WHEN YOU NEED ME
by T.J.L
T.J.L (Playwright) (he/him/his) is a queer, Southern, Blck, multi-hyphenate playwright from NC based in NYC. He received his BA in Theatre Performance from ASU. Since graduating, he has worked with various regional theatre companies along the East Coast. He has been a finalist and semifinalist in selection for programs such as Ars Nova’s Play Group and Fault Line Theatre’s Irons in the Fire. T.J.L was a member of the COOP’s 2022 Clusterf*ck cohort and the 23/24 SOUL Reading Series cohort at NBT. T.J.L was a Playwriting Fellow for the Playwrights Realm and the Gatekeepers Collective. He was named a finalist for the 2023 Founders Award from NYSAF. He was named a semi-finalist and a finalist for the 49th Annual Samuel French OOB Festival. His goal is to craft worlds for stories that promote softness, celebration, encouragement and acceptance for queer BIPOC people, especially queer Blck boys.
DIEGO ALEJANDRO GONZÁLEZ (Director) (he/they+) is the Co-Artistic Director of BORDERLANDS. Associate Director, In the Heights at TUTS (HTX); Co-Director Great Comet (NYU). Mercury Store. SDCF Shadow. Drama League. diegogzz.com | @borderlands.co
BIORKYS ACOSTA PALMERS (Donovan) (he/him) is a Dominican actor from the Bronx currently studying at NYU. He’s passionate about performance, writing and Daniel Caesar and is honored to participate!
KALEB JUSTIN (Parker) is a Miami-born actor committed to widening the understanding of all different ways black men can express themselves.
NIKOLAS MUCHA (Stage Directions/Theatre Chorus) (he/him) is an NYU Tisch Drama graduate. His recent credits include Acan in Mojada (Baruch PAC) and Dolokhov in Great Comet (NYU Tisch).
BOOGIE COUSINS IN 1.8 SECONDS
by Michael Tuton
MICHAEL TUTON (Playwright)’s full-length debut The Return of Honor to American Life is a semi-finalist at the 2026 BAPF. Google “Michael Tuton” + “NPX” to read. Love to Debbie!
KAYLA AMANI (Director) is a director from NYC and a current member of WP Theater’s 2024-2026 Lab. ig: @kaylaamani_
CARL HENDRICK LOUIS (Boogie Cousins) is an actor from NYC. Credits include Broadway, off-Broadway and regional works. Netflix (Mindhunter, Manifest) and Film. Learn more @ carlhendricklouis.com.
J.D. WEBSTER (LynnIsFine) is an actor and singer in NYC. Credits include Broadway, regional theatre and concerts. Follow J.D. on Instagram @thejdwebster.
STEPHANIE CHRISTOPHER IS NOT WELCOME HERE
by Katie Priscott
KATIE PRISCOTT (Playwright) is a New England-born, Midwest-based playwright. Credits include staged readings of Something Borrowed, Easier Said Than Done and Stephanie Christopher is Not Welcome Here (Youth Artists Project) and Seasons (Mizzou New Play Series). This summer, she had the pleasure of being a member of the marketing team and the inaugural Arts Administration Cohort at the Virginia Theatre Festival. She is a rising senior at Oberlin College studying creative writing, arts administration & leadership.
SHEA FRIMMER (Director) (they/she) is founding artistic director of the Youth Artists Project. Select credits: Something Borrowed, 9:47 (YAP), Head Over Heels (Northwestern), The Abbey (BBTF).
KAYLA MARKS (Morgan) (she/her) is so excited to be here! Select Credits: Fiddler on the Roof (Signature Theatre); Picnic at Hanging Rock (Joe’s Pub).
AMANDA BLOOM ROBBINS (Stephanie) proudly participates in the development of new works. Amanda also teaches and mothers. Love to Luke, Wally, Teddy and baby.
NICKOLAUS COLÓN (Stage Directions) is very excited to be a small part of bringing new works to life. Follow his adventures when he goes back on tour as Hades in Hadestown this fall. @nickolauscolon
KIRA MIRA, DEARA
by Isaac Byrne
ISAAC BYRNE (Playwright) is a playwright, director and acting teacher. He has been awarded the New York Innovative Theatre Award for Outstanding Direction twice, and productions he has directed have been nominated for a Drama Desk Award, an off-Broadway Alliance Award, 29 NYIT Awards and six Planet Connection Awards. NYC Credits: Other Mozart (NYIT Outstanding Solo Performance), In Vestments (NYIT Outstanding Premier of a New Play), To Nineveh (NYIT Outstanding Production), Tar Baby (DR2, PS122), 52 Man Pick Up (Ars Nova, Edinburgh Fringe), AMP (NYIT Nominated for Outstanding Performance Art), I Used to Write on Walls and Rusalka. His work as a playwright has been produced in NYC, Albuquerque and Phoenix, and he has been published in the Smith & Kraus collections of Best Men’s and Best Women’s Stage Monologue collections in 2024 and 2025.
HALEY RICE (Director) directs, writes and produces theatre and film in NYC. She is always looking to meet and collaborate with other artists; connect with her at @the_tales_of_hales.
JAMIE TINCHER (Mel): Last seen as Suzanne in Twilight of the Golds with Out/Play theatre company and Maxine in Sick.
MICHAEL CORCORAN (Michael) was last seen as Walter Gold in Twilight of the Golds, Coach Shea in Good Boys and True and Sheriff Kent in The Lakehouse.
DALEANEE DENMAN (Stage Directions) is an actor from Arizona. She has been in productions such as The Heidi Chronicles by Wendy Wasserstein and Oedipus Rex by Sophocles.
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.