The 2026 Filmmakers' Workshop (July 5-12) serves a specially curated group of film and TV writers each year. We focus on fresh, ambitious work and prepares writers for success in a competitive industry. During the S&F Summer Season, they'll receive a table read of their script with professional actors, attend the readings of fellow writers, and receive one-on-one feedback from industry professionals.
2026 Filmmakers' Cohort:
CALLBACK by Santino Fontana
JOYSTICK by Jerry Hsu
KILL DEVIL by Izzy Jackson
TRASH PEOPLE by Ally Merkel
UNTITLED PROJECT by Lara Miller
QUEERLEADERS by Matt Mitchell
HONEYCOMB by Sam Pavich
THE COMPLETE WORKS OF SANJAY MISTRY (CHAPTER ONE) by Sathya Sridharan
MENTORS
Jeff Augustin (THE MORNING SHOW), Adam Higgs (FUBAR), Chisa Hutchinson (THE BOROUGHS), Kenneth Lin (STAR TREK: STARFLEET ACADEMY), Geetika Lizardi (BRIDGERTON), Tawal Panyacosit Jr. (THE GIRLS ON THE BUS), Charlie Stratton (IN SECRET), and Lucy Thurber (NOS4A2).
Since 2018, Stage & Film has partnered with The Drama League—America’s only year-round career and creative development home for directors—to provide residencies for recipients of its annual fellowships. Expanding this longstanding collaboration, the new pilot TV/Film Fellowship residency will serve as Stage & Film’s Filmmaker Director-in-Residence.
FILMMAKERS' DIRECTOR-IN-RESIDENCE
Danny Sharron (HOLD ME IN THE WATER)
ACTORS
Mehr Dudeja (GIRLS GIRLS GIRLS), Carla Duren (ORATORIO FOR LIVING THINGS), Nihar Duvvuri (FBI: MOST WANTED), Santino Fontana (TOOTSIE), Jasmine Aiyana Garvin (POKER FACE), Sara Haider (LAW & ORDER), Michael Hisamoto (HOLDING THESE TRUTHS), Kydiana Jeanty (TWO TRAINS RUNNING), Austin Ku (SOFT POWER), Lauren Lee (ELSBETH), John-Andrew Morrison (A STRANGE LOOP), Bhavesh Patel (ELYRIA), Alicia Pilgrim (I'M REVOLTING), Max Sheldon (LAW & ORDER: ORGANIZED CRIME), Matthew Sullivan (LINE OF FIRE), Shakur Tolliver (SOMEONE SPECTACULAR), Daniel Velez (RJ DECKER), and Lori Wilner (PRAYER FOR THE FRENCH REPUBLIC).
2026 COHORT
Santino Fontana | CALLBACK
Santino Fontana has received the Tony Award, two Drama Desks, an Outer Critics Circle, a Lortel, an Obie, and the Clarence Derwent Award for his work in both plays and musicals. He was most recently seen on Broadway in his virtuosic Tony-winning turn as Michael Dorsey/Dorothy Michaels in TOOTSIE. The New York Times wrote, “Santino Fontana [is] one of the most promising actors to emerge in the New York theater.” New York Magazine heralded him as an “indispensable stage star.” He’s been in 10 Broadway shows. Additionally, he is widely known for lending his voice to the villainous Prince Hans in Disney’s Academy Award–winning animated feature FROZEN. On television, Fontana was recently seen on Ryan Murphy’s GROTESQUERIE, and the Emmy-winning THE MARVELOUS MRS. MAISEL. He starred on CW’s comedy CRAZY EX-GIRLFRIEND as fan favorite Greg and NBC’s drama SHADES OF BLUE, opposite Jennifer Lopez, simultaneously.
Jerry Hsu | JOYSTICK
Jerry Hsu is an LA-based writer and filmmaker. After studying at Yale, he detoured into tech before committing the ultimate parental nightmare: quitting Google to study comedy at The Second City Film School. There, he developed a voice for satirical comedies about underdogs, exploring race, class, and identity with bite and heart. His writing has appeared in The Onion and has been selected for The Second City Writing Fellowship and Stowe Narrative Labs. He is the winner of ISA’s Emerging Screenwriters Comedy Competition and has placed at Austin Film Festival, SeriesFest, and Almanack Screenwriters Episodic Lab. His films have screened at the American Pavilion Emerging Filmmakers Showcase at Cannes and won at HollyShorts Comedy. He is an alum of Lena Waithe’s Hillman Grad Mentorship Lab and the Lambda Literary Screenwriting Fellowship with Steven Canals, and is co-writing/directing a sci-fi dramedy executive produced by Lucy Liu.
Izzy Jackson | KILL DEVIL
Isabella Jackson is a filmmaker, writer and dancer from Pennsylvania who currently resides in Brooklyn, NY. Her work is largely informed by her upbringing and revolves around the relationships and identities of outcasts and people of color in rural areas.
