inc.

Kimzyn Campbell (They/them) is a creative (writer, puppeteer) whose day job is also writing—thankfully, they write for arts organizations (as a copywriter, communications specialist and editor.) As a frequent contributor to the Chicago Reader, their writing focuses on the performing arts. When it comes to theatre, Kimzyn loves it all, but they especially enjoy the dramaturgy inherent in plays that highlight the underdogs and provoke the status quo.

Kim has performed in storytelling hours and at puppet slams around Chicago, such as Puppet Queers, Shoestring Puppets, Nasty, Brutish and Short and, next up, with Seabeast Puppet Company. Kimzyn's play "Queer Nexus" was featured as a staged reading at 2025 Trans Scribe: A New Works Festival. They live in Chicago and are a member of the American Theater Critics Association.

Andres Coronado is a queer and Latine performer, writer, and arts administrator. They grew up in Texas where they co-founded the company Break A Leg Productions, producing primarily children’s theatre. In Chicago, he has previously worked with Promethean Theatre Company, Hell in a Handbag, Runaways Lab Theatre, About Face Youth Theatre, and performed a devised work at the Elgin Fringe Festival with their performance project The Sarah Street Collective. They previously workshopped their play "Entre Horizontes" with Pride Arts Chicago’s Queery Playwrights Lab. She is currently an ensemble member at The Neo-Futurists, where they perform in the flagship show "The Infinite Wrench" - an attempt to perform 30 plays in 60 minutes 50 weeks a year. They also work in arts education administration at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago. Andres received their BFA from Texas State University.

Kolin Lawler is a Chicago based playwright, composer and illustrator, emphasizing a focus on bold new works and ideas. As a multidisciplinary artist, Kolin employs a range of artistic avenues to explore an array of themes, whether it be through musical comedy in "Friendsgiving: The Musical", novel writing with "The Many Mysteries of Mable Reese" (an ongoing mystery web-novel), or mini-comics with the ongoing "Life in Kell: An Imperfect Memoir-Zine".

In his playwriting endeavors, Kolin has received recognition for his short form plays such as "Astroturf" which in 2024 won the Gary Garrison Ten-Minute Play Award from The Kennedy Center, "Everyone I Love is Turning into Soup" which has been performed across the country, and "Friendsgiving: The Musical", which was staged with Instrumental Theatre Company in Chicago this past spring.

As a local performer, Kolin has performed in new works with Rhinofest, Feed the Meat Machine, and The Comedy Clubhouse as a member of the One Group Mind ensemble.

Kolin Lawler is a member of The Dramatists Guild of America.

Kandace Mack (she/her) is a playwright and actor in Chicago. Since graduating from Northwestern University in 2022, she has been navigating the very cool new work scene in Chicago, performing in readings by emerging playwrights around the city and world premiere performances such as ROUND YON VIRGIN by Grace Barry and BIG TIME TOPPERS by Patrick Vermillion. She is proud of the playwriting foundation she is building. Her full-length comedy ELYSE AND MAE PLAY THE MOST EPIC GAME OF LIFE EVER was awarded the Agnes Nixon prize and premiered at Strawberry Jam Festival, and her one act YOURE A BITCH OPAL HADLEY was produced by Freshly Brewed in March. She’s thrilled to continue her growth in new work as a playwright and is endlessly grateful to work with Theatre L’Acadie and Pocket Theatrics for the Inc. series!!

Jamaque Newberry (he/him) is an actor and writer out of Fort Lauderdale his credits include Big Time Toppers(Theatre L'Acadie) The Police( Chopin Theater) Twelfth Night(Chicago Shakespeare Theatre) The Merry Wives of Windsor (American Players Theater) Party at the Pantheon(Factory Theatre)The Brothers Size (American Players Theater) Understudying roles in East Texas Hot Links and The Island (Court Theater); He now calls Chicago home where his love for words and theater education continues to grow.

