YU DELEGATES
Ehud B.
Ehud has been with Youth Underground and the Central Square Theater for two years! His favorite projects he has worked on include Yet to Come and The Future I Want. His favorite part of this process was bringing certain important topics to light that are often overlooked, and the community he found here.
Christina
This is Christina’s first year with Central Square Theater and Youth Underground! She is from Boston, MA. Her favorite thing that she’s done is performing with her dance team at her school’s Junior Varieties show each year! Through this process, Christina has learned how to convey emotion through expressions and body movements, and how sometimes what someone says isn’t always how they feel and how body language can showcase that. She is excited to perform in a show about a topic that is very relevant in today’s society, especially with teens and within the rise of social media.
Cady Seaton
Cady Seaton (she/her) is excited to be a returning Youth Underground delegate! Cady has loved being in and watching theatre for many years. When not doing theater, Cady can be found (or lost) in a book, writing books and poetry, researching stories about activists and changemakers, or eating chocolate. Cady lives with her parents, older brother, pet rabbit, many chickens, and a fish.
Tariquito McBarnette
Hello everybody! My name is Tariquito McBarnette. I was born in Barbados and raised in Grenada. I love staying active and having fun, especially playing volleyball, soccer, swimming, biking, and exploring the outdoors. When I’m not outside, you can usually find me watching anime, playing video games, or spending time with my friends. I enjoy creativity, meeting new people, and having new experiences. I’m excited to be part of the Youth Underground community.
Damarah W.
Damarah has been with YU and Central Square Theater since Summer of 2025! She is from Cambridge, MA. She is excited to work with the rest of the ensemble and to see how they connect with each other!
Grayson Herrera
This is Grayson’s first year with CST and YU! He is originally from Malden, MA. His favorite production he’s been in is his school’s production of Alice in Wonderland, where he played the King of Hearts and The White Knight. He was also on the costume team for that show. Through working on this show, he has learned how to listen more actively and discovered the importance of considering all sides of a story. He is excited for the audience to see what they have all prepared, and thinks that youth mental health is a very important topic to discuss. Also, he thinks dinosaurs are cool!
Ella Wang
Ella is honored to be part of the YU 26 Delegates program! She started doing theater in first grade and it has evolved into a deep passion of hers. Some of her favorite roles are Hippolyta (SASC’s Production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream), The White Witch (The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe: The Musical!), and Mole (A Year with Frog and Toad). In addition to acting, Ella also enjoys playwriting, directing, choreography, and costume designing. Endless gratitude for her mom and grandparents!
Lorelai Leif Ticona Johnson
This is Lorelai’s second year with CST and YU! They are from Somerville, Massachusetts. She has enjoyed any moment that they’ve been able to create with their friends. Something Lorelai has learned from this process is the prospect of sharing his feelings to be converted into emotional acting.
Ashlyn
Ashlyn has been with CST/YU for the past 2 years! She is from Boston, MA. Her favorite show she has worked on is last year’s Preparing for the Future, which she enjoyed every part of! Through this year, she has learned how acting brings people together, and when different personalities intertwine while acting it makes her very joyful to work on the show.
Sean Wendelken
Sean returns to Central Square Theater in an upcoming production with Youth Underground, a program he considers his artistic home. His previous YU credits include Enough! A Call for Help, The Future in an Uncertain World, and Confronting Gun Violence. Most recently, Sean appeared on the CST Mainstage, originating the role of Gus in the world premiere of The Moderate. Sean plays musical theater and chamber music on piano with Brookline music school in his spare time.
Zoë Adams-Martin
Eclipse Leaf
YU AMBASSADORS
Liv Cunha
Liv Cunha is wicked excited to work with Central Square Theater and be a Youth Underground Ambassador! Liv is a Boston based actor from the Quiet Corner of Connecticut. She has her Bachelor’s Degree in Musical Theatre and has been doing theatre for fifteen years. Her favorite credits include Trevor (“The Play That Goes Wrong”), Jenny (“Mr. Burns, a Post-Electric play), and the Ensemble of “The Rocky Horror Show”, which she has done three times! She wants to thank everyone in her life that has been supportive. For love, with love. livcunha.com
Mabel White
Mabel White is an actor and playwright who seeks to bring heartfelt theatre to intergenerational audiences. She is ecstatic to be making her Central Square debut with Youth Underground! Mabel got her B.F.A in Contemporary Theatre from Boston Conservatory at Berklee, and works as a teaching artist at Wheelock Family Theatre. Recent credits include “Horseplay” at Fork & Shoe, and “Earthling” at United Solo Theatre Festival, for which she was awarded the title for Best Emerging Artist (2024).
Kinsaed Damaine
Kinsaed has been with Central Square Theater and YU since December of 2025! He is from Boston, MA. His favorite show he has worked on so far is Inventing Samanta. This is Kinsaed’s first time acting as an adult on stage, and the first time he has been able to develop the script that he’s interpreting. He’s learned to polish his stage presence because of the minimal set and is finding new ways to pull the audience’s focus. He is excited to help kids learn while he is performing, as younger audiences make him feel like he is performing for his younger siblings! He has been acting since kindergarten, and has performed in A Doll’s House (Huntington Theatre). His senior year high school theatre troupe also made it to the METG Finals with an original play (Ash to a Flame).
Carly Mentis
This is Carly’s first year with CST/YU! She is from Abington, MA. Her favorite show she has worked on is an original play, The Loyals, which was workshopped and done at Emerson College. She is excited to be part of a production that is shedding light on young adult mental health.
