I Am An American (via Los Angeles)

The Team

Conceived and directed by Diana Wyenn 
Devised with Ammunition Theatre Company**
Curated and written by Carla Ching, Joy Gregory, Tiana Randall-Quant, and Diana Wyenn

Developed, written, and performed by Derya Derman, Brandon English, Oscar Emmanuel Fabela, Chloe Glassel, Joy Gregory, Edward Hong, Tina Huang, Sammy June, Rachna Khatau, Katharine Means, Jorge-Luis Pallo, and Courtney Sauls

Scenic design by Amanda Knehans
Costume design by Derya Derman
Sound design by Mischa Stanton 
Projection design by Carl(os) Roa
Lighting designed by Chu-Hsuan Chang
Associate direction by Tiana Randall-Quant
Dramaturgy by David Davila
Stage Managed by Chloe Glassel

**The full devising ensemble of artists and writers include: Oscar Avila, Carla Ching, Derya Derman, David Davila, Brandon English, Oscar Emmanuel Fabela, Chris Gardner, Chloe Glassel, Joy Gregory, Edward Hong, Tina Huang, Sammy June, Rachna Khatau, Amanda Knehans, Christopher Larkin, Nelson Lee, Katharine Means, Roxana Ortega, Nicole Pacent, Jorge-Luis Pallo, Lina Patel, Tiana Randall-Quant, Carl(os) Roa, Teddy Alexis Rodriguez PhD, Courtney Sauls, Karen Sours Albisua, and Diana Wyenn

Their Bios

Diana Wyenn (concept, director, curator & writer) is a director, choreographer, and creative producer committed to social justice and artistic innovation. Her work spans theater, opera, and film, exploring themes of trauma, healing, equity, disability, and environmental justice. She has directed and choreographed for prominent organizations in the US and abroad, including Center Theatre Group, LA Phil, Roundabout Theatre Company, Detroit Opera, Malmö Opera, ASU Gammage, and the World Health Organization. A cofounder of Plain Wood Productions and Co-Artistic Director of Ammunition Theatre Company, Wyenn holds a BFA with Honors from NYU. dianawyenn.com

Carla Ching (curator & writer) is a Chinese American native Angeleno who called NYC home for 16 years. Her plays include Rage Play (NNPN Festival of New Plays), Revenge Porn or The Story of a Body (Ammo, O’Neill), Nomad Motel (NNPN Rolling World Premiere; NY Premiere at The Atlantic), The Two Kids That Blow Shit Up (Artists at Play, Theatre Mu), Fast Company (South Coast Rep, EST). Former artistic director of 2g. Kilroys founding member. New Dramatists Alum. Recipient of the The LA New Play Prize and Horton Foote Playwriting Award. TV writing includes I Love Dick, Preacher, Home Before Dark, Mr. + Mrs. Smith. 

Joy Gregory (curator, writer, performer) is a lifelong theater nerd. Member of Ammunition Theatre Company, EST/LA Playwrights Unit, founding member of Chicago’s Lookingglass Theatre Company. Latest play, Saint Megan, was developed in Rogue Machine Theater’s 2025 Playwrights Roundtable. Other plays have been produced in Chicago, Los Angeles and Off-Broadway. Her musical The Shaggs: Philosophy of the World at Playwrights Horizons was nominated for a Drama Critics’ Circle Award and Lucile Lortel for Book and Lyrics of a Musical. Currently show runner for Hallmark series When Calls the Heart. Other TV credits include Madam Secretary, The Resident and Switched At Birth. 

Tiana Randall-Quant (associate director, curator & writer) is a Los Angeles born-and-based performer, producer, and educator whose goal is to create theatre that gives a glimpse into a world full of love, healing, and justice. Her biggest inspirations include Audre Lorde, Josephine Baker, and her sister Jade. She is currently co-Artistic Director of AMMO Theatre, a co-drafter of the new LA ARTS Document, and a co-founder of BLKLST, an organization focused on anti-racism and accountability in Los Angeles Theatre. Check out her current projects at bio.site/t_quant. 

