Maydi Díaz is a Chicago-based stage manager. Since completing a BA in Arts Management from Columbia College Chicago and a MA in Theatre Production from the National University of Ireland Galway, Maydi has worked on multiple areas of technical theater. Her stage management credits include Caucasian Chalk Circle (Mick Lally Theatre), Back In The Day (UrbanTheater Company), The Delicate Tears of the Waning Moon and La Peor de Todas (Water People Theater), Kiev (Aguijón Theater Co), and various shows with PlayMaker’s Laboratory. When she’s not at the theater, you can find Maydi folk dancing or doing calligraphy.

Lily Emerson is a multi­faceted performer, producer, collaborator, and all-around creative weirdo. Lily is the co-creator of Adventure Sandwich, a Chicago-based group that produces family-friendly video, music, live performances and events. She served as the Artistic Director of Opera-Matic, an interdisciplinary arts organization that produces participatory art experiences in the parks, from 2018-2020. She is also the founder of Lucid Street Theatre, a performance collective that created original works from 2007-2011. Lily has performed throughout the US, Belarus, the Czech Republic, and France, and has been recognized with various awards and residencies, including the Lisa Dershin LinkUP Residency, the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum’s Artist in Residence, and the Chicago Digital Media Production Fund. More information about Lily can be found at creative-weirdo.com.

Sarah Fornace is a director, puppeteer, choreographer, and narrative designer based in Chicago. She is a co-Artistic Director of Manual Cinema. Outside of Manual Cinema, Sarah has worked as a performer or choreographer with Redmoon Theatre, Lookingglass Theatre Company, Court Theatre, Steppenwolf Garage, and Blair Thomas and Co. Most recently, Sarah wrote the story mode for the video game Rivals of Aether. In 2017, she directed and edited the first episode of the web series, The Doula is IN. In 2016, she directed and devised an “animotion” production of Shakespeare’s Hamlet with Rokoko Studios for HamletScen at Kromborg Castle in Elsinore, Denmark.

Sharaina Latrice Turnage is from the sensational Southside of Chicago. Recent credits include: Mementos Mori, The End of TV, and No Blue Memories (Manual Cinema), The Silence in Harrow House (Rough House Theater), The American Revolution (Theater Unspeakable), and Los Milagros (Free Street Theater). Sharaina has researched and performed theater historical done by slaves called “Du” theater in Suriname, South America and was amongst one of the first actors to perform “Du” theater in the United States. Sharaina received her B.A. at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville where past credits include: Mayme (Intimate Apparel), LaWanda/Topsy Washington/Normal Jean (The Colored Museum), and Bernice (Servy N Bernice 4ever). Sharaina thanks her family and close friends for the constant support. “The greatest pleasure in life is DOING what people say you CANNOT do.”

Kevin Michael Wesson is a proudly unrepresented puppeteer/playwright based in Chicago; originally from Tampa, FL, he received a B.A. in theatre arts from the University of South Florida. Recent credits include: “Where we go together” or The Flashlight Play (Theatre Nobody), Dog or Cats; Augmented Body (Steppenwolf LOOKOUT), House of the Exquisite Corpse I-III (Rough House Theater), All is Blue & Yellow (Collective Summ), CHRISTMAS PAGEANT (Hot Kitchen Collective), Elements of Style (The Neo-Futurists), and The Dr. Seuss Experience (Kilburn Live). Currently, he’s an ensemble member with Stop Motion Plant, Theatre Nobody, & Theater Unspeakable.

Mo Willems is an author, illustrator, animator, playwright, and the inaugural Kennedy Center Education Artist-in-Residence, where he collaborates in creating fun new stuff involving classical music, opera, comedy concerts, dance, painting, and digital works with the National Symphony Orchestra, Ben Folds, Yo-Yo Ma, and others.

Willems is best known for his #1 New York Times bestselling picture books, which have been awarded three Caldecott Honors (Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!, Knuffle Bunny, Knuffle Bunny Too), two Theodor Geisel Medals, and five Geisel Honors (The Elephant & Piggie series).

Mo’s art has been exhibited around the world, including major solo retrospectives at the High Museum (Atlanta) and the New-York Historical Society (NYC). Over the last decade, Willems has become the most produced playwright of Theater for Young Audiences in America, having written or co-written four musicals based on his books.

He began his career as a writer and animator on PBS’ Sesame Street, where he garnered six Emmy Awards (writing). Other television work includes two series on Cartoon Network: Sheep in the Big City (creator + head writer) and Codename: Kids Next Door (head writer). Mo is creating new TV projects for HBOMax, where his live action comedy special Don’t Let the Pigeon Do Storytime! currently streams.

His papers reside at Yale University’s Beinecke Library.