Caden Manson
(Co-Founder, Artistic Director)

Caden Manson is a performance maker, curator (Contemporary Performance Network and Special Effects Festival), and educator. Through the company Big Art Group, their performance work creates radical queer narrative structures and embodiments to construct and aid transitory generative critical space for participants and audience. Their work is dense, fast, multi-layered, and traverses multiple genres and forms, often using interference, slippage, and disruption strategies. Manson’s work has been presented throughout 14 countries and over 50 cities in Europe, Asia, and North America.  Their work has been co-produced by the Vienna Festival, Festival d’Automne a Paris, Hebbel Am Ufer, Rome’s La Vie de Festival, PS122, and Wexner Center for The Arts. Caden is a Foundation For Contemporary Art Fellow, Pew Fellow, and a MacDowell Fellow. Their writing, with Jemma Nelson, can be found in the publications PAJ, Theater Magazine, Theater der Zeit, and Theater Journal. Manson is the Director of The Theatre Program at Sarah Lawrence College, BA, MFA.

Jemma Nelson
(Co-Founder, Executive Director)

Jemma Nelson is a playwright, visual artist, composer, biostatistician, and co-founding member of Big Art Group. Their work explores language and symbolism as it intersects with technology and data representations. Recent research involves the convergence of natural language processing and contemporary performance. They have written and composed SOS, The People, Cinema Fury series, Dead Set#2 and #3, House of No More, Empty Island, Flicker, and Shelf Life, and have published articles about contemporary performance. Jemma Nelson received a 2009 Fellowship from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts.

Diane White
(Flicker, House of No More, Dead Set #2 & #3, SOS)

Diane White worked with Richard Foreman on Now That Communism Is Dead My Life Feels Empty, Bad Boy Nietzsche, and Paradise Hotel/Hotel Fuck. She worked with Richard Maxwell on Showy Lady Slipper. She was the producer for Reza Abdoh’s New York-based Dar A Luz Company until his untimely death in 1995. Numerous awards, including the Los Angeles Margaret Harford Award for Distinguished Achievement in production of new plays.

Kathleen Amshoff
(SOS, THE PEOPLE – Halle, Broke House, THE PEOPLE – San Francisco, THE PEOPLE – Portland)

Kathleen Amshoff earned her MFA in Directing at Carnegie Mellon and was a Fulbright scholar in Berlin. She recently directed Rebuilding Appalachian Spring for New Resonance Orchestra in New Orleans. Next up are two new pieces: Action Ecuador with DAT, and Swell with LA-based graphic novelist Juliacks.

Vivian Bang
(Clearcut catastrophe!, The Balladeer, Shelf Life, Flicker)

Linsey Bostwick
(The Balladeer, Shelf Life, Flicker, House of No More, Dead Set #2 & #3, The Sleep, SOS)

Linsey Bostwick is a performance producer, video artist and educator. She has worked with choreographers Susan Marshall and Nina Winthrop among others. Bostwick holds a MFA from Brooklyn College in Performance and Interactive Media Arts. Current projects include archiving Big Art Group’s ten-year history and creating an evolving pedagogy for video design within a collaborative structure.

Justin Bond
(Clearcut, Catastrophe!, The Imitation)

Justin Bond singer, songwriter and Tony-nominated performance artist Justin Bond is an Obie, Bessie and Ethyl Eichelberger Award winner and was named one of the top 40 favorite New Yorkers by Time Out New York and was listed by Time Out London as one of England’s 50 Funniest People. Their debut EP Pink Slip was released in July 2009. In 2008 they won rave reviews for his GLAAD nominated show Lustre which premiered at PS122 in the East Village and then went on to tour the Uk with stops in Manchester, England as part of the It’s Queer Up North Arts Festival and in a critically acclaimed run at London’s Soho Theatre (‘Justin Bond is a trans-atlantic cabaret messiah’– Time Out London). Also in 2008 Justin appeared at The Southbank Center in London in the title roll of Sinderella an original musical written by Martyn Jacques of The Tiger Lillies. In 2007 they premiered Justin Bond is Close To You, a reinterpretation of the classic Carpenter’s album Close To You performed in its entirety in Central Park and subsequently presented by The Sydney Opera House in Australia. In 2005 their show, Glamour Damage, had its world premiere at London’s Soho Theatre and was hailed by the Evening Standard as “A glittering walk on the wild side.”

