Annalise “River” Guidry’s Theater of Union
Photography by Tavon Taylor
Theater of Union is a life-sustaining, world-building pedagogy and praxis that seeks to dismantle systems and our culture of domination with theater as its vehicle.
Drawing on anthropological theories and indigenous ways of knowing, this praxis utilizes interconnectedness as survival, a love ethic, and community-based healing as core values for social change to build worlds that are life sustaining through an original theatrical praxis.
Annalise "River" Guidry is offering a three-fold sharing of Theater of Union: an open table talk presentation of the work in praxis & pedagogy; a workshop; and a devised performance starring the first ever Theater of Union company of artists.
Theater of Union Dates:
Thursday, June 26th @ 7:30pm: Remembrance
The performance will close with a second line, leading us into our Opening Night Reception in the lobby, where we invite our community to celebrate the kick off of the Festival with our artists with snacks and drinks!
Saturday, June 28th from 1:00pm-2:30pm: Open Table Talk & Workshop
In this talk, River invites audiences into a presentation and open discussion of Theater of Union in praxis and pedagogy. The first half of this offering is a presentation of the work that transitions into an open discussion of the intricacies of a love ethic as cultural transformation: what are the stakes and costs of choosing love in a culture of domination? How do we choose love, again and again, especially when we don't have to?
QUEER [RE]PUBLIC ARTISTS-IN-RESIDENCE
Photography by Tavon Taylor
Annalise “River” Guidry (they/them)
Known by many names: Annalise, River or Rio. Annalise “River” Guidry (they/them) is a non-binary Black and Puerto Rican theater artist—playwright, director, educator, dramaturg, and theorist—based in Boston, originally from New Orleans. With a background in anthropology, Annalise blends interdisciplinary approaches to create theater that challenges cultural norms and fosters collective liberation.
Throughout their career, Annalise has demonstrated a deep commitment to both theater and the Boston community. Their credits include work as the True Colors Resident Artist with The Theater Offensive, as a two-time Volt Lab playwright and director with Company One Theater, as a teaching artist with Stage One at Company One Theater and Hyde Square Task Force, and as a playwright and dramaturg with Fresh Ink Theater (Mad Dash, 2023; The More the Man, 2024). They have previously served as the Artistic and Community Engagement Fellow at Speakeasy Stage (2023–2024).
Annalise’s directing credits include eight productions, over half of which are original works, such as XROADS (Company One Theater), 3 Womxn, 3 Myths (Edinburgh Fringe), and Just a Thing (Emerson College).
Currently, Annalise is developing an innovative pedagogical framework called Theater of Union, which seeks to dismantle systems of domination through theater. Drawing on anthropological theories and indigenous ways of knowing, this praxis emphasizes interconnectedness, a love ethic, and community-based healing as core values for social change.
Annalise’s work as a playwright, director, dramaturg, speaker and educator is rooted in a deeply embodied practice that explores the intersection of theater, anthropology, and social transformation, all through the lens of love and collective liberation."
Theater of Union Company
JD Stokely | Pedagogy Mentor/Dramaturg
Melissa Alexis | Mediator
Malia’Kekia Nicolini | Indigenous Mentor
Melee Lee | Stage Manager
Raqael Duarte Hunt | Performer
Saturn | Performer
Burhan | Performer
JD Stokely | Pedagogy Mentor/Dramaturg
JD Stokely (they/he) is a dramaturg and cultural organizer who creates and curates work around cultural memory, queer time, and public space. Stokely is PhD candidate in Theatre Arts and Performance Studies at Brown University, where their research focuses on Black, trans, and queer communal assembly, with an emphasis on decolonial ecologies and liberatory aesthetics. They are interested in how collectivity and touch might allow for alternative ways of living, being, feeling, and knowing amidst catastrophe.
Stokely is a co-founding member of Unbound Bodies Collective, a multidisciplinary arts lab for QTBIPOC creatives centered around embodiment, pleasure, and joy. Stokely is also a collective member and co-curator of Hot Bits, a bi-annual multi-city erotic queer film festival. He is also a board member for Applied Mechanics, a queer, feminist, DIY theater collective envisioning new worlds in Philadelphia PA. Stokely received an MA in Advanced Theatre Practice from Royal Central School of Speech & Drama, and a BA in Applied Theatre and Black Studies from Hampshire College. He currently lives in the traditional homelands of the Narragansett, known as Pawtucket, RI.
Melissa Alexis | Mediator
Melissa Alexis designs and facilitates wellbeing interventions based in mindfulness and yogic sciences (talks, workshops, programs, courses/trainings, coaching & retreats) to re-center our humanity in communities and companies.
Melissa graduated from Amherst College with dual degrees in Psychology and Spanish, and earned her Master of Fine Arts degree in Dance at Sarah Lawrence College. She completed a Healing Fellowship at Tewksbury Hospital, a residential hospital for people suffering chronic physical and mental illness, in 2010. She has served on faculty at Sarah Lawrence College, Amherst College, and Bard High School Early College. Melissa is a mindfulness and mental wellness specialist, healing arts practitioner, Certified Professional Coach, Certified Yoga Teacher and meditation guide with over 20 years experience as a management professional.