She attended the New School with a double major in Dance and Media Studies, then went on to receive her Master’s Degree in Screenwriting from Brooklyn College. Jackson has been the Features Programmer for The Rooftop Film Festival since 2022. She has also worked as a Script Coordinator and a Writer’s Assistant on a number of shows including, GEORGE & TAMMY, PALM ROYALE, PRESUMED INNOCENT and most recently NBC’s LINE OF FIRE.
Ally Merkel | TRASH PEOPLE
Ally Merkel is a Brooklyn-based playwright. She has developed plays with the Alliance Theatre in Atlanta, the Under Construction Playwrights Group at The Road Theatre Company, and with The COOP’s Clusterf**ck vol 3 working group. She is an alumna of Theater Masters’ National MFA Playwrights Festival Take Ten (2024) and of the 24 Hour Plays: Nationals Program (2022). Her short play CARROTS, about a teenage boy who wants his best friend to bite off his finger, is published with Concord Theatricals. Ally’s work has also been seen onstage at The Tank, The Fled Collective, New Perspectives Theatre Company, and The 24 Hour Plays Viral Monologues. She is currently working on a birdwatching promenade play in Prospect Park called PARK PLAY:A LATE-START BIRDWATCHING WALK FOR BEGINNERS WITH KATE. Ally has a BA in political science from Kenyon College and an MFA in dramatic writing from NYU.
Lara Miller | UNTITLED PROJECT
Lara Miller is a playwright and screenwriter based in metro Detroit. She was a 2024 Grand Prize Winner of the ABC Signature (now 20th Television) Emerging Playwrights Initiative for her pilot THE EPIDEMIC INTELLIGENCE SERVICE. Her feature script SUNA was awarded an Alfred P. Sloan Foundation grant (2023) and was a Big Break Quarterfinalist (2024). Her plays have been awarded the CMU Mary Marlin Playwriting Award (2024), the John Couble One Act Award (2024), the Jane Chambers Honorable Mention for Feminist Playwriting (2020), the Bartell Theatre awards for best script and best short (2019), and have been semi-finalists with Premiere Stages Play Festival (2024 - 2026) and the O’Neill (2019-2020). When not scribbling, Lara does public health communications consulting, most recently with the World Health Organization, talks about science with her chemist husband, and makes up stories with her two kids, as equally unable to sit still as she is.
Matt Mitchell | QUEERLEADERS
Matt Mitchell (he/him): Matt is a Los Angeles based Actor/Writer. He is a proud graduate of the University of Southern California BFA in Acting program. His recent acting credits include SHRINKING (Apple TV), NOW & THEN (Apple TV), and AMERICAN HOUSEWIFE (ABC). Matt has written several short films and plays. He received the Humanitarian Award from the IndieFEST Film Awards for his debut short film Public Life. Instagram: @mitchellmatt
Sam Pavich | HONEYCOMB
Sam Pavich is a writer, visual artist and former Theatre Kid. She received her degree in acting and costume design from the University of Texas. Most recently she was the Showrunner's Assistant on STAR TREK: DISCOVERY for Paramount + and previously was the Showrunner's Assistant on 4400 for The CW. Her feature, TAKE MY HAND, was a Finalist in both the ScreenCraft and Slamdance screenplay competitions and a Semifinalist in the 2023 Atlanta Film Festival. Her original animated pilot, BILLY SHAKES, is currently in development with Toonstar Animation. Sam hails from the Midwest, but prides herself on having lived in almost every part of the country at some point or another (except for the Pacific Northwest, but the rain and cloudy weather there would really vibe with her moody aesthetic). She enjoys writing in a variety of genres, but gravitates toward dark comedy and grounded horror, exploring themes of feminine rage, trauma and mental health.
Sathya Sridharan | THE COMPLETE WORKS OF SANJAY MISTRY (CHAPTER ONE)
Sathya Sridharan is an actor, writer and director known for his lead roles in Shaun Seneviratne's BEN AND SUZANNE, A REUNION IN 4 PARTS (SXSW) and Eric Schultz’s MINOR PREMISE (Fantasia, Sitges). He also featured opposite Academy Award winner Brenden Fraser in Darren Aronofsky’s THE WHALE (A24). Shorts include Shehrezad Maher’s THE CURFEW, which premiered in competition at the Venice Film Festival. Selected stage credits include the US Premiere of Caryl Churchill's GLASS. KILL. WHAT IF IF ONLY. IMP. (Public) and the Original Broadway Company of the Tony Award-winning LIFE OF PI. As a writer, he co-conceived (and starred in) the horror feature COME HOME (Golden Ring Winner - Ravenna), and has been a finalist for both the Sundance TV Development and the Feature Film Labs, as well as a two time semi-finalist for the 1497 Feature Lab. Most recently, he wrote and directed the short film THE LONG DISTANCE starring Seamer Usmani (THREE-BODY PROBLEM), Paton Ashbrook (POWER BOOK II: GHOST), Kyle Cameron (LAW AND ORDER: SVU), and his mother, Chandra, which is currently in post-production. He is a graduate of NYU’s MFA Acting Program; Princess Grace Award for Theater (Grace Le Vine for Acting).