Zoé Soteres is an actor, playwright, and director dedicated to creating grassroots workers’ theatre and film that rejects theatrical norms. Through her work, Zoé seeks to bolster consciousness and deepen public understanding of capitalism's detrimental impacts, while providing comfort to the everyday person amidst the often dehumanizing forces of modern society. Produced plays include Grand Visions (2021 City Theatre Pittsburgh Young Playwrights Competition Honorable Mention), Indebted (produced by Duality Theatre in 2023), The Interim (produced by Rhino Fest in 2025), Rot (recently workshopped at The Factory Theatre), and In Pursuit Of (debuting with Sub Rosa Theatre Collective in 2026). Other writings include Intimacy, a short story premiering in Knotted Lace, and a book in development entitled On Durationalism, which outlines Zoé's theatrical theories on hypernatural, action-oriented workers' theatre. Since graduating from The Theatre School at DePaul University's BFA Acting Program, Zoé has been seen in Chicago Cabaret Week (for which she was named Chicago Cabaret Professional's 2025 Best Cabaret Vocalist) and The Interim (Molly). She also recently began shooting the feature film Daydreams with 640Films, directed by Parker Eisen. She is the Artistic Director at Sub Rosa Theatre Collective and a proud member of several theatrical organizations. She is incredibly grateful to her friends, family, and Spencer for all of their support. www.zoe-soteres.com

Octavio Montes De Oca is a director and actor based in Chicago. As a first-generation Mexican American, his work centers on Latine and immigrant narratives, movement-driven performance, and new play development. He is a proud company member of Albany Park Theater Project, PlayMakers Laboratory, and Subtext Studio Theatre Company. Octavio holds a BFA in Acting from the University of Illinois at Chicago and is a graduate of THE ACADEMY at Black Box Acting. He is honored to join the Inc. cohort, a space that reflects his own artistic values: championing bold new plays that uplift and reimagine the communities we make theatre for. Instagram: @octavio.montess.

Izadorius (he/they) is thrilled to be a part of inc’s 2025 cohort. Directing credits include: Female, Ashkenazi with a Sewing Machine (Arts Judaica) The Berlin Diaries (Arts Judaica, Jeff Recommended), Sender (Carnegie Mellon University), I Got Good at Feeling Bad (Out of Ink Productions), Since We First Met: A Radio Play (Project: Panic), Off the Rails (Mudlark Theater Co.), Secret Sauce, Just Out of Reach, The R Word, and 69 Love Songs (staged readings at Carnegie Mellon University). Assistant Directing credits include: Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812 (regional premiere dir. Tome Cousin at Carnegie Mellon University), Love and Information (dir. Rebecca Wahls at Carnegie Mellon University), The Returning (dir. Lee Peters at Akavit Theatre), and Art (dir. Tony Lawry at Theatre Above the Law). Select acting credits include: Iron Kisses (Theatre ATL, Jeff Recommended), Natural Affection (Eclipse Theatre, Jeff Recommended), Real News (Links Hall), and Macbeth (Shakespeare All-Stars). He also holds a BFA in Drama from the John Wells Directing School at Carnegie Mellon University.

Sivan Spector (she/her) is a Chicago-based director, devisor, playwright, puppetmaker, educator, and clown. She uses multi-media forms to create unique and experimental theatre, and loves nothing more than collaboration, whether it is with community members, professional artists, or children. Much of her work centers around explorations of home, and many collaborations revolve around creating a vibrant artistic culture in the Jewish diaspora, both in drawing from tradition and queering the possibilities of what this means entirely. Recent works include direction for Purim 5875: House of Dreams (Firehouse Arts Studio, 2025), co-creator for SWITCHBOARD (The Neofuturists, Feb 2024; Steppenwolf Lookout Series, Dec 2024), puppet design for Faggots and Their Friends (Bramble Theatre, 2024; Haven Theatre, 2023), devising and clowning for Ant You Glad You Didn't Say Picnic (Night Out in the Parks, 2024), pupeteering in Little Amal Goes to Sleep (Chicago International Puppet Festival, 2023), directing for Forbidden Fruits: A Purim Spiel (Berlin Nightclub, 2023), and directing for Suzzette Who Set to Sea (Improv Playhouse, 2022). When not crouched inside a dark theatre, Sivan can be found taking strolls in the streets of Chicago, doing niche historical research, cooking, and playing with her cat, George.

