The Origin

Tony Award Winning Actress Karen Olivo: Ride The Rollercoaster That Is Originating A Role On Broadway

K O, aka Karen Olivo, is a professional artist and educator living/working on the unceded ancestral lands of the Ho-Chunk Nation in Madison, WI, and most recently, the land of the Council of the Three Fires (Ojibwe, Odawa, and the Potawatomi) in Evanston, IL. KO embodies the principles and values of anti-oppression by vowing to use their work to further our collective liberation. KO is most widely known for their acting work that spans the last 25 years on Broadway and TV. They won their Tony Award for their performance of Anita in the 2009 Broadway revival of West Side Story directed by Arthur Laurents, for which they also earned Drama Desk, Drama League, Outer Critics Circle, and Astaire Nominations. Most recently, they received their 2nd Tony Award nomination for the role of Satine in Moulin Rouge, The Musical. KO is also recognized for their many television appearances, including series regular, recurring and guest-starring roles on Harry's Law (NBC), The Good Wife (CBS), Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior, Chase, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Conviction, and Law and Order. In the Spring of 2020, KO transitioned back into teaching to refocus their energy on the future. They now work at Northwestern University, where they are an Associate Professor and the Donald G. Robertson—Director of Music Theatre Certificate Program. KO supports organizations like Democracy Now, NY-CLU, Pay Equity Standards, The Industry Standard Group, PAAL, and Collaboraction. IG: @karenolivo76

Musical Theatre Writer Miranda Holliday: Draft The Musical Of Your Dreams In Service Of Your Ancestors

Miranda Holliday is an Afro-Latin, gender non-conforming, award-winning dramaturg, playwright, librettist, and vocalist from Columbus, NJ. Their works, including their musical Brother, a historical retelling of the Black experience in the Vietnam War, and Arroz Con Pollo, a latin- post apocalyptic play, have been performed on renowned New York stages like Feinstein’s 54 Below and the Rattlestick Theater. They've mentored and directed at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre Center with National Musical Theatre Institute and the Young Playwrights Festival. They have performed in Off Broadway productions like Ain’t Misbehavin', Ragtime, and A Raisin in the Sun earning a Kennedy Center Honor for Distinguished Performance. As a designer, Miranda specializes in masking and puppetry. A graduate of NYU Tisch with an MFA in Musical Theatre Writing, they hold a unique co-major in Theatre and Political Science from Albright College, where they received training in music and theatre. Miranda is a Miranda Family Fellowship alum, recognizing their excellence as an artist of color. IG: @mirandapholliday

Casting Director/Producer Amanda Lenker Doyle: Trust The Process That Is Your Creative Journey

Amanda Lenker Doyle, CSA is an accomplished Casting Director and Producer with nearly two decades of experience in film and television. Throughout her career, Amanda has received numerous accolades for her work, including  twelve Artios Award  nominations and one win from the Casting Society. Her  w ork on short film Please Hold earned  the project an Academy Award nomination in 2022, highlighting her expertise in nurturing emerging talent.  Other notable projects include 2024  film festival darling Duino  which she also produced, Hulu film We Broke Up, the Emmy-winning  ABC series Black-ish , ABC's The Muppets , Hulu’s Zac & Mia, the critically acclaimed Wayne for YouTube Premium , and most recently, Glen Powell’s Chad Powers for 20th/Hulu  & David Mich ôd’s untitled Christy Martin biopic, starring Sydney Sweeney. Amanda is a proud member of Women in Film, the Television Academy, Film Independent,  a nd the Casting Society where she served  seven years as an Executive Board member and Treasurer successful ly producing  CSA's Artios Awards in Los Angeles, New York, and London during her tenure . W i th a focus on promoting diversity, inclusion, and equitable access within the film industry, Amanda actively advocates for underrepresented voices, h o ping to create a more inclusive entertainment landscape for the next generation of artists.  Website: castingbyamanda.com IG: @casting.amanda

Actor/Choreographer Courtney Locke: Cultivate The Balance Between Being Both An Actor & A Parent

Courtney Locke is an actress, choreographer and founder of Actor Mommy Productions. Some of her recent credits include playing The Bartender in the new musical, Rathskeller, at SheArts ATL as well as producing multiple, original shows at the Aurora Theater and on the Hertz stage as a part of their Club Hertz series. As a choreographer, she has the pleasure to choreograph for schools across Georgia and is a regular at Woodstock Arts. She currently has a film, I Could Just Die & That Would Be Alright, showing at the Atlanta Film Festival. Her recent most project was directing and choreographing 9 to 5 The Musical for Woodstock Arts.  IG: @thecourtneylocke IG: @actormommy

Telsey Casting Professional Domonique Aviles: Generate Self-Practices That Continue Fueling Your Creative Routines

Domonique Aviles is a casting professional based in Orlando, FL. Born in North Carolina but raised in Philadelphia, Domonique has been a part of the theater community for over 19 years. Domonique found her love of casting during her assistant director debut of Honk Jr and decided that casting was what she wanted to pursue. In 2021, she applied for the Lin Manuel Miranda Casting Fellowship, where she was 1 of 3 candidates to be selected out of 750 applicants for the inaugural cohort of fellows. She began to work directly for The Telsey Office, known for Wicked, The Color Purple (2023), and Only Murders in the Building. While there, she was a part of many projects including the Beetlejuice Tour, Hamilton, Next Chapter Podcasts, and Pretty Little Liars: Summer School. Now, she works at Universal Orlando Resort as a Casting Coordinator, casting the new upcoming Mega Movie Parade and the long-awaited Epic Universe. IG: @domaviles