Silen Wellington (they/he) is a sculptor of sound, artist of people, storyteller, witch, genderqueer shapeshifter, mercurial name collector, and lover, among other things. Avidly interdisciplinary, they like to combine music with other art mediums, be that spoken word, visual art, ritual performance, loud and fiery eye contact, otherworldly and melting trysts, or something else entirely.

They were a 2022-2023 American Opera Initiative composer with Washington National Opera for a production at the Kennedy Center. In 2022, they were Bouman Fellow with the composer collective Kinds of Kings and in 2019, they were the SEAMUS Allen Strange Award recipient. Internationally performed from Hyderabad, India to Invercargill, Aotearoa New Zealand, their work has won competitions & commissions from ensembles such as Ars Nova Singers, Denver’s Playground Ensemble, Resonance Women’s Chorus, and Phoenix: Colorado’s Transgender Community Choir.

They have participated in residencies and festivals such as Virginia Center for the Creative Arts & Connecticut Summerfest. Besides writing music, they enjoy writing poetry, harvesting stories, unhinged-unfettered-unapologetic dance, and falling in love.

Alma Engebretson (cello) is a Minneapolis-based cellist, bassist, guitarist, and composer. Alma is an ongoing member of many musical projects including rock group, Mr. Zipp, playing guitar in D’Lakes, playing cello in Superbus Maximus, and playing cello in the annual Morricone tribute show at Jazz Central Studios. Alma is also a member of twin cities based jazz group, SPACE, who have performed and recorded in the Twin Cities for the past five years. Alma’s introduction to Minneapolis independent theatre was in Open Eye Theatre’s production of Once Upon a Winter Night under the direction of Michael Sommers. Alma has a Bachelor of Music degree in cello performance from the University of Denver as well as a Suzuki certification in pedagogy. Alma believes that music should connect us and be a means to enrich our relationships with one another. In their spare time, Alma enjoys roller skating, skiing, and weaving on their loom.

Orren Fen (They/Them)

All their life, Orren has been making weird Queer art in South Minneapolis. They focus their work on puppetry, costume design, dance, performance art, sequins, and googly eyes. Recent productions include Co-Host/curator of Puppet Fashion show at HOBT (spring 2023), Costume Design/Puppeteer for Impact Theory of Mass Extinction at HOBT (spring 2022),

Co-Host of MPLS Crankie Fest (fall 2022),

Costume Design/Puppeteer for Into the Bowels of Heck with Open Eye Theater (fall 2022).

Orren is currently attending FAIR high school and is an intern at Heart of the Beast Theater.

You can find them on Instagram at

@sequined_stardust

Richard Newman is an actor, creator, dramaturg, and director. As co-director of The Hinterlands, Richard has led the company in its process of creating several original touring performances and public interventions that have been seen at venues ranging from the Detroit Institute of Arts to Legion Arts, and contexts from the Illinois Humanities 50th Anniversary commemoration of the Democratic National Convention Protests to the Shanghai Biennial. His directorial work disarms through humor and disruption, using sharp shifts in tone and structure to keep audiences on their toes. An audience might begin the performance sifting through the contents of a radical archive, find themselves in a method acting class, and end by reading through a newspaper from a fictional, utopian past. In addition to his work with The Hinterlands, Richard was an ensemble member of Double Edge Theatre from 2004-2008 where he co-created numerous performances including Republic of Dreams and the UnPOSSESSED. He was an artist in residence with The Dell’Arte Company (Blue Lake, CA) and founded the Breaking Bread Project – a multi-year collaboration between artists in the U.S. and the Balkans, and is currently directing “The Garden” for Open Flame Theatre. Richard has led workshops and trainings at universities and theatres around the world and has performed abroad in China, Spain, Poland, Kosovo, Macedonia, and Canada. Richard also composes electronic music under the moniker Registered Nurse.

Musician, audio engineer, and local stagehand. Polyglot traveler, alpine skier, night walker.