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Round 2: Acting Competition

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Round 2: Acting Competition
JUNE 9 AT 5:30 PM, SparkFest

Round 2: Acting Competition

Amphibian Stage

JUNE 9 AT 5:30 PM, SparkFest

Round 2: Acting Competition

Amphibian Stage

Round 2

 

Round 1 is on June 8th, Round 2 is on June 9th, and Round 3 is June 10th. 

 

The ten actors were selected from a nationwide search. For round 2, they will be given a scene and only 30 minutes to prepare before performing it for the judges. The judges will give adjustments and hear the scene at least twice for each actor. Five actors will be eliminated after round 2. For the final round (June 10th), actors will perform their monologue again, taking into consideration written notes provided by the judges. 

 

The 1st Place winner will receive $5000; the 2nd place finalist will receive $4000; the 3rd place finalist will receive $3000; the audience favorite will receive $1000. Finalists will be judged by notable figures in the performing arts industry from outside of Texas.

 

This event is part of our enthralling two-week adventure, SparkFest 2023. Explore other SparkFest events. 

 

 

Amphibian Stage’s New Tiered Ticket Pricing Model
Tickets for this show range from $10-30, but YOU get to decide what you pay in an effort to make theatre more accessible for any budget. Read more about our tiered ticketing model here!

Meet the Actors & Judges

Actors
Judges

Ari Derambakhsh

Acting Competition Finalist

Ari Derambakhsh is an Iranian-American actress and singer. She recently graduated with her BFA in Acting from Mason Gross School of the Arts, Rutgers University. Prior to graduation, she trained and performed at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre in London. Most recently, Ari was part of the Berkeley Repertory Theatre company of the Pulitzer Prize-winning play ‘English.’

Acting Competition Finalist

Ari Derambakhsh

Ari Derambakhsh is an Iranian-American actress and singer. She recently graduated with her BFA in Acting from Mason Gross School of the Arts, Rutgers University. Prior to graduation, she trained and performed at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre in London. Most recently, Ari was part of the Berkeley Repertory Theatre company of the Pulitzer Prize-winning play ‘English.’

Ahmad Kamal

Acting Competition Finalist

Ahmad Kamal is an Egyptian actor based in the Washington DC area, where his regional theatre credits include Arena Stage, Shakespeare Theatre Company, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company, and Olney Theatre Center, among others. He is a graduate of the University of Virginia and Bristol Old Vic Theatre School. Instagram: @king_o_egypt.

Acting Competition Finalist

Ahmad Kamal

Ahmad Kamal is an Egyptian actor based in the Washington DC area, where his regional theatre credits include Arena Stage, Shakespeare Theatre Company, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company, and Olney Theatre Center, among others. He is a graduate of the University of Virginia and Bristol Old Vic Theatre School. Instagram: @king_o_egypt.

Andrew Nicolas

Acting Competition Finalist

Andrew Nicolas is beyond grateful to be able to act alongside some remarkably talented MENASA actors. Andrew is a recent Graduate of the BFA Acting program at TCU (Go Frogs) throughout his time at university, Andrew has been grateful to act throughout the DFW metroplex at theaters such as WaterTower Theatre, Circle Theatre, Lyric Stage, Shakespeare Dallas, Theatre Arlington to name a few!

Acting Competition Finalist

Andrew Nicolas

Andrew Nicolas is beyond grateful to be able to act alongside some remarkably talented MENASA actors. Andrew is a recent Graduate of the BFA Acting program at TCU (Go Frogs) throughout his time at university, Andrew has been grateful to act throughout the DFW metroplex at theaters such as WaterTower Theatre, Circle Theatre, Lyric Stage, Shakespeare Dallas, Theatre Arlington to name a few!

Haneen Arafat Murphy

Acting Competition Finalist

Haneen Arafat Murphy (she/her) lives in South Orange, NJ and has spent her life as a creative and performer. She began her career as a dancer in the pre-professional program at TCU, in her native Fort Worth. Drawn to broadcast media, she moved to New York, and was among the founding program directors at Sirius Radio. Her national campaigns as a voice actor include Pringles, Delta, Walmart, and Ford. Her most recent stage work includes the debut season of American Fast (Constellation Stage).

