NEWFEST SHORT WORKS 2026

AISHA WURA AKOREDE (she/her) — PLAYWRIGHT, “PLEASE LEAVE A MESSAGE AT THE BEEP”
BFA ‘26 Theatre & Performance. Thank you my Bry for staying up with me at ungodly hours to reassure that this was something beautiful. Charlotte and Nic, for your brilliance that helped me edit. Lilyella, for wanting to make art out of this piece. To my family, whose love inspires me the most. <3

ALEX ALEIDA (she/her) — PLAYWRIGHT, “TERMINAL LUCIDITY”
BFA ‘27 Theatre & Performance. Emerson Stage credits: When Death Crashes A Dinner Party (Dramaturg); Digging Up Dessa (U/S Esther); NewFest Short Works: “Hear Me Out” (Partner B). Emerson College credits: BlueWork’s The Omniscient Bus (Playwright – “Work it Out”); Kidding Around’s Tuck Everlasting (Ensemble); BlueJay’s SLUT: The Play (Natalie). Te quiero!

REED ATHERTON (he/they) — DIRECTOR, “IN UTERO, WITH LOVE”
BFA Fall ‘26 Theatre and Performance. Emerson Stage credits: Imogen Says Nothing (U/S Alexander Cooke/Beatrice/Fluffy 1) NFSW: “Chekhov’s Gun” (Jacob). Emerson College credits: Mercutio Troupe’s 10 Out Of 12 (Elliott); MTAG’s The Cradle Will Rock (Prof. Mamie); EmShakes’ The Inheritance, Part 1 (Director);  Kidding Around’s Almost, Maine (Director). @reedatherton

MAX ARDREY — PLAYWRIGHT, “GENRE-DEFYING”
BA ’27 Media Arts Production, Minor in History. Writer, among other things. Producer and writer on “Home Suite Home” for Emerson Independent Video. Magazine editor for The Berkeley Beacon. Occasional co-anchor for WEBN Entertainment. Hot chocolate enthusiast. @max_ardrey on Instagram.

REIGN BAILEY (she/her) — DIRECTOR, “GENRE-DEFYING”
BFA ’27 Theatre and Performance. Thank you to everyone in the audience who came out tonight!

ELLA RAE BARRETT (she/her) — MINNIE, “45 BALLERINA”
BFA ’28 Musical Theatre. Emerson Stage credit: Chantecler: A Musical Fable (Ostrich/Ensemble). Emerson College credits: Musical Theatre Society’s The Mad Ones (Sam); Mercutio Troupe’s My Dearest Apologies (Lila). Find her on all platforms at @ellaraebarrett.

EMMY BENDER — PLAYWRIGHT, “THE BLUE DRESS”
BFA ’27 Theater and Performance. Favorite roles include Maid #3 in When Death Crashes a Dinner Party and Gloria in Boeing Boeing.

PAIGE BOYON (she/her) — DIRECTOR, “The Blue Dress”
BFA ‘26 Theatre Education and Performance. Select Credits: MTS’s Sweeney Todd (Director, Scenic Designer); Kidding Around’s Tuck Everlasting (Director, Scenic Designer). Thank you Winter Street, Emmy, Jessica, Mason, and my parents. www.paige-boyon.com

KATARINA CLAIRE — PLAYWRIGHT, “IN UTERO, WITH LOVE”
B.A. Interdisciplinary Studies ’27. Emerson Stage credits: When Death Crashes A Dinner Party (Playwright).

GENESIS DE LOS SANTOS (she/her) — AIDA, “TERMINAL LUCIDITY”
MFA ’26 Applied Theatre. Actor, storyteller, and teaching artist. Thank you to my support system.

ARYANA DUNCAN-ADAMS (she/her) — DARLA, “PLEASE LEAVE A MESSAGE AT THE BEEP”
BFA ’27 Acting. Thank you to all my family and friends for supporting my art for all these years!!

MASON FULLER (he/him) — FRANK, “THE BLUE DRESS”
BFA ’29 Musical Theater. Actor, singer, dancer. My favorite roles include Seaweed Stubs in Hairspray and Grasshopper in James and Giant Peach. Thank you parents and Dani Potter.

ECLIPSE M. GARRETT — JEREMEY, “THE AUDIT”
BFA ’28 Theatre Education & Performance. Emerson Stage debut. Actor, singer, and artist.

SEBASTIAN HURT (he/him) — PLAYWRIGHT, “THE AUDIT”
BFA ‘28 Theatre and Performance. Select credits: Emshakes’ Macbeth (Director),The Two Gentleman of Verona (Proteus), Rareworks Theatre Company’s Paul Bunyan is my Boyfriend (Johnny). Thank you to the directors and actors of this piece for making it a reality. sebastianhurt.com

DREW KING (he/him) — JAYCE, “PLEASE LEAVE A MESSAGE AT THE BEEP”
BFA ’28 Theatre and Performance. Most recent credit: Mercutio Troupe’s 10 out of 12 (Ben). Come see Emshakes’ A Streetcar Named Desire this April. Thank you for coming.

