The Incubator: "Divinity Amongst the Sea" and "I Have No Idea Why I'm Here" Creative
Director (I Have No Idea Why I'm Here)
Audra Jacobs (they/them)Audra Jacobs (Director, They/Them) is a DC based theatre practitioner and alum of Bowie State University with a B.S. in Theatre Arts. Audra is currently the Connectivity Director at 1st Stage Theatre in Tysons, and was previously the Directing Resident and New Works Liaison at Dark Horse Theatre Company. While at Bowie, Audra’s 10-minute play, Sad Loved Ones Who Have Work in the Morning, was selected for the KCACTF Region 2 National Playwriting Program. Directing credits include A Night To Remember (upcoming), The Rainmaker (Assistant Director, 1st Stage) Sad Loved Ones Who Have Work In The Morning, and The Ties That Brake (BSU's 2022 10-Minute Play Festival). Previous performance credits include Arco Iris (Iris) with Arts on the Horizon, Fairy Tales in the Sun (Jing-Jing/Goddess US) with Adventure Theatre, Romeo and Juliet (Romeo) with the Rude Mechanicals, and the world premiere of Spirit Seekers (Ensley) with Dark Horse Theatre Company.
Director (Divinity Amongst the Sea)
Rah Matthews (She/They)Rah Matthews (She/Her) is a proud Black DMV theater artist and a graduate of Bowie State University with a B.S. in Theatre Arts (2020). Her artistic mission is to be a voice for the voiceless. Currently, Rah is a full-time drama teacher for Prince George’s County Public Schools and is honored to return to her alma mater as the director of Divinity Amongst the Sea. While at Bowie State, she received the Student Director Commendation for What to Send Up When It Comes Down and has since remained a distinctive voice in the DMV theater scene, producing and directing her original show A Different Cinderella Story. Her recent credits include Laughs in Spanish, The Waverly Gallery, The Chosen, and Mojada (1st Stage), Cradle and All (Ally Theatre Company), Rock Paper Scissors (Soulshine Theatre), Young Playwrights’ Theater (DCPCS), and Voices of Now (Arena Stage), along with touring productions of Fences and Much Ado About Nothing (National Players). Directorial credits include A Different Cinderella Story (Diamonds Unite), Duck Harbor (1st Stage), and What to Send Up When It Goes Down (BSU Theatre). Follow her work on Instagram (@Rahtheeartist) and Facebook (@RahMatthews).
Stage Manager
Raymond Ingram (he/ihim)Raymond Ingram (He/Him) is a Senior Theatre Arts Major, playwright, and triple-threat performer at Bowie State University from Silver Spring, Maryland. He aspires to work on Broadway and film while using his playwright skills to craft comedic and informative stories. His most recent work was Dance Like There’s Black People Watching at Woolly Mammoth Theatre in Washington, D.C. He hopes you enjoy the magic you’re about to see!
Lighting Designer
Devin Harper (he/him)Devin Harper (he/him) As a DMV native, this current sophomore, majoring in Theater Arts, likes to consider himself an “artist,” due to his various skills developed: acting, dancer, tumbling, and musician. He has made an appearance in BSU’s Fabulation or the Re-Education of Undine. The production of Transformation will be his debut as the lighting designer. His passion for the Arts inspires him to continue his career in the entertainment industry.
Set and Costume Designer
Nadia Kuffar (she/her)
Nadia Kuffar is an experiential designer who debuted as a set designer for Bowie State University’s production of Fabulation, or The Re-Education of Undine. She recently worked as assistant set designer for Rajiv Joseph’s The Lake Effect at 1st Stage. Her theatre-tech background is varied, having fulfilled set build, strike, and light-plot roles for BSU Theater’s Ride The Cyclone and Buy Black. Beyond Bowie, she was a selected participant for the 2024 United States Institute for Theatre Technology conference and was recently awarded the Southeastern Theater Conference Grant.
Sound Designer (I Have No Idea Why I'm Here)
Ryan Chandler Wilson (he/him)Ryan Chandler Wilson is a theatre performance major at Bowie State University. He previously appeared in Fabulation, or the Re-Education of Undine on the BSU stage. This is his first time designing sound for a show which he is excited to share.
Sound Designer (Divinity Amongst the Sea)
Ibrahim Jalloh (he/him)Ibrahim S Jalloh is a music producer, sound engineer, songwriter, and sound designer, and a current Junior in Music Technology at Bowie State University. He has 4 years of experience in working with music production in the Ableton DAW. He was co-sound designer for BSU Theatre’s“Fabulation,” along with Myles Clark. He created many pieces for "Divinity Amongst the Sea” with the help of BSU percussionist Erica Harrell. He has assisted in curating and performing in BSU Music Tech showcases (“BSU Renaissance” and “Friendsgiving Music Showcase”).
Assistant Stage Manager
Xavier Ashton-Addereley (he/him)Xavier Ashton-Adderley is a senior at Bowie State University majoring in English and minoring in Theatre. He is also a playwright, singer, and writer whose play, Catching Up, was featured in BSU’s 2023 10-Minute Play Festival. This is his first time working in a theatrical production, and he hopes that you enjoy the magical stories presented on stage.
Backstage Crew
Brian Wise (he/him(
Percussionist/Composer
Erica Harrell (she/her)Erica Harrell is a composer, vocalist, songwriter, arranger, producer, recording engineer, mixing engineer, mastering engineer, pianist, bassist, drummer, percussionist, clarinetist, painter/fine artist, fashion designer, graphic designer, photographer/ videographer, production (art, design) manager, actress and student. Harrell was raised in Baltimore, MD, and currently attends Bowie State University, majoring in Music Technology.
In 2021, she began her studies at Bowie State University where she is a Percussionist in the University Percussion Ensemble.
Original Creative Team
Kyia Parker (she/her) is a playwright and senior Theatre Arts - Acting / Directing major at Bowie State University, passionate about telling stories that explore identity, ancestry, and transformation. Her play, "Divinity Amongst the Sea", delves into themes of fear, surrender, and connection to the past through a journey guided by the sea and its mysteries. When not writing scripts, she enjoys working on productions to strengthen her skill set as a lighting designer, and she is thrilled to share this story with the audience and grateful for the support of her peers and mentors. She is the playwright for Divinity Amongst the Sea.
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Whitney Watson (she/her) is a black female theater artist. Whitney’s work ranges from improvisational performance, playwriting, musical theatre, and children’s theatre. She has over 10 years of musical training, including violin, piano, and singing. This is Whitney’s first play made into an official school production. She thanks the cast and direction team for all of their support and dedication and can’t wait for you to see her work. Ms. Watson is the playwright for I Have No Idea Why I'm Here.
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