Acting Competition Finalist

Haneen Arafat Murphy

Haneen Arafat Murphy (she/her) lives in South Orange, NJ and has spent her life as a creative and performer. She began her career as a dancer in the pre-professional program at TCU, in her native Fort Worth. Drawn to broadcast media, she moved to New York, and was among the founding program directors at Sirius Radio. Her national campaigns as a voice actor include Pringles, Delta, Walmart, and Ford. Her most recent stage work includes the debut season of American Fast (Constellation Stage).

Jamie Rezanour

Acting Competition Finalist

Jamie Rezanour is a native Texan from Houston, currently living in New York City. She is of Iranian descent and is a proud MENASA artist. Regionally, she has performed at theaters such as Dallas Theater Center, Hartford Stage, Cincinnati Playhouse, The Guthrie, and MilwaukeeRepertory Theater. Her TV credits include The Blacklist, Bull, Blindspot, and a recurring role on Blue Bloods. Education: MFA in Acting (Southern Methodist University).

Acting Competition Finalist

Jamie Rezanour

Jamie Rezanour is a native Texan from Houston, currently living in New York City. She is of Iranian descent and is a proud MENASA artist. Regionally, she has performed at theaters such as Dallas Theater Center, Hartford Stage, Cincinnati Playhouse, The Guthrie, and MilwaukeeRepertory Theater. Her TV credits include The Blacklist, Bull, Blindspot, and a recurring role on Blue Bloods. Education: MFA in Acting (Southern Methodist University).

Lois Abdelmalek

Acting Competition Finalist

Lois “Lo” Abdelmalekis an actor, singer, director, and photographer. Most recently she was in KISS (Wilma Theatre) and the world premiere of400 Barrels of Wine(Theatre Ariel & Theatre Company of Jerusalem). Lo has an MFA in Performance and African American Theatre Certificate from The University of Louisville and has studied at the HB Studio in NYC. As an artist-activist, Lo created and directed Umuryango: Rwandan Stories which was a staged reading and photography exhibit that honored the lives of the street children she met in Rwanda.

Acting Competition Finalist

Lois Abdelmalek

Lois “Lo” Abdelmalekis an actor, singer, director, and photographer. Most recently she was in KISS (Wilma Theatre) and the world premiere of400 Barrels of Wine(Theatre Ariel & Theatre Company of Jerusalem). Lo has an MFA in Performance and African American Theatre Certificate from The University of Louisville and has studied at the HB Studio in NYC. As an artist-activist, Lo created and directed Umuryango: Rwandan Stories which was a staged reading and photography exhibit that honored the lives of the street children she met in Rwanda.

Mariana Saba

Acting Competition Finalist

Mariana Saba is an actor based in Northport, NY.

Acting Competition Finalist

Mariana Saba

Mariana Saba is an actor based in Northport, NY.

Savannah Yasmine Elayyach

Acting Competition Finalist

Acting Competition Finalist

Savannah Yasmine Elayyach

Christian Tannous

Acting Competition Finalist

Christian Tannous is a Houston-based actor and director. He is currently pursuing his B.A. in Fine Arts and Art Administration at the University of Houston-Downtown. He is thrilled to be able to share the stage with the incredibly talented individuals here at SparkFest! He would also like to thank his friends and family for their unrelenting outpour of support and affirmation through this exciting chapter of life.

Acting Competition Finalist

Christian Tannous

Christian Tannous is a Houston-based actor and director. He is currently pursuing his B.A. in Fine Arts and Art Administration at the University of Houston-Downtown. He is thrilled to be able to share the stage with the incredibly talented individuals here at SparkFest! He would also like to thank his friends and family for their unrelenting outpour of support and affirmation through this exciting chapter of life.

Victoria Nassif

Acting Competition Finalist

Victoria Nassif strives to live on the hyphen-between Lebanese, Palestinian, and American, between performer, intimacy director, and narrator, between her many hobbies and her personal commitments to family, to growth, and to hope. Her work has been seen across the globe at places like the New Victory Theater, The Kennedy Center, American Players Theatre, Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, Great River Shakespeare Festival, Constellation Stage &Screen, TheatreSquared, Shakespeare Santa Cruz, Playhouse Square, Arts Center at NYUAD, FringeArts, and many more. Free Palestine!

Acting Competition Finalist

Victoria Nassif

Victoria Nassif strives to live on the hyphen-between Lebanese, Palestinian, and American, between performer, intimacy director, and narrator, between her many hobbies and her personal commitments to family, to growth, and to hope. Her work has been seen across the globe at places like the New Victory Theater, The Kennedy Center, American Players Theatre, Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, Great River Shakespeare Festival, Constellation Stage &Screen, TheatreSquared, Shakespeare Santa Cruz, Playhouse Square, Arts Center at NYUAD, FringeArts, and many more. Free Palestine!