JESSICA KNOWLES (she/her) — MALORIE, “THE BLUE DRESS”
BFA Acting ’27. Shoutout my “Blue Dress” people you rock! And also a very large thank you to my family, my boyfriend, and Miss Piggy.

TOBY LOEB-ROBERTS (they/them) — ANGEL, “45 BALLERINA”
BFA ‘28 Theatre Education & Performance. Actor, Writer, and Educator. Favorite roles include Walter/Morgan in The Inheritance and Jaques in As You Like It. Thanks to the one and only Bethany Trimble.

PAIGE MURRAY (she/her) — LUCY, “TERMINAL LUCIDITY”
BFA ‘29 Theatre and Performance. Actor, Singer, and Photographer. Select Emerson College credits: Overbridge High (U/S Dara), Sweeney Todd (Adolfo Pirelli). Thank you to such incredible friends and family.

MADELINE NILES (she/her) — CELL, “IN UTERO, WITH LOVE”
BFA ’28 Theatre and Performance. Actor, Director, Dancer. Favorite roles include Digging Up Dessa (U/S Dessa), The Little Mermaid (Ariel), and The Play That Goes Wrong (Chris). Thank you to my family, director, and cast!

SARALUNA ORTEGA (she/her) — ESTRELLA, “TERMINAL LUCIDITY”
BFA ‘27. Actor, Performer, Dancer and Artist. Favorite roles include: Activating Kore 670: Women’s Voices and Greek Tragedy (Antigone), The Prince Charming Theory (Clara). Thank you to my professors and the family I have made along the way. instagram.com/saraxluna246

CATE PURVIS (she/her) — DIRECTOR, “THE AUDIT”
BFA ‘26 Theatre Education and Performance. Select credits: MTAG’s The Guy Who Didn’t Like Musicals (Director); Rareworks Theatre Company’s Last Year (Director). Thank you to Mom, Dad, Bobby, Maggie, and Jessie. @catydid04

NATALIE RABINOWITZ — THE AUDITOR, “THE AUDIT”
BFA ’27 Theater and Performance. Emerson Stage credits: Julius Caesar (U/S Casca). Emerson College credits: EmShakes’ The Inheritance (Track 4).

KATIE ROY (she/her) — FETUS, “IN UTERO, WITH LOVE”
BFA ‘27 Theatre Education & Performance. Emerson Stage credits: NewFest Short Works — “Flight Of The Midnight Lobster” (Martha). Emerson College credits: EmShakes’ The Inheritance (U/S Track 3/Eric). Thank you to my family and friends and professors who’ve always supported me!

LUCABELLA SANGIN (she/her) — ADAM, “THE AUDIT”
BFA ’26 Theatre and Performance. Emerson Stage credits: Confederates (Missy Sue/Candice). Select Other Credits: Days of Rage (Quinn). Thanks to all my wonderful friends! @bella.sangin

ANTON SANTIAGO (they/he) — DIRECTOR, “TERMINAL LUCIDITY”
BFA ’26 Theater Design and Technology. Designer and Director. Select credits: EmShakes’ Hamlet (Director), Emerson Stage’s Julius Caesar (Sound Designer) and Red Wolf (Scenic Designer).

MAGGIE STEWART (she/they) — DIRECTOR, “45 BALLERINA”
BFA ’26 Theatre Education and Performance. Select credits: Emerson Stage’s Digging Up Dessa (Assistant Director), Musical Theatre Society’s Assassins (Ensemble, U/S Moore & Proprietor), and Musical Theatre Society’s Sunday in the Park With George (Scenic Painter). Thank you to Bethany, Toby, and Ella for bringing this play to life! <3 maggiestewart.net

XINYI SUN (she/her) — TAYLOR, “GENRE-DEFYING”
BFA ‘27 Theatre & Performance. Emerson Stage credits: I Love XXX (Ensemble), Julius Caesar (U/S Caesar).

MAX TANAKA (he/him) — MASON, “GENRE-DEFYING”
BFA ’28 Theater and Performance. Select Emerson College credits: Jamie Has a Bomb (Jacob/Jason/Jonah), Diary of A Wimpy Kid The Musical (Rodrick), The Sea Ends at Troy (Menelaus). Thanks to my friends and my family love you all a whole lot 🙂

BETHANY TRIMBLE (she/xe) — PLAYWRIGHT, “45 BALLERINA”
BFA Fall ’26 Theatre & Performance. Actor, director, playwright. Nearest and dearest credits include: Cassidy in “Cass & Pat”, BlueWork’s The Omniscient Bus (Omnibus 1), MTS’ Hedwig and the Angry Inch (Director). Special thanks to my rockin’ family and friends all across the globe cheering me on. Stay here, stay queer! @itsbethanytrimble