Soul Soirée Presents the Monologue Slam, in partnership with BRIC

Adrianna Mitchell is an NYC-based actor, director, and producer. Most recently seen as “Booth” in Suzan- Lori Parks’ Topdog/Underdog at Lanescoven Theater Co. BROADWAY: “Opal” in the Tony-nominated, Pulitzer Prize Winning play Fat Ham, after originating the role at The Public Theater. OFF-BROADWAY: What to Send Up When It Goes Down (Playwrights Horizons), runboyrun (New York Theatre Workshop). REGIONAL: (select) Fat Ham (Geffen Theater), Noises Off (Two River Theater); Romeo & Juliet (as “Juliet”) and Taming of the Shrew (Chautauqua Theater Company); Macbeth as “Lady M” (Lanes Coven Theater Co); Measure for Measure (Actors’ Shakespeare Project); Hamlet (American Conservatory Theater). TV/FILM: Fall 2025, Mitchell is a series regular starring opposite Tracy Morgan, Kecia Lewis, and Jermaine Fowler in the new sitcom Crutch (Paramount+). Mitchell recurred on a season of Snowfall (FX). Select guest roles: Grey’s Anatomy and Queens (ABC); Bull, The Good Fight, and Evil (CBS); The Blacklist and Lincoln Rhyme: Hunt for the Bone Collector (NBC); and Little America (Apple TV+). Spelman College (BA; Phi Beta Kappa); American Conservatory Theater (M.F.A.); British American Drama Academy. @adriannamitchell_

Arturo Luíz Soria is an Obie and Offie Award-winning actor and writer. His solo show Ni Mi Madre premiered at Rattlestick Theater and went on to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2024, garnering several awards. He is currently developing another solo show The White Whale Journal, originally commissioned by Rattlestick Theatre through a NYSCA grant, a new play La Kasa Mita’echo through the Lucille Lortell’s Alcove program, and recently workshopped his play NOVIOS with Pride Plays at Woolly Mammoth Theatre. NOVIOS will be workshopped again as part of the Latinx New Play Festival at La Jolla Playhouse in the fall. He is currently adapting the novel Bodega Dreams for screen with Black Bar Mitzvah Productions and Votiv Films. His acting credits include the Original Broadway Cast of The Inheritance; Off-Broadway: Wet Brain, Hit the Wall. TV/Film: Insatiable, The Blacklist, East New York, Found, and the upcoming feature, Mermaid. He is a MacDowell Fellow, Hillman Grad Mentorship alum, and holds an MFA from Yale and a BFA from DePaul.

Ava Lalezarzadeh is an actor and writer who made her Broadway debut in the Tony nominated and Pulitzer Prize-winning play ENGLISH by Sanaz Toossi (Roundabout). She brought back the role of “Goli” which she originated in the Off-Broadway production (Atlantic). She is a series regular in the Apple TV+ psychological thriller BEFORE, starring Billy Crystal and is in the upcoming season of THE MORNING SHOW. She also wrote and starred in her short IN THE GARDEN OF TULIPS, inspired by Ava’s mother’s coming of age story. The film follows 16-year-old Caroline and her father along their final drive to the Iranian Countryside at the height of the Iran-Iraq War. The full-length feature by the same name is in development.

Brandon Gilpin, also known as ShowTimeBrando, is a New York–born actor and multi-hyphenate artist of Jamaican descent. He graduated from Morehouse College in 2021 and is best known for his roles as Dj Neva Scared on P-Valley and Renard on Grown-ish. Brandon brings depth, discipline, and cultural pride to his work as an actor, music artist, and filmmaker.

Celeste Seda is a New York-based actress known for her roles in “Sacrifice” and Tyler Perry’s “Ruthless”. She’ll next be seen starring in the BET+ holiday movie “Christmas by Design”, debuting this Thanksgiving Day.

Daniel J. Watts is a multidisciplinary artist based in NYC. He just completed a run at New York Theatre Workshop portraying Sammy Davis Jr in “Lights Out: Nat King Cole” opposite Dulé Hill and can currently be seen playing Pastor Zeke in Season 7 of Lena Waithe’s The Chi on Paramount+.

