Andrea Ambam is a Brooklyn-based artist, actress, and playwright, whose roots sprout from Cameroon. As a politically engaged storyteller who believes in the arts' potential for movement building and transformative justice, Andrea best intersects spaces where community, performance, and truth-telling pulsate. Currently, Andrea is an Artistic Fellow at Signature Theatre, a Brooklyn Arts Exchange (BAX) Artist-In-Residence, and a PenAmerica Writing As Activism Fellow. As a performer, writer, and facilitator, she’s worked with Broadway Advocacy Coalition, Classical Theatre of Harlem/Playbill, gal-dem, Abrons Arts Center, NYU Prison Education Program, Artists’ Literacies Institute, Centre for Social Innovation, and others. Andrea has a master’s degree in Art & Public Policy from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts.

Ava Xiao-Lin Rigelhaupt (she/her/hers) is a writer, actress, consultant, and advocate for diversity, autism, and disability representation in entertainment. As a Chinese, Jewish, transracial, autistic adoptee, Ava shares her intersectional lived experiences through consulting with Hollywood studios, theatres, and arts organizations, public speaking, and publishing articles. She’s the Autistic Creative Consultant forHow to Dance in Ohio, a neurodiverse coming-of-age Broadway musical that follows seven autistic young adults (authentically cast) at a social skills center in Ohio, as they form connections and prepare for a dance. Additionally, she’s a writer for the upcoming PBS Kids animated series, “Carl the Collector.” Ava has worked with professional theatres to develop sensory friendly performances, the Kennedy Center on a neurodiversity training course, and the Smithsonian Access team to create accessible museum exhibits.

Feel free to connect with Ava on LinkedIn, or via email: Ava.rigelhaupt@gmail.com

Becky Leifman is a co-founder and the Executive Director of CO/LAB Theater Group. She is also a Teaching Artist for CO/LAB, and is currently the Treasurer and a Steering Committee member for the Museum, Arts, and Culture Access Consortium (MAC). She is a TEDxBroadway speaker (2020) and is the proud Director of Community Engagement for the Broadway musical, How to Dance in Ohio. Prior to moving to NYC, she founded Two Lights Theatre Company (Chicago) in 2007 and upon moving to NYC, worked for The Acting Company and The Play Company in their respective development departments. She has extensive experience in direct support for individuals with developmental disabilities in educational, home, and community settings. Becky has a BFA in Acting from Syracuse University, and a Graduate Certificate in Philanthropic Studies at Indiana University's Lilly Family School of Philanthropy.

Nicole D'Angelo (they/she) is a music director, actor, and multi-instrumentalist in the NJ/NYC area. Nicole is a music director on staff at the Professional Performing Arts School in Manhattan and the French Woods Festival. A recovering classical musician, they majored in piano and bass clarinet at Montclair State University before pursuing musical theater full time. Nicole will be making their Broadway debut soon as assistant music director and script consultant for the new musical How to Dance in Ohio. Other favorite credits include Fun Home (MD, Stageworks 237), The Civility of Albert Cashier (MD, Trans Entertainment Guild), and Little Shop of Horrors (Audrey, EPIC Players). Nicole is proudly Autistic and a passionate advocate for authentic representation and equitable hiring of disabled performers on stage and screen. Ask them for pics of their cats Whizzer and Hope! IG: @nicole.m.dangelo

Rebekah Greer Melocik is a lyricist and bookwriter. Her work with composer-collaborator, Jacob Yandura, includes WRINGER (dir: Stephen Brackett), THE LAST QUEEN OF CANAAN (book: Harrison David Rivers) and HOW TO DANCE IN OHIO (dir: Sammi Cannold), which starts performances on Broadway on Nov 15, 2023.Recognitions and residencies include: SPACE on Ryder Farm residency, Jonathan Larson Grant finalists, NAMT Festival of New Musicals, Ars Nova’s UNCHARTED residency, the Johnny Mercer Writers Grove at Goodspeed Musicals, the York Theatre's NEO residency, the Yale Institute for Music Theatre, the Dramatists Guild fellowship, the Johnny Mercer Songwriters Project, Rhinebeck Writers Retreat, Cap21’s Writers Residency and Ars Nova’s ANT Fest.Rebekah holds a B.A. in Poetry from University of Southern California and an M.F.A from New York University’s Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Program. She also has written stories for the award-winning educational company Chess At Three.

WITH

ANDREA Ambam

Host

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Ava Xiao-Lin Rigelhaupt

Autistic Creative Consultant

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Becky Leifman

Director of Community Engagement

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Nicole D'Angelo

Assistant Music Director

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REBEKAH GREER MELOCIK

Book Writer & Lyricist

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Special Thanks To Our Venue Partner

STORY & PROCESS: ON CREATING A DISABILITY INCLUSIVE WORLD

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Be the first to get the scoop on upcoming MORE TO TALK ABOUT conversations with HOW TO DANCE IN OHIO! Future programming to be announced soon.

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WITH

ANDREA Ambam

Ava Xiao-Lin Rigelhaupt

Becky Leifman

Nicole D'Angelo

REBEKAH GREER MELOCIK

STORY & PROCESS: ON CREATING A DISABILITY INCLUSIVE WORLD

Check out the music, get tickets, and learn more about HOW TO DANCE IN OHIO!

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Be the first to get the scoop on upcoming MORE TO TALK ABOUT conversations with HOW TO DANCE IN OHIO! Future programming to be announced soon.

Special thanks to our venue partner