STAFF
Glynnis Nadelbaum
(she/her)
Artistic and Development Director
Glynnis is Philadelphia based theater artist and administrator. She received a B.A. in Theatre from Bates College in Lewiston, ME, where she founded a small theater company and partnered with the Lewiston Public Library to start an annual free "Shakespeare Week." In 2017 she relocated to Philadelphia to join the Arden Professional Apprentice Class 25, and has since fallen deeply in love with this city. She is currently also the Director of Warrior Writers, a national veterans focused arts non profit, dedicated to supporting veterans in the discovery of the arts as a transformative tool. She also works for Philadelphia Young Playwrights, and freelances at theaters across the city.
Autumn Storm Blalock
(she/her)
Managing Director
Autumn Storm Blalock is an interdisciplinary artist and Theater for Health (TfH) researcher originally from Capitol Heights, MD. A published playwright and scholar, her most recent works examine the way that Black people are visually interpreted onstage. Her work in theater scholarship has been recognized by the Association for Theatre in Higher Education (ATHE) among others. When she is not contributing to the literature Autumn is an administrator and dramaturg. Her recent credits include serving as dramaturg for Eagle Theater's production of "Water by the Spoonful" and Inis Nua Theatre’s production of "Nine Night". She is passionate about creative communication received her Masters degree in Theater and a certification in Nonprofit Management in 2022 from Villanova University.
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Emily Cross
(she/her)
General Manager
Emily Cross is a Philadelphia based arts administrator and technical theater artist. She got bit by the theatre bug at a young age, performing and eventually teching with Methacton Community Theater in Collegeville, PA. She graduated from Temple University in 2016 with a degree in film & media arts, and currently works as an administrative assistant for the tech department of the School District of Springfield Township in Montgomery County. She also enjoys working as a tech director for the theatre program at St Hubert Catholic High School for Girls, encouraging young women to become interested in the technical aspects of theatre.
Sophie Strachan
(she/her)
Website and Design Specialist
Sophie is a New Jersey-based artist, designer, and administrator that strives to make a positive impact on the world through her work. She creates embroidery art and illustrations and offers design services for non-profits and small businesses. Sophie received her Master’s Degree in Museum Exhibition Planning + Design from the University of the Arts and continually looks for ways to learn and grow. She has experience in numerous fields of study and uses her collection of skills to contribute to meaningful missions. She is currently the Workshop and Team Administrator for a Nonprofit called RAFT: Resilience for Advocates through Foundational Training.
Bryant Edwards
(he/him)
Marketing Manager
Bryant Edwards is a Philadelphia based theatre artist, producer, and non-profit marketer. He comes to Philadelphia by way of a very small town in southern Delaware. He graduated from the University of Pittsburgh in 2014 with degrees in Theatre Arts and Political Science before relocating to Philadelphia to work as an apprentice at the Arden Theatre Company. Since then he has freelanced as a teaching artist, worked as a digital marketer, and started Theatre Contra, a local theater group. Currently, he is the Marketing and Events Coordinator at DMAX Foundation, a mental health non-profit. When not scheduling social media or pulling email data, he’s usually raving about how everyone should watch Survivor or he’s petting his cat, Millie.
FOUNDERS
Christine Petrini (she/her)
Co-Founder
Christine Petrini is a performer/writer/teaching artist/arts administrator in the Philadelphia region. She has an MA theatre and a certificate in nonprofit management from Villanova University. She studied musical theatre at The Catholic University of America and earned her BA in communications and theatre from Temple University. Christine writes and performs interactive music theater for kids with the Big Idea Committee. She sings for cabarets and special events and has appeared on stage in her one-woman musical, I Can Dress Myself (2016 DNC, Villanova Theatre, Ritz Theatre), as a vocalist at Tokyo Disney Resort. As a theatre teaching artist and children’s musician, Christine is committed to promoting the value of arts education. She is the Program Director for Lyceum Studio for the Performing Arts, a theatre arts education program in her hometown of Burlington, NJ. Also, she teaches and directs for West Chester Studio for the Performing Arts. Christine is a proud arts advocate with a particular commitment to women+ artists, parent artists and youth. As Co-Founder and Managing Director of Philadelphia Women’s Theatre Festival, Christine is committed to creating opportunities for women+ in theatre as storytellers and valued creative thinkers. She has a great love for collaboration, theatre-making and arts for social change.
Polly Rose Edelstein (she/her)
Co-Founder
Polly Rose Edelstein has been living and working in the Philadelphia region for the past five years. She works as a freelance theater director, teaching artist, and administrator and currently resides in West Philadelphia. Polly received her BFA in Theatre Arts from Stephens College for Women in Columbia, MO. She is also a graduate of the Masters of Arts in Theatre with a Certificate in Nonprofit Management program at Villanova University where she worked as a graduate assistant for two years. She has been a featured speaker at Villanova’s TEDx event (Theatre Beyond Theater), the Philadelphia Theatre Research Symposium, and the Villanova Showcase. Other organizations Polly has worked with include: Columbia Gorge Repertory Theatre, InterAct Theatre Company, Steel River Playhouse, Theatre Horizon, the Darlington Arts Center, East Coast Recording, International Ballet Classique, Old Academy Players, The Pub Theater and Crack the Glass Theatre Company.