Artist Advisory Council
JEN ANAYA is a queer Indigenous Mexican theater/music/art/ritual space maker, doula, energy healer and baby whisperer born and raised in the desert of Yavapaiv Apache, Cocopah and O'odham land. A proud jack of all trades, they have performed in rock bands, web series, art installations, plays, operas, films, solo shows, healing rituals and musicals throughout Lenapehoking, Turtle Island and beyond. From La Mama to The Kitchen, Harvard Art Lab to Radio City Music Hall, the mountains of Greece to Harpa in Iceland, Jen has been weaving music, theater, art, movement and healing together every chance they get. They are a founding member of Constellation Chor, an occasional contributor to You Are Here Creations, a 2021 FORGE Fellow and a certified Reiki and 13th Octave La Ho Chi practitioner. Jen is a member of AEA and SAG-AFTRA. More at jenanaya.com
DIANE PHELAN is an actor, director, producer, teacher and activist based in NYC. She is the founder of the #RacismIsaVirus campaign and #UnapologeticallyAsian, both aimed to activate and empower Asian Americans and redefine what it means to be American right now. Both orgs have been featured in the NYTimes, Reuters, Asia Journal and Next Shark. She is a longtime Prospect fan and community member having performed in Honor, D45V, and others. On Broadway as well as national & international productions: Into the Woods (Cinderella), School of Rock (Patty cover), West Side Story (Maria, Paris Chatelet), The King and I (Lincoln Center + tours/ Tuptim). Off-Bway: Here Lies Love (Public), Bernarda Alba (LCT). Other favorites: Julie Jordan in Carousel (NAAP), Laurie in Oklahoma (Berkshire Theatre Group), Cinderella in Cinderella (Papermill). Follow on insta: @DianicaPhelan, @Broadwaydiversityproject @Unapologeticallyasian
DEMONE SERAPHIN is a Helen Hayes Award nominee for his direction of Topdog Underdog, How I Learned What I Learned and the world premiere of the Pulitzer recommended play Billy and George all at Avant Bard Theatre. Other directing credits include the world premiere of Jimmy Roberts’s new musical Welcome to the Big Dipper at the York Theatre, the regional premiere of Chicken and Biscuits and Gospel Nativity at Virginia Rep Theatre, Fences at Gallery Players, the Off-Broadway revivals of Split Second and The Exonerated, the world premiere musical Once Uponzi Time: A Tale of an American Scheme at the McCarter Theatre, Off-Broadway premieres of Yours Truly, Ella! A Celebration of The Ella Fitzgerald Songbook, the German premiere of August Wilson's Jitney and the musical Runaways. As an actor DeMone has appeared on Broadway, nationally and internationally in Miss Saigon, Rent, Ragtime, Jesus Christ Superstar, Ain’t Misbehavin, and Man of LaMancha. DeMone was the Founding Artistic Director of The New American Theatre Co. NY. served as lead producing partner at Avant Bard Theatre and is a proud member of the Tony Award recognized Broadway Inspirational Voices.
BRIAN TOVAR is an award winning and Drama Desk nominated lighting designer who has created original work for major off-Broadway and regional theaters. Brian's theatrical credits include productions at The Public Theater, Ars Nova, CompanyXIV, Page73, Playwrights Realm, Prospect Theater, Goodspeed, Signature, Denver Center, Barrington, Two River, and Northern Stage, among others. Brian's live event design and creative direction credits include the original Museum of Ice Cream and Refinery29's 29Rooms, The Hall of Magic, collaborations with Punchdrunk and design collaborations that stretch across dozens of brand platforms, including the NFL, Game of Thrones, Remy Martin, Audi, Citibank, Samsung, Jaguar, Netflix, Tyra Banks’ Modelland and recently, TodayTix Summer Concert Series. Brian is a frequent collaborator with the City of New York and has created and designed multiple art installations in and around NYC.
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VISHAL VAIDYA is a performer, voice teacher, and arts advocate who lives in Washington Heights. As a performer, he has worked on many new musicals and shows in development such as Einstein's Dreams (Prospect, dir. Cara Reichel), MAYA (dir. Arpita Mukherjee), Half the Sky (dir. Desdemona Chiang), Mandela (dir. Schele Williams), Mushroom (dir. David Mendizabal), and more. He made his Broadway debut as Larry the cameraman in Groundhog Day, and returned to Broadway in the 2023 production of Merrily We Roll Along. Vishal also runs a robust private voice studio and has lectured at CAP21, Indiana, Point Park, Catholic, and American University, among others. Vishal is currently an ambassador for Broadway for Arts Education, which brings the arts to underserved communities in Haiti, India, the Galapagos, and NYC.