Dr. Dontá McGilvery
​Co-Artistic Director

The first Black male to graduate with a PhD in Theatre (for Youth and Community) from Arizona State University, Dr. Dontá is a justice visionary and an architecture of equitable change for all people -- especially those from underrepresented groups. In fact, he employs performance/theatre as vehicles for advocating for equity and justice inside and outside of K-12 and higher educational institutions.
A scholar-artist, his research interests include:

• Developing equity performance coalitions 
• Black theatre and the Black church
• Theatre as a tool for activism  
• The performativity of the American Civil Rights Movement

With 21 years of experience as a playwright/theatre educator and 14 years as an ordained minister, Dr. Dontá has developed and taught unique theatre courses within communities, seminaries, universities, K-12 schools, and churches. He is both the co-founder and co-artistic director of Sleeveless Acts.

Education:

• Ph.D. Theatre (for Youth & Community) Arizona State University
• Doctor of Ministry--Urban Ministry, Aspen Christian College & Seminary
• Masters of Arts in Liberal Studies—Humanities/Social Justice, Southern Methodist University
• Bachelors of Arts in Sociology, University of North Texas

Claire K. Redfield
​Co-Artistic Director

Claire K. Redfield is a director, educator, and community-engaged artist who believes in groups’ abilities to make lasting change in their communities. Originally hailing from Chicago, Claire worked as a professional teaching artist and freelance director for six years at several companies including the Tony Award winning Lookingglass Theatre, Adventure Stage Chicago, and Northlight Theatre. She is the Theatre a Education Manager at SAFE Alliance in Austin, Texas. Claire earned her MFA in Theatre for Youth from Arizona State University. Claire is the co-founder and co-artistic director of Sleeveless Acts.

​More info at clairekredfield.com. ​

​Caress Russell
Resident Artist

For over 10 years, nationally recognized performance artist, Lady Caress has dedicated her life to the art of communication as both a poet and public speaker. With her unique set of comedy, music, beatboxing and theatrics, she truly is a mesmerizing performer. As a National Poetry Champion in 2010 at Pi Kappa Delta, Lady Caress has continued to impact audiences outside of the performance realm. Caress earned her MFA in Performance from Arizona State University.

​More info at www.ladycaress.com

Alicia D. Johnson
Playwright, Actor, and Theatre Educator
​A native of St. Louis, MO., Alicia D. Johnson serves as a playwright, actor, and theatre educator for Sleeveless Acts. Some of her production credits include African American Storytellers a production and Celebration - Eastlake Park. Alicia’s talent and theatrical ambitions has afforded her prestigious opportunities such as performing the prolong at the Arizona Regional Theater for August Wilson’s play Two Trains Running and she co-taught a community-based theatre workshop class for students at Princeton Theological Seminary entitled, Defiant Joy: Storytelling and Dramatizations of Joy Embodied in Blackness.
In addition to her work with Sleeveless Acts, as a member of First Institutional Baptist Church, Alicia serves as the Assistant Director of the theatre program, THEE-Theater of Evangelism and Emancipation. As such, she has performed for several of the church’s productions, which include African American Storytellers, General Missions Skit, The Urban Christmas Story, and A Look Back at Black Arts which was performed at the Arizona Commemoration of the 400th Anniversary of Africans Brought to North America as Slaves. Alicia has a passion for helping people, health, and fitness.