Who We Are
Get to know the team
Shayan is an actor, director, computational linguist – and friend. He’s committed to sponsoring and creating theater that speaks to non-traditional audiences. Outside of performance, he’s a lover of anything artistic that makes you squirm, squeal, and go “Huh. That’s a good point.” in the same few minutes. Outside of it all, he is a proud “uncle” to several baby cousins who he would drop everything for in a moment. For proof, look at his phone lock screen.
Shayan Hooshmand, Artistic Director
Sophie Craig, Executive & Literary Director
Sophie is a producer, playwright, designer, and illustrator. She loves spooky, strange, and magical stories. She wants to tell these stories in a house-turned-theater with a kitchen in the wings and a studio in the attic (and also live there because she is deeply uninterested in a work/life balance). Outside of theater, she enjoys fluffy hats, tea, and running around in improper footwear.
Marie-Josée Bourelly, Executive Producer
Marie-Josée is an actor, director, and producer. Lovingly known as Josie by friends and family, she enjoys theatrically exploring the amorphous nature of identity and the concept of magic in the Anthropocene. Outside of The Elif, she can be found traveling, journaling, making elaborate breakfasts, or playing with children, whose imaginations are the best masterclasses in acting.
Sabrina is an actor, director, and theatrical multi-hyphenate. Whether on stage or off, she is committed to observing the world, discovering the universalities of life, and sharing authentic stories with audiences. Outside of Elif, she can be found baking sweet treats, exploring the city, and helping brands tell their story through social media.
Sabrina Carlier, Associate Artistic Director
Maya T. Weed, Artist-in-Residence
Maya is an actor, writer, designer, and visual artist. When she’s not onstage, holding a pen, or making scale models with an Exacto Knife and glue, she’s helping set the life-size stage with twine and a drill. She’s drawn to stories that explore nature, dreams, and our weird-but-real world getting tangled up in one another in ways that are authentic, humorous, and urgent. mayatweed.com
Jennie S. Yu, Board Member
Jennie is a J.D. candidate at NYU School of Law and a freelance stage manager based in New York City. As a proud Korean-American daughter of immigrants and a low-income woman of color, she is passionate about advocacy work benefitting historically excluded communities and is committed to creating accessible and inclusive theatre to share their stories with the world.
