Mya is an Assistant Professor and Co-Coordinator of the BFA Acting program. She teaches acting, directing, voice, movement, and Shakespeare. She is inspired to cultivate brave & consent-based acting spaces. Her training with Intimacy Coordinators of Color, Theatrical Intimacy Education, and Intimacy Directors & Coordinators has provided a strong foundation in nurturing inclusive and diverse ensembles. You may have seen her perform recently in The Barn Dinner Theatre's (Greensboro) production of Black Nativity. And you can see her this summer in Rhinleap's (Asheboro) production of Dontrell, Who Kissed the Sea. "It is my honor to aid actors in their examination of the human condition as they journey through the world of a play. Nottage examines the misconceptions of individuals based on their race and cultural background. Oscar's desire to advance his economic position is mocked by Tracey when she says, 'I don't care about his sorry story, so what he's got an apartment filled with seventeen relatives that gotta eat. I'm tired of their shit.' Her assumptions are rooted in white supremacist ideology and ignorant sterotypes. Nottage exposes the danger of this type of group think; it is deadly. My experience directing SWEAT has taught me so much about the perceptions humans carry into a space. The work we do requires a level of vulnerablility by all collaborators on a production from the actors, director, designers, stage managers, etc. We are ALL opening ourselves up to a process that demands truth and rejects deception. Real recognizes real, and if you enter this space denying your inner truth you have missed the point entirely. Cynthia says it best when she states 'I didn't expect you to understand, babe. You don't know what it's been like to walk in my shoes. I've absorbed a lot of shit over the years, but I worked hard to get off that floor. Call me selfish, I don't care, call me whatever you need to call me, but remember, one of us has to be left standing to fight.' I too, have been called a lot of things in my lifetime but other people's perspectives are not my reality. Our contributions are louder than any naysayers opinions so we must ground ourselves in that truth. Enjoy the show and let's chat after!"

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