the cell

Matthew LaBanca (Playwright/Performer) is an actor and playwright living in New York City. He made his Broadway debut with Mel Brook's Young Frankenstein, covering the title role and stepping in during previews, garnering great acclaim. He has since appeared on Broadway in White Christmas and more recently, in the 2019 Tony Award-winning Broadway play A Christmas Carol. Matthew's self-penned solo show Good Enough performed to sold-out audiences Off Broadway at the United Solo Theatre Festival, winning the Best Musical Award of the Festival.

Kira Simring (Director) is the (Artistic Director) of Nancy Manocherian's the cell theatre in NYC, where she has developed and directed new works since 2006. Directing credits include the world premiers of What Kind of Woman by Abbe Tanenbaum, The Women Who Rode Away by Natalia Zukerman (the cell and Off the WALL), Yes! Reflections of Molly Bloom (Irish Rep), Crackskull Row by Honor Molloy (New York Times Critics’ Pick) and Hard Times: An American Musical by Larry Kirwan (New York Times Critics’ Pick). Kira is a three-time Origin Theatre 1st Irish Award Winner for Best Director.

Will Morris (Set and Lighting Design) is a freelance theatrical director and designer. Scenic, costume and lighting design credits include (selection): Billy Elliot, The Color Purple, Trouble in Mind, Spring Awakening and The Spongebob Musical. Directing credits include (selection): The Humans, The Little Mermaid, Sister Act, Noises Off and Spamalot. Education: Furman University (B.A. in Theatre Arts, Graduated Magna Cum Laude). Will is a recipient of the Emerging Artist Arts Ovation Award bestowed upon him by the Allentown Arts Commission.

Costume and Prop Design

Nicole's work can be seen in various spaces around New York, on Tour, and at Sea. She earned her MFA in Costume Design from the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign and a BA from Indiana University. Nicole is always looking for new, fun opportunities in costuming and adventures in travel. In her free time, Nicole travels, hikes, and is never far from a good book. 

Sound Design

Julianne works in NYC as a professional Music Director, Pianist, and Electronic Music Engineer. On Broadway, she can be found on the podium as a substitute conductor or keyboard player, as well as a designer of pit playback technologies: aka "PatchMaster." Keyboard Programmer for Broadway's A Strange Loop, Playback Engineer for Broadway's Some Like it Hot. Also Broadway's Harmony and How to Dance in Ohio. A recent graduate and now professor of Live Music Production and Design and Writing and Design for Musical Theatre at Berklee NYC.

Projection Design

Off-Broadway: On A Clear Day You Can See Forever (Irish Repertory), Dogs of Rwanda, A Deal (Urban Stages), The Jury, Powerline Road (TheatreNowNY), Musical of Musicals, Me & Ella (York Theatre). Broadway: Associate/ Assistant: Here Lies Love (Animator, Peter Nigrini, designer) Dear Evan Hansen (Understudies Assistant Editor, Broadway, West End, U.S. Tour, Peter Nigrini, designer)

Production Stage Manager

Credits include: Communion, Arctic Explorations (Dir. Kira Simring), Shadows (Dir. Anthony Laura), Freedom Summer (Dir. Joan Kane), PROUD (Dir. Eric Parness). Nightclub Cantata (dir. Bill Castellino) B.A from Rutgers University. How's My Stage Managing? Let me know on Insta (@richard_urquiza).

Assistant Stage Manager / Associate Director

Recently received her M.A. degree in Educational Theatre in Colleges and Communities from New York University. She is originally from Colorado and has a B.A. in K-12 Theatre Education from the University of Northern Colorado. Lydia currently works as a teaching artist for a couple of theatre companies, such as New York Theatre Workshop, and as the Interim Education Assistant at the Brooklyn Arts Exchange (BAX). Previously, she interned at Seattle Children’s Theatre, created a summer theatre program for the Boys & Girls Club, and has taught in a variety of formal and informal educational settings. In addition to teaching, she has worked as an actor, director, house and venue manager, and as the Accessibility Intern for the Verbatim Performance Lab at NYU.

Lead Producer

Co-producer of Queen of Versailles (with Bill Damaschke and Seaview), Co-producer of Goddess (with Octopus Theatricals), Invested in The Notebook (with Alchemation.) Co-founder of You Should Smile More Productions. An experienced entrepreneur building businesses that realize a more equitable economy, Alissa worked with Zebras Unite and Start.coop to build the financial ecosystem for worker-owned businesses. Previously, co-founded The Drivers Cooperative, which she built from scratch into the largest worker cooperative in the country in fewer than two years. Summa cum laude, Georgetown, MBA Stanford.