Hyper BARE-It

Onstage, she created choreography and the role of Mycie Theed in the world premiere of HENRY BOXBROWN by Tony Kushner. Lesley co-wrote the play MACONDO for the Guthrie Theatre in Minneapolis. She helped create ACQUAINTED WITH THE NIGHT, a devised theatre piece set in the scientific community of McMurdo Station on Antarctica (created in collaboration with the playwright Keith Reddin and director Rachel Chavkin). She wrote and performed SHADOWBOX as part of FREEPLAY at NYU Grad Acting. As a film actor, she has worked with the directors David Ayers, Derek Cianfrance, and Hagar Ben-Asher. DEAD WOMEN WALKING (written and directed by Ben-Asher) premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival and later screened at the Venice Film Festival. THE FLY ROOM (written and directed by Alexis Gambis, founder of Labocine) played festivals worldwide. Lesley has a BFA in Acting from East Carolina University and MFA in Acting from the New York University Graduate Acting Program. She has also trained with Steppenwolf West. Lesley is a breast cancer survivor who lives in LA with her husband Matt and 6yo daughter Geneva.

ROBERT ELI (Co-Director) Rob is extremely excited to be working alongside one of his most favorite people in the world, Lesley Shires, on this beautiful story that she is so graciously sharing with the world. He just wrapped the second season of “Your Friends and Neighbors” starring opposite John Hamm, Olivia Munn, and Amanda Peet on Apple TV+. He has appeared on Broadway and Off, Internationally and Regionally. Selected theatres include: Lincoln Center, The Roundabout, Primary Stages, Williamstown, Hartford Stage, Westport, The Alley, Long Wharf, The Old Globe, Two River, Chautauqua, and The English Theatre of Frankfurt (Germany). He has appeared in over thirty television shows and films including “House of Cards,” “The OA,” “Manifest,” “FBI: Most Wanted,” “Bull,” “Blindspot,” “Madam Secretary,” “The Good Fight,” “Blacklist,” “Chicago Med,” “God Friended Me,” “Elementary,” “Blue Bloods,” Death Saved My Life, “Odd Mom Out,” “Fringe,” and of course “Law & Order: SVU” to name a few. Rob is a proud graduate of The Juilliard School (Group 37) and an even prouder cancer survivor. He lives in Brooklyn with his incredible wife Janie, and their sweet cats Abby and Moe.

Derek Peith is excited to be working with his beautiful wife, Lesley Miller and the Headwall family on this production! He met her in acting school Mountview Theater School in London, England.They currently have 2 amazing boys in high school. He is originally from Northern Virginia from parents of Guatemalan descent, but has lived in NY for 25 years. He can be seen as a guest star on such shows as The Blacklist, Murder At The End Of The World, Law & Order:Criminal Intent, Master of None, Bull, and Blue Bloods.When he’s not acting, he is Registered Representative for NYLIFE and he manages the Mess Hall bar in Harlem.

Marge Dunn (she/her) is a multi-hyphenate performing artist, writer, and educator. Last year she appeared in the Headwall production of Funny: not a comedy actually kinda tragic by Caroline Festa. Theatre credits include: Miss Holmes (Greater Boston Stage); Cloud 9 (Central Sq Theatre); Hair, Cardboard Piano (New Rep); And A Nightingale Sang, Dancing at Lughnasa (Wellesley Rep); Much Ado About Nothing, Romeo and Juliet (Boston Theater Company). TV/Film: “The Blacklist” (NBC/Universal); “Evil Lives Here” (Investigation Discovery); Fidelity; Monogamy of Swans. @sgtmarge

Matthew Maguire (John) is delighted to work with the Headwall Theatre Company. He has acted at Manhattan Theatre Club, Primary Stages, HERE Arts, INTAR, Wild Project, La MaMa, Flea Theater, Dixon Place, Performing Garage, The Ohio, PS 122, Connelly Theatre, and in such far-flung places as Kansas City, LA, Berlin, Basel, and Amsterdam. Former Co-Artistic Director of Creation Production Company. Former Director of Theatre and Head of Acting at Fordham. Training: NYU, two years with Stella Adler, and presently, two years with Jon Shear. His awards include an OBIE for Acting and an OBIE for Directing.

Susan Jane McDonald – (AEA, SAG-AFTRA) BA, Drama, University of Southern California. Susan studied with Sanford Meisner at The Neighborhood Playhouse, a life-changing experience. She recently performed the role of Bee in Folded at The Tank. Other roles: Charlotte in Moon Over Buffalo, Berthe in Boeing Boeing, Lee in Marvin’s Room, Silda in Other Desert Cities. She’s worked on films with directors from as far away as Lebanon and Cuba. She’s the recipient of multiple acting and writing awards from her time with the New Short Play Festival (NSPF) in NYC. She’s writing a new series, Irrelevant, inspired by the awarding-winning film, Now You See Us. Her favorite role is Mom to daughter, Leah.

Bob is honored to be a part of this workshop productional Headwall. Theater: Under the Radar/Public Theatre; Ensemble Studio Theatre; the cell Queens Theater; Berkshire Theatre Festival; the cell; others. TV: “FBI”; “Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon”; “Law & Order: SVU”; “Brotherhood”; “Sweetbitter”; others. Film: many independent features and short films. Podcast: ACADEMY (Wondery). Ensemble Artist at Ensemble Studio Theatre and Artist-in-Residence at the cell.

Lesley Miller is an actress, Singer, producer and director, she earned her BA in Theatre from De Sales University. Moving to London, she continued her studies at Mountview Theatre School. She is happy to be once again working with Michelle and team at Headwall Theatre, where she performed in Echoes of Ireland, readings of new works by Jacob Marx Rice and directing a reading of Nighthawks into Light, by Harrison Campbell. Other theatre credits include; Maria in Twelfth Night, directed by Kelly O’Donnell, Corinne in the NY premiere of Glow, The Maid in Red Cross, Beatrice in Much Ado., Mrs. Webb in Our Town and Beverly in Southies , a Samuel French Festival finalist by Jeffrey James Keyes. Television/film credits include Bull, on CBS, The Elevator, Streamside Day Follies, Spiderman 2, and One Life to Live. Her voice can be heard in the audioplay, Fingers Crossed, ads for Blistex, Visit Spain and Highway Patrol. She has acted in, directed and produced music videos for the indie rock band, My Darling Light. Look for Lesley on the Youtube channel Hatched NYC in comedy sketches. Upcoming film projects; The Wounded Wolf, directed by Oscar winning Hemel Trivedi and Ray of Hope with Enchanted Blue Media.

Matthew White graduated from Lafayette College with a Bachelor of Arts in Theater in May 2023. Since graduation, they have performed with Off-Broadway and regional theaters. Behind the scenes, they have worked both administrative positions, such as internships for Broadway League, Broadway Crew, and Chi Talent Management, as well as production team positions, currently Associate Music Directing with Kidz Theater. In their free time, they release original music under the artist name, Melody Matthews. They are incredibly excited to be a part of this production and would like to thank Headwall Theatre for this wonderful opportunity.

Akilah-Aziza Gordon was born and raised in Queens, New York. She attended Queens College where she took theatre classes for the first time and the rest is history! She has taken classes at the Barrow Group and the Actors Studio Drama School. As well as done front of house for Irish Repertory Theater and the Vineyard Theater. Also, house management for the YMCAs West Side theater. She is happy and grateful to be a part of the experience of putting “Hyper Bare it” on stage.