Devon Hayakawa is a multidisciplinary theatre artist based in Chicago. Directing Credits: Come From Away (Associate Director, Paramount), Cats (Associate Director, Paramount), Frozen (Assistant Director, Paramount), 9 to 5 (Assistant Director, Metropolis), Plaid As Hell (Assistant Director, Babes With Blades), and My Big Brother Fights Monsters (Director, Chicago Dramatists & Rogue Theatre Festival). Devon has also worked as a Dramaturg, Actor, & Playwright at various theatres in the Chicagoland area - Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Goodman Theatre, Drury Lane, Remy Bumppo, and others. For more, visit devonhayakawa.com.

Stefan Roseen is a two-time Jeff Nominated Chicago director, playwright, and designer who serves as the artistic director of The Impostors Theatre Company (ITC). Stefan most recently directed for ITC on the critically acclaimed and Jeff Recommended musical Helena & Hermia. Additional directing credits include: ITC’s Jeff Nominated Pilot Island & Her Keepers; Beyond The Garden Gate; The Last Living Gun; ITC’s Jeff Nominated Miranda: A War-Torn Fable; Windwalkers; the Jeff Nominated Hertha Nova; The House of Baba Yaga; Summer & Smoke; Tippy: Stories from the River; Footholds (2020 & 2019); Caged: An Allegory; The Wood; as well as The Terrible Tragedy of Peter Pan; Art; and The Altercation in the Underworld — Winner “Best Of” for MadKap Productions Short Play Festival. By day, Stefan is an educator teaching young minds about Performance Art and Fine Art. Stefan’s more recent theatrical designs include sound design for Theatre L’Acadie’s Big Time Toppers, and sets for 7 Minutes to Live, Eurydice, A Doll’s House, and more; including 25/25, Occidental Express, the Jeff Recommended They, and the Jeff Nominated The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui — all for Trap Door Theatre. Stefan aims to ignite passion and conversation through theatre by playing at the crossroads of the fantastical and the everyday.

Keimon Shook is a Queer Blasian Artist who was raised In Jacksonville Florida where he attended performing arts school majoring in Theatre. He then went to and graduated from The Theatre School at DePaul University with his BFA in Acting. Upon graduating Keimon has spent time creating, directing and performing in various readings, films, and new script developments. He is passionate about queer storytelling from a POC perspective and focuses a lot on making more representation for those communities. He is grateful for the opportunity and excited to join this cohort and expand his skill set among new collaborators.

(They/Any) Brandii is a Louisiana native but a Chicagoan at heart, and is thrilled to be one of the porducers for INC. On top of being one of Theatre L’Acadie’s (Co) Artistic Directors, Brandii is also always collaborating with super rad artists all over Chicago. Some of their recent Chicago credits include Bottle Fly (AD - Red Twist) If This is the End (Director - TL), & The Swan (Actor & Scenic Designer - TL. A lover of all things art and food, they also likes to spend their time seeing stuff (you know, theatre, traveling, exploring) and makin’ things (aka. art and food and love and messes). Brandii loves to watch scary movies and snuggle up with their stinky pets - Prue and Mackie. Check out more of their work:

instagram: @brandii.champagne 

website: brandiichampagne.com

Erin Sheets is a director, producer, intimacy director, and co-Artistic Director of Theatre L'Acadie. In Chicago, Erin has worked with Trap Door Theatre, Redtwist Theatre, Big Noise Theatre, Facility Theatre, Imposters Theatre, Rivendell Theatre Ensemble, Artemisia Theatre, and Possibilities Theatre, among others. Notable projects include Right Now (Intimacy Director, Facility, 2023 Non-Equity Jeff Award - Best Ensemble), Motherhouse (Assistant Director, Rivendell, 2022 Equity Jeff Award - Best New Work), and the World Premiere of Bottle Fly (Intimacy Director, Redtwist). As a Director, Erin has been honored to lead recent productions such as Grey Gardens The Musical (Big Noise, 2023 Lou Award Nomination - Best Production) and the World Premiere of Today Tonight Soon by Melanie Coffey (Theatre L'Acadie). When not making theatre, Erin likes to complain about not making enough theatre. Learn more about her work at erinesheets.com!

