Meet the Cast

Cast of Summer Partnership in the Arts 2020
LEELA BASSUK \| Leela Leela Bassuk graduated from the University of Iowa in May with degrees in theatre arts, English, and creative writing, and a Spanish minor. She is very grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with the brilliant guest directors, creative, and design teams involved in this innovative production! She would like to thank her family for their encouragement and support during this time, and always.
MICHAEL FRANCIS \| Michael Michael Francis is an actor, musician, and visual artist. Apart from his contributions to the stage, Michael’s work spans discipline and genre, ranging from devised installations to game design. He has been praised for being full of energy, anger, and passion, and is the recipient of the coveted Robins Award for Talent. A staunch advocate of arts education, he teaches acting in his private studio and as a visiting instructor around the United States. MWDFrancis.com.
LEXI HEALEY \| Lexi Lexi Healey is a student at the University of Iowa and will be graduating in December with a major in theatre arts, as well as a minor in GWSS. You may have seen her in Seven Spots on the Sun, Iphigenia Point Blank, or We All Were Sunflowers. She wants to thank her wonderfully supportive friends and family for encouraging her, as well as this insanely talented cast and production team for inspiring her every day.
BRITNY J. HORTON \| Britny Britny J. Horton is an art-ivist from Rochester, NY. Her most recent credits include Hit the Wall and Sweat (University of Iowa), Men on Boats (Riverside Theatre), Too Heavy for Your Pocket (Pyramid Theatre), and short films Incensed and Lights On. She is currently in pre-production for her short film, 5018, for which she received a grant from the University of Iowa. In 2019, Britny won the Best Actress in a Play Award from Broadway World Des Moines.
OCTAVIUS LANIER \| Octavius Octavius Lanier is a class of 2021 MFA acting candidate at the University of Iowa. His acting credits include Three Sisters, Sweat, and Seven Spots on the Sun. Octavius can be found in two upcoming projects: an online production of Twelfth Night and a 21st century audio drama entitled Quantum Paradox: Discord – a weekly podcast. He is grateful and honored by this enlightening experience with his brilliant leaders Daniel Carlton and Nambi E. Kelley.
BRANDON TREVINO \| Brandon Brandon Trevino is a double major in theatre arts and neuropsychology going into his senior undergraduate year at the University of Iowa. He is beyond ecstatic to be a part of this wondrous process with such incredible people. Peace and love. snaps
RACHEL WADE \| Rachel Rachel Wade is a fourth-year theatre arts major from Des Moines, IA, with focuses in acting, directing, and playwriting. Her past roles include Keller in SP O’Brien’s Colic, Jaycee in Rebecca Gilman’s Twilight Bowl, and an ensemble member in Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey. She also directed a workshop production of her play Taurus Sun/Aries Moon this past January. She is beyond grateful to be working on this project.
STEVEN ANTOINE WILLIS \| Steven/Gier Twenty-seven-year-old Steven Antoine Willis uses poetry and theatre to embark on the daunting task of articulating African American culture. Willis is a contributing writer to the BreakBeat Poets anthology, NYU’s National Council for the Teachers of English journal, and a three-time individual world poetry slam finalist. Willis is currently an MFA acting candidate at the University of Iowa where his acting credits include Lynn Nottage’s Sweat and Ike Holter’s Hit the Wall.

Cast of Summer Partnership in the Arts 2020

LEELA BASSUK | Leela

Leela Bassuk graduated from the University of Iowa in May with degrees in theatre arts, English, and creative writing, and a Spanish minor. She is very grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with the brilliant guest directors, creative, and design teams involved in this innovative production! She would like to thank her family for their encouragement and support during this time, and always.

MICHAEL FRANCIS | Michael

Michael Francis is an actor, musician, and visual artist. Apart from his contributions to the stage, Michael’s work spans discipline and genre, ranging from devised installations to game design. He has been praised for being full of energy, anger, and passion, and is the recipient of the coveted Robins Award for Talent. A staunch advocate of arts education, he teaches acting in his private studio and as a visiting instructor around the United States. MWDFrancis.com.

LEXI HEALEY | Lexi

Lexi Healey is a student at the University of Iowa and will be graduating in December with a major in theatre arts, as well as a minor in GWSS. You may have seen her in Seven Spots on the Sun, Iphigenia Point Blank, or We All Were Sunflowers. She wants to thank her wonderfully supportive friends and family for encouraging her, as well as this insanely talented cast and production team for inspiring her every day.

BRITNY J. HORTON | Britny

Britny J. Horton is an art-ivist from Rochester, NY. Her most recent credits include Hit the Wall and Sweat (University of Iowa), Men on Boats (Riverside Theatre), Too Heavy for Your Pocket (Pyramid Theatre), and short films Incensed and Lights On. She is currently in pre-production for her short film, 5018, for which she received a grant from the University of Iowa. In 2019, Britny won the Best Actress in a Play Award from Broadway World Des Moines.

OCTAVIUS LANIER | Octavius

Octavius Lanier is a class of 2021 MFA acting candidate at the University of Iowa. His acting credits include Three Sisters, Sweat, and Seven Spots on the Sun. Octavius can be found in two upcoming projects: an online production of Twelfth Night and a 21st century audio drama entitled Quantum Paradox: Discord – a weekly podcast. He is grateful and honored by this enlightening experience with his brilliant leaders Daniel Carlton and Nambi E. Kelley.

BRANDON TREVINO | Brandon

Brandon Trevino is a double major in theatre arts and neuropsychology going into his senior undergraduate year at the University of Iowa. He is beyond ecstatic to be a part of this wondrous process with such incredible people. Peace and love. *snaps*

RACHEL WADE | Rachel

Rachel Wade is a fourth-year theatre arts major from Des Moines, IA, with focuses in acting, directing, and playwriting. Her past roles include Keller in SP O’Brien’s Colic, Jaycee in Rebecca Gilman’s Twilight Bowl, and an ensemble member in Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey. She also directed a workshop production of her play Taurus Sun/Aries Moon this past January. She is beyond grateful to be working on this project.

STEVEN ANTOINE WILLIS | Steven/Gier

Twenty-seven-year-old Steven Antoine Willis uses poetry and theatre to embark on the daunting task of articulating African American culture. Willis is a contributing writer to the BreakBeat Poets anthology, NYU’s National Council for the Teachers of English journal, and a three-time individual world poetry slam finalist. Willis is currently an MFA acting candidate at the University of Iowa where his acting credits include Lynn Nottage’s Sweat and Ike Holter’s Hit the Wall.