The 2025 Kaleidoscope Dreams Fellows gained access to the professional theater industry through hands-on experience on the Hell’s Kitchen National tour.
Working alongside members of the production’s creative team across disciplines including directing, choreography, music, and design, Fellows had the opportunity to develop their craft within a professional touring production while gaining mentorship, industry experience, and connections to support their continued growth.
Through the Fellowship, KDF created a bridge between emerging talent and Broadway-level professional experience, opening pathways for artists from underrepresented communities to build sustainable careers in the arts.
Meet the 2025 Fellows and hear about their experiences in their own words.
Community Engagement Fellow
Karl Michael Iglesias is a Puerto Rican theater director, SAG-AFTRA actor, published author, and community engagement specialist based in Brooklyn, NY. His theater work spans directing, writing, and performance, including collaborations with The Public Theater, the (old) Kennedy Center, Keen Company, and TheaterWorksUSA. He is an alumnus of the Drama League Directors Project and the only emerging director to receive both the Irene Gandy Directing Assistantship and the Future Now Fellowship in the same year. As an actor, he has appeared on Chicago P.D., The Last O.G., and Evil. His work centers community and social impact, with support from NYFA and the Brooklyn Arts Council.
Costume Design Fellow
Brianca holds an MFA in costume design from the University of California, San Diego. Driven by a deep appreciation for collaborative storytelling, she focuses on how texture, color, and fabric choices build the visual world of a character and stage. Through her fellowship, Brianca immersed herself in the intricate process of large-scale production—from initial fabric selection to high-level team collaboration. She brings a curious, detail-oriented approach to costume design and values every opportunity to learn alongside world-class creatives.
Scenic Design Fellow
Sydney is a Chicago-based scenic designer who specializes in space, paint, art, and curation. A graduate of Northwestern University, she is deeply passionate about the collaborative creative process and works closely with designers, mentors, and production management teams to bring a show’s visual environment to life. By using new technologies and empowering her team, she helps bring big, beautiful scenic visions to the stage.
Music Direction Fellow
Jenia Marquez is a music director, conductor, and music assistant from New York City who graduated summa cum laude from Princeton University in 2025 with a BA in Linguistics and minors in French and Conducting. She currently serves as the director of the Trenton Youth Orchestra, a teaching artist and the Artistic Planning Coordinator at INTEMPO Music, and a research assistant at the Computing Integrated Teaching (CITE) Initiative at CUNY.
Sound Design Fellow
Alyssa Marrero is a freelance sound designer and technician currently based in Orlando, FL. She holds a BFA in Theatre Design and Technology from the University of Central Florida. Some of her favorite credits include: The Wizard of Oz (Assoc. Sound Designer) at City Springs Theatre Company; Lilly and the Pirates (Sound Designer) at Orlando Family Stage; and Cabaret (A1) at Orlando Shakes.
Lighting Design Fellow
Adrienne Miikelle is a Visual Artist and storyteller who focuses on creating atmospheres and guiding emotion using lighting as a medium. In storytelling, her work in atmosphere shaping builds the undertones of what patrons and characters alike utilize as a shared energy to guide a story uniquely forward.
Projection Design Fellow
Doaa is a multidisciplinary artist from Cairo, Egypt, working at the intersection of projection design, directing, and producing for theater and film. Her work blends dynamic visuals and sound to create immersive, emotionally resonant storytelling, often centered on new work.
Directing Fellow
Dominique Rider is a Brooklyn-based director whose work seeks to answer the question: “What is a world unmade by slavery?” Deploying theatre and performance as tools of Afropessimism, Dominique has developed and staged work with Portland Center Stage, Portland Stage, The Bushwick Starr, The New Group, The Park Avenue Armory, and more. Past fellowships/residencies include Kaleidoscope Dreams, Ars Nova, The Civilians R&D, The Atlantic, Hi-Arts, The National Black Theatre, TheaterWorks Hartford, NYSAF, BRIC Arts, Roundabout, and NAMT. Dominique is a creative producer with CLASSIX and an artist in residence at Duke University.
Choreography Fellow
Autumn Robinson (Greensboro, NC), Is a NYC based multidisciplinary creative with focus in dance, choreography, and marketing. As an Ailey/Fordham BFA graduate with a Master’s from Georgetown University in Marketing, she’s built a career at the intersection of artistry and strategy. From global performances to branded campaigns, she thrives in spaces where creativity meets purpose and is passionate about building community, amplifying culture, and helping others feel strong and seen through movement, media, and meaningful storytelling.
Company Management Fellow
Herbert’s lifelong dedication to theater began at just six years old, blossoming from a deeply rooted community passion into a professional career in musical theater and touring production. Bringing several years of touring and show management experience into his fellowship, Herbert thrives on expanding his leadership toolkit by mastering new operational standards and fostering meaningful, high-level professional relationships.
