Maria Arreola (Playwright of Floating Girls Go To The Moon she/her) - is an emerging Chicana playwright/podcaster. Since 2021, she has had her work developed at various Chicago theaters including Pocket Theatre VR, Danztheatre, PlayGround-Chicago and Definition Theatre. Formerly, Maria was the 2022-2023 Artistic Fellow at Berkeley Rep, a 24-Hour Plays Nationals alum, and a Sewanee Writers’ Conference Scholar. 

Tamar Brooks (Playwright of Kumquats on the QT she/her) is a Wisconsin original who received her Bachelor of Arts in Theatre from the University of Wisconsin – Green Bay in 2013, and joined the Chicago creative scene shortly thereafter as actor, playwright, and poet. She is a contributing writer on The Feminine Stoic, and her plays and poems have been featured in a variety of festivals, online platforms, and gallery exhibits, including a 5-year tenure at UWWFest. Grandma Liz, this one is for you. tamarbrooks.com

Marjorie Muller (Playwright of ADULT CHILDREN OF MANDATED MOTHERS ANONYMOUS (ACOMMA), she/her) writes body plays and when she’s not writing body plays, she writes romance novels, which are kind of like body plays but sexier. Based in Chicago, her work has appeared at The Road Theatre, The Tank, Urbanite Theatre, and the Valdez Theatre Conference. Her plays littlespace, or the daddy play, The Sporting Life, and HypergaMater have all been O’Neill semifinalists, and in 2024 she received an Honorable Mention for the Relentless Award. The Sporting Life premiered at the Factory Theater this fall and runs through 11/22. She also hosts The Romance Room, a podcast about romance craft and culture.

Silma Sierra Berrada (Playwright of Ghost Trap, she/her) is an African American and Moroccan playwright, poet, and visual artist. Her work explores the collision of personal and political, where memory, grief, and survival blur into ritual. Moving through ancestral haunting, spiritual collapse, and the ache of inheritance, she asks what softness can endure in systems demanding endurance. She sculpts plays toward rhythm, texture, and emotional space—tender yet sharp, dwelling in grey. Her work has been developed at McCarter Theatre (Paula Vogel Bake-Off) and honored with the Crossroads Genesis Prize. She holds an A.B. from Princeton and pursues her M.F.A. at Columbia.

Perse Grammer (Playwright of burn my body before they find it, they/them) is a multidisciplinary writer and theatre artist based in Chicago. Their writing primarily centers around the body, inspired by their experiences with disability and gender nonconformity. They hold a BFA in Playwriting from DePaul University, where they were awarded the Zach Helm Endowed Playwriting Scholarship in 2024 for “working to illuminate narratives of the exploited, oppressed, and marginalized”. In addition to shining light on the unseen, their plays aim to present the surreal as the real—meaning they sometimes contain semi-invisible beetles or freeze-dried corpses.

mantra (Playwright of the principal’s committee., she/any) is a playwright, director, and comedian originally from Bangalore, India. Her work was recently seen at 24HourPlays (Off-Broadway), Writers Theatre, Token Theatre, The Second City, The Road Theatre, Theo Ubique, Shattered Globe and Avalanche Theatre. Her plays have received recognition from the 2024 Agnes Nixon Playwriting award (winner), Fulbright Creative Writing scholarship (alternate finalist), Ojai Playwrights Conference (semifinalist), Inkslinger Playwriting Competition (semifinalist), SheNYC festival (finalist) and Boise Contemporary Theatre’s Playwriting festival (finalist). She was a Victor Wong Fellow at the Second City, and an Under Construction Playwright at The Road Theatre. You can see her performing in sketch comedy group Women Off-Colour at A Red Orchid Theatre in November!

Osiris Gabriel Mundo (Director of Floating Girls Go To The Moon, ki/kin) is a Disabled Mexican Yoreme (Indigenous) Artist. Osiris is frequently known as “Pinky” and  uses Ki/Kin pronouns. Ki is a professional actor, an experienced writer/playwright, a classically trained singer, teaching artist, and emerging Director. You may have seen kin in Lizard y El Sol (Goodman Theatre), Skyflint pt 1 (Haven Theatre), Rebirth of Osiris (Haven Theatre), SPARK! Artist in Residence (Filament Theatre) or during “Hora de Cuentinflas”; an hour of Mexican Songs and Spanish Storytime (NOITP Grant Recipient). This summer, Osiris co-wrote and performed the music for “El Barzon” (Free Street Theatre) and teaches with Changosnakedog.  Ki creates theatre that illuminates the obscured and inspires innovation; often at the intersections of identity (race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, and Disability). Ki is driven by the need to express in a way that everyone can understand, regardless of age and capacity. Inspired & influenced by Chespirito, Osiris’ work is comical, candid, and always through a compassionate lens.  When we create things so that everyone can understand, the world benefits. Directing credits include; “Gutenberg! The Musical” at A/C Theatre Company and “Credible Women” with Proud Mary Theatre. You may also spot kin twirling around Chicago in drag under the name OCDeezNutz."

Leanna Gianoutsos Oliveira (Director of Kumquats on the QT, she/her) is a director, theatre educator and producer originally from South Florida. She earned her Bachelor’s in Theatre from the University of Central Florida and her Master's in Directing from Roosevelt University. She is a proud member of the ALC at Artemisia and an associate producer at PlayGround Chicago. Leanna is so excited and grateful for the opportunity to direct in the WeWomen Festival and to be part of Artemisia. Some of her favorite directing credits include: The Siren Song of Stephen Jay Gould (Haven), She Kills Monsters (YA Edition), Antigone (BMSOA), Medea (BBHS), Peter & the Starcatcher (BMSOA).