Derya Derman (deviser, writer, performer, and costume designer) is a Turkish American multi-hyphenate artist, writer, performer, and designer. She holds a BFA from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. Derman recently performed her solo show, CHICKEN, and the Geffen space at MOCA in DTLA with Sorority Theatre Company. She designed and executed the costumes, hair, and makeup for, as well as appeared in, Next Exit, Mali Elfman’s feature that premiered at Tribeca Film Festival and is currently available to stream on several platforms. 

Brandon English (deviser, writer & performer) is a multi-hyphenate artist with a passion for bold, heart-centered storytelling. Recent theatre credits include Comfort: A New Musical (LATC), March (Playwrights Arena), and The Inheritance (Geffen Playhouse). He is proud to originate the role of Libertad in The Butterfly of Chula Vista, developed at San Diego Rep, LA LGBT Center, Artists at Play, Bindlestiff Studio, and Circa Pintig. As a voice actor, he can be heard in English dubs on Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, and Prime Video. IG: @brandonuniverse | brandonenglish.net

Oscar Emmanuel Fabela (deviser, writer & performer) is a Mexican-American actor and producer from South Texas, and a proud Scholar and Legacy Artist of the National Hispanic Foundation for the Arts. After graduating from UCLA and BADA in Oxford, he was most recently awarded the Golden Globes Acting Fellowship, and has served as an Actor and/or Writer for theater companies like The Guthrie Theater, The Latino Theater Company, and La Jolla Playhouse. You can also hear Oscar’s voiceover work on platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Audible. When not performing, Oscar teaches acting at UCLA’s School of Theatre, Film, and Television. @oefabela | oscarfabela.com

Chloe Glassel (deviser, writer, performer & stage manager) is primarily an actor, but also happens to be a stage manager. She is resettling in LA and is refocusing her efforts to tell meaningful stories with meaningful people. She studied acting for film and television in college, starring in a number of short films. Chloe has worked with Netflix, the Hollywood Fringe Festival, and began her work with AMMO in 2022, joining as a company member this year. IG:@chloeglassel

Edward Hong (deviser, writer & performer) is a Korean American artist and theatre critic for the Nerds Of Color who constantly obsesses over Cinnabons, watermelons, and is the proud father of his beloved feline fur babies. He's been on a gaggle of primetime TV shows, indie films, video games, commercials, plays, has dubbed over his own people in a variety of Netflix & Disney+ shows, and other miscellaneous things that help pay for his gluttonous addiction. He is currently repped by Ellis Talent Group and Mills Kaplan Entertainment.

Tina Huang (deviser, writer & performer) is a Taiwanese American actor, writer, producer, and director raised in New York’s Chinatown. A graduate of NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, she’s known for her roles as Melinda Trask on Days of Our Lives (Peacock) and Susie Chang on Rizzoli & Isles (TNT), and has appeared in numerous acclaimed television series and films. A member of IAMA Theatre Company, Tina also co-founded Ammunition Theatre Company and 1:1 Productions, dedicated to uplifting women of color in film. A Hedgebrook Fellow, her award-winning short XIN screened widely. Her work aims to celebrate identity, resilience, and authentic voices. tinahuang.com  IG: @TinaHuang381

Sammy June (deviser, writer & performer; they/she) has had the pleasure of performing in many different capacities in their 11 years in LA, including: playing Scout in Sorority Theatre’s “Lesbian Love Octagon,” Becca in Greenway Court’s “Herland,” performing for Public Assembly and Rogue Machine Theatre, various Drag King performances and much more. June is thrilled to be a new member of AMMO Theatre Company, and ends by exclaiming: Eat the dessert! Get out into nature! And long live the stage!!

