The Producers (not the musical)
Ariel Leigh Cohen
Producer, Director, Props Designer
Ariel Leigh Cohen (she/her) is an award winning Director and Certified Intimacy Coordinator through IDC living in Los Angeles. She has worked Off and on Broadway, on Feature Films, Short Films, and Student Films in various capacities over the last ten years. She is the Resident Intimacy Coordinator at USC. She has been a core member of Dave’s Friends since its inception. For more information, visit her site at www.arielleighcohen.com
Maya Graffagna
Producer, Production Designer, Costume Designer
Maya Graffagna (she/her) is a Costume, Production, and Graphic Designer based in New York City. She has worked as a Costume Designer in theater and film for over 10 years, and taught Costume Design as an Adjunct Professor at the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA.) Her most recent work can be seen in the award-winning short film “The Rushing of the Sea." She is a founding member of the sketch comedy group Dave’s Friends. Learn more at mayagraffagna.com.
Bill Moore
Producer, Screenwriter, "Philip"
Bill Moore (he/him) is a writer and comedian based out of New York City. He has been performing comedy for over ten years. He has worked in the New York Stand Up Comedy scene for several years, shooting and editing material for many comedians. He has studied improv with UCB and the Magnet Theaters. If you have a radio, you catch Bill live on WCRS Columbus Community Radio every Monday at noon! He co-hosts the radio show Hackthought Radio, a show that discusses thoughts you don’t think to think about. If you have a computer, you can download and play Poultrygeist: The Videogame! Bill wrote and provided voice-work for the game. The game is a collaboration with the film production company Troma Entertainment. He regularly writes and produces sketch comedy with Dave’s Friends.
Matt Schrader
Producer, "Nude Greg"
Matthew Schrader (he/him) is an actor, improviser, and writer who has performed in university, community, regional, summer stock, and off off broadway theater. Film experience includes multiple historical reenactment shows, short films, commercials, and sketch. He regularly performs improvisational comedy in NYC.
Cast (in order of appearance)
Bill Moore (he/him) - Producer, Screenwriter, "Philip"
Matt Schrader (he/him) - Producer, "Nude Greg"
Olivia Bernabe
"Dee"
Originally from Memphis, TN, Olivia (they/she) is a queer Mexican-American theatre artist with a focus on musical theatre, puppetry, and devising. Currently located in Brooklyn, Olivia made their Off-Broadway debut in the Eric Carle Story Show in 2023, and has worked with various theaters and organizations including Ars Nova, La MaMa ETC, Target Margin, and HERE Arts Center. Since 2021, she has also had the joy of playing Coral, a sweet and sassy purple puppet in The Smack-Dab Show, a SEL based musical talk-show for young audiences. When Olivia is not rehearsing, you can find them spending time with friends, playing fetch with their cat Guillermo, or consuming the entire snack aisle at Trader Joe’s! Training: BA, Theatre & Performance Studies, Sarah Lawrence College
Michael Whitten - "Nickelby"
Erin Miller - "Interested Artist 1"
Alex D. Simmons - "Interested Artist 2"
Anel Carmona
"Jessica"
Anel Carmona (she/her) is a multidisciplinary Theatre Artist from Guadalajara, Mexico, based in New York City. Whether as an actor, playwright, or director, she has participated in dozens of plays across North America. Her favorite acting credits include THE ROOM of Falsehood (CAGE Theatre Company), Pop Up (Strike Anywhere Performance Ensemble), Tales of the White Diamond Mountain (RSPC), and Ti Jean and his Brothers (MA's Playhouse) among others. Anel is also the author of plays such as Adios Fjord (Off-Broadway, Theater at Gibney), Ice Cream Fro-Yo (Hudson Guild Theater), The Church of the Winter (Gene Frankel Theatre), A seis pies de distancia (Arte en Movimiento and Casa Alberta), and Chocolate en la Estación (Teatro Jaime Torres Bodet). Anel is currently developing a play for New Perspectives Theatre. She is a member of the Dramatists Guild of America. @iamanelcarmona.
Michael Whitten (he/him) - "Nickelby"
Erin Miller (he/him) - "Interested Artist 1"
Alex Simmons
"Interested Artist 2"
Alex Simmons (he/him) is an improviser, writer, and actor based in Brooklyn, NY. He can be found all across New York City with his improv teams Triceratops and Goat Party at comedy spaces that include The Magnet, The PIT, UCB, Young Ethels, and more! Alex is an avid lover of Nintendo and deadpan humor, and he tries to pay homage to those passions in his improv and his sketches. As a fan of the English language, Alex spends his working hours writing and editing for educational websites, ensuring that typos and grammatical errors are eliminated. When not performing or writing, he likes to watch classic 90s Simpsons episodes, play Pokémon, and sing ear-piercing karaoke hits with complete strangers.
Team
Ariel Leigh Cohen (she/her) - Producer, Director, Props Designer
Bill Moore (he/him) - Producer, Screenwriter, "Philip"
Kieran Cochrane Walley
Assistant Director
Kieran Cochrane Whalley (he/him) is a British-American filmmaker whose passion for the movies started with Sergio Leone's Dollars Trilogy and Monty Python's Holy Grail. While acquiring a BA in Film Production from Leeds Arts University, his hobby as a stand-up comedian helped hone his ability to connect with audiences, informing his approach to filmmaking and storytelling. Based in New York City, Kieran works as a freelance camera operator and has been involved in various independent film projects. His recent work includes serving as Assistant Director on "New Year," a short film shot at Be Electric Studios in Brooklyn using their new LED video wall. Kieran looks forward to bringing his enthusiasm for visual storytelling and comedy to this exciting new production.
Moses Akempta
Director of Photography
Seasoned New York based filmmaker Moses Akempta (he/him) stays curious how to best marry visuals to the story being told. Akempta's visual acumen was on full display during his collaboration with Not Your Momma’s History in creating These Roots; a limited educational series where it's first episode gained 1M views in its first 7 days. His solo directorial debut short film, Subsist, premiered at the Chain Film Festival & is the first in an anthology of short films that he's written & will direct. Akempta notably brought his skillset to collaborations like Separation, Seeing Glory [DP only], ALT+erred, The Return of Brian Willing, as well as Behind the Varnish, a self-produced, no budget documentary. He is currently wrapping up post production on a short called The Recipe as he continues to collaborate with Not Your Momma’s History as DP/Editor.
Maya Graffagna (she/her) - Producer, Production Designer, Costume Designer
Jason Zednick
Editor
Jason Zednick (he/him) is an actor and editor living and working in New York City. Over a 15 year career Jason has been a performer on both stage and screen. When not performing in front of the camera, Jason enjoys working as a film editor. When not working as a film editor, Jason enjoys a nice coffee chat.
Michaela Stewart
Intimacy Coordinator
Michaela Stewart (she/her) is an Intimacy Coordinator, filmmaker, and educator working in film and theatre all over California. She has worked on several short films and recent theatre work includes Cymbeline and As You Like It with the San Francisco Shakespeare Festival. Michaela holds a BFA in Directing, Film Production from Chapman University and attended the Second City Film School in Chicago. She specializes in comedic filmmaking and has 10+ years of experience as an educator in theatre working with young adults on intimacy choreography and consent. Michaela is also the writer and director of award-winning short films Five Days Straight and Men of the Hour.