THE LAST – PHARAOH Industry Workshop Set for NYC SoHo Loft
The workshop will feature performers Natasha Diamond-Walker as Cleopatra, Brandin Steffensen as Caesar, and more.
The Atelier SBB will present an industry salon sharing of THE LAST - PHARAOH, a new immersive theatrical work led by producer/director/choreographer Stefanie Batten Bland and director/choreographer Leslie Kraus, in NYC June 4-5, 2026.
THE LAST - PHARAOH reimagines the story of Cleopatra as a modern-day American political thriller, and large-scale audience-agency immersive show. Tracing her story from the death of her father Ptolemy VIII through her own ascent to power and ultimate end, THE LAST - PHARAOH reincarnates Cleopatra through the lens of Black feminist power and authorship. Cleopatra is not a distant icon of history, but a living force: embodied, strategic, seductive, and fully in command of her narrative.
The invitation-only salon sharing offers an early glimpse into the development of the piece as the creative team prepares for a larger-scale workshop and future production.
The project is currently being developed through The Atelier SBB, Batten Bland's interdisciplinary arts and producing platform.
The workshop will take place in a historic SoHo loft - one of the few remaining artist-owned buildings in the neighborhood held by a Black mixed artist family - providing an intimate culturally resonant environment for the work's next phase of exploration.
A celebrated interdisciplinary artist, Stefanie Batten Bland has presented work internationally at venues and festivals across Europe, Africa, and the United States. She defends immersive theatre as a cover artist of Dance Magazine directed events at the McKittrick Hotel for Emursive, was Casting & Movement Director for Life & Trust, pioneered the techniques that created her role as Performance & Identity liaison for Sleep No More and runs the immersive theatre summer intensive CONCRETE in New York City.
The workshop will feature performers Natasha Diamond-Walker as Cleopatra, Brandin Steffensen as Caesar, Maleek Washington as Mark Antony, Sophie Bortolussi as Cicera, Miguel Anaya as Ptolemy VIII, Joy-Marie Thompson as Arsinoë, Junyla Silmon as Charmain, Miriam Hermina as Iras, and Miguel Miranda as Brutus.
The creative team also includes music director Daniel Bernard Roumain, scenic designer Ashely Setzler, and Costume Designer Shane Ballard.
The project brings together collaborators from across immersive theater, dance, movement, installation, and performance disciplines, with continued development planned throughout 2026. Industry members interested in requesting an invitation can email rsvp@theateliersbb.org.
Videos
