A STUDY ABOUT THE ECOLOGIC ARTS IS NEEDED
by Yekta Khaghani
YEKTA KHAGHANI (Playwright) is an Iranian playwright, actor and theatre educator based in New York City. Her plays often explore themes of displacement, diaspora, and the complexities of identity, blending meta-theatrical elements with deeply personal narratives. In 2022, Yekta curated Whispers of the Flesh, an anthology celebrating the resilience of Iranian women playwrights. This anthology has been showcased both in the U.S. and Europe and is set to be produced in Europe in Summer 2025. In 2023, she received the New York City Women’s Fund for one of her plays which was showcased at The Tank Theater in February 2024. Since immigrating to the U.S. in 2016, Yekta has been a dynamic voice in independent theatre, creating work that bridges cultural boundaries and challenges conventional storytelling.
REZA BEHJAT (Director) is an Obie-winning theatre artist based in New York. Reza’s works have been shown on Broadway, Off-Broadway and in regional theatres across the United States.
NAMI NAZAR (Composer): Iranian composer and multi-instrumentalist studying violin at Juilliard. His work bridges innovation and tradition with a focus on film scoring. @naminazar
SINA POORESMAEIL (Man): MFA in Acting. Recent work includes Iraq, But Funny; Three Tall Persian Women; When the Rain Stops Falling; High Maintenance and award-winning short films.
SADE NAMEI (Woman) is an actor, dialect coach, Farsi consultant, translator and writer working in theatre, TV and film. @sadenamei
ASSAL GHAWAMI (Stage Manager): Award-winning filmmaker, performer and educator advocating for diversity through film and stage. Co-founder of Every Woman Biennial Film Festival. Currently developing the debut feature Nasty Persian.
float until you burst
by Julianne Jigour
JULIANNE JIGOUR (Playwright)’s plays have been produced by or developed with Public Assembly, PlayGround, the Antaeus Playwrights Lab, Moving Arts’ MADLab, Santa Clara University, Bombay Theatre Company and Theater Masters. She has received two commissions from Planet Earth Arts, one of which – Bright Shining Sea – received its premiere production with PlayGround in San Francisco, where it was a Theatre Bay Area Awards Recommended Production. Her short plays Beech. Oak. Iris. and Domestic Help were finalists in the 2020 and 2022 Samuel French Off Off Broadway Festival. Julianne has twice received grants from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation for science-themed TV pilots and has been a finalist for the Steeltown Film Factory competition. She earned her MFA from Carnegie Mellon University, where she received the West Coast Drama Alumni Clan Award for Dramatic Writing. A proud member of the Playwrights Union, Playwrights Think Tank and Dramatists Guild, Julianne resides in Los Angeles.
KAT VONDY (Director) is a writer and director working in theatre, film and literature. Find more info about all her creative work at katherinevondy.com.
BRENDAN CLIFFORD (Marcus) is tickled to be a working actor, writer and director in theatre, TV and film. He has credits, but this bio is really short. @BrendanPlease
AMELIA BETHEL (Rocky) is a theatre artist based in NYC. She does many things but is most amped about being a member of the NY NeoFuturists.
JORDAN HULL (Tanya): TV: The L Word: Generation Q (Showtime). Film: Hustle (Netflix). Theatre: Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award for Poor Clare (Echo Theater Company).
EMMY KUPERSCHMID (Stage Directions) is an NYC-based actor and playwright. Previous credits include the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center, NYTW and LakehouseRanchDotPNG. She’s thrilled to be here!
archy and mehitabel one last time
by J.R. Stephens
J.R. STEPHENS (Playwright/Director/Stage Directions) is a New England-based playwright whose work explores mortality, memory and human connection through characters poised at life’s thresholds and navigating the pull of change. An active member of the Dramatists Guild of America, his plays include Testament of the Body (Tennessee Williams & New Orleans Literary Festival), A Quiet Light (10:4:TENN; Sharon Playhouse) and Sunset from the Atlantis (National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences). In addition to writing, Stephens is a performer, educator and librarian, all of which inform his interest in storytelling, history and the preservation of overlooked voices.
BILL HUGHES (August) has worked in theatre for over fifty years. His works have been seen and heard at regional theaters, with several plays receiving productions off-off-Broadway.
KATHERINE ALMQUIST (June) has had the honor of working with J.R. many times, including under his direction playing Marlene Dietrich in Pam Gems’ Marlene – her favorite role.
2025 OOB Festival Credits
Festival Sponsor
Concord Theatricals
2025 Festival Judges
Douglas Carter Beane
Eleanor Burgess
Matt Cox
Emily Feldman
Zora Howard
Kristin Leahey
Margaret Ledford
Jill Rafson
Susan Soon He Stanton
Anne Washburn
Alexis Williams
Leah Nanko Winkler
Honorary Playwrights
Rachel Bonds
Miranda Rose Hall
Lauren Yee
Festival Co-Artistic Directors
Garrett Anderson
Casey McLain
House Manager
Tyler Mullen
Box Office Manager
Rosemary Bucher
Marketing Team
Julian Harper Galkin
Jeremiah Hernandez
Courtney Kochuba
Ally Varitek
Imogen Lloyd Webber
Festival Production Coordinators
Julian Harper Galkin
Lane Ruble
Festival Fire Guard
Ranana Chernin
Festival Support Staff
Ella Andrew, Max Bahneman, Shaina Gilks, Rachel Levens, Liz Minski, Nate Netzley, Kristen Rea, Erin Sabat, Rachel Smith, Ally Varitek
2025 Submissions Readers
Max Bahneman, Caroline Barnard, Jim Colleran, Oli Gordon, Jeremiah Hernandez, Ben Keiper, Leona Koo, Rachel Levens, Amy Rose Marsh, Debbie McLean, Liz Minski, Gabriela Morales, Tyler Mullen, Nate Netzley, Jac Norris, Brianne Partington, Theresa Posorske, Kristen Rea, Dominic Russo, Erin Sabat, Meg Schadl, Rachel Smith, Jackson Used, Faith Williams
Special Thanks
Sean Flahaven, Bill Gaden, Concord, City Theatre Miami, Dramatists Guild of America, National New Play Network
About Concord Theatricals
Concord Theatricals is the world’s most significant theatrical company, comprising the catalogs of R&H Theatricals, Samuel French, Tams-Witmark, The Andrew Lloyd Webber Collection, Dramatists Play Service and Playscripts, plus dozens of new signings each year. Our unparalleled roster includes the work of Irving Berlin, Agatha Christie, George & Ira Gershwin, James Graham, Katori Hall, Marvin Hamlisch, Lorraine Hansberry, Kander & Ebb, Marlow & Moss, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Arthur Miller, Anaïs Mitchell, Dominique Morisseau, Cole Porter, Rodgers & Hammerstein, Thornton Wilder, Tennessee Williams, August Wilson and Harry Potter Theatrical Productions. We are the only firm providing truly comprehensive services to the creators and producers of plays and musicals, including theatrical licensing, music publishing, script publishing, cast recording and first-class producing.