Malia’Kekia Nicolini | Indigenous Mentor
Malia’Kekia Nicolini (‘O ia/she/they) is kanaka maoli (Native Hawaiian), they received their inoa (name) traditionally from an inoa po (mothers dream) that held both an inoa ho’ailona (symbol) and their inoa ulaleo (ancestors voice). Malia’Kekia is an internationally touring actress and teaching artist who has dedicated the last decade of her life to Play Exploration. ‘Oia is a choreographer, artistic director, plant lover, speaker, arts curriculum designer and gratitude enthusiast. Malia’Kekia is the Co-Founder of Play Pathways Initiative, formerly known as B4 The Other Creations, in 2018 with the intent to teach play-based strategies for the realms of education and business. Rooted in Western Massachusetts, Play Pathways travels throughout the US and internationally, as play is a universal language. This intimate work is led through movement, not lecture, and grounded in a Pedagogy of Play. Malia’Kekia is a proud member of TAA (Teaching Artist Alliance). Some highlighted facilitation and training includes: Black & Indigenous Futures Convening with Howlround Theater Commons & ArtsEmerson, artEquity’s BIPOC Leadership Circle 22-23, and 2024 Arts & Cultural Organization Management (ACOM) program with American Repertory Theater at Harvard. Malia’Kekia is in the process of becoming a Co-chair for the RED (Representation, Equity, and Diversity) board of the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival, Region 1. As an interdisciplinary artist, ‘O ia weaves all of their experience together to empower dreams and create sustainability towards a play-integrated world. BFA (Music Theater), MBA (Mindfulness in Business). www.playpathways.com
Melee Lee | Stage Manager
Melee (they/she) is a stage manager and lover of all things behind the scenes born and based in the greater Boston area. They have stage managed and held various tech roles over the last decade (or two)- holding and creating spaces from open mic nights to multi venue fundraisers, from full scale set up to sound cues off an iPod. They have worked on a variety of projects such as Rachel Greene’s John Deserves to Die with Fresh Ink Theater (PSM), and most recently Old North Church’s 250th anniversary performance of Revolution’s Edge with PlaysinPlace. They have had the pleasure of working previously with The Theater Offensive in partnership with Company One and the Boston Public Library on The Interrobangers by M Sloth Levine, their reading of SMOKE by Lady Dane Figueroa Edidi, and their gorgeous staged reading of The Best Part of Night is Black by UGBA. Melee believes that an underrated form of ‘leadership’ lies in space holding, capacity checking, and self care management- whether organizing a direct action or a production for the stage. They were previously involved with EMW Bookstore, and co-Creatrix of a community staple paint-your-own pottery shop for many years. She loves making rad queer theater in community and is thrilled to work again with TTO to celebrate queer artistry and to help bring Theater of Union and QUEER [RE]PUBLIC FEST to life!
Raqael Duarte Hunt | Performer
Raqael Duarte Hunt is an Elliot Norton Award winning actor and Associate Director of Education for Company One Theatre, as well as dramaturg, animist, and mother to two amazing small humans. Melding skills of data integration from their work as an astrological and Ayurvedic consultant with the research and analysis lens they cultivated as a BA in Cultural Anthropology, Raqael brings deep heart empathy for the true self to the process of making meaningful experiences; within the theatrical ritual framework as well as the myriad thresholds of our finite days in this life. May all empire fall! Thank you to River for creating this offering of how we can transform culture with our innate art of love and connection to pick up the pieces when it inevitably does.
Saturn | Performer
Saturn is a Jamaican-American, genderqueer priestex, diviner, jewelry designer, performing artist, and grassroots organizer based in Providence, Rhode Island. Their purpose meets at the intersection between art, spirituality, and liberation.
Burhan | Performer
Burhan is an award-winning multimedia artivist, community organizer, and technologist with a focus on sustainability, South Asian and Pakistani culture, and LGBTQ+ rights. Overcoming significant challenges, including bullying and a working-class background in Pakistan, Burhan excelled academically and established themselves as a distinguished scholar and social entrepreneur in the United States.
Their work spans leading numerous nonprofits and institutions, amplifying underrepresented intersectional issues in race, caste, class, immigration, colonialism, and gender on a global scale. As an innovation expert, Burhan has spearheaded groundbreaking initiatives in sustainability, social impact, and AI justice, successfully accelerating over 40 startups across Taiwan, Japan, and Tanzania. Their efforts are dedicated to fostering sustainable ecosystem development and ensuring equitable access to resources in emerging economies.
Burhan is also deeply committed to leveraging pedagogies in art and performance as catalysts for social change. They have produced and directed more than 150 photoshoots that seamlessly blend culture, art, and activism, leaving a lasting impact on countless individuals. Originating from Rawalpindi, Pakistan, Burhan’s journey as a young scholar in the U.S. has only strengthened their resolve to pursue impactful activism and artistic expression.
Programs at the Theater Offensive