Rebecca Sumner Burgos
(Clearcut Catastrophe!, The Balladeer, Shelf Life, Flicker, House of No More, Dead Set #2 & #3)

Rebecca Sumner Burgos began performing theater with Carmelita Tropicana in “Chicas2000”, premiering at P.S. 122 in 1997. As a founding member of the time-transcendent, “chilling social realist” performance collective known currently as Coco Frio, she performed in such soul-destroying pieces as “The Ballad of Sexual Malignancy” and “Raison d’Etre”. Sumner Burgos lent her voice to Coco Fusco’s “Incredible Disappearing Woman” as a maquiladora robot (2003). She first appeared in film with “Latin Boys Go To Hell” (director: Ela Troyano, 1996). She is a member of the dangerous downtown Dazzle Dancers, most notably choreographing a 3-minute version of “The Nutcracker”. Sumner Burgos has performed in Viva Ruiz’s “telenovela nuyorkina”, “Rosa Negra” and she helped in the development of Cary Curran’s “Cary from the Cock” (2006). She holds a masters degree from NewYork University in American Studies.

Mandy Caughey
(Dead Set #3)

Mandy Caughey received her BA in Dance from Bard College in 2000. Since then she has toured the East Coast and Canada with the Caravan Stage Barge, choreographed for Jamie Smith’s “Empire Burlesque”, and performed with the Vangeline Theater, Allenbody Group, Abigail Levine, and Proto-type Theater.

David Commander
(The Balladeer, Shelf Life, Flicker, House of No More, Dead Set #2 & #3, The People – Polverigi, The Sleep, The Imitation, The People – Halle, SOS)

David Commander has written, directed and performed his particular style of modern toy theater which has been presented in NYC, Minneapolis, Philadelphia, Portland, and Chicago. His most recent collaboration with NYC’s Rob Ramirez (Cycle 74, Immediate Medium), was a digital puppetry performance about gun control titled ‘Fear In The Western World’. It premiered in 2020 at the Target Margin Theater in Brooklyn. As well as his work in puppetry and toy theater, he is a long time member of Big Art Group. davidcommander.org

Cary Curran
(Shelf Life, Flicker, House of No More)

Cary’s solo show – Cary From The Cock played to sold out crowds receiving stellar reviews in Manhattan, The Chocolate Factory in Queens, Orlando and Syndey Australia as part of Mardi Gras. Cary aka Cherry Dazzle is the dance captain/choreographer for the infamous downtown dance troupe The Dazzle Dancers. She has danced on stage/screen for Blondie and The Scissor Sisters to name a few. She recently starred and sang as Priscilla in LiveFeed’s Black Eye Fixer. She also originated the role of “The Woman” in Self at Hand, a production by EAVESDROP performing the show at Dixon Place and The Baltimore Theatre Project. She does improv/sketch comedy whenever possible all ’round town. Cary wrote and stared in a new piece called Celestia which premiered at the Hot Festival in 2009. Cary frequently collaborates with performance artist Mike Albo and starred in his play, Sexotheque. Her short film, Wonder Woman: Battle with the Basher has played in festivals all over the world and won best short film in the MIX Brazil Festival. www.carycurran.com

Nicola Gorham
(Brokehouse, Rampart, Fleshtone)

Nicola Gorham is an Actor and Performance Artist in New York. Her work has appeared at La MaMa E.T.C., The Duplex and Joe’s Pub. Nicola attended The American Academy of Dramatic Arts. Her theater credits include Street Children & Superstitions (The New Ohio Theatre), Future St. (The Broad Museum) and Big Art Group’s Broke House at the 2022 Venice Biennale.  Past film & TV credits include High Maintenance (HBO) and feature films Josie & Jack and Townhouse Confidential. She is represented by Take 3 Talent.

Dan Hansell
(The Imitation, SOS)

Dan Hansel is a lighting designer and technical director. Recent tours include magician Franz Harary Imagination world tour (lighting designer), magician Travis Winkler European tour (Technical Director) & magician duo The Gamester’s American tour (Lighting Designer).

Ebony Marie Hatchett
(House of No More, Dead Set #3)

Recent credits include: modeling for photographer Vanessa Beecroft in “The Alphabet”, and also starring as Grace in Sunil Nair’s short film – “Grace”. Other New York film credits include: “Cosmic Age”, “A Tale of Abuse”, and “Broken Strings”. New York stage credits include: Christopher Marlowe’s “Dido, Queen of Carthage” at the American Theater for Actors, “House of No More” with Big Art Group, and “God in a Girl” at the W.O.W. Café Theater – in which she composed music for the show and performed as part of the live band.

