BEFORE THEN, THERE’s NOW
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2026 at 5:30PM
at THE SUSAN & RONALD FRANKEL THEATER
AT THE ROBERT W. WILSON MCC THEATER SPACE
by Ianne Fields Stewart (she/they)
Directed by N’yomi Allure Stewart
Dramaturg: Deziré Michael (they/she)
Stage Manager: Alisha Simmons (they/them)
featuring Carmen LoBue (they/them/Bue), essence lotus (she/her), Fatima Jamal, Gigi Gatekeeper (they/she), Ianne Fields Stewart (she/they), Jayae Riley Jr. (she/they), Mariyea (she/her), Marquise Vilsón (he/him), travis l. tate (they/them)
Five years from now, during the last hour and a half before the nationally mandated Tigerpox lockdown, seven Black Trans people find comfort and safety in a new home and each other. A sweet utopic relationship blossoms against the backdrop of our world's terrifying future. In this new home, some want to nest, some want to run, and one of them, Leo, is trying to hide. As they set the foundation for their final home, Leo's grief becomes unavoidable. In Act Two, we flash back to NOW as Leo is on a porch in the Deep South. With the help of Them, she faces what hurts and heals because Before Then, There's Now.
Ianne Fields Stewart (she/they)
Writer, LEO
Ianne Fields Stewart (she/they) is a Brooklyn-based multi-disciplinary creator working at the intersection of performance and activism. Before Then, There's Now is the result of her commission for new work at Playwrights Horizons. Other projects include: A Complicated Woman which premiered at Goodspeed in April 2023. Audiences have also experienced Ianne's writing through her play A Dying Breed (Coalescence Theater Project, Judson Church). And her poetry has been showcased at The Duplex and Joe’s Pub. Ianne’s media credits include: Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, Deutsche Welle, BBC News, Vogue.com, Forbes.com, NBC, MSNBC, The New York Public Library, Playbill.com, Broadway.com and more.
N’yomi Allure Stewart (she/her)
Director
Recently starring in Prince Faggot where she won the Obie Award, N’yomi Allure Stewart made her NYC acting debut in Shakespeare in the Park's 60th anniversary production of Richard Ill and following that, A Raisin in the Sun at The Public Theater. She has been an artist in residence with New York Theatre Workshop, GALLIM, and Black Trans Femmes in the Arts, deepening her work that explores the full humanity of black women of trans experience. She recently served as the Associate Director & Ballroom Culture Consultant on CATS: The Jellicle Ball on Broadway. @nyomistewart
Deziré Michael (they/she)
Dramaturg
DEZIRÉ MICHAEL is a writer and dramaturg living in New York City. As a Black, genderqueer theater artist, they’re fascinated by intersectional identities, representation onstage, and the sociopolitical implications of the stories we choose to tell and how we tell them. “Dezi is the absolute real deal — inquisitive, direct, relentless in their pursuit of specificity and truth, expansive in their thinking, and absolutely bullshit-free” –Sam Pinkleton. dezitibbs.com, American Theatre, TDF Stages, Extended Play
Alisha Simmons (they/them)
Stage Manager
Alisha Simmons (they/them) is a Caribbean-American theatermaker, arts administrator, and writer from Atlanta, Georgia. Alisha received a B.A in Theater and Feminist, Gender, & Sexuality Studies at Wesleyan University, with a concentration in Performance Studies. Alisha has produced work with Oddfellows Playhouse Youth Theater, The Public Theater, Olin Memorial Library, Wesleyan University Center for the Arts, The Tank NYC, 7 Stages Theatre, Theatre 4the People, NAMT Festival, and Breaking The Binary Theatre Festival. They also teach with the Alliance Theatre and Synchronicity Theatre. alishaasimmons.com
Carmen LoBue (they/them/Bue)
BELOVED/LOVED
