August 13th-14th 7pm
THE 14TH STREET Y
344 E 14th St, New York, NY 10003
THE 14TH STREET Y
344 E 14th St, New York, NY 10003
This year’s Make Art With.. production is We Deserve Better. - a raw, urgent response to the systems that fail us and the hope we’re determined to build anyway.
PLEASE NOTE: This production contains gunshot sound effects.
Our Lead Artist
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Liza Jessie PetersonThis year Developing Artists’ ensemble collaborated with Liza Jesse Peterson, acclaimed playwright, actor, and artivist, known for her powerful solo work, The Peculiar Patriot, and deep commitment to social justice.
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Quotes:
“In times of dread, artists must never remain silent. This is precisely the time when artists go to work. There is no time for despair, no place for self-pity, no room for fear.”
-Toni Morrison
“An artist's duty, as far as I'm concerned, is to reflect the times. And at this crucial time in our lives, when everything is so desperate, when everyday is a matter of survival, I don't think you can help but be involved. How can you be an artist and NOT reflect the times? That to me is the definition of an artist."
~Nina Simone
“In times of dread, artists must never remain silent. This is precisely the time when artists go to work. There is no time for despair, no place for self-pity, no room for fear.”
-Toni Morrison
“An artist's duty, as far as I'm concerned, is to reflect the times. And at this crucial time in our lives, when everything is so desperate, when everyday is a matter of survival, I don't think you can help but be involved. How can you be an artist and NOT reflect the times? That to me is the definition of an artist."
~Nina Simone
Cast
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Zachree AdamsA Afro- Latino Actor & Writer Born & Raised in the Bronx. He has been with Developing Artists for 3 years. You may have seen him opening RV 23’ and star in RV 25’. At his time at developing artists, He has found his voice artistically to advocate for the world that surrounds him. “ We deserve better “ Has assisted him in the learning process of what is the underlying issues of the world.
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Medina AnthonyAn ensemble 2 member at Developing Artists who enjoys both the performing arts and fine arts. Over her more than 3 years at DA, she’s been a part of the opening number in RV ‘23 and the final performance in RV ‘25. In making We Deserve Better, she has learned about how to turn art into a catalyst for change.
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Kadiatou BahAn African American student at Developing Artists. During her 8 months at the company, she participated in the Meet and Greet where she was being introduced to the Developing Artists community, and opened for REBEL VERSES ‘25 at the Public Theatre.
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Khamani BrownA Black artist at Developing Artists. During his first year at the company, he has taken part in the writing pieces for and been a part of the final product of RV ‘25’s The Disengagement of the Teenage Artist. His favorite classes are improvisation and clowning around. He loves to expand on his acting and writing techniques. We deserve it all, not when we fall or when we call.
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Mia FowlerAn actress, writer, and artivist at Developing Artists. During Mia’s 5+ year tenure at the institute, she has been in countless REBEL VERSES performances. You may have most recently seen her in the shows: Arte é Humana (RV ‘23) and The Disengagement of the Teenage Artist (RV ‘25). Working on “We Deserve Better” for Mia has felt like developing a catalyst for change.
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Noah GibbonsA Young African American Queer man and a newcomer of Developing Artist. He recently performed in RV '25's The Disengagement of the Teenage Artist. We Deserve Better is not just a piece of art but a movement. Everything we care about is in this piece, this piece is our fury, our patience, and our conversation.
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Lauren InceAn African American artist at Developing Artists hailing from Brooklyn. During her 3 years at the company, she has engaged as an artivist and collaborator and performer for opening number in RV ‘23 & RV '25's : The Disengagement of the Teenage Artist. Through Developing Artists, she has grown to love poems! We Deserve Better was created through hope and humanity. The pieces created were made for a moment of peace in the harshness and evil currently!
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Vicckaash Krishnan A 16 year old American teen artist at Developing Artists based in New Jersey/New York. During his 4+ years at the company, he has participated as a writer, and performer/actor/musician in three of the company’s REBEL VERSES productions: RV ‘22’s Nobody Safe, RV ‘23’s Arte e Humana, and RV ‘25’s The Disengagement of The Teenage Artist. His favorite class that he learned during the program was the dream workshop taught by Lianne Becker. He loves spending time with his ensemble-mates outside of class, working on new music ideas, or drafting up the next great script! His favorite phrase from We Deserve Better would be “We are the Now”.
