The CFA Repertory Theatre
is a resident theatre company that embodies culture, spirit and storytelling. Rooted in community and social justice, CFA Repertory Theatre comprises some of the best young theatre talent in the country who specialize in performing theatre of the African Diaspora and theatre for Young Audiences.
CFA Rep has performed at over 70 schools, festivals, and organizations and on premiere stages including: The National Theatre, The John F. Kennedy Center, Smithsonian Discovery Theater, Children’s Museum of Manhattan, Zimmer Children’s Museum, IATI TEATRO, Duke Ellington Theatre, Atlas Performing Arts Center, Reginald F. Lewis Museum, The Publick Playhouse
MEET THE COMPANY
Hillary Jones
Hillary Jones a Washington DC native started her journey at our cities own Duke Ellington Performing School of the Arts and went on to graduate from SUNY Purchase where she earned her B.F.A. in Acting. She’s traveled Europe exploring her passion for Physical Theatre, Embodied Breath work- The conscious act of sinking into the body and out of the mind, And Embodiment practices focused around healing through movement. She works on-camera, and on-stage, in projects ranging from national commercials to her work on the off-broadway hit Syncing Ink at the Apollo Theater. Her skill set is diverse in that she also works as a movement choreographer, fight coordinator, Poet, Creative director, and Activist. Her next strides will be in creating tv and film with a focus on working with artists who share a kindred artistic perspective.
Belinda A. Sáenz
Belinda is an interdisciplinary performer, instructional specialist, and faculty member with Lincoln Center Education, New York City Center, Disney Theatrical Group, and TADA Youth Theatre. Ms. Sáenz’ has collaborated with Bessie-Award-Winning Joya Powell’s Movement of the People Dance Company, Callaloo Kids, MJM Dance, Dance the YARD in Martha’s Vineyard, Theatre Arts Center/NY, and El Paso Opera among many others. She has appeared at Jacob’s Pillow, Lincoln Center, Radio City Music Hall, Aaron Davis Hall, United Palace Theatre, Queens Theatre, etc. and has performed works by Martie Barylick, Jennifer Conley, Sean Curran, Deborah Damast, Diane Duggan, Rocker Verastique, among many others. Ms. Sáenz is native of the Juárez-El Paso border area where she performed intensively and taught in the private and public sectors for over 15 years. Belinda is a doctoral student at Arizona State University conducting her studies in Educational Leadership and Innovation. She holds an MA in Dance Education (Institute Honors/Western Scholarship) from NYU, an MEd as Instructional Specialist in Bilingual Education & BFA in Music Theatre/Dance (Magna Cum Laude & University Honors Certificate) from The University of Texas at El Paso.
PJ Johnnie
PJ is a multidisciplinary teaching artist from Louisiana. He has a BA in Theatre arts with an emphasis on Directing from Grambling State University and has an MFA in Acting from the New School University. PJ is both an Equity and SAG working actor.
Asha John
Asha is a Brooklyn-based actress, dancer, and model. Asha has always had an innate love for the performing arts; in 2009 her passion was solidified when she was cast in her first off-Broadway production of When the Clouds Cover the Sun, at The Producer’s Club. Since then, she has been cast in numerous productions for stage and film, including classics like Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet and Antony and Cleopatra. In 2020, Asha graduated with her master’s in Educational Theatre for Colleges and Communities from New York University and wants to pursue her doctorate in Theater Studies in the future. Outside of her work as an actress, Asha has worked as a teaching artist, bringing her love of step, theater, dance, and math to the students in New York City. She has also worked with numerous community-based organizations, using the arts to advocate for all underserved communities.
Sisi Reid
Sisi Reid (she/fae) is an internationally accomplished multidisciplinary theater artist from Norfolk, Virginia and Wheaton, Maryland who practices theater as tools for collective liberation, healing, and youth empowerment. As a creative visionary, Sisi is an actor, writer, playwright, dancer, director, spoken word poet, Emcee, facilitator, teaching artist, educator, and applied theater practitioner. Sisi is a graduate of University of Maryland and The Theater Lab’s Life Story Institute. She has taught and performed in Washington D.C., Maryland, Virginia, New Jersey, Michigan, London, and Brazil. She is a Maryland States Arts Council (MSAC) Independent Artist Awardee, Teaching Artist on the MSAC Roster, and an ArtEquity BIPOC Leadership Circle Alumni. Sisi continually curates and facilitates joyFULL spaces that are queer, Black and abundant. She is the founder of Black Joy Creatives DC and Soul Shine Theater Garden, a performing arts production company centered around joy, play, travel, healing arts, and liberation. Soul Shine Theater Garden's first new play is Rock Paper Scissors, a solo dance theater play, created and performed by Sisi.
