The Importance of Being Earnest

Sunita Deshpande (she/her) of “Daredevil” (Marvel), “Moonshot” (HBO), “Gravid Water” (Upright Citizens Brigade) and “Senseless” (Theatre Row) is an improv actor originally from Tarpon Springs, FL. Her first short play, “A Sari for Pallavi,” was a finalist at the Samuel French OOB Festival and won Best Film at the Oscar-qualifying Rhode Island Film Festival. Her one-act “The Princess of Tea,” a dark comedy set in India during the British Raj, was featured in the Chain Theatre’s 2023 Winter One-Act Festival with several of the Earnest cast and crew also participating. She also performs standup and is currently working on her first full-length play, “Worshiping the Son.” She adores cats, Oscar Wilde, and Bill Burr (in that order.) IG: luckysunita www.sunitaactress.com

Joëlle Dong is a New York-based photographer and filmmaker. A recent graduate of Brown University, she spent the past few years making films, designing interiors, and building a photography business in London, Providence, Hong Kong, and California. She is grateful to her friends, family, roommates, EH, JB, JM, NB, LS, MR, AK, the Campen-Changs, Chris and Kathy who have supported her in all endeavors. Joëlle is thrilled to be making her New York stage debut with such a wonderful cast and crew. Special thanks to powerhouse Director-Producer Janani for gifting me that fateful button down and trusting me with Cecily! IG: joelledong www.joelledong.com

Gavrie Elliott is an actor, writer, and musician originally from Chappaqua, NY. Gavrie is a student at New York University Tisch School of the Arts learning the dark secrets of experimental theater. They are in the process of losing their last functioning brain cell trying to write a stage play. Gavrie is excited to be performing as Canon Chasuble — and particularly excited after watching season 2 of “Fleabag,” where they were inspired to be the deliciously tempting priest. IG: gavrie.elliott

Rob Hunt is thrilled to find himself at the Under St Marks Theater, drudging away for a bunch of ungrateful, upper-class snobs, unnoticed in the background as everyone else claims all of the glory and praise. He is definitely not bitter, ungrateful or harboring vaguely vengeful ideas, and certainly wouldn’t be planning on spiking the cucumber sandwiches. This is not his first time appearing on stage in NYC, but it might very well be his last. IG: @robhhunt www.robhuntactor.com

Xander Jackson is a New York born & raised actor who has been working for just over 4 years and performed in over 30 theatrical performances & short film productions. He has been training consistently with the Barrow Group while receiving tutelage directly from Seth Barrish, Lee Brock, & Shannon Patterson. He has recently performed the role of Hal in David Auburn’s "Proof" and Brucie in Lynn Nottage’s "Sweat." He is currently in the process of writing a stageplay, in addition to several on-camera shorts. Xander’s greatest joy is the excitement that comes with sharing the stage with so many talented actors and is elated to add this production to that ever-growing list. IG: @sixth_jackson www.xanderjackson.com

Zachary Sherry is an actor and writer, originally from Pompano Beach, FL. After his first play’s debut at Tribeca Performing Arts Center, “True Love” was accepted into the NYSummerfest Theatre Festival to the delight of his high school drama teacher. Recent screen credits: “Off Campus” (DUTV, dir. Andrew Susskind), “Evil Lives Here” (iD Discovery), “We've Been Trying to Reach You About Your Car's Extended Warranty” (Unattended Baggage Co, dir. Brian Gurien). Recent stage credits: “Commedia del Arte” (Sterling Renaissance Festival), “Down the FOX Hole” (Chain Theatre Festival, dir. Joshua Warr/Valentine Aprile) and “The Princess of Tea” (Chain Theatre One-Act Festival, dir. Janani Sreenivasan). IG: zachofearth YouTube/TikTok: SolarPunkSkunk

Belle Sinclair is an actress and writer born and raised in Richmond, Virginia and currently based in NY. Recent credits include “Unsolved Mysteries” (Netflix), “Invisible Shark” (Amazon Prime, TUBI), “Winds of Silence” (TUBI), and “My Secret Husband” (Legacy Pictures). She made her theatrical debut in early 2023 with many of the same talented cast/crew as on this production! Recently she wrote and completed her first short, “Keepsake,” and is in the works on her first screenplay, “The Educated Debutante,” in collaboration with her filmmaker brother Farrar Pace. An honors graduate of the University of Virginia, she has since trained at the Stella Adler Studio of Acting, the Barrow Group, and the Acting Studio. IG: @belle_sinclair