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Zaniyah LanaèAn 18 year old singer, songwriter, actor and dancer. She has been an ensemble member at Developing Artist for 3 years. She has written and performed in RV 2023 and 25. As well as the DA 25th Annual Gala and Make Art With in 2024. Zaniyah advocates for equity through her arts. We Deserve Better made me connect to a deeper part of myself and my identity. I was able to get things off my chest that I only think and I made connections to past and present.
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Emma LlanosA Latina artist from Queens who has been working with Developing Artists for 2 semesters. You might have seen her in the Meet and Greet 2024 and REBEL VERSES 2025. Her favorite class is Scene Study because she gets to explore the depth of a character and push herself to the limit. She has learned so much writing wise from working on the play We Deserve Better and will forever be grateful for that experience.
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Kayla SuarezAn Afro Latina who has been training at DA for six years. She’s been in 4 REBEL VERSES shows and she continues to thrive in what she loves doing. Without her passion for the arts, she does not know what she would do. Kayla feels most free when she’s collaborating with her ensemble, dancing, singing and acting. What will she make next? I guess we will have to find out. We Deserve Better has definitely showed me a different side of acting and what acting means and how words should be used.
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Arabella NeffA member and student of developing artist for the last three years. She has participated in writing and being in RV '25's The Disengagement of the Teenage Artist. She loves working on her acting technique in Megan’s class to be able to implement what she learned in all of her art. Throughout working on the show “We Deserve Better” Arabella has been able to become closer collaborators with her ensemble members.
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Jaylene Ortiz A student at Developing Artists. In the 1.5 years they've spent at the company, they have participated in several showings and pieces, such as Make Art With 2024 and RV 25’s The Disengagement of the Teenage Artist. In making Make Art With 2025’s “We Deserve Better,” they learned how to be more comfortable with expressing fear and vulnerability, recognizing that they are natural feelings everyone feels.
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Esme ThorneAn East Village-born and raised musician, actor, and change maker. She has been an ensemble member at Developing Artists for four years, performing in and co-writing many REBEL VERSES and DA showcases such as RV '23's Arte É Humana, and RV '25's The Disengagement of the Teenage Artist. Esme is very passionate about social justice and bringing forth positive change with her art, especially alongside her fellow ensemble members. Working on and writing we deserve better, Esme has utilized her writing skills developed in DA, as well as her connection with her ensemble to make the best show possible.
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Want to Continue the conversation?
If you feel moved or activated, be a part of the conversation that will spark the #WeDeserveBetter movement. Give your feedback, thoughts, and ideas to the playwrights and artivists of WE DESERVE BETTER at [email protected].
WE DESERVE BETTER - AND WE’RE FIGHTING FOR IT!
The title of tonight's show is also the truth about this moment for Developing Artists. After nearly three decades of training young artists to speak truth to power, DA is facing unprecedented funding cuts that threaten our ability to keep that stage open.
This isn’t just a budget shortfall — it’s part of a disturbing trend: national investment in arts education is shrinking at the very moment our young people need creative outlets, safe spaces, and purpose more than ever.
We’ve launched a campaign to raise $150,000, and our community has already stepped up with a $40,000 matching pledge!
This isn’t just a budget shortfall — it’s part of a disturbing trend: national investment in arts education is shrinking at the very moment our young people need creative outlets, safe spaces, and purpose more than ever.
We’ve launched a campaign to raise $150,000, and our community has already stepped up with a $40,000 matching pledge!
