Screenwriter and Director

Sydney Burtner is a New York–based writer-director whose work spans theater, film, and journalism. A company member of New Ambassadors Theatre, she has directed plays by Max Gill, Amanda Hanna, Erin Moughon, Deirdre Girard, and Aly Kantor, as well as a reading of Jesse Eisenberg’s The Revisionist for the New York Theater and Ethics Society. Her first commissioned writing project was a YA novel adaptation, and she continues to develop original work through the NATC Lab and The Playground Experiment.

As a producer, Sydney’s projects include the Cannes-winning short Happy Now (First Place, Cinéfondation) and the Academy-recognized short The Wormhole (First Place). She previously worked as an award-winning journalist in writing and photography, rising to Managing Editor and later to VP in Finance. She earned her master’s degree in producing and screenwriting from NYU.  https://www.linkedin.com/in/sydneyburtner/Sydney Burtner - Screenwriter | Writer-Director in New York, NY, USA

Producer and Assistant Director 

Mary Powelson is an actor, director, playwright, dramaturg, teacher, and producer.  NY stage credits include Goddess of the Hunt (Diana). CA stage credits include: God of Carnage (Veronica); Hello From Bertha (Goldie); The Crucible (Elizabeth), Beyond Therapy (Charlotte), and Air (self, original script). 15 years as founding artistic director of Salesian Theatre (SF); 25 years of new play development in LA (Actors Studio West PDU);  SF(Will Dunne); and NYC (NATC). Training/Study:  Jean Shelton, Susan Peretz, Karen Kohlhaas, and Lyle Kessler. Mary is a passionate steward for the Theatre and its impactful place in all communities. Member: SAG-AFTRA, Dramatists Guild. B.A./M.A., San Francisco State. marypowelsonsf.com. marypowelson@NPX;

David Adam Gill, Co-Artistic Director; Jeffrey Checkley, Co-Artistic Director

New Ambassadors Theatre Company is a queer-led nonprofit producing and developing new works by living playwrights. Our staff is all-volunteer, and we rely on the generosity of our community to keep us moving forward.  Your kind contribution directly funds NATC's operations and programming, including readings and our popular semi-monthly Lab series, all of which further the development of new works - and keep the theatre moving forward.

 www.newambassadorstheatre.com

New Ambassadors Corp is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization.  Tax ID #  82-3182665.  Your donation is tax-deductible to the extent allowable by law. 

Mark Hofmaier has been in plays regionally and off-Broadway, including Breaking Legs (Terrance) at Studio Arena Buffalo; It’s Only a Play (Peter) at Royal Poinciana playhouse; Second Chance (Mitch) at the George Street Playhouse; Over the Tavern (Chet) at Rep. Theatre of St. Louis; The Little Foxes (Horace) at the Fulton Opera House; The Philadelphia Story (Macaulay Connor) at the Cleveland Playhouse; The Real Thing (Henry) at Two River Theatre Co.; The Cocktail Hour (opp. Kim Hunter) (John) at the Pittsburgh Public Theatre; and many new original plays (Theater for the New City, Playwrights’ Horizons, Soho Rep, the American Place Theater. NY Fringe, Luna Stage – Mark studied with notable mentors Wynn Handman and Michael Howard

Danielle Johnson is a California born actor now residing in Brooklyn. Trained at Atlantic Acting School. Passions include site specific work, puppeteering, devising, and works in development. A few past credits include Seven Gasoline Stations (Brooklyn College @ Playwright’s Horizons), SPARK (site- specific, Who What Where Productions), How to Feel Without Touching (Chain One Act Fest), and The October Diaries (web series)

David Michael Kirby (DMK) graduated from the Atlantic Theater Company’s conservatory program. He acts, sings, writes, and directs. His play, Ephemory Lane, premiered at Blurring Boundaries in 2021. NYC appearances include A Little Princess (US premiere-Signature) and The Spoon River Project (NYC premiere-Greenwood Cemetery). Most recently, he appeared at The Tank in Paeton Chavis’ full-length play, Outcall. DMK is a founding member of New Ambassadors Theatre Company.

Actor and filmmaker, Nitin Madan earned his MFA from Columbia University’s School of the Arts and trained at The Barrow Group and T. Schreiber Studios in New York. He has worked on the New York stage as well in TV and Film. From Network TV shows like Law & Order:SVU (NBC) and FBI (CBS) to streaming shows like Brown Nation (Netflix) and Metropark (Eros Now in India) and highly acclaimed independent films that have spanned festivals like South by Southwest and Nice International Film Festival, Nitin’s work has been seen across the world. Nitin is thrilled to be a part of Sydney Burtner’s RECOIL and reading RICK++, alongside this amazing cast.

Robert Maisonett graduated with a B.A. in theater. He has numerous stage and film credits. Robert is a 2017 BRIO Award recipient for Narrative Film & Video in Media Arts for his work in Latin Lives. A web series, based on the play, both which he developed and created. SAG-AFTRA.

Cat Plazas is a Colombian-American actor, voice-over artist, social worker, and arts education practitioner. A company member of New Ambassadors Theatre Company, she has performed in This Burning Fire (Sadie), Interrogation of Love (Angel), and More Myself Than I Am (Isabella) across two HeartBROKE Festivals. Other favorite credits include SHE: A Choreoplay (Storyteller) at NY Live Arts, A Good Day for Darveny (Chandra) at Dixon Place, and the film Diwal’Oween (Good Witch). Cat is passionate about work that bridges creativity and social change and is thrilled to be part of Sydney Burtner’s RECOIL and to collaborate with the incredible New Ambassadors team again!

Recent NYC stage credits include Interlude (Chain Theater); In the Garden of the Hesperides (written by David Adam Gill) and Back to You (The Secret Theater); Honor (A.R.T./New York Theaters). Some other favorite NYC theatre roles include Marat/Sade, bunkerbaby, and The Rise and Fall of the Farewell Drugs. He also acts in films and television, is a co-founder of Blue Plumbago Productions, and a graduate of Fordham University. www.brianreillyactor.com