A Going Away Party Play Biographies

by Keyanna Khatiblou
directed by James Fowler
World Premiere Production

Mina is throwing a party for her closest friends and for you, the audience. Over the course of the party, the friends play games, reflect on the current American socio-political landscape, and discover truths about the story of Mina’s parents falling in love and staying in love while fleeing the Iranian Revolution. A Going Away Party Play is a celebration of multicultural identities and an exploration of what it means to leave or lose your home country.

MINA/ NILOOFAR – Mehrnaz Mohammadi*
KATE/ CAROLINE – Kodi Jackman*
RYAN/ BASIR – Nathan Mohebbi*
MATEO/ SECURITY OFFICER – Giovanny Camarena
DEBBIE/ MAMAN BOZORG – Cindy Nguyen

Understudies – Shereen Khatibloo*, Sandra Kate Burck, Amir Kamali, Evan Lugo, and Quyen Ngo

Director – James Fowler
Playwright – Keyanna Khatiblou
Scenic Design – Stephen Gifford**
Costume Design – Mylette Nora
Lighting Design – Gavan Wyrick
Sound Design – John Nobori
Properties Design – Cindy Campos
Production Stage Manager – Camella Coopilton
Assistant Stage Manager – Jasmine Leung
Casting Director – Julia Flores
Dramaturg – Adrian Centeno
Cultural Consultant – Dr. Mehdi Faraji
Dialect Coach – Keri Safran

*Appearing courtesy of the Actors’ Equity Association
**Member of United Scenic Artists, Local 829

ABOUT THE PLAYWRIGHT

Keyanna Khatiblou is LA-based playwright. She is an Affiliated Writer with the Playwrights’ Center and the Playwright in Residence at the Evanston Children’s Theater, where four of her TYA plays have been produced. Awards: Alliance/Kendeda Playwriting Competition (Finalist), Barrington Stage Company’s Burman Award (Finalist), Lanford Wilson New American Play Festival (Semi-Finalist), Nancy Dean Lesbian Playwriting Award (Finalist), Jane Chambers Award (Honorable Mention), and Theatre Masters National MFA Playwrights Festival. Keyanna’s scripted romance podcast, The Royals of Malibu, was the #1 Fiction Podcast on Spotify and Apple, #6 Podcast overall on Spotify, and was one of Audible’s Best of the Year in 2023. A Going Away Party Play is Keyanna’s first professional production, and she is very happy that you’re here! MFA: Northwestern.

ABOUT THE DIRECTOR

James Fowler has had the pleasure of directing nationally and internationally for over 10 years. Most recently he was named Co-Artistic Director of the prestigious Open Fist Theatre Company where he recently directed a new adaptation of William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The production, set in the Antebellum South during slavery has received multiple awards and was named top 10 shows in 2022 by Stage Raw. James is also an acting coach who has developed effective acting methods that are being used by actors all over the world. He has coached, directed and worked with many industry level actors on elite Hollywood productions and stage productions, such as Vivica A Fox, Derek Klena, Joe Mantegna, Khandi Alexander, William Forsythe, Corbin Bleu, and many more. James has received awards for his work from the California State Senate, California State Assembly, and the NAACP with high honors.

Mehrnaz Mohammadi (MINA/NILOOFAR) is an actor and writer, recently starred in Ms. Rebel, her one-woman show that was awarded Best New York Premiere at the United Solo Festival. Selected stage work: Closely Related Keys (International City Theatre), Intersections (Guthrie Theatre), Suppliant Women (Rogue Machine/Getty Villa), The Caucasian Chalk Circle (The Antaeus Company). Selected screen work: Quantum Leap (NBC), From Scratch (Netflix), Stuck in Development (Buffalo 8). Born and raised in Iran, Mehrnaz has a BFA in Theatre Performance from Concordia University and an MFA in Acting from USC. You can find her at www.mehrnaz.org, @mehrnazmoh13, or under a tree philosophizing about life.

Kodi Jackman (KATE/CAROLINE) is a classically-trained regional theater actor. Recent credits: Muse of Fire with Foolish Production Co., All’s Well That Ends Well with The Porters of Hellsgate, The Road to Mecca at Z Below, Much Ado About Nothing with A Noise Within, A Few Good Men with La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts, All’s Well That Ends Well with A Noise Within, The Wickhams with Ensemble Theatre Company, and Titus Andronicus with Foolish Production Company. Kodi was also a member of New Orleans Shakespeare Company’s touring ensemble Shakespeare on the Road.