Donate Now
PRODUCTION TEAM
Jill DeArmon - Artistic Director
Liza Jessie Peterson - Director
Lianne Becker - Producing Director
Megan Greener - Acting Coach
Raina Lawrence - Stage Manager
Ondionna Phillips - Assistant Stage Manager
Jaden Dearmon - Sound Designer
SPECIAL THANK YOUS
Filipe Costa, Portia, Reza Salazar, Shawn Randall, Liza Colón-Zayas, David Zayas, Russell G. Jones, Aya Aziz, Liza Jessie Peterson, Steven Sapp, Benvenuti Arts, The Public Theater, LAByrinth Theater Company, Materials For The Arts, Adrian White, Esti Bernstein, Jaden DeArmon, Empenada Mama
Christina Germaine(co-founder), Katherine Hutt (co-founder), Scarlet Maressa Rivera (Managing Director), Martin Sweeney (IT) at Houghton Hall Arts & The Church of the Transfiguration
DEVELOPING ARTISTS
Board of Directors
Heather Corbett (Chair), Chris Bell, Hallie Donner, Cristina Garcia,
Jill Ashley Kim, Jinn S. Kim, Julian Elijah Martinez, Ana Ortiz
Advisory Council
Kevin Geer (In memoriam), Stephen Adly Guirgis, Sean Headley, Philip Seymour Hoffman (In memoriam), Phivos Christofides, Russell G. Jones, Diana Oh, Daphne Rubin-Vega, Stephen Sapp, Sarah Sidman, Ben Snyder, Barbara Toy, David Zayas
Staff
Jill Ashkey Kim - Artistic Director
Jinn S. Kim - Executive Director
Chris Bell - Managing Director
Lianne Becker - Producing Director
Danielle Dougé - Associate Artistic Director
Megan Greener - Acting Coach, Literary Manager
Anastasia Cardona - Marketing Communications Intern
Kaitlin Teng - Marketing Communications Intern
Jill DeArmon - Artistic Director
Liza Jessie Peterson - Director
Lianne Becker - Producing Director
Megan Greener - Acting Coach
Raina Lawrence - Stage Manager
Ondionna Phillips - Assistant Stage Manager
Jaden Dearmon - Sound Designer
SPECIAL THANK YOUS
Filipe Costa, Portia, Reza Salazar, Shawn Randall, Liza Colón-Zayas, David Zayas, Russell G. Jones, Aya Aziz, Liza Jessie Peterson, Steven Sapp, Benvenuti Arts, The Public Theater, LAByrinth Theater Company, Materials For The Arts, Adrian White, Esti Bernstein, Jaden DeArmon, Empenada Mama
Christina Germaine(co-founder), Katherine Hutt (co-founder), Scarlet Maressa Rivera (Managing Director), Martin Sweeney (IT) at Houghton Hall Arts & The Church of the Transfiguration
DEVELOPING ARTISTS
Board of Directors
Heather Corbett (Chair), Chris Bell, Hallie Donner, Cristina Garcia,
Jill Ashley Kim, Jinn S. Kim, Julian Elijah Martinez, Ana Ortiz
Advisory Council
Kevin Geer (In memoriam), Stephen Adly Guirgis, Sean Headley, Philip Seymour Hoffman (In memoriam), Phivos Christofides, Russell G. Jones, Diana Oh, Daphne Rubin-Vega, Stephen Sapp, Sarah Sidman, Ben Snyder, Barbara Toy, David Zayas
Staff
Jill Ashkey Kim - Artistic Director
Jinn S. Kim - Executive Director
Chris Bell - Managing Director
Lianne Becker - Producing Director
Danielle Dougé - Associate Artistic Director
Megan Greener - Acting Coach, Literary Manager
Anastasia Cardona - Marketing Communications Intern
Kaitlin Teng - Marketing Communications Intern
We're accepting high school students 13-16 for FALL 2025!
Developing Artists’ Institute 2-year performing arts program applications for our fall session are open. Tuition is FREE upon acceptance. We are accepting high school students ages 13-16.
At Developing Artists, we believe the practical application of the performing arts can affect change. Our program is designed to inspire and challenge students to develop their artistic voices and skills while creating socially impactful work. Students will receive extensive training, including theater fundamentals and specialized workshops led by guest professionals in areas like spoken word, dance and playwriting. We believe that teen artists can change the world, and this training gives them the tools to do it.
At Developing Artists, we believe the practical application of the performing arts can affect change. Our program is designed to inspire and challenge students to develop their artistic voices and skills while creating socially impactful work. Students will receive extensive training, including theater fundamentals and specialized workshops led by guest professionals in areas like spoken word, dance and playwriting. We believe that teen artists can change the world, and this training gives them the tools to do it.