Taylor Blackman

Judge

Taylor Blackman (he/him) is an actor, writer, producer, director, and professor based in Brooklyn, NY. As an actor, Taylor recently finished the first National Tour of Tina: The Tina Turner Musical. He has also performed with Roundabout Theatre Company, The Movement Theatre Company, The Public Theatre, Ensemble Studio Theatre, and New York Stage & Film. Taylor can also be seen on Comedy Central’s “Alternatino” and on CBS’ “FBI”. As a playwright, he is currently under commission with Ensemble Studio Theatre & Roberta P Sloan to create a new scientific play. He has held residency with Hi-ARTS Harlem to develop new works, as well creatively produced readings and workshops of his own work. Taylor recently served as the movement director for a recent production of Sweet Chariot that premiered at The Public Theater’s Under The Radar Festival. He holds a professorship with the New School in the Theatre Department. Taylor is currently working on a new musical titled Hero, created by Shariffa Ali and Vuyo Sotashe.

Judge

Taylor Blackman

Taylor Blackman (he/him) is an actor, writer, producer, director, and professor based in Brooklyn, NY. As an actor, Taylor recently finished the first National Tour of Tina: The Tina Turner Musical. He has also performed with Roundabout Theatre Company, The Movement Theatre Company, The Public Theatre, Ensemble Studio Theatre, and New York Stage & Film. Taylor can also be seen on Comedy Central’s “Alternatino” and on CBS’ “FBI”. As a playwright, he is currently under commission with Ensemble Studio Theatre & Roberta P Sloan to create a new scientific play. He has held residency with Hi-ARTS Harlem to develop new works, as well creatively produced readings and workshops of his own work. Taylor recently served as the movement director for a recent production of Sweet Chariot that premiered at The Public Theater’s Under The Radar Festival. He holds a professorship with the New School in the Theatre Department. Taylor is currently working on a new musical titled Hero, created by Shariffa Ali and Vuyo Sotashe.

Spencer Gualdoni

Judge

Spencer Gualdoni, CSA (he/him/his) is an Associate Casting Director at Tara Rubin Casting. Spencer joined Tara Rubin Casting in January 2020. Prior to TRC, Spencer began his casting career in the summer of 2016 at The Telsey Office where he served as an intern and had the pleasure of assisting on The Producers at Paper Mill Playhouse and numerous other theatrical productions and national commercials. Post-graduation, Spencer worked for over three years as the Executive Assistant to Broadway Director + Choreographer Jeff Calhoun. In conjunction with his work with Mr. Calhoun, Spencer also served as the Casting Assistant for the National Tour of Bandstand under Kate Lumpkin Casting. During Spencer’s time at TRC, he has had the pleasure of working on the Broadway and National Tour of Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of The TemptationsTrevorJersey BoysLes MisérablesThe Who’s TommyCOMPANYMamma Mia! and Sing Street to name a few. Spencer also served as the children’s Casting Director for the World-Premiere Production of The Hours at The Metropolitan Opera in the Fall of 2022 starring Kelli O’Hara, Joyce DiDonato and Renée Fleming.

Originally from Southern Illinois, Spencer received his Bachelor’s of Music  in Musical Theater from Oklahoma City University. As a teacher and Guest Artist, he has taught with Carnegie Mellon University, Oklahoma City University, Marymount Manhattan, Reinhardt University, West Texas A&M University, Broadway Artists Alliance, Broadway Kids Auditions, The Actor’s Connection and many more. Spencer enjoys helping aspiring artists hone in on their craft while also examining the ins and outs of preparing for an audition.

Judge

Spencer Gualdoni

Spencer Gualdoni, CSA (he/him/his) is an Associate Casting Director at Tara Rubin Casting. Spencer joined Tara Rubin Casting in January 2020. Prior to TRC, Spencer began his casting career in the summer of 2016 at The Telsey Office where he served as an intern and had the pleasure of assisting on The Producers at Paper Mill Playhouse and numerous other theatrical productions and national commercials. Post-graduation, Spencer worked for over three years as the Executive Assistant to Broadway Director + Choreographer Jeff Calhoun. In conjunction with his work with Mr. Calhoun, Spencer also served as the Casting Assistant for the National Tour of Bandstand under Kate Lumpkin Casting. During Spencer’s time at TRC, he has had the pleasure of working on the Broadway and National Tour of Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of The TemptationsTrevorJersey BoysLes MisérablesThe Who’s TommyCOMPANYMamma Mia! and Sing Street to name a few. Spencer also served as the children’s Casting Director for the World-Premiere Production of The Hours at The Metropolitan Opera in the Fall of 2022 starring Kelli O’Hara, Joyce DiDonato and Renée Fleming.