Nathan Mohebbi (RYAN/BASIR) – Film/TV Credits: Bluff City Law (NBC), Sideswiped (YoutubeRed), Masters of Sex (Showtime), Ellen More or Less (NBC), Chasing Life (ABC Family), Neighbors (Universal Studios). LA Theatre Credits: Bone Structure (Public Assembly), Afterglow (Hudson Theatre), A Splintered Soul (International City Theatre), The Boy From Oz (Celebration Theatre), Funny Girl (3DTheatricals), Wolves (Celebration Theatre), Die Mommie Die! (Celebration Theatre), The Taming of The Shrew (QClassics), Dog Sees God (Sherry Theatre). He is repped by Ran Frazier at Authentic Management and Allegory Talent. Follow him on instagram @nathanmohebbi

Giovanny Camarena (MATEO/SECURITY OFFICER) is excited to make his Boston Court debut. His previous film credits include roles on Apple TV+’s Bonneville and voiceover credits on Netflix’s High Heat and Who Killed Sara?. Giovanny studied at the University of SouthernCalifornia and the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts. He has also begun his career as a playwright, receiving the inaugural commission from the Breathe Project 2020 for his piece, It’s Not My Job. I’d like to thank my dogs, Banana and Sasha.

Cindy Nguyen (DEBBIE/ MAMAN BOZORG) is honored to be returning to Boston Court for A Going Away Party Play!. Previously, she’s been seen at the BCP as Empress Teishi in the world premiere for Unrivaled. Other favorite theater credits include Helena in The Porters of Hellsgate’s Alls Well That Ends Well and Kitty Brant in Antaeus Theatre Company’s Diana of Dobsons. Recent TV credits include 911 on Fox and Shrinking on Apple TV. She is thrilled to be sharing the stage with this incredible group of artists. Shoutout to you (yes you) for showing up, and hope you have fun & enjoy! 🙂

Shereen Khatibloo (MINA/NILOOFAR U/S) is an Iranian-American Actor/Singer/Dancer based in Los Angeles. She is incredibly excited to be working with Boston Court Pasadena on this powerful, thought provoking new play! Some of her past theater credits include: Elham in English at Artswest, A Christmas Carol at ACT Theatre, Joseph and the.. Technicolor Dreamcoat at 5th Ave Theatre, Carmen at Lyric Opera Northwest. Film credits include Margins (2011), Played (2023), and All I’ve Got and then Some (2024). Shereen received her BFA in Musical Theatre from the University of Miami. Big thanks to her team at Impact Talent Group and her amazing family for all of their support!

Sandra Kate Burck (KATE/CAROLINE U/S) is thrilled to be working with Boston Court Pasadena! Earlier this year she originated the leading role of Bumpy Diggs in the World Premiere of A Froggy Becomes at The Openfist Theatre Company. TV credits include Lessons in Chemistry (Apple+), The Middle (ABC), Rush Hour (CBS), and Key and Peele (Comedy Central). She recently wrapped production on the feature film Stranglehold, a new comedic thriller coming soon. Prior stage credits include A Midsummer Nights Dream (Hermia), Dancing at Lughnasa (Rose Mundy), The Miracle Worker (Annie Sullivan), Little Woman (Jo March) and Anne of Green Gables (Anne).

Amir Kamali (RYAN/BASIR U/S) is a versatile stage, film, and television actor from Portland, Oregon. He has been based in Los Angeles since 2017, and trains with Michael Yavnieli as a member of MY Acting Studios. As a first-generation Iranian American, Amir is thrilled to be part of a story that deeply resonates with him and many other first-generation Americans.

Evan Lugo (MATEO/ SECURITY OFFICER U/S) received his BFA in acting from Western Michigan University and his MFA in acting from UC Irvine. Some of his previous credits include: George Gibbs in Our Town at South Coast Rep. Orlando in As You Like It at New Swan Shakespeare. Shame in The Rhythm of Mourning at Bethesda Rep. Konstantin in The Seagull at UC Irvine. He is thrilled to be making his debut with Boston Court Pasadena as an understudy!

