Maya is overjoyed to return to Elevate Theatre Company and play-make with these beautiful folks, after debuting in The Fundshack as part of The Winter Series Part 1. Maya is an interdisciplinary performer, teaching artist, and theater maker living on the ancestral lands of the Lenape and Canarsie people (BK,NY). As an artist educator, Maya seeks to dismantle oppressive power structures + amplify the voices of marginalized communities by decolonizing access to artistic practice. She also facilitates the development of new contemporary plays and ensemble devised work in various capacities, including: Direction, Dramaturgy, Script Consultation/Editing, Movement Direction/Choreography, and Deviser/Writer. Pre-Quarantine projects include: The Gap by Makaela Shealy-Sachot, and Stumpwater with Sacred Circle Theater. Currently, Maya is prioritizing ease + softness whenever possible; while assuring the Revolution in the ways that they can.

Sabrina Jacob Washburn (Kadence) is a performer, director, choreographer, playwright, and educator who has worked throughout the US and in Europe. She currently runs a theatre program at an independent school in Manhattan, where she teaches acting and directs several plays and musicals each year. BA: Emerson College, MA: New York University.

Sarah Misch is a Brooklyn-based actor, dancer, choreographer, and filmmaker. Favorite acting credits include While We Wait: A Virtual Musical (BiG Theatre Co.), For the Love of Friends (Hup! Productions), Two Beans Productions' inaugural tour of The Cat in the Hat, Girls Night! the Musical (Entertainment Events, Inc.), That Which Remains (Improbable Stage) Full City+: a site-specific serial comedy, and The Curse of the Babywoman (BiG Theatre Co./NYC Fringe). Sarah has also appeared in several indie films and new media projects, including the award-winning horror short "Corpse Pose,” now available for streaming on Amazon Prime and Roku. Sarah is a company member with Improbable Stage, an NYC-based movement theatre company and is a founding member of Film Repertory Group, a collective of interdisciplinary indie film artists. She holds a B.S. in Educational Theatre with a minor in Dramatic Literature from New York University. Learn more about Sarah's work at sarahmisch.com. IG: @smischievous

Princess Is thrilled to be returning to Elevate Theatre Company after her debut in The Winter Series Part 1: The Fundshack Princess is a multidisciplinary actor based in New York. She studied at Studio Acting Conservatory, The Freeman Studio, and The She-Collective with Erica Jensen. Regional credits include The Christians (Baltimore Center Stage) and Self Portrait with Dirty Hair (Keegan Theatre's Womxn on Fire Festival). In the virtual space, Princess appeared in this year's 24 Hour Plays Viral Monologues and launched her lifestyle brand, @proudartistco!

SAMI GRIFFITH is so grateful to be a part of Elevate Theater Company. She is an actor, advocate and a proud graduate of UC San Diego, CAP21 Conservatory and UCB NY. Recent credits: Off Broadway & National Tour of FRIENDS! The Musical Parody (Rachel Green) and Clearspace Theater's Streetcar Named Desire (Blanche). Many thanks to Christina, her family, & her partner, Seth. SamiGriffith.com

Dr. Donnica Moore is the President of Sapphire Women’s Heath Group and the host of the hit podcast “In the Ladies’ Room with Dr. Donnica.” Dr. Moore's interest in women's health research began as a member of the 9th class of women at Princeton University (1981), where she wrote the senior honors thesis "Elective Hysterectomy and the Unnecessary Surgery Debate." She graduated cum laude from Princeton and won a Rotary International Graduate Fellowship to the University College of Dublin (Ireland). She earned her medical degree from the State University of New York School of Medicine at Buffalo (1986), where she conducted research in athlete's amenorrhea, breast cancer rehabilitation, congenital adrenal hyperplasia, and endometriosis. She underwent residency training in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Temple University where she was involved with several clinical trials in addition to patient care. This was followed by additional training in family medicine at Memorial Hospital of Burlington County, NJ.

Martha Kempner is writer, sexual health expert, and co-author of the book 50 Great Myths of Human Sexuality. She writes about sexual behavior, contraception, STIs, and her efforts to raise sexually healthy girls in a sexually unhealthy world. Her articles explain new research, provide commentary on current events, analyze social trends, and bust myths. Her work appears regularly on RewireNewsGroup.com, thebody.com, and bedsider.org. She recently launched Sex on Wednesday, a somewhat snarky weekly newsletter designed to help sex educators, parents, and everyone else stay up-to-date on sexual health in the news. Martha has an M.A. in Human Sexuality from NYU, and before pursuing a freelance career, she spent over a decade working for SIECUS. Martha lives with her husband, two daughters (a teen and a tween), and a really large poodle named Asparagus.