Originally from Southern Illinois, Spencer received his Bachelor’s of Music  in Musical Theater from Oklahoma City University. As a teacher and Guest Artist, he has taught with Carnegie Mellon University, Oklahoma City University, Marymount Manhattan, Reinhardt University, West Texas A&M University, Broadway Artists Alliance, Broadway Kids Auditions, The Actor’s Connection and many more. Spencer enjoys helping aspiring artists hone in on their craft while also examining the ins and outs of preparing for an audition.

Kate Moore Heaney

Judge

Kate Moore Heaney (she/her) is a theatre director, producer, and dramaturg. Kate is the Artistic Associate, Literary at Long Wharf Theatre, Artistic Producer of Noor Theatre, and a founding steering committee member for the Middle Eastern and North African Theater Makers Alliance (MENATMA). She has directed and/or developed new work with The Soho Rep Writer/Director Lab, The Playwrights Realm, The Civilians’ R&D Group, New York Theatre Workshop, The Amoralists, The Flea, The Shakespeare Society, The 24 Hour Plays: Nationals, and other NYC companies. She has assistant or associate directed with Ibex Theatricals/The New Vic, McCarter Theatre, Clubbed Thumb, Yale Institute for Music Theatre, and The 24 Hour Plays on Broadway. B.A.: Yale. katemooreheaney.com

Judge

Kate Moore Heaney

Kate Moore Heaney (she/her) is a theatre director, producer, and dramaturg. Kate is the Artistic Associate, Literary at Long Wharf Theatre, Artistic Producer of Noor Theatre, and a founding steering committee member for the Middle Eastern and North African Theater Makers Alliance (MENATMA). She has directed and/or developed new work with The Soho Rep Writer/Director Lab, The Playwrights Realm, The Civilians’ R&D Group, New York Theatre Workshop, The Amoralists, The Flea, The Shakespeare Society, The 24 Hour Plays: Nationals, and other NYC companies. She has assistant or associate directed with Ibex Theatricals/The New Vic, McCarter Theatre, Clubbed Thumb, Yale Institute for Music Theatre, and The 24 Hour Plays on Broadway. B.A.: Yale. katemooreheaney.com

Sharifa Yasmin

Judge

Sharifa Yasmin (she/her) is a trans Egyptian-American director, actor, playwright and intimacy coordinator. She has completed directing fellowships with The Drama League, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Manhattan Theatre Club, Geva Theatre, and was a Eugene O’Neill national directing fellow. Yasmin’s playwriting focuses on the intersection of Queer and Arab identities. Her plays have been produced with the Bay Area Playwrights Festival, Uprising Theatre, Amphibian Stage, Trans Theatre Fest, Women’s Theatre Festival, taught at DePaul, Susquehanna, and Kansas Universities, and published in The Methuen Drama Book of Trans Plays. Yasmin was honored as the inaugural recipient of the SCDF Barbara Whitman Award in 2021. She currently serves as a member of The Drama League’s Directors Council, and is completing her MFA in Directing with Brown/Trinity Rep. www.sharifayasmin.com

Judge

Sharifa Yasmin

Sharifa Yasmin (she/her) is a trans Egyptian-American director, actor, playwright and intimacy coordinator. She has completed directing fellowships with The Drama League, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Manhattan Theatre Club, Geva Theatre, and was a Eugene O’Neill national directing fellow. Yasmin’s playwriting focuses on the intersection of Queer and Arab identities. Her plays have been produced with the Bay Area Playwrights Festival, Uprising Theatre, Amphibian Stage, Trans Theatre Fest, Women’s Theatre Festival, taught at DePaul, Susquehanna, and Kansas Universities, and published in The Methuen Drama Book of Trans Plays. Yasmin was honored as the inaugural recipient of the SCDF Barbara Whitman Award in 2021. She currently serves as a member of The Drama League’s Directors Council, and is completing her MFA in Directing with Brown/Trinity Rep. www.sharifayasmin.com

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