The Prize Winners at Interact Theatre Company

Rob Adler (he/him/his) is an actor, director, performance coach, and educator who serves as the Co-Head of the BFA Acting program at The Theatre School at DePaul University in Chicago. He is also the Artistic Director of AdlerImprov, a private acting studio in Los Angeles dedicated to integrating improvisation into scripted performance. As a private coach, Adler has worked with actors, directors, and production companies, including Lionsgate, Disney, FOX, NBC, and ABC. Notably, he served as the on-air acting coach for Disney’s High School Musical: Get in the Picture. Adler writes a regular column offering expert advice for Backstage and has directed numerous acclaimed projects, including the award-winning short films You Too? and iVote, the Chicago premiere of Goosebumps: The Musical for Chicago Playworks, and original plays such as Patriot Act starring Roger Guenveur Smith and Bad Hamlet with LA’s Coin & Ghost. For Interact Theatre Company, Adler directed Clybourne Park, I’m Not Rappaport, and Talley’s Folly for the celebrated Prize Winners Series, and starred in a well-received production of Other People’s Money at the Pico Playhouse. Beyond stage and screen, Adler applies improvisation techniques to diverse fields, coaching medical professionals, business leaders, and community organizations. His acting credits span commercials, television, and feature films. A 2024-25 Wicklander Fellow, Adler continues to explore the intersections of performance, pedagogy, and innovation. Visit www.adlerimprov.com to learn more or schedule a consultation.

Bairton Brown (he/they) is a multiracial filmmaker and theater practitioner. While earning their B.F.A. from DePaul University in Chicago, Bair’s first short, FROM YOUR FORMER LOVER, premiered at the New York Independent Cinema Awards. As their thesis, Bair directed the web series NAOMI & LEVI TAKE ON THE WORLD (2021), which was selected for distribution on Open Television | OTV. While earning their Master’s in Arts & Public Policy from NYU, Bair directed the sold-out world premiere of HOW DARE YOU by Kendra Augustin at Affirmation Theatre, and FINAL GOODBYE by Shaneisha Dodson at Soundscape Theatre. In 2023, Bair completed a Next-Up Playwriting Fellowship at Congo Square Theatre. Brown’s second full-length play, MEMENTO VIVERE, received staged readings at Congo Square Theatre in Chicago, Denver Fringe, & Hollywood Fringe Festival. Bairton returns to Chicago annually as a writer and director for Congo Square’s web series, BLACKSIDE. In Los Angeles, Bair supports Interact as an AD/SM and Dramaturg for Interact’s Pulitzer Prize Winners’ Series. Bair’s Virtual Playwriting course, DEFINING MOMENTS, will launch in Autumn 2024 through their LLC, Stonehaven Studios. Bair’s fist book, BLACKTOPIA, will be published by Syllble Studios on June 3, 2024. An audio series will premiere alongside the books beginning June 7!

Most recently, Heins produced and directed the critically acclaimed Los Angeles premiere of Aaron Posner's "Life Sucks" at the Broadwater Main Stage. The production earned a coveted spot on L.A. Times theater critic Charles McNulty’s Top 9 List of 2023 and received seven nominations from the L.A. Drama Critics Circle, including wins for Best Ensemble and Best Writing–Adaptation. A graduate of The Juilliard School and an alumnus of The Acting Company, Heins has performed on Broadway and Off-Broadway, at leading regional theaters across the U.S., and in both film and television. His notable Los Angeles stage credits include "Much Ado About Nothing" at the Ford Theatre (Drama-Logue Award for Outstanding Performance), ITC's celebrated production of "Counsellor-At-Law" with John Rubinstein (Ovation Award for Best Ensemble), the 2018 ITC revival of Jerry Sterner's "Other People's Money," and the West Coast premiere of Mark Rylance and Louis Jenkins' "Nice Fish." Heins is also an accomplished voice-over artist, lending his talents to everything from film trailers to political ads, and has served as a dialect consultant on Broadway productions and for PBS. He has taught at several professional actor training conservatories, including NYU Tisch School of the Arts/Playwrights Horizons Theater School and SUNY Purchase College. During the summers, Heins serves as executive producer of the company’s summer theater camp for underserved youth, INTERPLAY, which was integrated into the L.A. Department of Cultural Affairs’ five-week Summer Performing Arts Camp (SPAC) in 2023. Heins curates the ITC Play Lab for established local playwrights and has spearheaded four annual staged readings series in partnership with the Los Angeles Public Library’s LA Made cultural enrichment program, where he directed "You Can’t Take It With You," "The Great White Hope," and "Driving Miss Daisy," and performed in "Art." He also produced and directed two impactful short films written by Catherine Butterfield for ITC: "Faultless" and "Just Another Birthday in Bedlam." Both films garnered international recognition, winning multiple awards at prestigious film festivals, including a 2021 Bronze and 2022 Gold Telly Award. These films are available on ITC's official YouTube channel, @InteractTheatreCompanyLosAngeles.

