MANDO ALVARADO (Book) is an award-winning playwright/screenwriter from Pharr, Texas. His play Living and Breathing made its world premiere at Two River Theater in New Jersey. His play Parachute Men had its world premiere at the Victory Gardens Theater with Teatro Vista. His plays Basilica and Post No Bills received their Off-Broadway premieres at Rattlestick Playwright’s Theater. He was a Co-EP on “Iron Mike” for HULU and a Consulting Producer on “Washington Black” for HULU. He’s written on “Brande New Cherry Flavor,” “Vida,” “Greenleaf,” and was a Co-Producer for “Seven Seconds”. His first feature film, Cruzando, which he co-wrote and co-directed with Michael Ray Escamilla is available on Amazon. He is an alum of INTAR’s Hispanic-Playwright-in-Residence Laborator and a graduate of The University of North Carolina School of the Arts.

TOMMY NEWMAN (Book, Music & Lyrics) is a published playwright, composer, and lyricist and a 2013 ASCAP Foundation Cole Porter Award Winner. Three of his shows have participated in the annual NAMT Festival in New York. He is a recipient of an Anna Sosenko Assist Trust Grant, and a 2014 Kennedy Center ACTF National Musical Theatre Award Winner. Productions include: Band Geeks! (Published by MTI, Goodspeed Musicals, NAMT Fest ’09). The Single Girl’s Guide with Gordon Greenberg, (Capital Repertory Theatre and NAMT Fest ’13). Tinyard Hill with Mark Allen (Theatreworks Silicon Valley, NAMT Fest ‘07). Off-Broadway: We the People: America Rocks (Theatreworks, USA, NY Times Critic Pick, Lortel Nomination 2010), El Otro Oz with Jaime Lozano (Theatreworks, USA, NY Times Critic Pick), “29” with Gaby Alter (NYU Steinhart); The Teacher from the Black Lagoon and Other Stories (Theatreworks, USA). Recent works include: With Bells On (world premiere Theatre Network, Christmas 2023 in Edmonton, Canada— created with Dev Janki and Darrin Hagen, developed with Live and In Color), Savage (created with Karla Koskinen, Quinton Cockrell, and Jaime Lozano, commissioned by UAB), and Jenny’s Damned Ex (with Jessica Mazaheri). Tommy Newman is a professor of playwriting and musical theatre performance at Troy University. http://www.tommynewman.com.

JAIME LOZANO (Music & Lyrics) is a Mexican multi-hyphenate musical theatre storyteller considered by Lin-Manuel Miranda as the “next big thing” on Broadway. American Theatre Wing’s Jonathan Larson Grant 2022. Joe’s Pub Working Group 2020-2022. The Civilians R&D Group 2020-2021. JACK Resident Artist 2021. Selected works: El Otro Oz -formerly The Yellow Brick Road– (Off-Broadway & National Tour), Carmen La Cubana (European Tour), Children of Salt (NYMF 2016 “Best of Fest” Production), A Never-Ending Line (Comédie Nation in Paris, France & Off-Broadway), Savage (UAB at Birmingham), Present Perfect (Live & In Color), Desaparecidas (JACK). Albums: “A Never-Ending Line,” “Jaime Lozano and the Familia: Songs by an Immigrant” released by Broadway Records. Film: In The Heights (orchestrations), Tick, Tick… Boom! (cameo in Broadway composers scene). His project Jaime Lozano & The Familia has performed sold out concerts at venues such as Joe’s Pub, 54 Below, The Green Room 42, Two River Theater, and more recently as part of the prestigious Lincoln Center’s American Songbook Series. Currently working on: “Songs by an Immigrant Vol. 2,” “Broadway en Spanglish,” and Frida, The Musical. BFA: Music & Composition, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León; MFA: NYU/Tisch, Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Program (Full Tuition Scholarship); part of the BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop. Proud member of the Dramatists Guild of America, AFM Local 802, BMI and GRAMMY and Latin GRAMMY member. 

ALESSANDRA VALEA (Choreographer) is an NYC-based performing artist, director, and choreographer. Additionally, she is a certified dance educator through Dance Educators of America and serves as the Director of Metuchen Dance Centre and the Theatre Arts Conservatory in New Jersey. She is also currently the Artistic Director for Dance Reflections. Notable projects include: Pass The Mic Festival: The Loophole (UW Madison), The View Upstairs (SpeakEasy Stage, Boston), #BARS III (The Public Theater, NYC), Public Speaking’s HAIR 50 (The Public Theater, NYC), Spamalot (Papermill Theatre, N.H.T. Award Nominee), Fingerpaintings (Playwrights Downtown, NYC), Le Fay (Music Theatre Factory, NYC) Jay Adana’s Larsen Legacy Concert (American Theatre Wing/Adelphi), Dirty Secrets (Tony & the Kiki), Cabaret, Reefer Madness, Dancing At Lughnasa, Urinetown, I Love You Because (The Boston Conservatory) and The Duke Ellington Nutcracker (Metuchen Dance Centre).  Alessandra has her BFA from The Boston Conservatory with a triple emphasis in Acting, Dance and Choreography. www.alessandravalea.com

