EDWARD  ZITER is a professor of theatre history in the Department of Drama at New York University. His teaching and research focuses on the intersections between European and Arab performance traditions.  His most recent book Political   Performance in Syria: From the Six-Day War to the Syrian Uprising (2014) was co-winner of the Joe A. Calloway Prize for the Best Book on Drama or theater.  Other publications include: The Orient on the Victorian Stage (2003) as well as articles on Shakespearean actors and comic actors of the Romantic and Victorian periods and on contemporary theater and film in the Arab World.  He edits the online journal Arab Stages (arabstages.org). 

Marissa Ghavami (they/she) is an Iranian-American, queer actor, producer and advocate based in NYC. They founded the 501(c)(3) nonprofit Healing TREE (Trauma Resources, Education & Entertainment) in 2014 and currently serve as the Executive + Artistic Director. Marissa is also a national public speaker, whose engagements include an event for The Mighty (the world's largest online health community), NYU and presenting Continuing Education Units for doctors, nurses, psychologists and therapists. 

As an actor, most recently, Marissa starred on stage as Irene in the U.S. Debut workshop production of the international hit, two-hander play The Little Pony at Torn Page in NYC. They also recently played Khalilah, opposite Tony Winner KO (Karen Olivo), in a workshop of Siluetas, a new musical, part of 4xLatiné Off-Broadway. Marissa’s film highlights include starring in the feature film The Gift of Christmas, alongside Academy Award Nominee Bruce Davison. Other film/tv highlights include roles in Paramount’s theatrically released feature film Not Fade Away, with James Gandolfini, and on CBS’s Without A Trace. As a singer, Marissa performed on NBC’s legendary It’s Showtime at the Apollo and was named their “Star of Tomorrow”. 

Marissa co-produced the feature film Mass, written and directed by Fran Kranz, starring Emmy Winners Ann Dowd and Martha Plimpton, Tony Winner Reed Birney and Jason Isaacs. Mass premiered at Sundance, had a theatrical release, won the Robert Altman Award and was a Gotham, Critics Choice and BAFTA nominee. They produced and co-wrote the short film Silk, directed by John Magaro (Past Lives, Carol), an Official Selection at an Academy Award qualifying film festival. www.marissaghavami.com | @marissaghavami | www.healingtreenonprofit.org | @healingtreeorg