Faculty

MANAGING DIRECTOR

Alicia Whavers

Alicia Whavers graduated from Drew University in 2014 and majored in Theatre Arts and English. She is a Newark-based actress, playwright, and producer. She sits on the board of The St. James Players, a community theatre located in Montclair, NJ. In addition, she is the Audience Services Manager, Volunteer Coordinator, and ADA Coordinator at the award-winning South Orange Performing Arts Center in South Orange, NJ.

PROFESSOR, THEATRE ARTS

Lisa S. Brenner

PhD, Columbia University

Brenner has worked extensively as a playwright and dramaturg in New York, Philadelphia and New Jersey and studied with seminal theatre artists such as Anne Bogart, Moisés Kaufman, and Holly Hughes. She is a recipient of the President’s Award for Distinguished Teaching and the faculty Civic Engagement Leadership Award. She is the editor of Theatre Topics, an official journal of the Association for Theatre in Higher Education, published by Johns Hopkins University Press. She is also the editor of the book Playing Harry Potter: Essays and Interviews on Fandom and Performance and the co-editor of Katrina on Stage: Five Plays (Northwestern UP). Her documentary-based play Katrina: the K Word (co-written with Suzanne Trauth) has been presented on campuses in over fourteen states. Her published articles include “Playing Jewish at the National Asian American Theatre Company” and “Beyond Words: Producing Palestinian–Israeli Dialogue at the Galilee Multicultural Theatre,” both in in Theatre Topics, as well as “Storming the Nation: Post-Katrina New Orleans, Documentary Theatre, and Civic Responsibility,” which ran in Transformations.

Contact her at [email protected]

PROFESSOR, THEATRE ARTS

Chris Ceraso

MFA, Florida State University

Ceraso is an actor and playwright who has performed in premieres of work by such prominent writers as John Guare, David Mamet, Joyce Carol Oates, Lanford Wilson, Romulus Linney, Arthur Giron and Christopher Durang, among many others. He has also appeared in independent films as well as on television, including several appearances on Law and Order. Regional work has included classic and modern classic plays by Shakespeare, Moliere and Tennessee Williams. He is a long-time member of New York’s renowned Ensemble Studio Theatre (EST). As a playwright, he has been produced off-broadway and regionally, and has been published by Samuel French and Plays For Living. He has also had work produced for feature film, radio and television.

Contact him at [email protected]

ASSISTANT PROFESSOR, DANCE

Kimani Fowlin

MFA, University of Wisconsin

Fowlin is an internationally recognized dancer, choreographer and educator. Her work abroad includes performing and teaching in Russia as part of the Fifth International Festival of Movement and Dance on the Volga; performing in Ghana for Panafest and choreographing and performing in Greece with funk R&B band Milo Z. Fowlin is dedicated to creating art with a purpose—with social justice being at the core of her dance making. To serve the youngest among us, she is co-founder of Boom!Beep!Bop!, a children’s dance class rooted in the African Diaspora. She has collaborated with Broadway Dancer Nicole De Weever, teaching for her organization, Art Saves Lives. She has also worked with acclaimed playwright Nina Angela Mercer and international visual artist Justin Randolph Thompson. She has performed and/or choreographed for Ronald K. Brown, David Rousseve, Youssouf Koumbassa, Andrea E. Woods, Souloworks, M’Zawa Danz, Umoja Dance, Harambee Dance Company and Antibalis. She has been a Rutgers University Mason Gross Dance faculty member for more than 17 years, and teaches dance residencies throughout New York City for organizations such as the Brooklyn Academy of Music; DreamYard Project; Community Works; and Urban Arts Partnership. As an AFAA Certified Group Fitness Instructor, Fowlin teaches and organizes events for Crunch in New York City. She is also the dance consultant and collaborator for the prestigious Cathedral Arts Program in Jersey City, and serves as an advisory council member for the Field Leadership Fund.

Contact her at [email protected].

ADJUNCT PROFESSOR

Paris Crayton III

Paris Crayton III is an award-winning playwright, actor, and director. He has written over 40 plays, 14 of which have been produced around the country. He was one of ArtsATL “30 under 30” and Atlanta Journal Constitution’s “Artist to watch.” Creative Loafing named him 2014’s “Best Local Playwright” Critics have called him “a powerful dramatist” and praised him as “One of the most important playwrights of our time.” His plays have been presented and/or workshopped by The Lark, Classical Theatre of Harlem, Aurora Theatre, Clark University, Working Title Playwrights, Stage Door Players, Rising Sage Theatre, 3 Hill Productions, Atlanta Black Theatre Festival, Beth Marshall Presents, Indianapolis Fringe Festival and more.

Contact him at: [email protected]

ADJUNCT PROFESSOR

Misty Easler

Misty Easler is a striving New York-based actor. Being well traveled, diverse and exposed to various cultures has been a priceless gift for Misty. She has steadily cultivated her acting passion to reflect her broad background in the authenticity of each role she performs. For nearly 15 years, she has honed her craft studying with such industry notables as Howard Fine, Trudy Steibl, the late Thelma Carter and Deena Levy; After studying at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. Her performance experience spans theatre, film and television projects in New York and Los Angeles. From the leading role as Raaji in Collateral Bodies an award-winning stage play, to showcase roles at Deena Levy Theatre Studio, Howard Fine Studios and Mannie Greenfield Theatre to film projects from 44 Dawgs Productions (Jive Chicken) and Marc Levin Productions (Brooklyn Babylon). Versatile in her interests and talents, Misty’s voice-over commercial for Humana ran 4 years straight nationwide. She also has developed herself as a highly reputable, professional make-up artist. Her early vocal training with Barbara Christopher led to spotlight performances at legendary NYC venues the Barrymore theatre , Tatou and Sweetwaters. Her own cabaret show, Moods of Misty, was well received at Harlem’s Geshan Café in NYC and at Café Romas in LA. She has been seen in the short films Elephants Lie, which went to several film festivals, and the award-winning Wish you Were Here. Several independent projects including the Calm Thesis Film project, We Argue About Love; in the lead role of Dr. Lina a serial killer in the Sapphire Productions horror short Therapeutic. She is currently filming an independent feature Haitian V, which is a romantic comedy. Misty believes there are no limits to our dreams as long as we have the courage to pursue them.