OUR MISSION
The mission of RING OF KEYS is two-fold: a visible, supportive community, as well as a hiring resource for those looking to work with professional artists who self-identify as lesbian, bisexual, queer, femme, trans, non-binary, and the diversity of genders that queerness contains.
We strive to kick (ball-change) the closet door open to create a vibrant, diverse musical theatre landscape for the future.
Key Beliefs
• We believe that disparities within our industry are intersectional.
• We believe that our diversity is an asset to the musical theatre landscape.
• We believe that by elevating queer women, trans, and gender non-conforming artists in our industry, we give conscious and subconscious permission to future queer artists to elevate themselves.
• We believe in making space for marginalized voices within our own queer community.
“You have to see it to be it.”
ABOUT US
Our friendship was born out of the realization that while we inhabit a professional space that is LGBTQ+ friendly, we as queer women are underrepresented within that space. We look forward to a Ring of Keys future with diversified leadership. We strive to make space for marginalized voices within our own queer community and welcome your voices and feedback.
Royer Bockus and Andrea Prestinario
Co-founders
ANDREA PRESTINARIO (co-founder, director of operations)
Andrea Prestinario (she/her) is a queer soprano who is NYC-based and Chicago-grown. Her mother always said she had a low tolerance for pain, but she prefers to frame it as a high tolerance to feel. (Ow! Wow!) She received her BFA from Ball State University in Musical Theatre and Gender Studies and is a graduate of The School at Steppenwolf. Her queer claim-to-fame is having the privilege of singing Edie Windsor’s memorial service. As an artist and activist, she strives to push society forward through women’s advocacy in the theatre. WWW.ANDREAPRESTINARIO.COM
ROYER BOCKUS (co-founder, membership manager)
Royer Bockus (she/her) is a musical theatre lesbian. Laurey Williams in the queerest Oklahoma! you’ve ever seen, coming to Oregon Shakes this spring. Started in Texas, college’d at Northwestern, and has since worked near both oceans and many lakes. As an artist she strives to bring her whole feminist self onstage in canonical roles. http://www.royerbockus.com/
HOLLY MARIE DUNN (web design)
Holly (she/her) is a singer/actress based in NYC and a proud gay lady in musical theatre. She is a graduate of the American Musical & Dramatic Academy musical theatre conservatory program and continued her studies with many years of private vocal training (keep that belt healthy, team!). She moonlights in web design, e-commerce, email marketing and social media management and is so excited to be a part of this wonderful 'Ring of Keys' adventure. http://hollymariedunn.com/
ADDITIONAL KEY MEMBER VOLUNTEERS
KAT GRIFFIN (social media coordinator)
Kat (They/She/He) is a small, spunky, gay & nonbinary NYC based performer with their BA in Acting/Minor in Gender Studies from Baldwin Wallace University. Frequently seen in concert with Trans Voices Cabaret, at Joes Pub, 54Below - or just re-reading Harry Potter for the 20th time on a bench somewhere in NYC, Kat is a classically trained actor with a fierce voice- visit their website for more: https://www.katgriffin-actor.com/
KIRSTYN HIPPE (digital marketing & social media coordinator)
Kirstyn Hippe (she/her) is a queer, NYC-based singer/songwriter with a passion for social media and musical theatre. Kirstyn has a BA from The King's College in Media, Culture & the Arts with a Theatre emphasis. She wrote spunky nerd-rock songs for the short film "I Ship It" and the CW Seed webseries of the same name, and has also toured the country thrice playing music about Harry Potter. (Yes, really.) Nowadays, she spends her time curating Instagram feeds, writing catchy caption copy, and crying over Fun Home. You can find her original tunes at http://kirstyn.net and elsewhere online at @kirstynhippe.
MORGAN DEAN (social media coordinator)
Morgan (she/they) is an actor/writer/singer from Queens. Morgan graduated from The Hartt School with a BFA in Music Theater and has been in various plays, musicals, films, and cabarets since graduating. Her poetry has been performed by herself and others across NYC and she recently presented a staged reading of her first play, THEM, that she began writing in April. Morgan is also active in politics and has worked for and with multiple national campaigns since 2015 (it’s also where she got her start in social media management). Visit www.morganrosedean.com and say hi!
KATHRYN LYNN MORGEN (graphics)
Kathryn Lynn Morgen (they/them/she/her) is a theatre artist and graphic designer based in Bellingham, WA. Kathryn founded New Theatre Magazine and Publishing in October 2017. They formerly served as Artistic Director of Whidbey Children's Theatre (2016-2017) and co-founded Queer Pride on Whidbey in 2014.
TAYLOR POER (member profile manager)
Taylor Poer (she/her) is an NYC-based AEA stage manager hailing from the Midwest. She is a recent graduate of Ball State University, but is still learning much about anything and everything. She is an avid dog-lover, cross stitcher and embroiderer, and can be found taking in art in any form at any given time. She is constantly on the look out for ways to facilitate and help the arts, and by extension society, become more inclusive for anyone and everyone. taylorbackstage.com
BRIANA SAKOMOTO (nyc ambassador)
Briana Sakamoto (they/them) is a NYC-based queer actor/singer/mover. Off-Broadway, Off-off-Broadway, nationally, and onscreen, they’ve played eclectic roles from Juliet Capulet to the Marlboro Man, operatic soubrette, musician-clown, modern day Cyrano, Tokyo Rose, rapping katana-wielding psychic, Mercutio, half-alien baker, to Tiresias. AEA, SAG-AFTRA. www.brianasakamoto.com
MEEKA POSTMAN (chicago ambassador)
Meeka Postman (she/her) is a Chicago based costume designer currently working on earning her M.F.A. in Stage Design at Northwestern University. Most recently, Meeka worked as a milliner and crafts artisan in NYC for Arnold S. Levine Inc. and Mio Design NYC. Meeka is proud to be representing Ring of Keys as its Chicago Ambassador!
MAGGIE MAE SULENTIC (twin cities ambassador)
Maggie Mae Sulentic (she/her) is a musical theatre performer/scenic designer based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She graduated with a BA in Theatre from Luther and now makes a healthy living playing villains and strong female characters who definitely don’t need any men. Outside of her theatrical work she also works on TV sets and makes Minnesota shaped stuff out of wood for the insatiable Minnesota Shaped Wooden Stuff market. Her passions include hot sauce, horror movies and queer content.
“We are learning that the more we open our mouths, the more we become a choir. And the more we are a choir, the more the tune is forced to change.”
Logo design by Emily Schleier