Rachel Gerhard
Rachel Gerhard is an actor and playwright living in the Boston area. She has been performing in shows ever since she was a young child, and has added playwriting to her skillset during her time at The New School University. She graduated in 2024 with a Bachelor of Fine arts in the Dramatic Arts. Most recently, Rachel has been Martha in a production of Heathers: The Musical, and Elizabeth in an original work called Phantasmagoria. The latter was a devised piece, created from the ground up by her and eight other actors/playwrights. It was a wonderful experience in collaborating with other artists, and learning about all facets of how a show gets built. Off the stage, she also works as a production manager for a music organization, and as a teaching artist, teaching acting to elementary school children.
Jessica Lin
This is Jessica’s first year with CST/YU! She is originally from Long Island, NY. Her favorite thing she has worked on has been doing technical design for her college Glee Club’s original musical, Ex-Spell-ed. She is excited to be joining this community and highlighting stories of youth mental health. In preparing for this show, she has been diving into character work by revisiting my old high school journal to remember the raw and, oftentimes, uncomfortable feelings of navigating teenage years. As she is connecting to the themes of the show, she is reflecting on my own past experiences through a new lens. She has primarily done theatre behind the scenes, including set, lighting/sound, props, costumes, and stage management, so she is very excited and grateful for the opportunity to be making my debut on stage!
Noah Maitland
Noah Maitland is a third-year Theatre and Performance BFA candidate at Emerson College. He is an actor, singer, poet, playwright, musician, and ‘strong mover’. Recent works include: Elijah in Grey Eye (Rex Theatre), Subway Ghost in Ghost the Musical (Norwood Theatre), Romeo in Verona Falls (The Footlight Club), and, most recently, he performed as a soloist in the second Idle Hands Festival (Idle Hands Theatre Co.)
Chris Magee
YU Festival Production Team
Kourtney Adams – Delegates Director
Kortney Adams, Director of Education and Community Initiatives (she/her), has been working as an actor, director, and teaching artist in Boston since 2002. Before becoming a theater artist, Kortney was a practicing environmental engineer, and holds BS and MS degrees from Washington University and MIT. In addition to performing on professional stages throughout New England, Kortney has also appeared in numerous films, television and radio spots, and educational videos. In recent years, Kortney’s performed in CST’s Young Nerds of Color, Ada and the Engine, Harriet Jacobs, and From Orchids to Octopi. Kortney was formerly Artistic Director of Deana’s Educational Theater Company, Associate Director of Education for Wheelock Family Theatre, and Associate Director for City Stage Co. of Boston, where she co-directed the professional performances on KidStage at the Boston Children’s Museum. She is also the Managing Director of Theatre Espresso, which uses Theatre in Education to introduce young people to issues of social justice and the law.
Enisa – Delegates Stage Manager
Ensia has been with YU and CST for 3 years! She was a delegate in the 2023-2024 year and is now the stage manager for the delegates this year. She grew up in Medford originally, but moved to Arlington and then ended up in Cambridge! Her favorite piece she has worked on is Inventing Samanta, and has found it to be the most challenging for her acting-wise. She was also in In the Heights at Wheelock Family Theatre and had an amazing experience. She has watched everyone evolve and become more comfortable with each other, and it has been an amazing twelve weeks! She has watched the kids grow as well as growing herself, as she has heard different voices and perspectives on the topic. She is very grateful for the staff, and would like to thank Kortney and Shalom for making the room more alive and being so inspiring!
Shalom – Assistant Delegate Teacher
I am an Assistant Teacher at CST, where I support delegates as they explore the topics of mental health. I enjoy helping create a welcoming environment where delegates feel encouraged to think deeper and grow.
Vincent Siders – Ambassadors Director
Gabriela Tovar-Borghini – Playwriting Fellow
Emit Solomon – Ambassador Stage Manager
Emit is excited to be stage managing the YU festival ambassadors for the second year in a row. They have an undergraduate degree in Theatre Arts from Clark University and are currently getting their masters in Performing Arts Leadership and Management at Shenandoah University. They work at Angier After School Program in Newton where among other responsibilities, they teach student stage managers in the theatre program. Other assistant stage management/stage management credits include Urinetown (Clark University), When The Mind’s Free (Real Live Theatre), and Honk! (Open Door Theater).
Megan Amato – Ambassadors Assistant Stage Manager
Originally from Long Island, Megan is a junior at Boston University double-majoring in Film and Journalism with a minor in theater. She is somewhat of a theatrical jack-of-all-trades as you can find her on both sides of the footlights with a love for technical direction, production design, and production management as well as an affinity for a bit of acting, singing, and dancing at times. She is more than pleased to work on the Youth Underground program and is delighted to be apart of Central Square Theatre group! You can find her spreading the joy of Shakespeare to college students as the proud president of the Boston University Shakespeare Society! Instagram: @themeganamato | Art – @meganwuzhere
YU SUMMER DELEgates
Anicha G.
Cameron P.
Chelisa F.
Damarah W.
Ditiya (Sandy) D.
E.B.
Giselle M.
Heaven A.
Huck N.
JJ N.
Mandy L.
Matthew M.
Mika D.
Naelise D.
Victoria W.
Zayan A.
YU Production Team
VINCENT ERNEST SIDERS – YU Director & Lead Teaching Artist
GABRIELA TOVAR-BORGHINI – YU Playwriting Fellow
DESIREE SALVO – YU Production Stage Manager
INEZ RICCIUTI – YU Teaching Assistant
ENISA BENNETT – YU Teaching Assistant
REBECCA GRAVES – YU Playwriting Assistant & Education Intern