcast. As a Greenhouse Lab artist with The Orchard Project and a spotlight artist with Conch Shell Productions, she proudly contributes to the Latinx Playwrights Circle.
Tara Ochs is a multifaceted artist who excels as a producer, performer, and collaborator for Tanya Perez. In her role as a producer, she has played a key part in supporting the development and sale of 10 television scripts. As an actor, she is involved with Dad’s Garage, Atlanta’s longest-running improv comedy theater, where she also contributes as a teaching artist. Additionally, Tara has written and performed a one-woman show for Seven Stages that highlights the life of civil rights martyr Viola Liuzzo.
Magaly Colimon-Christopher is a first-generation Haitian American actress, playwright, director, and producer, as well as the Artistic Director and Founder of Conch Shell Productions. Her impressive acting credits include roles in Grand Army (Netflix), Blue Bloods (CBS), and Law & Order (NBC) and Law & Order SVU (NBC), among various film and theatre projects. Magaly established Conch Shell Productions to provide a platform for new works from Caribbean Diaspora and Caribbean playwrights and screenwriters, emphasizing innovative storytelling that inspires social change and reflects an expanded view of reality. A native New Yorker, she earned a B.A. from Columbia University, an MBA in Arts Administration from Binghamton University, and an MFA in Acting from the Geffen School of Drama at Yale (formerly known as Yale School of Drama). Magaly is a member of several prestigious organizations, including SAG/AFTRA, ART/NY, Fractured Atlas, The Actor’s Studio Playwright and Directors Unit, The Actor’s Center, The Dramatist Guild, Latinx Consortium, and the JCAL Building Equity Advisory Council. To learn more about Magaly, visit www.magalycolimon.com.
Gretchen Suárez-Peña (she/her) is a talented Puerto Rican playwright currently based in Central Florida. She is pursuing her MFA in the Dramatic Writing program at Carnegie Mellon University School of Drama, graduating as part of the Class of 2024. Gretchen is a frequent collaborator with New Generation Theatrical in Florida and is a member of the 2022 Conch Shell Productions Artists Collective based in New York. Her artistic endeavors also include working with Just Write! Lakeland, the Latinx Playwright Circle, and the Latiné Musical Theatre Lab, all based in New York. Her musical, Melina: A Steampunk Musical Tragedy, was an official selection at the 2020 Atlanta Musical Theatre Festival. Additionally, Gretchen achieved notable success by winning a writer's grant and the best play award at the 2019 Be Original Festival for her play, Trafficked. She also won best full-length play at the 2018 Tampa Bay Theatre Festival for her production, Conversations in the Car, and secured first prize for her short play, Dry Spell, during the 30 by Ninety Theatre’s 2018 Night of One Acts Competition. Her short play, The Arithmetic of Memory, has enjoyed productions across the country and was published in the Stonecoast Review, where it received a nomination for the Pushcart Award in Drama in 2021. A selection of her work is available on the New Play Exchange, and she proudly holds membership in the Dramatist Guild. For more information, visit gretchensuarezpena.com.
About November 12th cast members
Tanya Perez is a talented NYC Latinx performer, writer, and clown who specializes in short-form comedy. With a remarkable career as a creator on both stage and screen, Perez has garnered numerous awards and accolades for her standout work. Her notable TV credits include appearances in Evil, Orange Is the New Black, and Jessica Jones. Additionally, she has graced the stage at prestigious venues such as Laguna Playhouse, Seattle Rep, Carnegie Hall, and Lincoln Center, while also touring throughout Italy. Follow her journey on Instagram.
Brittney Akpobiyeri, a southern native, made the move to NYC in 2019. With a passion for storytelling in all its forms, she is thrilled to collaborate with Conch Shell Productions for the first time. Brittney has honed her skills through camera classes with Magaly Colimon and Victor Cruz at HB Studios, and she has also trained at T. Schreiber and The Barrow Group. In her spare moments, she enjoys reading, playing the violin, and exploring the vibrant city. Follow her on Instagram: @akpobiyeri.
Amy Finkbeiner is an interdisciplinary artist residing in Brooklyn. She earned her MFA from The School of Visual Arts in New York, boasting an extensive record of exhibitions featuring innovative visual and performance art. Amy has furthered her studies at HB Studio and is currently enrolled in The William Esper Studio acting program. Check her out on Instagram: @amylfinkbeiner.
Joshua W. Josey, a Miami native, is trained in acting for both stage and film. This multi-talented individual is a performer, writer, entrepreneur, model, public advocate, and a current law student. Joshua's notable performances include roles in Scapino (Scapino), A Midsummer Night's Dream (Oberon/Theseus), and Everyman (Everyman). Follow him on Instagram: @joshuawjosey.
Sarah Marable has made appearances in the television series Gossip Girl and has featured in various commercials and internet promos. She pursued her studies at SUNY Purchase and HB Studio. Sarah is eager to participate in Conch Shell Productions' New Works Reading Series 2022! Connect with her on Instagram: @Misssarahmarable.
Alexandrea Thornton is a professionally trained actor who has showcased her talents in over a dozen plays and short films. She has studied at UC Berkeley, NYU, and most recently, HB Studio.
Ashley Alvarez is a talented Cuban-American actress, writer, and producer recognized for her work in theater, film, and television. Her impressive theater credits include roles in Anna in the Tropics, Peter and the Starcatcher, The Cubans, and Carla’s Quince, for which she received a Drama League Nomination. In television and film, Ashley has appeared in notable projects such as Search Party, Law & Order, and the HBOMax film Crabs in a Barrel. She has also been honored as a 2022 Sundance Screenwriting Fellow and is a recipient of the Comedy and Latiné fellowship.
Andres Pina is an accomplished actor, playwright, and performing artist-activist. His acting repertoire includes On the Shoulders of Giants, which he both wrote and performed at NYTW's next door space, as well as The Sun Always Shines for the Cool at the Jacob Theater, and many other performances such as Comedy of Errors at The Shakespeare Theater of NJ, La Puta Vida at La Tea, and The Seagull at Circle in the Square Theater School. His diverse credits also feature Tracks at Davenport Theater, Othello and Danny and the Deep Blue Sea at St. Katherine Theater, and workshops including Balm in Gilead with The Labyrinth Theater Company. He graduated from the Columbia University M.F.A Acting Program in 2019 and is a proud member of the American Theatre Playwright's Group Play Lab. Additionally, he is the founder of the Dominican Artists Collective.
Lorena Peralta is an Afro-Latina actor, director, and playwright based in the Bronx, New York. She graduated from Purchase College, SUNY, with degrees in Theatre and Performance and Arts Management. Her previous credits include playing the Bartender on the Prospect Park TV Show, portraying Ayanna in Night Vision by Dominique Morriseau, and appearing in the short film TMG (Chapter 2) as Hostage. Lorena has a passion for theater and enjoys collaborating with artists across both theater and film. You can find her on Instagram at @p.s.lorena.