Cohort — the Frame

Brent Thomas Whiteside’s (they/he) Midwest upbringing, combined with being born queer into three generations of pastors, profoundly shapes their artistic practice. Working across poetry, theatre, film, and visual media, they explore faith, morality, and the supernatural through dark, surreal landscapes. Tracing and reckoning with ancestry, Brent Thomas blends the sacred with the profane and transforms what is traditionally damned into something divine
At the core of their practice is a commitment to enlarging how Black history is witnessed and carried forward. With an emphasis on preserving Black queer life—of family, place, belief, and the stories that persist. Whether writing plays, creating site-responsive performances, or documenting through photography or film, they approach projects as a way of transforming personal and collective memory into living archives.
Brent Thomas has received support from fellowships, residencies, and artistic organizations across poetry, theatre, and film. Alongside their independent practice, they have worked extensively in documentary and media production, contributing to projects spanning broadcast, independent film, and commercial storytelling.

Alexa Spiegel is a theatre & comedy freelance producer who specializes in assisting up and coming artists. She also serves as the Assistant Programming Director of 54 Below, curating the 2020 and 2025 versions of The New Writers At 54! Series and Verses and Voices program, and producing the 10th Anniversary Concert of the Tony winning A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder. She recently was the Assistant to the Conceiver on the Off-Broadway run of The Jonathan Larson Project.
Alexa has also worked in varying capacities with other theatre companies around New York, Co-Executive Producing SheNYC’s Summer Festival, Associate Producing Ars Nova Supra's Production Of The (Virtual) Wildness, and Line Producing SheNYC's Off-Broadway production of Chasing Grace. She most recently brought the play Rip Her to Shreds to Underbelly at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Alexa cannot wait to work with the FRAME!

Samantha (Sam) Littleford is a NYC-based performer and choreographer, originally from San Diego, CA. With a BFA in Musical Theatre from Penn State University, she has performed at renowned regional theaters such as The MUNY, The Goodspeed Opera House, The Old Globe, and The Indianapolis Symphony. Sam brings the same rigor and artistry to her choreographic work and has served as choreographer and associate on regional and national tour productions. She is deeply passionate about straddling both the performance and creative sides of production, finding that each informs and elevates the other. Sam is a founding member and dance teacher for BroadwayVox, a NYC-based company dedicated to reshaping musical theatre education and training—work that reflects her genuine love for building community within the industry. www.samanthalittleford.com @samanthalittleford

Nic Cory most recently developed, directed and produced Cecilia Gentili’s Red Ink off-Broadway and in Edinburgh, receiving a GLAAD Media Award in 2025. Other projects include producing Triple Threat off-Broadway; serving as Associate Producer on Anything’s Possible, Billy Porter’s directorial debut for MGM,; The Lightning Thief (Associate Director, Broadway and 1st National Tour); The Purists; The Life; And Just Like That; and La Finta Giardiniera at his alma mater, CMU. At the start of the pandemic, he directed Michael Urie in a livestream of Buyer & Cellar, which raised over $300,000 for BC/EFA. He was VP of Creative Development at Traverse32 and maintains an active acting coaching business in New York. www.niccory.com