Quyen Ngo (DEBBIE/MAMAN BOZORG U/S) believes in revolution, and also recognizes the power of narratives to shape conflicting, destructive realities. She is the child of Vietnamese refugees and was raised in San Jose, CA. She holds a BA in Development Studies from Brown University, where she also trained in stage acting and directing. Past work has appeared at Tribeca, Cinequest, and CAAMFest. Quyen is also an award-winning audiobook narrator of titles such as The Mountains Sing by Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai and most recently the children’s book, Simone, by Pulitzer Prize winner Viet Thanh Nguyen and Minnie Phan. Quyen is thrilled to make her Los Angeles stage debut at Boston Court.

Stephen Gifford (Scenic Designer) past designs for Boston Court include The Missing Pages of Lewis Carroll and Cassiopeia.  His designs have been seen on stages across the country and internationally including: The Grand Ole Opry, The Chicago Theatre, Madison Square Garden, The El Sett, Abdel Halim & Studio 1 Theaters (Riyadh, Saudi Arabia), Sacramento Music Circus, The Walnut Street Theatre, 5^th Avenue Theatre, Phoenix Theatre Company, Juneau Lyric Opera, La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts/McCoy Rigby, and many more. He has garnered many awards and nominations for his work.  He was awarded The Bob Z Award for Career Achievement in Set Design by the Los Angeles Drama Critic Circle, has been awarded the Scenie Award for LA Scenic Designer of the Year every year since 2008, and was awarded Broadwayworld.com’s Scenic Design of the Decade in Los Angeles for Cabaret. In addition to scenic design for theatre, Stephen has also designed for live immersive events, themed interiors, nightclubs, and cabarets.  He holds an M.F.A. from NYU’s Tisch School of The Arts and is a proud member of United Scenic Artists, Local 829. For more about Stephen, please visit @swgifford1 on Instagram or visit www.stephengifforddesign.com

Gavan Wyrick (Lighting Designer) is an award winning lighting designer, based in Los Angeles. Credits include: The Bauhaus Project, Blood at the Root, Starmites, Anatomy of Gray, A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Open Fist Theatre Company); Accommodation, Remembering the Future, God of Carnage (The Odyssey); Coney Island Land, To The Bone, Let Me In, Driver’s Seat (Theatre 68); Oklahoma!, Damn Yankees, Fiddler on the Roof, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Beauty and the Beast, South Pacific, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (Desert Theatricals); The Addams Family: The Musical (Lewis Family Playhouse); Cinderella, Mary Poppins (Performance Riverside). Web: gavanwyrickdesign.com; Instagram: @gavanwyrickdesign

John Nobori (Sound Designer/Composer) is a California-based sound designer, composer, and ensemble member of Cornerstone Theater Company. His work has been heard in plays produced by such organizations as Pasadena Playhouse and Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Other recent credits include Center Theatre Group’s production of Elliot, A Soldier’s Fugue and South Coast Repertory’s production of Our Town. He has been nominated for several awards for excellence in sound design and is the recipient of an Ovation Award for his work on The Golden Dragon at Boston Court Pasadena. B.A. University of California, Irvine.

Dr. Mehdi Faraji (Cultural Consultant) is a visiting scholar at New York University’s Hagop Kevorkian Center for Near Eastern Studies and a board member of the Association for the Study of Persianate Societies (ASPS). Specializing in Iranian Studies and Cultural Studies, Mehdi holds a PhD from NYU. His research explores the intersection of cultural products, popular culture, and youth culture with state policies in contemporary Iranian history. His scholarly work on Iranian cinema, culture, and politics has been featured in respected outlets, such as Middle East Critique and Cinema Iranica. As a cultural consultant, Mehdi lends his expertise to artistic productions, bringing nuanced perspectives on Iran’s cultural and political landscape to the stage.

Camella Coopilton (Production Stage Manager) holds a BA in Theatre from UC Santa Cruz and a MA in Education from Antioch University, Seattle. Credits include Production Stage Manager for Both/And by Carolyn Ratteray at The Wallis Annenberg/ Boston Court and SHE by Marlow Wyatt at Antaeus Theatre Company. She was the Stage Manager of A Stange Loop by Micheal R. Jackson, Blues for an Alabama Sky by Pearl Cleage and King James by Rajiv Joseph at Center Theatre Group. Her Assistant Stage Manager credits include Two Trains Running by August Wilson at The Matrix. She co-founded Black Stage Everything and Co-Artistic Director of Ammunition Theatre Company.

Jasmine Kalra (Production Manager) is an LA based Stage and Production Manager, working with Live Management Society. She has been enjoying theatre since high school, helping make magic happen. Armed with a BA in Theatre and Production Management, she has worked all around town, and is currently enjoying production managing at Boston Court Pasadena!