Dominique Thorne is an American actress. She began her career with appearances in the films If Beale Street Could Talk and Judas and the Black Messiah. In 2022, she began playing Riri Williams / Ironheart with the Marvel Cinematic Universe feature film Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.

Originally from St. Louis, MO. A graduate of NYU Grad Acting, and last seen on Paramount+'s EVIL and ELSBETH.

Grace Duah, made her television debut as the series regular 'Shan Barnes’ in HBO Max’s Gossip Girl; her work also includes acclaimed short films Memoirs of a Bruised Mind, The Off Brands, and Meal Ticket which is now available on Hulu.
She recently completed her theatrical debut in What You Are to Me as part of the National Queer Theater Festival at Here Arts center and can be seen starring in the upcoming web series Wild Web Series and the short film Hearteaters!

Heather Gibson is an actress whose credits include 2024 ABC Discovers Showcase, Chicago Fire, All The Queen’s Men and American Horror Story. She's currently producing her first short film, Wake Up Savannah and working on her second full length play, Panthers Blood.

JASON LYKE, singer and actor from Chicago with appearances on NBC’s Chicago Med and BET’s American Soul, as well as Bravo’s Summer House: Martha's Vineyard. Currently writing his first film, Jason is dedicated to telling impactful stories that explore the real issues of mental health and the human experience.

Merry Wives (Shakespeare In The Park), The Half-God of Rainfalll (New York Theatre Workshop), Evil (Paramount Plus), Lady In The Lake (Apple TV)

Jerrie Johnson is an actress, poet, and arts activist best known for starring as Tye in Amazon Prime’s Harlem and appearing in Netflix’s Survival of the Thickest.

An MFA graduate of the American Conservatory Theater, Jerrie is currently developing several spiritual and creative projects, including a podcast and a retreat for queer Black and Brown artists.

Khalfani is an actor hailing for Long Island, NY who risked the single most important thing to pursue his career as an actor - approval from his Haitian parents. He can be seen in the feature film Turn Me On streaming now on Apple TV+ and will be heading West this fall as he begins his MFA in Acting at the University of California, San Diego.

Lakisha May is an actor, producer, and advocate. Her acting credits include The Miser (MiP), Jaja’s African Hair Braiding (original Broadway cast), Ginger Twinsies (The Orpheum), Skeleton Crew (Broadway), Law and Order: SVU, City on a Hill and others. She has produced Broadway shows with LaChanze Productions and through her company (CCC) has produced films with Nikyatu Jusu, Rashad Frett (Ricky, Sundance 2025), Saheem Ali, and others. As an advocate, Lakisha most recently served as chair of the James Beard Leadership Awards Committee. She was the host and lead organizer of SÜPRMARKT’s grand opening block party in South Central, LA. SÜPRMARKT is a low cost organic vegan grocery store.

Myles Walker is a stage and screen actor from Atlanta, GA. Previous credits can be found on Broadway World and IMDB he looks forward to what’s to come.

Petey McGee is a Kansas City native, best known for his work on the hit Starz series Power Book II: Ghost as Salim Ashe Freeman. He also starred in the award winning film U Shoot Videos? directed by Bel-Air’s Morgan Cooper. Other film/tv credits include George “Butchie” Tyson on Chicago PD, Brother Reggie in the Lifetime movie Girl In The Garage and James Rufus in the award winning short After These Messages produced by Talib Kweli and Kevin Willmott. He has also been seen on stage at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre in London, as well as stages across the US in New York, Chicago, Dallas, and New Jersey. He has recently set his sights on directing and filmmaking, winning multiple awards at festivals including American black Film Festival and Tribeca Film Festival.

Notable credits include Purpose on Broadway, Hadestown on Broadway, Elsbeth on CBS, an upcoming feature film called The Snare, Twice As Good on NBC/Peacock, and a reading of This Ghost of Slavery for Anna Deavere Smith.

Tiffany is an actor, writer, director and child of God from the Bronx, New York. She competed for the world championship speech and debate team at Western Kentucky University and was ranked top three public speakers in the nation. She’s the first in her family to obtain her Masters in Acting from Columbia University in 2024 so you know she’s been reppin’ the culture non-stop and doing it with heart, hustle, and hella talent. She’s excited to be joining the Soul Soirée family.