Kristen is thrilled to continue her work with ITC as the new Managing Director. While she is a trained Actor first, Kristen has served as operational support for theatres across the county for the past 15 years. She has also produced, written, and managed multiple productions on stage and film. As a graduate of Cal State University, Northridge with a BA in Theatre Arts and a minor in Chemistry, her well-rounded education has combined her love of theatre with her organizational business skills. After working and studying with multiple theatre companies back east, she returned to Los Angeles to dive further into her roles as an actor and operational consultant, with an emphasis on nonprofit organizations. Kristen has aided in administratively supporting and developing multiple theatre and community programs. Her 20 years of experience in management and hands-on roles in accounting, data analytics, editorial writing, and operations management have created her specialty in working with small businesses and nonprofit organizations to develop business practices and streamline financials. A background in industries outside of the theatre world includes environmental research and services, federal and state government services, manufacturing, and GIS data services.

Margaret Edson lives in Atlanta, Georgia, where she is an elementary school teacher. Between earning degrees in history and literature, she worked in the cancer and AIDS unit of a research hospital. WIT is her first play.

Patrick graduated with a BFA from Depaul Theatre School in Chicago, and currently resides in LA. He is an actor, DJ and music supervisor. Featured in People Magazine, US Magazine, Vogue, Wall Street Journal and listed as one of LA’s top DJs, Patrick performs at high profile events throughout Southern California and around the globe. His DJ clients include Reese Witherspoon, Jim Carrey, Judy Greer, Tribeca Film Festival, Matthew McConaughey, Netflix, Mad Men, Dr. Phil, Jenna Fischer, Sony, Jenny McCarthy, Lisa Marie Presley, William Morris, Joe Mantegna, Showtime, Brooke Shields, Christina Aguilera, Linda Perry, Tom Morello, Dave Grohl, Eva Longoria, Walt Disney, Universal Studios, 20th Century Fox, and Madonna. Patrick performed side by side with Mark Ronson, Galantis and Leon Bridges at Snapchat’s 2017 New Year’s Eve party. He also recently opened for Steve Aoki at a private event in LA. And he performed at Cameron Diaz’ wedding with Lionel Richie and Ryan Adams. Patrick has DJ’d across the world for several destination events, including the Turks & Caicos Islands, Jamaica (w/ Toots & The Maytals), Aspen, Oaxaca, Playa Del Carmen, and Sayulita, as well as performed alongside Bruno Mars for Universal Studio’s “Best Year Ever” party in Cabo. Outside of spinning music, Patrick also works as a Music Supervisor. He is a founding partner with Off The Record Music and worked with Gary Calamar / Go Music (KCRW) where he selects and licenses music for television shows such as True Blood, House, and Dexter, along with several feature films including The Giant Mechanical Man (Jenna Fischer), The Librarian (Marcia Gay Harden), Animals (David Dastmalchian), and All Creatures Here Below (Dastmalchian / Karen Gillian).