The BLENDers
We are a combination of local artists that support BLEND's vision.
Darius J. Manuel
Executive Artistic Director Darius J. Manuel is a Senior BFA Musical Theatre Major at The University of the Arts in Philadelphia and was last seen as General Harrison Howell in "Kiss Me, Kate" (2014) at the Merriam Theatre. As Founder/Executive Artistic Director of BLEND Theatrics, he wrote and directed "Pretty Hurts!" A Beyoncé Jukebox Musical which raved audiences around the city of Philadelphia. He is an Alumni of the Fort Lauderdale Children's Theatre in Fort Lauderdale, Florida where he has been heavily involved in Performance & Artistic aspects of theatre. Directing Credit: Home For The Holidays (Director), Off I Go... (Director/Choreographer) Disney's Peter Pan (Co-Director), The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (Director), "Pretty Hurts" (Director), Cupid's Café (Conceiver/Director), Snow White The Musical (Director) and The Magical Land of Oz (Director), The Miss Firecracker Contest (Director). Additional Artistic Credits:"Pippin" (Choreographer), Any Moment Now (Conceiver). |
Onya Russell
Production Manager
Onya Russell is a Junior Acting Major at The University of the Arts. She has been involved in two productions here to far. Onya has also had the opportunity to serve as Asst. Director for "Pretty Hurts!" A Beyoncé Jukebox Musical which was an original musical Produced by BLEND Theatrics. She is excited and thankful for the learning opportunities that BLEND ignites in other artist. She also is very excited to help produce new and innovative work that currently stands as virgins to the stages of our audience members. She has been heavily involved in the production and creative aspects of many different theatrical ventures both in High School and College and is standing as a warrior and ambassador for new and creative art that allows students to have the chance to truly create!
Production Manager
Onya Russell is a Junior Acting Major at The University of the Arts. She has been involved in two productions here to far. Onya has also had the opportunity to serve as Asst. Director for "Pretty Hurts!" A Beyoncé Jukebox Musical which was an original musical Produced by BLEND Theatrics. She is excited and thankful for the learning opportunities that BLEND ignites in other artist. She also is very excited to help produce new and innovative work that currently stands as virgins to the stages of our audience members. She has been heavily involved in the production and creative aspects of many different theatrical ventures both in High School and College and is standing as a warrior and ambassador for new and creative art that allows students to have the chance to truly create!
Kayla Slade-Bowers
Business Manager Kayle Slade-Bowers is a Senior Dance Major at the University of the Arts. Having attend Bishop McDevitt High School and Capital Area School of the Arts, performing arts isn't foreign to her. Involved with her school musicals as dance captain for all three years along with study of Dance and Gymnastic, she knows the arts backward and forward. For the past sixteen years, she has trained, performed, and traveled with her dancing school. She performed in Performing Arts Alliance Competition, took numerous Master class in New York and won numerous awards in dance across the state of Pennsylvania. Her Choreography can be seen in several pieces for a local show done in her home town Harrisburg Pennsylvania, Martin Luther King Jr showcase from the past six years. |
Yu'Seph Cornish
Producing Director
Yu'seph Cornish currently attends The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey, majoring in Theatrical Production Design and minoring in Dance. He is ecstatic yet humbled to begin his journey with BLEND Theatrics. He is also very fortunate to be on the team of New Cavern Productions too, both being brand new fully operated student ran theatre companies catering to the theatre of today. Yu'seph has choreographed over fifteen Dance Theatre projects that including full scale musicals and Choreo. Projects. He has recently designed up to five musical productions that including "Pretty Hurts!" and plans to do much more on the future!
Producing Director
Yu'seph Cornish currently attends The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey, majoring in Theatrical Production Design and minoring in Dance. He is ecstatic yet humbled to begin his journey with BLEND Theatrics. He is also very fortunate to be on the team of New Cavern Productions too, both being brand new fully operated student ran theatre companies catering to the theatre of today. Yu'seph has choreographed over fifteen Dance Theatre projects that including full scale musicals and Choreo. Projects. He has recently designed up to five musical productions that including "Pretty Hurts!" and plans to do much more on the future!