Emma Durbin (Director of ADULT CHILDREN OF MANDATED MOTHERS ANONYMOUS (ACOMMA), they/them) is a Chicago-based playwright, producer, and multidisciplinary theatre artist whose work centers queerness, love, and community. Emma most recently produced the 2025 Black Swan Lab at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. They are a co-founding producer for new play development initiatives including Freshly Brewed at The Understudy Coffee and Books, New Play Festival at Subtext Studio TC, and Whale Watch Fest, and they are a member of the Pocket Producing Ensemble. Emma’s new play workshop directing credits include: Monstrous by Skye Hillgartner (OSF FAIR Capstone), Hypergamater by Marjorie Muller (Valdez Theatre Conference), and Revenge of the Holy Virgin Martyrs by Kristin Idaszak (asst. dir. to Regina Victor, TimeLine Theatre). Training: DePaul University (Playwriting BFA), The Kennedy Center (New Play Dramaturgy Intensive with Mark Bly), Oregon Shakespeare Festival (FAIR Literary Assistantship). Visit emmadurbin.com to learn more!

Sydney Charles (Director of Ghost Trap, she/her) is grateful to return to Artemisia Theatre. She is a Chicago-based actor, director, voice talent, writer, and cultural strategist. As a director, she has led work with Goodman Theatre, Definition Theatre, DCASE (Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events), Jackalope Theatre, Steppenwolf Theatre, OTV, and Make-Believe Association (Hamlet). Her performance and voice work have been featured with Make-Believe Association, Steppenwolf Theatre, and others across Chicago’s creative landscape. Through her platform Kaya Chronicles, she explores the intersections of cannabis, creativity, and culture. Sydney is a proud member of AEA and SAG-AFTRA. www.sydneycharlesexp.com

Grey Sindaco (Director of burn my body before they find it, they/them) is thrilled to make their debut with Artemisia! A Miami native with a BFA in Musical Theatre from Long Island University, Grey has brought their creative spark to stages across South Florida, New York, and now Chicago. Recent directing credits include 12 Angry Jurors with BTG and a one-act for Steppenwolf’s LookOut Series last summer. Grey is passionate about bold, collaborative storytelling and building spaces where every voice belongs. Keep up with their upcoming projects on all platforms @greygoeswitheverything—because, well, it does!

Alondra Rios (Director of the principal’s committee, she/her) is a Puerto Rican director, actor, and playwright currently based in Chicago. She studied at Northwestern University with a B.A. in Theatre and a certificate in Music Theatre and Playwriting. She is passionate about developing new work. She recently directed Love in the Time Of___ for Theo Ubique Winter Fest, and she also participated in the Red Orchid Incubator, co-developing the sketch show Women Off-Colour. Recent acting credits include: American Music Theatre Project: Desaparecidas (Northwestern University) and Side by Side by Sondheim (Oil Lamp Theatre). She is also a devoted corgi mom!

PRODUCER

Julia Farrell Diefenbach is the Director of Marketing and Community Engagement for Shattered Globe Theatre and the Managing and Marketing Director for Artemisia Theatre, Chicago’s Feminist Theatre. Recent Directing Credits: Sense and Sensibility and The Haunting of Hill House (Twin City Players), Yule and One Exit (The Halogen Company), Dramaturg Credits: Lobby Hero (Shattered Globe Theatre), The Art of Bowing and Science Fiction/Double Feature: A Rocky Horror Picture Party (Haven Chicago). A multifaceted storyteller and Columbia College Chicago graduate, Julia is dedicated to creating work that allows audience members to develop a new sense of self as they immerse themselves in the worlds she creates. juliafarrell.net

PLAYWRIGHT LIAISON

Dionna Ndlovu is a multidisciplinary artist, arts administrator, non-profit director, teaching artist, arts education consultant, and arts advocate whose work is dedicated to fostering community-centered artistic engagement. She supported the development of the Theater Arts and Dance Credentialing program at Cal Poly Humboldt University in Humboldt County, California, where she also taught in the School of Education and Department of Theatre, Dance and Music. In her commitment to arts advocacy, and education, Dionna has served as the Interim Education Manager at YoloArts in Yolo County and as the Arts Now Lead with Create CA, Project Coordinator for the North Coast Arts Integration Project, Turnaround Arts: California, and on the board for California Dance Education Association. Currently, she serves as the Project Director and Coach for TAP IN a dreammaker project of The Ink People Center for the Arts dedicated to supporting artists, FAIR Program Manager at Oregon Shakespeare Festival, leadership council for Eureka Cultural Arts District and the board of Chicago's Home for feminist theatre – Artemisia.

STAGE MANAGER

Ema Kester (they/she) is thrilled to be stage managing another year of Artemisia Theatre’s WeWomen play festival. Previously as a stage manager, they have worked on the 2024 WeWomen play festival, 2024 Fresh Produce festival and assistant stage manager for MOTHERHOUSE at Rivendell Theatre Ensemble. Ema is also a producer with 2nd Story Theatre. She is excited to share her passion for femme storytelling with this amazing group of talented artists.