TEACHING ARTISTS
AISHÉ KEITA | THEATRE + MOVEMENT
Aishé Keita is a healing artist and two time award winning actress. She is based in Seattle, WA but has been seen on stages throughout the US. Aishé appeared in Seattle Magazine's September issue as must-see artist. Where she also received recognition for her work at Seattle Repertory Theater and The Guthrie Theater for the co-production of Familiar by Danai Gurira. Aishe's first solo show, Griot, produced by Earth Pearl Collective premiered in 2018 and is now in the works to tour. She holds a B.F.A from Cornish College of the Arts in Original Works (playwriting, acting, directing) with a minor in applied theater. Aishé has taught healing through creative expression at Gig Harbor Women Correctional Facilities for five years and teaches acting/improv to first-year students at her alma mater, Cornish. Recently co-founder of the African healing collective, Niles Edge. Aishé focuses on the relationship between Theater and African Healing modalities with a special focus on the Diaspora's relationship to self.
QUEENIE SUNSHINE | STORYTELLING + DESIGN
Queenie Sunshine joined South End Stories in the summer of 2020 to help bring life to the puppet world of Sunnyside Up. With a background in theater, art, and early childhood education, and a love for all things crafty and fun, Queenie was very excited to embark on a web series geared especially for the very young. Working with youth is one of her passions, and she relishes each opportunity to assist young people in discovering and cultivating their own love for performing arts. Queenie enjoys spending time with canine, feline, and human friends, watching her two children grow, playing croquet, making art out of found objects, playing in her dollhouse kingdom, and singing with her vintage jazz combo, the Savoy Night Owls.
STEFAN RICHMOND | THEATRE + DANCE
Stefan (he/they) is a Colorado native, Seattle based actor/movement/performance artist & educator. After graduating from the University of Northern Colorado with a B.A. in Theatre Arts and Dance, He made his way to the PNW through the Intiman Emerging Artist Program in 2016 and has been a full-time artist in Seattle. As a creative collaborator and storyteller, he believes in the power of storytelling and its ability to heal. The projects they seek to create and collaborate on examine and explore the intersections of stories and emotions related to physical space, natural movement within the body, and language/text. Some Seattle credits include Salvage Rituals (Tim Smith Stewart/Jeffery Azevedo), multiple educational touring shows with Book-It Theatre, Romeo y Julieta (Sophie Franco/Seattle Shakespeare), Black Bois (Dani Tirrel+Congregation), Time to Tell (Shawn Johnson),Pylon III (Tectonic Marrow Society), The Earth Shakes (Heron Ensemble), Carry We Openly (Amador/Stokes) and The House of Dinah (Andrew Russell/Dani Tirrell/Jerome Parker.)
HANNAH VOTEL | THEATRE
Hannah Votel (they/them) is a Seattle-based actor, writer, and director. They graduated with a BFA in Musical Theater from Cornish College of the Arts in the Fall of 2021, and have been working as a teaching artist both at SES and Seattle Rep throughout their first year post-grad. Hannah began working with South End Stories in the summer of 2021 at Lowell Elementary, and has continued on with their partnership taking on new roles and loving every minute of it. This company has provided them with a new appreciation and passion for foundational arts education, and they are forever grateful for the opportunity to be working alongside such amazing artists and humans. (Hannah is currently performing in Dacha Theater’s production of An Incomplete List of all the Things I’m Going to Miss When the World is No Longer.)
RAJAH MAKONNEN | FILM
Rajah Makonnen is a video artist who has created projection mapping video installations for venues such as Fred Wildlife Refuge, music videos for various local musicians, worked on advertising campaigns for companies like HBO and Warner Brothers, crafted short form narrative content independently, and more.
NEELY SEEMS | THEATRE + FILM
Neely is from a small town in southern West Virginia. She grew up in the theatre and pursued many interests in music, dance, and social justice issues. She focuses her advocacy on intersectionality and showing people a side of her state that they may not have seen before. During her high school years, she competed in the national Poetry Out Loud competition for 3 years. In 2016 she placed in the top 5 in the nation. Later that year she spoke at the National Book Festival in Washington D.C. She had the extreme honor of portraying Kathrine Johnson in a one-woman show in Mrs. Johnson’s home town and in front of Mrs. Johnson herself for the Greenbrier Historical Society. She later traveled with that show to South Carolina to perform for middle school students. She played Suzanne Alexander in Sleep Deprivation Chamber by Adam Kennedy and Adrienne Kennedy, directed by the wonderfully talented Charity Irby. She was in the West Virginia premier of West By God by Brandon McCoy that had its world premiere at the Keegan Theatre in Washington D.C. just months before. She completed her BFA in Theatre Performance at Marshall University.
LILY KROLOPP | FILM + MULTI-MEDIA
Bio to come!
KWELI VUUR | POETRY + STORYTELLING
Kweli Vuur is a dynamic author, artist, and poet dedicated to inspiring spiritual growth and evolution through her creative works. With a passion for spoken word, youth poetry sessions, healing events, and community plays. Kweli fosters connections and nurtures community spirit. She promotes reciprocity through her actions, advocacy, and by giving back to the community that she has garnered much support from. Her company, Heal The Poetic Soul L.L.C., is an online platform offering a range of poetic gifts and services. Explore her offerings at www.healthepoeticsoul.com. Kweli’s work is a testament to the power of creativity in transforming lives and building stronger, more connected communities.
MEGAN FELISE | DANCE + THEATRE
Megan Felise is a Performer, Teaching Artist, and Choreographer based in Seattle, WA. She was born and raised in Honolulu, Hawai’i where she trained in Hula, Hip-Hop, Ballet, Musical Theatre, Jazz, and Modern Dance. She has an extensive background that ranges in volunteering with children and professionally teaching Academic and Artistic Programs. For the 2021 – 2022 School Year, Megan was an Elementary School Drama Teacher with the Hawai’i Department of Education. She is a 200-Hour Certified Yoga Teacher and Barre Instructor. Megan currently teaches for Redmond Academy of theatre Arts, South End Stories and Seattle Theatre Group.
Aside from teaching, Megan has performed with Trial and Error Productions’ “Hope to Hiroshima” Project with Gabrielle Kazuko, ZTHEORY Heels Dance Company, Zay’s
Baes Performance Company, Tint Dance Festival, Local Short Films: Harmony of a Feather and A Whole New World In Focus, and Ballet-Burlesque Company Verlaine and McCann onstage. This season, Megan performed Flying Choreography as "Ariel Double/Ensemble" for 5th Avenue Theatre’s “Disney’s The Little Mermaid” and is now a “Choreographer Mentor” for their Rising Stars Production of “Something’s Afoot”.