Sharon Frasier (Baytherapist) is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. For the past eight years, she has worked in community mental health serving those diagnosed with severe mental health challenges (i.e. Schizophrenia and Bipolar). Sharon also owns a private practice where many conversations are around “adulting” and how to manage life, career, relationships, etc. Sharon specifically addresses how to manage stress and anxiety that is often associated with juggling multiple stressors and obligations. Her therapeutic approach guides clients to change self-defeating language and learn how to tap into strengths.

Sharon is an Oakland native, which has been a strong influence in her community work. Throughout her life, she observed what happens to those who lack access and opportunity. Sharon’s life goal has been to provide opportunity. Sharon is aware that there are plenty of reasons why, historically, minority people have not been a part of the mental health conversation. She has a particular interest in helping minority people access mental health treatment, which gave birth to her Baytherapist Instagram blog. The purpose of the blog is to make mental health facts and ideas accessible. Sharon draws from her Oakland roots and casual style, someone who wears hoop earrings and Nikes, to create a familiar, comfortable environment for clients who are seeking out a relatable therapist.

Kellie Maisenbacher lives in Astoria, NY and has been serving the greater New York area for 7 years. She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and obtained her Masters degree from SUNY Albany. Kellie is formally trained and certified in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy as well as Cognitive Behavior Therapy.

Kellie works full time as a Suicide Prevention Coordinator where she focuses on efforts of reducing suicide and promoting wellness. Kellie also owns a private therapy practice where works with LGBTQ+ individuals and couples. Her work focuses on personal values, building connection through vulnerability and reducing the power of unhelpful thought processes.

Co-playwright and co-director

Christina D. Eskridge, Founder and Executive Director of Elevate Theatre Company, is thrilled to be writing and directing Part 4: Health of Sex and Connection. Pulling from her background as a performing artist, teaching artist, director and public health professional, holding a Master’s Degree in Public Health from UC Berkeley, Christina is working to fuse her two passions of health and theater together. Additionally, Christina is producing this 4-part Elevate Winter Series to Redefine the Stage, ensuring we continue experiencing live theater, in a socially distant and innovative manner. Now more than ever, we need stories to entertain, inspire, educate and call us to action. Christina is excited to ELEVATE these stories, bring together public health and advocacy experts and engage in dialogue with the audience.

Co-playwright and co-director

Courtney Bottomley has worn many hats in her twenty plus years as a theatre practitioner, including director, playwright, actor, designer, Broadway production assistant, and educator. She holds a BFA in Musical Theatre (Emerson College) and a MA in Educational Theatre (NYU), which she puts to good use as a high school drama teacher and advisor. For the past 6 years, she has directed student productions and mentored students in playwriting, directing, and artistic leadership. Outside the school environment, Courtney’s most recent project was as a co-writer/director and actor for an original adaptation of A Christmas Carol with Alight Theater Guild. The production, filmed in the Fall 2020, socially distant and with the use of green screen technology, highlighted her love of music and puppetry. www.alighttheater.org. She extends a big thank you to Christina D. Eskridge and the Elevate Theatre Company for this amazing opportunity to share and connect through storytelling

(BA in Theater/Dance, Rhode Island College, summa cum laude)

Stage Manager

A company member of Third Rail Projects since 2011, Mr. Denis has been an original collaborating cast member in several of the company’s preeminent works including their Bessie’s Awards winning “Then She Fell”. .Most recently he completed a 37 sold out run of “Confection” commissioned by the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington DC in 2019. Throughout this time he has also supported his burgeoning career as international male burlesque sensation GoGo Gadget, with featured performances at almost 7 years of the New York Boylesk Festivals, featured in the 2012, 2013 & 2016 London Burlesque Festivals, performances in Boston, New York City, Denver, Toronto, Paris, Stockholm and Vienna. Mr. Denis is a hyphenate and has served as Technical Director, Stage Manager, Producer, Sound Engineer, Theater Electrician, and Guest Professor within the Dance and Theater sectors for the past 20 years.