ABOUT THE ACTORS
KATASHA ACOSTA
Katasha Acosta is a New York trained actor; as well as a writer and producer, splitting her time between New York and Los Angeles. Her diverse upbringing and cultural background is a reflection of her African American and Afro-Cuban ancestry.
Katasha received her MFA from Actors Studio Drama School at Pace University. Upon graduation, she was afforded the opportunity to spend the summer at Williamstown Theatre Festival as a member of the prestigious non-Equity Company. As the lead in the production of the world premiere play, Once Upon A Time in the Berkshires; written by Lucy Thurber and directed by Laura Savia, she had the privilege of performing on the Williamstown Theatre MainStage.
In addition, Katasha made her off-broadway debut in The Last Days of Judas Iscariot, and has also had the amazing opportunity to perform in an all female production of 'The Amish Project.' She was also afforded the experience of participating in a high profile reading directed by Lila Neugebauer.
KARA F. GREEN
Kara F. Green is an actress, singer, songwriter. She is a classy, but spunky native New Yorker of Trinidadian decent.
Kara has made appearances in the TV series, Bull (2016) and Grave Mysteries (2017). She made her feature film debut in the romantic comedy, Marry Me (2021) starring Jennifer Lopez and Owen Wilson.
MARJAY SMITH
Marjay Smith is a New York City based actor and dancer. She holds an MFA in Acting from the Actors Studio Drama School at Pace University. She is native of Washington, DC and embraces authenticity and daring greatly. She received her BA in Theater from the University of DC.
Marjay made her Off Broadway debut in Lady of Fadima and Last Days of Judas Iscariot; which has provided her with gutsy challenges and immense growth during the 2017 ASDS Repertory Season. She has also performed in Patty, Reveries, Aglaeca, Nothing Sweeter.
She is a former CORE member of Pretty Big Movement, first international Plus Size/ Full figured dance company.
BRENNIE TELLU
Brennie Tellu is a proud first-generation West African activist, and a classically-trained, New York City based actor, writer, and producer.
Brennie received her MFA in Acting from Actors Studio Drama School at Pace University. She is the Co-founder and Managing Director of unBossed Productions, as well as a member of Equity.
She made her off-broadway debut in Doubt and the first ever all-female production of Last Days of Judas Iscariot. She endeavors to create and produce work which centers, amplifies and examines the many facets of Black womanhood.
ABOUT THE DIRECTOR
LIN QUE AYOUNG
Lin Que Ayoung is a writer/director/producer who started her career as a hip hop performer and lyricist. After three major record deals, the growing misogyny and homophobia caused her to go back to school with the hope of transforming her verbal poetry into visual lyricism. Many of her films grapple with complex subject matter such as gender politics, transgenderism, and suicide within the Black and LatinX community.
Ayoung obtained her MFA from NYU Tisch School of the Art’s Graduate Film Program in 2020. She is a two-time winner of the BAFTA-NY scholarship, the winner of the 2018 (NYWIFT) New York Women in Film and Television Scholarship, and the recipient of NYU’s 2018 First Run Film Festival Craft Award for the Faculty Commendation for Directing for her film, La Soñadora. La Soñadora was an official selection at the 2019 New York Latino Film Festival. Most recently, Lin Que became the recipient of The Spike Lee Production Fund for her thesis film, Cracked. Cracked is currently in post-production.
ABOUT THE WRITERS
KATASHA ACOSTA
Before attaining her MFA from Actor's Studio Drama School at Pace University, Katasha received her B.A. from Florida Atlantic University in Communication and Public Relations. Upon graduating, Katasha rose quickly through the Finance ranks of corporate America working for KPMG, Yahoo! and Nestle USA while obtaining her MBA.
The youngest of four girls, Katasha’s sensitivity to unique stories and varied perspectives are a result of her life experiences - growing up in Europe, and traveling the world as the daughter of an Air Force Master Sergeant.
NATHANIEL BLAKE JOHNSON
Nathaniel Blake Johnson a New York-based writer originally from Phoenix and Dallas. Both places play instrumental parts in culling his artistry. He has an undergraduate degree in English from Morehouse College and is a recent MFA graduate in playwriting at The Actors Studio Drama School at Pace University.
WRITERS' STATEMENT:
B-Sides is a series that centers the complexities inherent with being a black woman, while exploring the current socio-political climate. The executive producers of B-Sides conceptualized this project soon after graduating from our MFA Program. We were all in the process of kickstarting our careers - auditioning, securing agents and managers, and reading scripts - when we gathered together one evening to talk about how so much of the material that dealt with who we are as black people seemed void of the actual day-to-day routine and emotions we experience. As a result, we ventured out to create this project to be reflective of our experiences.
We understand that entertainment has cultural implications that can change or reinforce stereotypical images. Black women are not a monolith and we deserve to see ourselves reflected in characters that humanize us and show us with a full honest range of emotions and reactions, interacting with black men and women, and receiving and giving love in emotionally healthy and respectful relationships. It is with this foundation that we present to you: B-Sides, The Series.