Michael Helland
(SOS)

Michael Helland is originally from the Seattle area and is a Brooklyn-based artist performing in the works of Big Art Group, Faye Driscoll, robbinschilds, and RoseAnne Spradlin. His works for the stage and collaborative event structures have been presented across NYC and beyond, in venues including the Chocolate Factory Theater, Dance Theater Workshop, Danspace Project, the Scope International Art Fair, and Studio 303.

Mikeah Ernst Jennings
(Shelf Life, Flicker, House of No More, Dead Set #2 & #3, SOS)

Mikéah Ernest Jennings is an Actor/Performer/Educator from the rural Mojave Desert in Southern California. Theater: SHIPWRECK (Woolly Mammoth Theater, DC) dir: Saheem Ali; BELLONA, Destroyer of Cities (EXIT Festival Paris, The Kitchen) dir: Jay Scheib; Green Eyes (Hudson Hotel) dir: Travis Chamberlain; PULLMAN, WA (Chelsea Ttre, London) dir: Young Jean Lee; The Shipment (Sydney Opera House, The Kitchen, Int’l Tour), dir: Young Jean Lee; S.O.S. (The Kitchen, REDCAT, Int’l Tour) dir: Caden Manson, The House of No More (DTW, Int’l Tour), dir: Caden Manson; A Dream Play (St. Ann’s Warehouse). Film: Failing Better Now, Things That Go Bump In The Night, The Record Deal, I Heart Zummy.

Alex Koch
(Dead Set #2 & #3)

Alex has designed projections for plays, musicals, films, and immersive art events, his work seen on Broadway, Off-Broadway, across the US, and in Central and South America and Europe. He created videos to play alongside the Magnetic Fields’ international tour 50 Song Memoir and released a dozen of the works as official music videos through Nonesuch Records. In 2016 Alex’s projection design work was featured in two films that premiered at the Sundance Film Festival: Norman Lear: Just Another Version of You, directed by Academy Award nominated filmmakers Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady; and Miles Ahead, directed by and starring Don Cheadle.

Theo Kogan
(The People – Polverigi, The Sleep, The Imitation, The People – Halle)

Prior to forming her band Theo and the Skyscrapers with Sean Pierce, Theo Kogan traveled the world as singer of the legendary all-female rock band Lunachicks. As an actress she has worked with Martin Scorcese, Jane Campion and Ben Stiller. She’s also acted in the edgy cult classics; High Times Potluck, Tadpole, and the animated feature Live Freaky Die Freaky. TV credits include hosting the show “Pants Off, Dance Off” appearing on “Law And Order SVU” and “Third Watch” Her avant-garde theater work includes writing and performing internationally with Big Art Group; performing and co-creating ‘Screen Test’ with director /video artist Rob Roth, at PS 122 and Abrons Art Center, ‘Prozak And The Platypus’ in the Summer Play Festival 2004 and guest performing in ‘Rotozaza’ at PS 122 in 2007. Theo has worked as a model on the campaigns of Calvin Klein, Burberry and Kenneth Cole to name a few. She runs her own lip gloss company Armour Beauty and is also a makeup artist and DJ.

Heather Litteer
(House of No More, SOS, The Imitation)

Heather Litteer is an actress,writer, performance artist from NYC. She is a long time member of her beloved Big Art Group appearing in House of No More, SOS., The Imitation,The People and Broke House. Ms.Litter was awarded fellowships with HOWL! ARTS; Fox Foundation and TCG Fellowship with La MaMa ETC and Playwrights Symposium in Umbria Italy. Heather wrote and world-premiered her one woman show Lemonade at La MaMa in 2016. Lemonade went on to several festivals including Afterglow Festival (Provincetown, MA), SFX Festival (NYC), Assembly Rooms at Edinburgh Fringe, London’s Kings Head Theatre “An intelligent ,Intuitive performance in a one-women play”-The Stage U.K. Her film career includes daring roles in major motion pictures, working with an array of distinctive directors such as Jane Campion, Mary Harron and Darren Aronofsky. Currently she hosts her own variety show, Pleasure Seekers LIVE! featuring a rotating cast of lively denizens and her women’s reading series W.O.(e).R.D (Womens of Experience Read Downtown). A member of Rimbaud Hattie, a band formed in honor of David Wojnarowicz and Brian Butterick featuring Julie Hair and Doug Bressler ( 3 Teens Kill 4) and artist John Kelly and works with Yoshiko Chuma and the School of Hardknocks. She is a longtime member of the legendary nightlife producers The Jackie Factory, where she performs under the moniker, Rabbit. https://heatherlitteer.com/

