ACTOR/WRITER

Anwar Ali is an LA-based actor and writer whose work spans theatre, film, and television. Over the past decade, he has appeared onstage with organizations including Williamstown Theatre Festival, Trinity Rep, and Pride Plays in partnership with Rattlestick Theater. He is the recipient of the Best Dramatic Writing Short award at the Micheaux Film Festival. Deeply drawn to storytelling rooted in the human spirit, Anwar is the creator and performer of Baby Eyeballs — a bold, funny, and haunting solo show inspired by his recent cancer journey and the memories it unearthed. He holds an MFA in Acting from Brown University. Recent television credits include Genius: MLK/X on Disney+ and P-Valley on STARZ. Instagram & TikTok: @theanwarali

DIRECTOR

Roger Q. Mason is an award-winning writer, performer and educator who satirizes and revises history to disrupt the biases that separate rather than unite us. Their playwriting has appeared on Broadway; Off/Off-Off-Broadway; and regionally. Their recent productions have garnered five Barrymore Award nominations in Philadelphia, a Jeff Award Recommendation in Chicago and the San Francisco Chronicle's prestigious Datebook Pick. Mason's World Premiere of Lavender Men was lauded by the Los Angeles Times as "evoking the mingled visions of Suzan-Lori Parks, Jeremy O. Harris and Michael R. Jackson." They received 2024's Playwrights' Center McKnight National Playwright Commission, the inaugural Dramatists Guild Foundation Catalyst Grant Award, a Hermitage Residency, a Lucille Lortel commission, a Kilroys List nod, and the Chuck Rowland Pioneer Award. Mason is a member of the Dramatists Guild of America, and an alum of the Ma-Yi’s Writing Lab, Page 73’s Interstate 73 Writers Group, the Fire This Time Festival, and Primary Stages Writing Cohort. T\ As an educator, Mason has served as a mentor for Lambda Literary, Workshop Theatre, the Marsha P. Johnson Institute’s Starship Fellowship, the New Visions Fellowship and the Shay Foundation Fellowship. They are currently on faculty at CalArts. Mason holds degrees from Princeton University, Middlebury College, and Northwestern University. Instagram: @RogerQ.Mason

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER

Oscar Gutierrez is a first-time theater producer with a lifelong commitment to community, culture, and creative work. A Bolivian folkloric dancer since the age of three, he continues to perform with the dance group San Simón Caporales Cochabamba, carrying that tradition and discipline into everything he does.

His background spans multiple fields—helping open restaurants on both coasts, earning a culinary degree, and currently working as Director of Sales and Operations in the aerospace industry—while remaining deeply connected to the arts community for decades. A marathon runner and 2015 recipient of recognition for his contributions to the Bolivian community in Los Angeles, he brings endurance, care, and cultural pride to his work behind the scenes.

With Baby Eyeballs, Oscar steps into theater producing for the first time, supporting storytelling that is bold, personal, and alive.

PRODUCER

Philicia Saunders is a Los Angeles-born actor, writer, director, and producer, and the Founder and President of Breathe Solo Productions. A graduate of Princeton University and UCLA’s MFA Acting program, her work spans film, television, and theater, with appearances in projects such as Star Wars, Abbott Elementary, and stage productions including Animal Farm and Julius Caesar.

In 2020, she founded Breathe Solo Productions, where she develops original, empowerment-driven stories across stage and screen. Her debut solo performance film, Breathe, earned multiple festival awards and a 2022 Webby Award nomination for Best Individual Performance. She later directed, wrote, and starred in the short film Hairitage, which premiered at the Oscar-qualifying Pan African Film Festival in 2024.

Her work is rooted in storytelling that uplifts, challenges, and centers underrepresented voices, with a strong focus on building community through the creative process. She is currently producing Baby Eyeballs, a project that reflects her interest in bold, personal storytelling that connects directly with audiences. Instagram: @PhiliciaSaunders @breathesolo Website: www.PhiliciaSaunders.com

SOUND DESIGNER

David Gonzalez is a Los Angeles-based composer and audio producer whose work spans film, television, theater, and podcasts. A graduate of Berklee College of Music, he has scored a wide range of projects including the feature film Working Man, the short film Birdwatching, and the Emmy-winning series Break A Hip featuring Allison Janney. His additional music work has appeared in series such as Switched at Birth and How I Met Your Mother.

David made his theatrical debut with Lavender Men, written by Roger Q. Mason and directed by Lovell Holder, first scoring the stage production before later adapting the music for its film version. He also previously collaborated with producer Philicia Saunders on her one-woman show Breathe. His work blends cinematic storytelling with emotional clarity, helping shape immersive sonic worlds across mediums. 

Instagram: @dgonzalezmusic Website: www.dgonzalezmusic.com.

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR

Bair is an award-winning filmmaker and theater practitioner.  While earning a B.F.A. from The Theatre School at DePaul, Bair directed Naomi & Levi Take On The World which was selected for distribution by OTV (Open Television). While earning an M.A. in Arts & Public Policy from NYU Tisch, Bair directed the off-off broadway premiere of How Dare You at Affirmation Theatre, and Final Goodbye at Soundscape Theatre. Bair completed a Playwriting Fellowship at Congo Square Theatre. Bair’s full-length play, The Play Grounds, or Memento Vivere, was produced at Congo Square in Chicago, Denver Fringe, and Hollywood Fringe. Bair currently works as an Assistant Director, Dramaturg, and Company Member for Interact Theatre Company and The Mark Theatre. Bair will be producing the 2nd annual Afrofuturist Art Fairs at The Colony Theatre in Burbank on June 15, and Inglewood’s Willie Agee Playhouse on June 20. Register for a free gift at StonehavenStudios.org. IG: @StonehavenStudios

Contact: @BairtonBrown. BairBrown.com

CREATIVE PRODUCER

Mike Struna is an LA-based multidisciplinary artist and visual storyteller with a BFA in Architecture and Design. He bridges physical production with digital media workflows, having served as an in-house Workshop Artist at Bad Robot Productions handling physical printing and design services. His craftsmanship is backed by expertise in traditional silk-screen printing and digital fabrication, including CNC routing and 3D printing.

As a versatile photographer and camera operator, Mike captures raw environmental energy and live experiences. He has a strong history of collaboration with this creative team, previously framing the underwater cinematography, key art, and marketing assets for Philicia Saunders’ award-winning film, Breathe.

Currently executing his creative vision across diverse mediums, Mike develops high-engagement promotional campaigns, motion graphics, and social media videos for leading global tech and gaming giants. He marries technical precision with atmospheric design to build striking multi-platform narratives that connect deeply with modern audiences. Instagram: @designMS