Ilan Weisbrod (he/they) is a Brooklyn-based writer, translator, and performer whose work straddles the personal, the diasporic, and the sensuous. At Catwalk, he will search—whether in archives or imagination—for traces of Bessie Maud, a forgotten Yiddish puppeteer. Ilan’s performances, often rich with klezmer and gender play, have appeared in Paris, Maine, and other incognito locales. He is currently translating his first full-length poetry book and invites others into his work through occasional updates via @poetgarage and editorial contributions to the Columbia Journal. 

@poetgarage

Affiliation: Columbia

Christen Smith (she/her) is a multimodal artist and animation faculty member at NYU Tisch School of the Arts. Through meticulous frame-by-frame drawing, Christen explores unseen movement and layered emotion. Her immersive installation “Blessed Are Those Who Are Angry” received a 2024 NYFA grant. During her Catwalk residency, she is developing a new site-specific experiential animation inspired by the ecological and cultural histories embedded in the Hudson River Valley.

www.christensmith.com @contemplative.uppercut

Affiliation: NYU

Miranda Mazariegos is a Guatemalan writer and translator with a background in narrative journalism and radio. Her collaborations include work with NPR’s Radio Ambulante, Throughline, and All Things Considered. A magna cum laude graduate of USC and MFA alumna from Columbia University, Miranda brings a literary sensitivity to politics, culture, and identity. At Catwalk, she is focused on completing a collection of essays exploring language and love.

mirandamazariegos.com @miranda.mazariegos

Affiliation: Columbia

Sam Osheroff is an actor, writer, and director on the faculty of Penn State’s School of Theatre. With a resume spanning regional and New York theater, Sam brings a global sensibility shaped by experiences with Bread and Puppet in Argentina and Brazil. At Catwalk, he is completing a theatrical script centered on the Herrin Massacre—one of the bloodiest labor conflicts in U.S. history. Drawing from family connections to the 1922 coal strike, Sam’s work reflects on exploitation, inequality, and the personal echoes of historical trauma.
samosheroff.com

Affiliation: Penn State

As lead artist of kipsy + the pirates + the great water always in motion, morgan mcnaught (they/them) draws inspiration from the Poughkeepsie river monster and Hudson Valley lore. Their hybrid performance practice explores theatrical mythmaking with a sharp eye for culture and collaboration. Past work includes contributions to The Fly Honey Show, The Wender Collective, and more.

morganmcnaught.com

@theeternalscout

Affiliation: Columbia

In kipsy + the pirates + the great water always in motion, Liz helps reimagine regional lore through language, embodiment, and ritual. Based between New York and Toronto, Liz is known for performances that examine power structures and theatrical form, often through collective processes and immersive staging.

lizpeterson.org

@lil_mo_pete

Affiliation: Columbia

Liv’s role in kipsy + the pirates + the great water always in motion brings theatrical magic to life through costumes, props, and public acts of joy. With experience across Broadway, drag, dance, and indie theater, Liv builds immersive experiences that spark collective imagination.

lizpeterson.org

@lil_mo_pete

Affiliation: Columbia