STAFF & BOARD

Heidi S Howard (Artistic Director of 7 Stages Theatre) served as Education Director and Production Manager for over a decade before taking the reins in 2014. She loves creating devised performances, directing new and classic plays, teaching arts-based curriculum, and collaborating with international, national, and local artists. Most recently she kicked off the 40^th season by directing 7 Stages founder Del Hamilton in Waiting for Godot and is in development for the season finale HUMAN: A Citizen’s Encounter. Directing highlights include White Woman in Progress with Atlanta-based Tara Ochs, Lauren Gunderson’s The Revolutionists, Suehyla El Attar’s The Doctor, Devil, & my Dad, and Michael Molina’s Mass Transit Muse. She has toured throughout the USA as well as to Israel, The Netherlands, Serbia, and China. Notable collaborators include Joseph Chaikin, Walter Asmus, Dijana Milosevic, Nesa Paripovic, Pearl Cleage, Sean Dorsey, Topher Payne, Eric Ehn, Jim Grimsley, Robert Earl Price, Mondo Bizarro, Anna Tismer, Karolina Spaic, Lydia Stryk, Sarah Gubbins, Scott Turner Schofield, and Del Hamilton.

She is the founder and director of 7 Stages’ Youth Creates (YC), a training and performance program for teenagers creating profound original productions each summer, now celebrating 16 years. The Holland Exchange, an international extension just celebrated 7 years and the Israeli, Belarusian, and Romanian exchanges are well underway. Organizing all education and outreach programs at 7 Stages, her goal is to create a brave space for vital conversation while designing curriculum based in school residencies orchestrating artistic responses to literature by connecting individual’s everyday life to the creative process. Further, her program, Art of Activism is a community dialogue that takes place over a shared brunch discussing difficult topics in society often tied to the season’s productions.  She is an Artistic Associate with Synchronicity Theatre, served on the Board of The Atlanta School, is a National Performance Network representative, and serves on the Theatre at Emory Board. Graduating from Stetson University, she studied directing at the Lincoln Center Director’s Lab and the DAH Lab in Serbia. Her love of theatre and continuing urge to collaborate with new artists has allowed her to create, teach, design, produce, tech, and stage manage with many companies and artists such as Moving in the Spirit, Georgia Ensemble, The Object Group, Little Five Points Rockstar Orchestra, the Jamaica Cultural Alliance, Theatrical Outfit, Out of Hand, and angelworks sma. She has received support from TCG, Artslink, the Israel Cultural General and The Netherlands American Foundation to support cultural exchanges; NEA, Turner, Georgia Council for the Arts, the City of Atlanta Office of Cultural Affairs, and the Fulton County Arts Council to support original productions; as well as from the NEA-Big Read, Zeist Foundation, UPS among others to support education initiatives.

“When we create together, we remind ourselves that anything is possible regardless of our differences.”

Mack Headrick has been with 7 Stages in many different capacities for over two decades. Some of the highlights of his career with 7 Stages include working with Joseph Chaikin on several productions, acting as advisor for Stacy Klein and Double Edge Theatre, touring with Dah Teatar for the co-production Alice and Kafka are Dead; Long Live the Rosenbergs and travelling to Shanghai for the National Theatre Festival with The Chairs. Mr. Headrick first fell in love with the transformative power of theatre in High School and subsequently attended Florida School of the Arts. He has attended many workshops, seminars, and conferences across the country and currently serves on the board of Atlanta Intown Theatre Partnership and the Little 5 Points Business Association, Main Street, and Alliance. In addition to managing the two theatre facility Mack also has had the opportunity to work with and for many of 7 Stages’ renters including Synchronicity, Sideways Contemporary Dance, and Project 7. He would like to thank Del Hamilton and Faye Allen, co-founders of 7 Stages for their support and guidance over the years. None of us would be here if it weren’t for your vision and tenacity. Thank you for helping to make Atlanta the thriving arts center it is today.

Ari Shah Conkright is a Lighting Designer and Theatre technician who got their start here at 7Stages, in Youth Creates many moons ago. They are very excited to have worked on True North as their first production on staff for 7Stages as Production/Facility Manager. Ari has a Bachelors of Fine Arts in Technical Theatre with a focus in Lighting Design and Stage Management from Guilford College. Most recently, Ari has worked on Black Metal Burlesque, Pinnochio and with The Admix Project on their Summer Intensive Showcases. Ari is so excited to be at 7Stages full time now, and cannot wait for what the future holds!

CONTACT ARI HERE

Devi Wells is an artist and designer dedicated to exploring all facets of the creative process. They graduated from Georgia State University with a BFA in Drawing, Painting and Printmaking in 2016. GSU is also where their design career began as an Assistant Designer for the Student Center, followed by freelance positions including fine arts, illustration,  branding and web design.

