Christopher Rivas

Playwright / Performer 

Rivas is quickly becoming one of the most sought after multi-hyphenates as an actor, author, podcaster, playwright, and storyteller. His critically acclaimed debut book, Brown Enough, explores what it means to be Brown in America. The book is part memoir and part social commentary, a roller coaster of finding one’s true self while simultaneously having a racial awakening amidst the struggle to be “perfectly” Latinx, woke, and as Brown as possible to make it in today’s America. His next book, You’re a Good Swimmer is a children’s book that’s due out Summer of 2024. He’s also the host and executive producer of two podcasts with SiriusXM’s Stitcher: Brown Enough, which explores the parallel themes of this book through interview-style episodes; and Rubirosa, a 10-episode documentary-style investigation of Porfirio Rubirosa, a Dominican diplomat, race car driver, soldier and polo player who’s believed to be the inspiration for the famous character ‘James Bond’. On screen, Rivas is known for his work on the Fox series, Call Me Kat, opposite Mayim Bialik.

Daniel Banks

Director; Co-Founder/Co-Curator, DNAWORKS 

Banks is a director, deviser, dance dramaturg, and community organizer. He has directed, led workshops, and/or instigated projects in 39 states and 23 countries at such venues as the Belarussian National Drama Theatre, the NYC and DC Hip Hop Theatre Festivals, The Market Theater Lab (South Africa), McCarter Theatre Center, National Theatre of Uganda, the Oval House and Theatro Technis (UK), PlayMakers Rep, Playhouse Square, Dallas Theatre Center, ArtsEmerson, and The Public Theater.  

He worked as a choreographer/movement director at Shakespeare in the Park/NY Shakespeare Festival, Theatre for a New Audience, Maurice Sendak/The Night Kitchen, Singapore Rep, and La Monnaie (Brussels). For DNAWORKS, projects include The Real James Bond…Was Dominican by/with Christopher Rivas, Hollow Roots by Christina Anderson, HaMapah/The Map and HaMapah/The Map Dance-on-Film by/with Adam W. McKinney, Cascarones by Irma Mayorga, and workshops of Dreaming Emmett by Toni Morrison as well as The Secret Sharer, based on Joseph Conrad’s novella, and We The Messiah by/with Darian Dauchan (both currently in development). Daniel served on the dramaturgical team for Camille A. Brown & Dancers (Black Girl: Linguistic Play and ink).  

Daniel is Co-Convener/Board Co-Chair of Transform 1012 N. Main Street, the project to repurpose the former KKK Auditorium in Fort Worth, TX, into The Fred Rouse Center for Arts and Community Healing. He is founder of the Hip Hop Theatre Initiative, promoting youth self-expression and leadership, and Associate Director of Theatre Without Borders. Daniel is a recipient of the Sallie B. Goodman Retreat/McCarter Theatre, a MacDowell Fellowship, and TCG’s Alan Schneider Director Award. 

Jonathan Gomez

Percussionist 

Gomez is a percussionist, composer and arranger born in Bogota, Colombia. There is no question why he has been able to take traditional Colombian music to popular venues around the US. His musical career began at the age of 5 at Orquesta Sinfónica Juvenil de Colombia, then continued at the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana where he gained a better understanding of world music. He has performed in renowned festivals, such as Globalfest, Music of Colors (Detroit) and SXSW (Austin, TX), among others. Jonathan has an extensive career in the salsa scene in Colombia as part of “La Real Charanga”, recording two productions and taking first place in “Salsa al Parque” and “Jazz al Parque.” He has had the opportunity to play and record with many well-known artists, such as Luisito Carrión, Luis Felipe González, Luis Fonsi, Daddy Yankee, Kader Japonaise & Shwekey. Jonathan currently resides in New York City