Rachna Khatau (deviser, writer & performer) is an actor known for her recurring roles as Sondra on Baby Daddy (Freeform) and Principal Karen on Bizaardvark (Disney), as well as appearances on The Big Bang Theory (CBS) and Didn't Die, directed by Meera Menon, which premiered at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival. She has performed on stage with East West Players, South Coast Rep, and TheatreWorks. Rachna is currently co-producing the feature Days with Dandekar and the documentary Welcome to Tool Shed. She is also a published writer (Good Girls Marry Doctors) and co-founder of South Asian Happy Hour. IG @RachnaKhatau 

Katharine Means (deviser, writer & performer) is a Los Angeles raised actor and theatermaker. She holds a BFA in Acting from CalArts. She has worked with Center Theatre Group, IAMA Theatre Company, South Coast Rep, Ojai Playwrights Conference, Celebration Barn/Bill Irwin and more. Member: Ammunition Theatre Company. IG: @meanskatharine

Jorge-Luis Pallo (deviser, writer & performer) is an actor, director, and educator with 86+ film and TV credits, including Cry Macho and The Secret Life of the American Teenager. His work spans television, film, commercials, voiceover, video games, and theatre. An NYU Tisch alum, he belongs to Ammunition Theatre Company and InHouse Theatre Company. Stage highlights: Jackie in The Motherfucker with the Hat; Trauma Play with IAMA Theatre Company; directing for The Blank Theatre. Through JLP Acting Company, he coaches artists to sharpen craft and own their voice. More at jorgeluispallo.com Follow @JLP.Acting.Co. IG

Courtney Sauls (deviser, writer & performer) is an actor, writer, and podcast host raised in Houston, Tx. After receiving her BFA at Tisch School of the Arts, she moved to Los Angeles where she joined IAMA Theatre Company and has collaborated on many projects. She’s also a proud member of the Ammunition Theatre Company. She’s known for her roles as Brooke on Dear White People (Netflix) and Carolyn on The Chi (Showtime). Other roles include: Brockmire (IFC) and Bad Hair (Hulu). She co-founded her own podcast, The Universe Called, conjoining topics of yoga and astrology. Season 2 premieres this week on all platforms. IG:

Amanda Knehans (devisor & scenic design) is a Los Angeles based designer for theatre and film.  Theatre credits include Crabs in a Bucket, Poor Clare, and The Wolves (The Echo), A Midsummer Night's Dream and As You Like It (Off Square Theatre), and Year of the Rooster and Welcome to the White Room (Theatre of Note).  Film credits include Art Director on Paradise (Hulu), George and Tammy (Showtime), Barry (HBO), The Santa Clauses (Disney), and Purple Hearts (Netflix).  Amanda is a member of the Art Directors Guild and USA 829. 

Mischa Stanton (sound design) is a storyteller in sound. Xe has designed & directed intricate worlds for theater, film, animation, immersive events, and an absolute hoard of podcasts & audio. Xe is the creator & showrunner of Ars Paradoxica and The Wandering Path, and also hosts Simple and Clean: A Kingdom Hearts Podcast. For more of xyr work: mischastanton.com

Carl(os) Roa (deviser & projection design) is a writer-designer who uses live performance and digital media to craft narratives featuring the marginalized within the marginalized, and alternative communities living alternative lives. Their work has been featured in American Theatre Magazine, HowlRound Theatre Commons, The Wilma Theater, UCLA School of Theater, CultureHub, and Painted Bride. They’ve received fellowships with the Sewanee Writers Conference and Philadelphia Young Playwrights. Currently, they teach playwriting at UCLA. Website: carlparenthesisos.com; IG: @carlparenthesisos

Chu-Hsuan Chang (lighting design) is a Los Angeles based lighting artist working in live performance, and installation. In addition to lighting, Chu-hsuan’s passions include puppeteering, puppet design and lighting instrument design. chuhsuanchang.com

David Davila (deviser & dramaturg) is a writer and performer from South Texas. Winner of the New American Voices National Playwriting Award, the Smith Prize for Political Theatre, the Kennedy Center New Musical Theatre Award, and National Latinx Playwriting Award his work stands at the intersection of queer culture and mestizaje ranging from plays and musicals to poetry and stand-up comedy. He serves as Assistant Professor of Playwriting at Loyola Marymount University. daviddavila.net