Joel Willison is a director, producer, and Artistic Director of Pocket Theatre VR. As a producer, he focuses on new work development - curating a space for new/early-career artists to understand their craft and collaborate in community.

Recent credits include working with Jackalope Theatre, Definition Theatre, Assistant Directing for Mikael Burke for Jeff Award winner Tale of Two Cities (2025, Shattered Globe Theatre Company, Direction etc.) and Jeff Award winner Tambo and Bones (2023, Refracted Theatre Company, Direction etc.), The Runaways Lab Theater, Playground - Chicago, Haven, Ghostlight Theatre Ensemble, Stage Left Theatre, Eclectic Full Contact Theatre, Chicago Dramatists, and Virtual Theatre Collaboration.

instagram: @willisonjoel

website: joelwillison.com

Rachel is the executive director of The Impostors Theatre Co. (ITC) and a multi-hyphenate theatremaker. Most recently, Rachel served as the director of Monstrous by Stephanie Lewis, her mainstage debut with the company. She has been the production director of anthology series Footholds for the last four years. She also performed as Puck in Dominick Alesia’s Jeff Recommended Helena & Hermia in the Enamored Odyssey (ITC). Additionally, Rachel served as the stage manager for the Jeff Nominated original musical Miranda: A War-Torn Fable (ITC); playwright/director of the new immersive play Body of Work (Montpelier Arts Center); playwright/stage manager of Jeff Nominated Hertha Nova (ITC); assistant director of Footholds 2020: A Socially Distant Film (ITC); dramaturg on various ITC productions, and build/paint crew on every ITC production. Outside of the theatre, Rachel works full time as a ghostwriter, editor, and book coach, supporting authors of varied backgrounds across a multitude of genres.

Madie Doppelt is a Chicago-based theater and circus artist. She is the resident dramaturg of Freshly Brewed, the monthly reading series at The Understudy Coffee and Books. Madie can be found on and off the stage, frequently collaborating with The Actors Gymnasium and Snail on a Bike Theatre Collective. She is so excited to be dramaturgy the Inc. Ubator series and is passionate about new play dramaturgy! Madie is a graduate of The Theatre School at DePaul University, where she earned a BFA in Playwriting and a BA in English Literature.

Cori Lang is a multi-faceted theatre artist and arts administrator. Currently, they are serving as the Literary Manager for Black Cat Theatre Company. Chicago dramaturgy credits include: Goodman Theatre (Literary and Dramaturgy Intern 23/24 season), Quinlyn Can Paint (Black Cat Theatre), The Pilon (Freshly Brewed), We Pump Your Gas in Jersey (Theatre L'Acadie), What the Weird Sisters Saw (Idle Muse Theatre Company), Galileo’s Daughter (Asst. Dramaturg) and Gods Spies (New Play Workshop, Dramaturg) with Remy Bumppo Theatre Company. In 2023, Cori’s short play, the jacaranda tree, was produced as a staged reading by Black Cat Theatre Company. She also serves as the Production Manager for the Chicago treble choir, La Caccina.

Molly Sharfstein is a Chicago-based dramaturg and puppet artist from Santa Cruz, CA. She holds a BFA in Theatre Arts from The Theatre School at DePaul University, where she focused on dramaturgy and devising. Her dramaturgy centers experientiality: facilitating connections through object-based learning, activities, and discussion. She also uses dramaturgy to embody research—she co-created and co-taught the Research Ensemble class sequence at The Theatre School, which uses theatre for science communication.

Recent professional credits include: House of the Exquisite Corpse V: Blood and Puppets (Rough House Puppet co.), Falsettos (Court and TimeLine Theatre), and House of the Exquisite Corpse IV: Superstition (Rough House Puppet Co.).