Devi has performed many roles at 7 Stages over the years, most recently taking on Marketing, Web Design, Social Media, and various digital tasks that make up the Marketing Coordinator position.

Contact Devi by email for press inquiries and photos!

Theresa Davis is a multifaceted artist and educator who has made a significant impact on the world of poetry, education, and storytelling. An acclaimed poet, storyteller, educator, and author, Theresa is known for her dynamic presence both on stage and in the classroom. Her diverse talents have earned her a reputation as a compelling performer and a passionate advocate for education and the arts.

As a poetry slam champion and the host of the award-winning open mic event “Java Speaks,” Theresa Davis has become a prominent figure in the spoken word community. Her performances are celebrated for their emotional depth, authenticity, and raw power, captivating audiences across the nation. She has graced numerous stages as both a poet and a keynote speaker, sharing her unique voice and perspective on life, love, social justice, and the human experience.

Theresa’s journey as an educator spans over three decades, during which she has distinguished herself as a classroom teacher specializing in cross-curricular education. Her innovative approach combines various disciplines to create a holistic learning experience that resonates with students of all backgrounds. As a teaching artist, she brings the same passion and creativity to her workshops and lectures, inspiring students to find their voices and express themselves through the art of poetry and storytelling. Her ability to connect with students and encourage them to engage critically with the world around them has made her a beloved figure in educational spaces.

Contact Theresa here

Dorothy Victoria Bell is a singer, writer, actor, and educator from Detroit who earned a degree in English from Clark Atlanta University and an MFA in Theater from Louisville University. Dorothy is lead performance teacher for NEA’s Big Read program at 7 Stages and Youth Creates theater production summer camp and has performed in local productions of Robert Earl Price’s All Blues, Hair, The Crucible, Mass Transit Muse, fml: How Carson McCullers Saved my Life, 3 Penny Opera and more. Dorothy will work as a deviser and will perform as an actress and musician for Human Encounters.

Nicolette Emanuelle is a professional performer and teaching artist based in Saint Louis, known for their fierce stage presence and the ability to blend different artistic disciplines in performances. Nicolette began their performance career as a musician and singer/songwriter, recording and performing cello with various musicians on the East Coast, as well as writing and performing their own piano-driven music. Later, they added circus arts (aerial, stilt walking, and clowning) and acting to their repertoire.

Currently, Nicolette composes music for theater and dance, collaborates with youth to create original theatrical pieces, and is working on a project called ‘What Are You?’ an exploration on what it means to be multiracial in America today, drawing from their experiences growing up as a Lumbee in the South.

Nicoletteemanuelle.com

Jennifer Kimball has been a part of the 7Stages family since the early 2000s. A production and stage manager and general organizer-at-large in the Atlanta area, she has been fortunate to build relationships with a host of other incredible artists, theatres and dance companies as well, many of which began in this very building. She is currently the managing Director at the Essential Theatre and Theatre du Reve. Inspired by new creative work and meaningful connection, Jennifer is proud to be part of the 7Stages family.

Corian Ellisor is an artist, activist, and dancer with 15+ years of experience. He is devoted to marginalized communities, like the LGBTQ+ community, ethnic minority groups, and women. He is an expert in interdisciplinary movement, world dance forms, and storytelling. He is delighted to be a part the Education Associate team at 7 Stages, creating artistic responses with students and artists, examining how we re-direct monstrous behavior and re-define stereotypes of pretty as part of his new work, Charmed Ones.

Scott Turner Schofield is an award-winning actor, writer, and producer. With no representation, 1 month after moving to L.A. from Atlanta in 2015, Schofield hit 33 million screens daily as the first openly transgender actor in Daytime television. He guest starred in 13 episodes of a groundbreaking, Emmy Award winning storyline on CBS’s The Bold and the Beautiful. In 2018, he scored a starring role in a feature film, The Conductor (Shooting Star/Splendid Films), and guest stars on various series. He was the Trans Consultant for HBO’s EUPHORIA; the role he helped create has been called “TV’s most interesting trans character” (Daily Beast) and “the future of TV” (Marie Claire). His one man show, Becoming a Man in 127 EASY Steps (commissioned by 7 Stages, Pat Graney Company, DiverseWorks, the National Performance Network and Princess Grace Foundation), is now a groundbreaking interactive film/podcast/book. His first book, Two Truths and a Lie (HomoFactus Press), was a Finalist for 2 Lambda Literary Awards.

Scott is also regarded as one of the top speakers in the U.S. on the topic of transgender sensitivity and inclusion. Considered one of his generation’s trailblazers in the movement for transgender liberation—openly trans since 2000—Scott has used his lived experience and intersectional analysis to change the nondiscrimination policies of several major universities, coach conservative CEOs at Fortune 500 companies to trans sensitivity in the workplace, and teach youth tools for the self-esteem that living an authentic LGBTQ life requires.