Jacqueline Youm
Jacqueline is a Senegalese American actor, director, playwright, producer, lawyer, and French|English|Spanish teacher. You can find many of her virtual productions on her Youtube channel CESTJACKIE and/or here: httpshttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvd4LWK9h1msuj9oeFXHtng | Instagram: @jy_artiste
Nessa Amherst
Nessa is an actress and writer based in the MD/DC/VA area. Originally from Chicago, she has graced the stage - both physically and virtually - in a colorful mix of new works and the classics. Most recently, her monologue Define “Black” is one of over 40 monologues featured in the anthology, 08:46: Fresh Perspectives, published by New World Theatre, now available to purchase on Amazon. Some of Ms. Amherst’s favorite credits include Julia Caesar (Barefoot Shakespeare Co.), District Merchants (Globe Openstage & Theatre CBT), As You Like It (Theatre Lab School of Dramatic Arts), Lotto & Raffles & Sweepstakes, Oh My! (PlayZoomers), Medea (Globe Online), Runtime Error (Transformation Theatre), Two Gentlemen of Verona (JaYo Théâtre), These Violent Delights (Letter of Marque Theater Co.), The Unnatural Combat (Sweet Tea Shakespeare), and The Wednesday Train (The Organic Theatre). You can find out more about her wonderful adventures at her website: https://www.nessaamherst.com, as well as on Instagram @nessaamherst.
Brandon Johnson
DC native Brandon J. Johnson is an alumni of the Duke Ellington School of the Arts Theater Department. He holds his BFA from Howard University in Theater Arts : Acting and his MA in Media Studies from The New School. He is has appeared as a performer with the Callaloo Kids crew since 2017.
ChelseaDee Harrison
ChelseaDee is a multi-hyphenate, interdisciplinary creator, artivist, and arts educator. Specializing in theater-making, she performs, teaches, curates, co-facilitates, develops curriculum, directs, and produces arts events. Her focus is creating new works of theater that highlight history and challenge dominant narratives while ensuring art is a tool in the hands of the people. Most recently, her work includes being the executive producer and host of the podcast, Vanguard of the Viragoes and the co-creator of the digital healing experience, The Ritual of Repair. You can follow her on IG @thatuppitygirl or at her website or at linktr.ee/ChelseaDee
Karen Elle
Karen is an actress and playwright who has been a part of the DMV theatre scene for eleven years. Hailing from Dayton, Ohio, she came to DC to attend Howard University. Since graduation she has appeared on several stages locally and internationally, has volunteered in theatre administration offices, and has penned a couple of her own plays. Karen enjoys storytelling, engaging with children, and making a positive difference.
Janae Thompson
Janae is a graduate of the American Musical and Dramatic Academy: Integrated Musical Theatre Program in New York City. She’s currently studying Digital Cinematography at Full Sail University. She has performed in various stage productions and toured with the Virginia Repertory Theatre Touring Company. With a growing interest in filmmaking Janae, enjoys producing independent projects, networking and being of service to her community.
Camille Thomas
Camille calls herself a creative. Initially she called herself an actor, then an actor-writer, then an actor-writer-deviser and now she's an actor-writer-deviser-producer- activist which is a lot to type so now she just calls herself a creative. Her work typically involves some type of social justice lens and oftentimes takes an intersectional look at what it means to be a Black, half first gen, Jamaican woman in America.
Marcel Miller
Marcel Worrell Miller, a native of Washington, D.C., nurtured his love of the arts early having graduated from Duke Ellington School of the Arts. He went on to earn his Bachelor of Music in Voice from the Cleveland Institute of Music; as well as his Master of Music Degree from the Chicago College of Performing Arts of Roosevelt University. He has performed in several productions at Anacostia Playhouse. Mr. Miller has experience working with children from six weeks to eighteen years of age; he has also worked with children with developmental disabilities.
Bryanda Minix
Bryanda Minix (she/her) is a multidisciplinary theater artist and educator, connector, cultivator of hope, and fierce advocate towards removing barriers to opportunity. Originally from Houston, Texas, she has been working as an actor, director, playwright, and teaching artist in the DMV since 2016 after graduating from The Theatre Lab's Honors Acting Conservatory.
Georgina Morillo
Georgina is a Afro-Latina Actress from Harlem, New York City. She has trained at Syracuse University, Shakespeare’s GlobeTheatre (London, England UK) and at The William Esper Studio (NYC). She is a lover of all things art and is passionate to perform and collaborate/support works that invites conversation and amplifies BIPOC voices. Georgina believes that art is educational, liberating, healing, empowering and much more. She ultimately envisions using her art as a tool that provides positive representation in order to eradicate the pattern of excluding diversity and misrepresentation of marginalized groups. In her free time, you can find Georgina at her local chicken spot in Harlem ordering her usual, or cycling around the city. For more of Georgina’s work and upcoming projects follow her on Instagram @giiina3