A lifelong stage actor and musician, René Zara has appeared in such productions as "Bye, Bye, Birdie" (Rose), "Noises Off" (Poppy/Belinda), "Peter Pan" (Wendy), "Nunsense!" (Sister Mary Leo), and "Ruthless! The Musical" (Judy/Ginger). René is also a vocalist, film score composer, and songwriter. Her choral arrangement of Imogen Heap's hit "Hide and Seek" is featured in "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child." Her on-screen credits include the award-winning short "Mrs. Osbourne" (that she also produced, wrote and scored), "Reel Actresses of Hollywood East" (Instagram), and also various streaming projects (René is a proud member of SAG-AFTRA). In 2024, she will appear in a feature film directed by critically-acclaimed filmmakers The Kinnane Brothers. IG: therenezara www.hellorene.com

Harper Bonito (she/her) is a transgender, Latina actress born and raised in New Jersey. She began her career in musical theatre, participating in both school and local community productions, with her most recent work including FX’s “Gladiator.” In her free time, Harper enjoys baking, singing, practicing her Spanish, and writing poetry. She’s ecstatic to be making her New York debut! IG: harper_bonito

Katrina Dykstra (EMC) is an actor from not-so-sunny Michigan, where she received her BA in Theatre from Hope College. She has appeared onstage recently as Cecily in “The Importance of Being Earnest” with the Hudson Classical Theater Company, Adelpha in “Nothing But Thunder” at Theater for the New City, and will be onstage at The Tank in “All at Once” (40th Anniversary Remaster) October 9-21. She is also a performer with Puppetsburg Brooklyn, a weekly educational puppet show, and her voice has been sent to space on a flash drive.

Ben Hefter is an East Village-based actor and musician. Originally from Long Island, Ben is an Engeman Theater and Stagedoor Manor alumnus, as well as a recent graduate from NYU Gallatin, where he pursued an individualized degree in Post-Industrial Narratives and served as the bass singer for the NYU N’Harmonics throughout his four years of undergrad. He is currently recording his debut album with his band, Frog Throat. IG: @pbenhefter

Fletcher Michael is a Brooklyn-based writer, actor, and model. Recent credits include a touring production of “Seasons” (Evening Crane Theatre), “Scenes From The Staten Island Ferry” (Sundog Theatre), and “A Sketch of New York” (Producer's Club). Film: “The Playboy Murders” (HBO) and a digital campaign for Polo Ralph Lauren Cologne. His short film screenplay, “Block Island Is Somewhere,” was a finalist in Tribeca Studios Film Festival's 2022 short film competition. He is the author of two novels: “Glass Bottle Season” (Turner Books, 2023) and “Vulture” (Rebel Satori Press, 2022). He will direct his own play, “Til Death Do Us Party,” at the NY Theater Festival in April 2024. He is thrilled to join this production of “The Importance of Being Earnest”!

Kathleen graduated from Northwestern University with a degree in Theatre and spent a year at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London before moving to New York City. She is a proud member of The Snarks, Ltd., a women’s amateur theatre organization founded in 1909, where she has spent many happy hours both on and behind the stage. She played Cecily in “The Importance of Being Earnest” many years ago with The Old Town Players, an amateur theatre in Chicago. Taking on Lady Bracknell has been a dream come true!

Amora Sun (they/them) recently played the Clown in the Cowichan Valley Theatre Festival’s production of “All’s Well that Ends Well” on Vancouver Island and are studying voice with Kurt Alakulppi as well as the good folx at Juilliard in NYC. Amora’s theatre background ranges from writing, directing and composing one-act musicals to performing at dinner theatre murder mysteries with their company, the Gilded Players Group (2007-2014). Amora starred in Matt Voytilla’s short film “Chrysalis” in the 2019 Dead North Film Festival. They wrote and directed their first independent feature, “Swallowed Whole” (Gilded Arts Productions, 2010) and starred in their first indie feature film, “Annabelle” in 2008. This is Amora’s first show in NYC and they couldn’t be happier to be a part of it. IG: wecolorblush

Liam (he/him) is a Transgender actor and writer, born and raised in the varying New Jersey landscapes. Liam graduated from the American Musical and Dramatic Academy and has since co-founded an indie production house with fellow alumni. His work on the short film “Harbor Me” went on to win Best Long Island Film in the International Long Island Film Festival. Stage credits include “Free Will And Wanton Lust” (Philip), “Androcles and The Lion” (Androcles), and “Dog Sees God” (Beethoven). He found himself drawn to the performing arts at a young age after seeing a Broadway musical that later led him to meeting his icon and mentor, with whom Liam continues to take classes at The Patrick Page Studio. IG: @Liam_zupp