Schofield is thrilled to be an artistic associate with his long-term theatre family as he developed much of his early performance and teaching artist career with the company. As an artistic associate he helped to shape programing, and was a lead teaching artist with the international teen training program, Youth Creates. He was honored as a recipient in the 2007 Princess Grace Awards, receiving a theatre fellowship at 7 Stages in acting. During this time, some of his favorite collaborators include founders Del Hamilton and Faye Allen, Artistic Director Heidi S Howard, French director Eric Vigner, German actress Anne Tismer, American actress/director Crystal Dickinson and playwright Pearl Cleage

Ismail ibn Conner is an international actor, choreographer, teacher, and Artistic Associate of 7 Stages Theatre, as well as the founder of the United States Koltès Project. Ismail is also a Résidences Internationale aux Récollets Laureate. He explores what it means to be a citizen of the world by artistically questioning the developmental stages of humanity’s social constructs.

As co-founder of 7 Stages, Del has been a part of the company since its inception in 1979. As Artistic Director, he has directed over 70 productions at 7 Stages, including HUSH: Composing Blind Tom Wiggins, Athol Fugard’s My Children! My Africa!, Susan Yankowitz’s Night Sky, Macbeth, The Tempest, and numerous plays by Sam Shepard. He has also acted in such notable plays as Beckett’s Waiting for Godot, and Endgame; Carmen Kittel by Georg Seidel; Der Park by Botho Strauss, Fugard’s A Place With the Pigs, Der Frosch by Herbert Achternbusch, CJ Hopkins’s The Extremists and the original production of Jim Grimsley’s Mr. Universe. Del directed an award-winning production of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest at Teatr Nowy in Poznan, Poland; and also Blue Monk by Robert Earl Price won numerous national recognitions in Johannesburg; and he has acted and directed at theatres in Atlanta, New York, London, Paris, Belgrade and Amsterdam. Del is the author of several plays and has received numerous awards, including the 1994 Mayor’s Fellowship in the Arts and the 1992 Arts Alive Excellence in the Arts Award and Best Director for 2002 by Atlanta Magazine.

As an actor, Faye Allen has performed: The Little Girl in the Mama Dada Trilogy by Del Hamilton, Josephine in Josephine: the Mouse Singer by Michael McClure, Lucy Brown in Three Penny Opera by Bertolt Brecht, Miami in Seduced by Sam Shepard, Stage Manager in Catastrophe by Samuel Becket, Officer Miller in Mr. Universe by Jim Grimsley (1987), Witch in Macbeth by Shakespeare, Lulu in The Dutchman by Amiri Baraka, Frau Schaller in Carmen Kittel by Georg Seidel, Hannah in The Park by Botho Strauss, Mrs. Tabori in My Mother’s Courage by George Tabori, Nell in Endgame by Samuel Beckett, Agnes in A Delicate Balance by Edward Albee and Hallie in Buried Child by Sam Shepard at The English Theatre Berlin, Germany.

Her set design credits include: HUSH: Composing Blind Tom Wiggins by Robert Earl Price, Maria Kizito by Erik Ehn, Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett, Master Harold…and the boys by Athol Fugard, Rockaby by Samuel Beckett, Krapp’s Last Tape by Samuel Beckett, The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint Exupery and The Extremists by C.J. Hopkins (English Theatre Berlin, Germany), Mr. Universe by Jim Grimsely and All Blues by Robert Earl Price at Washington College in Maryland.

Del and Faye are enjoying a lovely retirement in Portland, Oregon.

Artistic Associates

Destiny Renee

Jennifer Kimball

Walter Asmus

Dijana Milosevic

Alex Greenfield

Jim Grimsley

Robert Earl Price

Esther Lang Reeves

Robby Miles

Mama Yeye

Jonesia Williams

Gabriela Collard

Chris Burk (Stungun Photography)

Lotte Lammers (Performer / Artistic Director of Duyker in The Netherlands)

Dalyla McGee (Education Associate)

Board of Directors

DR. L. NYROBI N. MOSS
Chair
Chief Consultant/Head Costume Designer
Goddess Enterprises, LLC

JOSHUA COLEMAN
Vice Chair
Office Manager – Advocate Video

MICHELE TEDESCO
Secretary/Treasurer
Franchise Owner Operator – GNC

GREGORY N. PIERCE
Executive Vice President & Chief Administrative Officer/CFO
Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau

FLOYD HOLLAND III
Programming Committee
PalmerHouse Properties

BRIGITTE R. WARREN
Events Committee
Community Volunteer

ANDREW WILSON
Advisory
Senior Vice President & General Manager, atlanta.net
Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau

HEIDI S HOWARD
7 Stages Artistic Director

MACK HEADRICK
7 Stages Managing Director

Board Emeritus

DEL HAMILTON
7 Stages Co-Founder

FAYE ALLEN
7 Stages Co-Founder