MELISSA CRESPO (Director) is a multi-hyphenate theater maker based in NYC. As a director, she has made a career of developing new plays, musicals, and opera around the country and abroad. Favorite credits include: Bees and Honey by Guadalis Del Carmen (MCC Theater), Espejos: Clean by Christine Quintana (Hartford Stage & Syracuse Stage), and form of a girl unknown by Charly Evon Simpson (Salt Lake Acting Company). As a playwright, her play Egress co-written with Sarah Saltwick, had a world premiere at Amphibian Stage and won the Roe Green Award for Outstanding Achievement in Playwriting at Cleveland Playhouse. As a producer, she is one of the Founding Editors of 3Views on Theater, an online publication conceived by The Lillys. Fellowships and residencies include: Time Warner Fellow (WP Theatre), Usual Suspect (NYTW), The Director’s Project (Drama League), Van Lier Directing Fellow (Second Stage Theatre), and the Allen Lee Hughes Directing Fellow (Arena Stage). Melissa received her M.F.A. in directing from The New School for Drama and she is currently the Associate Artistic Director of Syracuse Stage. https://www.melissacrespo.com

ARIELLE GONZALEZ (Mother/Carnival/Gloria/Wizard/Solado) is thrilled to be a part of El Otro Oz! Born and raised in the suburban wilds of New Jersey, Arielle is a Latina actor, singer, and comedian based in NYC. Select credits include: 12 Chairs (The Parsnip Ship), Thirty (The 24-Hour Plays: Viral Monologues), I’m Going To Make An Academy Award®-Winning Movie (Ma-Yi Theater Company Short Stacks Playfest), and Not My Monster! (The Flea Theater) which was nominated for an Off-Broadway Alliance Award for Best Family Show. She has her BFA in Drama from NYU. You can find out more at ariellegonzalez.com

ELI GONZALEZ (Iron Chef/Tino/Rico) is a NYC-based actor, singer, and teaching artist originally from Corpus Christi, Texas. Eli earned a Master of Music in Vocal Performance: Music Theatre along with an Advanced Certificate in Vocal Pedagogy from New York University where he worked as an Adjunct Voice Instructor. His favorite credits include originating the role of Papa in the world premiere of The Adventures of Honey and Leon: The Musical based on the children’s book by Alan Cumming with NYC Children’s Theatre at Theatre Row; working alongside Stephen Schwartz and Charles Strouse under the direction of Tony-nominated actor, Gabriel Barre, on the newly-revised version of Rags; and playing Billy Crocker in Anything Goes in concert with the NYU Broadway Orchestra under the direction of Broadway director/conductor, Ted Sperling. Eli is so excited to be making his Atlantic Theater Company debut with El Otro Oz!

CHRISTIAN ADRIANA JOHANNSEN (Curandera/Bruja/Bouncer) is absolutely thrilled to be making her Atlantic Theater Company debut with this incredible team! Last Spring, she received her BA in Communication alongside a Music Theatre Minor at Arizona State University. Her favorite roles have been Gynecia in Head Over Heels and Aunt March in Little Women. Regional credits: Ensemble/Alyssa Understudy in The Prom (TPTC), Ensemble in Elf (TPTC), and Maria in Onward & Upward at The Phoenix Theatre New Works Festival.

ADRIEL JOVIAN (Scarecrow/Cheo/Chico) is a Puerto Rican actor/singer/dancer/writer/director who recently graduated from AMDA with a BFA in Musical Theater. Adriel lives to inspire people through art. Some recent roles include: Usnavi in In the Heights, Leaf Coneybear in …Spelling Bee, Jeff in [Title of Show], and Link Larkin in Hairspray. Thanks to my friends and family for always supporting me on my journey, especially Mami, Abuelo y Abuela! Instagram: @adrieljr8100

DANNY LEMACHE (Mountain Lion/Chaparro/Pico) is incredibly grateful and excited to be making his Atlantic Theater Company debut. He is a performing artist, theater educator, and arts administrator based out of Harlem, NY who holds a BFA in Musical Theatre from Montclair State University. Recent credits include In the Heights (Arts Center of Coastal Carolina), TITANIC (Milwaukee Rep), and Moana Jr. (Ogunquit Playhouse). He would like to thank his partner Maggie for her patience and grace, his familia for their unwavering support, and his agents Bridget and Jim and the BLOC Talent team for always making him feel ten feet tall in these very trying times. Instagram @dannylemache. Esta es para mi gente, wepa!

NYA NOEMI (Dora/Taquito) is an NYC-based actress with Puerto Rican roots on a mission to showcase afro-latine people in as many walks of life as possible through her work. Nya is an AMDA alumna and has most recently been seen regionally in Footloose, Off-Broadway in Lewberger and the Wizard of Friendship, and on tour with SpongeBob SquarePants: The Broadway Musical.