Hillery Makatura
(House of No More, Dead Set #3, SOS, The Imitation, Cinema Fury, The Sleep)

Hillery Makatura is the lighting designer and technical director for Big Art Group. Past BAG productions include: House of No More, Dead Set 2, and, Cinema Fury. She is also Director of Production for Bill T. Jones/Arnies Zane Company and New York Live Arts.

Jared Mezzocchi
(SOS, The Sleep)

Jared Mezzocchi is an Obie award winning director and multimedia designer, playwright, and actor. Mezzocchi’s work spans the United States at notable theaters such as: The Kennedy Center, Geffen Playhouse, Arena Stage, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company, Cornerstone Theater Company, Portland Center Stage at The Armory, South Coast Repertory, HERE Arts Center, and 3LD. In 2016, he received the Lucille Lortel and Henry Hewes Award for his work in Qui Nguyen’s Vietgone at the Manhattan Theatre Club. His book, A Multimedia Designer’s Method to Theatrical Storytelling, will be released in Spring 2021/22 through Routledge Publishers. He is a two-time MacDowell Artist Fellow, a Princess Grace Award winner, and is the Artistic Director of Andy’s Summer Playhouse. Jared is an Associate Professor at the University of Maryland and the CEO of his production company, Virtual Design Collective (ViDCo).

Amy Miley
(The Balladeer, Shelf Life, Flicker, House of No More)

Willie Farrad Mullins
(Shelf Life, Flicker, House of No More, SOS, The People, Broke House)

Willie is a musician, dancer, and actor for both stage and film. He has been a part of Big Art Group since 2002, where he has performed in several pieces around the world: Shelf Life, Flicker, House of No More, SOS, The People, and Broke House.

Matt Nasser
(Broke House)

Matt Nasser has been a member of The Big Art Group since Broke House first premiered in 2012 and a member of The Great Jones Repertory Company at La MaMa Theater for the past 14 years. Primarily an actor and singer in New York’s downtown theatre scene, his other credits include productions by Bard City, The Deconstructive Theatre Project, Yara Arts, The Bruce High Quality Foundation, and The Inconvenience Store. Matt graduated with a BFA in acting/directing from Boston University. @mattnasser on all social media

Ana Mari de Quesada
(House of No More, Dead Set, SOS, The Imitation, The Sleep)

Ana Mari de Quesada has worked as the production manager for Big Art Group, Rob Roth, Justin Bond and Push Productions. She has co-produced such works as The Secret Agenda of Trees and The Mystery of Claywoman (Wild Project), Screen Test (Abrons Arts Center, October ’09), and Kraken (Walker Space). She is also the production manager at the Wild Project in NYC.

Arron Rhyne
(Flicker, House of No More)

Aaron Rhyne’s designs have been seen on stages around the world in over 100 productions of musicals, plays, operas, and dance performances. He has offices in both New York and Los Angeles. He designed the Broadway, touring, and multiple international productions of Anastasia, for which he won a Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Projection Design. Other projects include The Sound Inside on Broadway, the Broadway and National Tours of the Tony Award-winning A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, Septime Webre’s new touring ballet production of The Wizard of Oz, Disney’s Frozen at Disneyland, The Thirteenth Child at Santa Fe Opera, and The Ghosts of Versailles at LA Opera. Mr. Rhyne currently teaches Projection Design at UCLA in Los Angeles.

Edward Stresen-Reuter
House of No More, SOS, The People – Polverigi, The People – Halle, The Imitation)

Ned is a filmmaker, photographer, and performer based in Los Angeles, California. Ned began his theatrical career at The Public Theatre in NYC. During this time he also modeled for The Gap, Miu Miu, Brooks Brothers, Levi’s, and Playgirl Magazine. As a filmmaker “Jason and Shirley” a critically acclaimed film that he produced, shot, and edited was accepted into The Criterion Collection. During his day-to-day work, Ned edits lots of TV shows and works as a projection designer for live performances.