The Sappho Project Announces Board of Directors

The Sappho Project has announced the appointment of three founding members of its Board of Directors, making up the full slate of board members for 2020.

Joining the Board of Directors is Brian Lowdermilk (they/them or she/her), Aneesh Sheth (she/her), and Regina Victor (they/them).

The Board of Directors were recruited for a variety of reasons including leadership, values, credibility, and artistic insight; and will guide The Sappho Project on governance issues including individualizing the development process, actively uplifting BIPOC voices, and expanding access to grants, fellowships, residencies, and mentors.

Brian Lowdermilk is a queer, gender non-conforming musical theater writer, YouTube creator, songwriter, and dramatist. Off-Broadway: The Mad Ones and Henry and Mudge, which toured the country for over a decade, both with longtime collaborator Kait Kerrigan. Their first album "Our First Mistake" charted at #1 on the iTunes Singer/Songwriter chart. Other albums include "Kerrigan-Lowdermilk Live" and "The Mad Ones" cast album. Their YouTube videos have over 15 million views. In theater, they've gotten lots of awards for emerging and mid-career artists (whatever that means) including the Larson Award, Alan Menken Award, Richard Rodgers Award, and a Dramatists Guild Fellowship, and they have held residencies at MacDowell, Johnny Mercer, Theatreworks/Palo Alto and others. They are a founder of the start-up NewMusicalTheatre.com, and a member of the Dramatist Guild and ASCAP.

Aneesh Sheth is a singer, actress, producer, director, writer, and transgender activist. After receiving her BFA, she enjoyed the tour life performing in various musicals. She is most notably known as Carly in the critically acclaimed Public Theater production of Southern Comfort, which garnered six nominations, two Lucille Lortel wins and a New York Times Critic's Pick. In 2008 Aneesh pursued a Master's Degree in Social Work and dedicated her time working with lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth as a counselor with The Trevor Project and a patient advocate at Beth Israel Medical Center. Along with her work in theatre, film, and television, she is an event host, trans activist, panelist and committee member with many national organizations. In March 2013, Advocate Magazine honored Aneesh Sheth on their 40 Under 40 List and in January 2020 she became the recipient of the HRC Visibility Award in Cincinnati.

Regina Victor is a Black director, multidisciplinary artist, and arts critic. Presently Sideshow Theatre's Artistic Director, and one of Newcity's "Fifty People Who Really Perform for Chicago"-- two years running. They are the dramaturg for Jeannette The Musical, book by Lauren Gunderson, music by Ari Afsar. Victor has helped develop world premieres by Antoinette Nwandu, Anna Deavere Smith (Notes from the Field), Sarah Ruhl, and are directing works in development by Brynne Frauenhoffer (Pro Am, Sideshow Theatre) and Terry Guest (Marie Antoinette and the Magical Negroes, The Story Theatre). They co-founded Rescripted in 2017, an arts journalism platform by and for artists, and have written for other publications including American Theatre, Playbill, and the Chicago Reader. Other notable artistic collaborations include Steppenwolf Theater, Jackalope Theatre, Berkeley Repertory Theater, Timeline Theatre, and California Shakespeare Theatre.

Together, they are ushering in a new generation of writers.

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