Carmen LoBue (they/them/Bue) is a Black American Filipino filmmaker, actor, director, and writer with a passion for creating uplifting and empowering stories. They made history starring as Dre on season three of The L Word: Generation Q, the franchise’s first non-binary character. LoBue has directed the coming-of-age series Cheer Up Charlie, the award-winning short Pink & Blue (executive produced by Silas Howard), an episode of Initiative 29: Your Attention Please for Hulu, and Miss Peppermint’s Girl Like Me special for OUTtv. They are a proud Resident company member of The Actor's center. LoBue is currently an artist in residence with The Dark Laboratory & Digital Junkanoo on Governor’s Island developing their new play “The Untitled Alien". Upcoming acting work: Real Mom
essence lotus (they/she/he)
ESSENCE/PERFECT TRUTH
essence lotus is a brooklyn born Pana, lover, warrior, and ancestors’ baby. they are still learning so much, and are grateful to be getting paid to play while the world is still on fire. A former street-performer, they studied physics at Kingsborough Community College before dedicating themselves to their artistry at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. Essence is primarily interested in exploring the immense space (and lack thereof) between science, Black bodies, and queerness. They were last seen in The Vineyard’s production of BOWL: EP
fatima jamal (she/her)
ANUSHA/POWER
fatima jamal is black trans* study enfleshed finding breath where there is asphyxiation and dooming forces polluting the air. what she does with words and images is prayer and hope towards freedom, on the shores of nonhumanness and fugitivity, from this dying world. she/spirit is writing to die and live (again). she is also the WRITER/DIRECTOR of the forthcoming film No Fats, No Femmes.
Gigi Gatekeeper (they/she)
AMEYA/CUNT
Gigi (Gatekeeper) is a Non-binary Trans Femme visual artist, filmmaker, & entrepreneur based in Brooklyn, NY. As a visual artist, her primary medium is filmmaking but also includes: graphic art, large scale murals, directing, producing and creative direction. The focus of her work is to center, celebrate, and empower Black Queer & Trans people with an emphasis on capturing of nuances & beauty of our experiences. Their visual art and paintings are heavily influenced by traditional African aesthetics, customs, and spirituality - with modern interpretations.
Jayae Riley Jr. (she/they)
STAGE DIRECTIONS
Jayae Riley Jr. is a proud Black & Trans, St. Louisan, specifically from the North Side, who loves to tell a story through text, sound, speech, and movement. OFF BROADWAY: Welcome to The Big Dipper (The York Theatre) & Suffs (The Public). REGIONAL: Trevor: The Musical (Writers) &Scottsboro Boys. (Porchlight). SHOWTIME: Work in Progress & NETFLIX: Survival of The Thickest.
Mariyea (she/her)
KHAESHA/SISTER
Mariyea, is a Brooklyn based actress, performer, teacher and award-winning nightlife entertainer. Most notable is her appearance in Noah’s Arc The Movie on Paramount+. Her theater credits include off-broadway plays at New York Theatre Workshop, SoHo Playhouse, SoHo Rep and The Billie Holiday Theatre, among others. Follow Mariyea on Instagram: @mariyeaaaa for further updates.
Marquise Vilsón (he/him)
QUAN/DOUBT
Marquise Vilsón is a man of trans experience whose visibility in media spans more than two decades. A staple in the LGBTQIA+ community, Vilsón has been active in grassroots organizing, HIV education, Ballroom culture, tv/film, as well as fashion. Marquise was first introduced to television audiences as a guest-star in the critically-acclaimed episode of Law & Order: SVU titled "Service", addressing the issues faced by transgender military service members. Vilsón made history at BET's fourth annual Black + Iconic Soiree, becoming the first transgender man to be publicly honored with the "Active Advocate Award" by the network.
travis l. tate
POPS
travis l. tate (they/them) is a queer playwright, poet, and performer living in Brooklyn. Their first collection of poetry, Maiden, was published in June 2020 by VA Press. Their first collection of short stories, UNTENABLE MYSTIC CHARM, was published by Stanchion Book Press. Their plays have been produced by Dorset Theatre Festival, Victory Gardens, Theatre East, New Ohio Theatre, Salvage Vanguard Theatre, Museum of Human Achievement and Breaking The Binary Theatre. They earned their MFA in playwriting and poetry from Michener Center for Writers at the University of Texas at Austin. Find out more information at travisltate.com