MENTORS
Jeff Augustin | Mentor
Jeff Augustin is a Haitian-American writer. His plays include WHERE THE MOUNTAIN MEETS THE SEA (Manhattan Theatre Club); THE NEW ENGLANDERS (Manhattan Theatre Club); LITTLE CHILDREN DREAM OF GOD (Roundabout Theatre Company); THE LAST TIGER IN HAITI (La Jolla Playhouse and Berkeley Rep) and CRY OLD KINGDOM (Humana Festival). Jeff translated OUR TOWN into Haitian Creole for Miami New Drama’s multilingual production. He was the Shank Playwright-in-Residence at Playwrights Horizons and the inaugural Tow Foundation Playwright-in-Residence at Roundabout. Jeff is currently under commission from Manhattan Theatre Club and La Jolla Playhouse. TV Credits: THE GREATEST (Amazon, upcoming); M.I.A (Peacock); SAINT X (Hulu); THE MORNING SHOW (Apple); THE GOOD LORD BIRD (Showtime); and CLAWS (TNT). Current projects in development with HBO, Amblin, and Element Pictures. BA: Boston College, MFA: UC San Diego.
Adam Higgs | Mentor/ Masterclass Presenter
Over a twenty-plus year career, the Canadian Writer/Executive Producer has had the privilege of working on hit scripted TV shows such as ORPHAN BLACK, LEGACIES, REACHER, and FUBAR. Most recently, he wrote on the upcoming Amazon series, NEAGLEY. Besides his work in the TV and film industry, Adam is an ardent sports fan and a proud investor/owner of AFC TORONTO.
Geetika Lizardi | Mentor
Geetika Lizardi is an Indian immigrant and MBA-turned-screenwriter currently staffed on Amazon's hit show HOUSE OF DAVID. She wrote on Seasons 2 and 3 of Netflix's BRIDGERTON, as well as shows for NBC and Disney. She developed her original drama series with Amazon and Universal Television, and is writing a feature for Film4 based on the novel EROTIC STORIES FOR PUNJABI WIDOWS. Geetika majored in English at Stanford and dreamed of being a writer but did the "good Indian daughter" thing and got an MBA instead. She surprised her colleagues when she left stock options and a successful career at Microsoft to pursue screenwriting. Geetika is a two-time winner of the WGA Writers Access Project, the only writer ever to win in both Comedy and Drama. She writes character-driven stories with heart, humor and substance.
Tawal Panyacosit Jr. | Mentor
Tawal Panyacosit Jr. is a television and film writer based in Los Angeles. His writing credits include THE GIRLS ON THE BUS (HBO Max), VAMPIRE ACADEMY (Peacock), and LIFE AFTER FIRST FAILURE (CW Seed) – a series he co-created and developed for the CW. Prior to writing, Tawal cut his teeth as a political activist and community organizer, galavanting across the country and sleeping on couches for various causes like racial justice, LGBTQIA+ equality, and immigrant rights. Now, through his writing, Tawal aims to both entertain and continue changing hearts and minds.
ACTORS
Mehr Dudeja
Mehr Dudeja is an Indian-born, Singapore-raised, NYC-based actor and voiceover artist. Theatre credits: THE FINAL FLIGHT OF ANNIE ‘THE EAGLE’ APPLEMAN (The Wild Project), GIRLS GIRLS GIRLS (Wild Rice, Singapore), MULAQAT (The Playwrights Realm). Film/TV: FIRST DAY (Opportunity Studio). Training: SITI Conservatory (2018–2019); MFA Acting, NYU Grad Acting (2025).
Carla Duren
Carla Duren is thrilled and grateful to be back at NYSAF for the Filmmakers’ Workshop, having appeared in Heather Christian’s NONE last summer. Other credits include Broadway: Hairspray, 110 in the Shade. Off-Broadway & Regional: Heather Christian’s Oratorio for Living Things (Lucille Lortel Award), Ruined (SFBATCC Award), Robert Wilson’s Zinnia’s: The Life of Clementine Hunter (Clementine) and Fortress of Solitude also previously at S&F. Screen: Better Nate Than Never, Maid in Manhattan, Bull, and Gotham.
As vocalist, she has supported iconic artists like Bette Midler, Pink, and Toshi Reagon. Her most recent solo release, “Golden,” is available on all platforms under the artist name “saint cecilia.” @carladuren
Nihar Duvvuri
Nihar Duvvuri - Broadway: JOHN PROCTOR IS THE VILLAIN, ROMEO AND JULIET. Pre-Broadway: SMASH WORKSHOP (2024). Film: BEST OF THE BEST (upcoming). TV: FBI: MOST WANTED, AMERICAN HORROR STORY (upcoming). A big, endless thank you to friends, family, Megh, Marisa and Sarah Haber/Creative Talent Company. NYU Tisch School of the Arts, Atlantic Acting School.
Santino Fontana
Santino Fontana has received the Tony Award, two Drama Desks, an Outer Critics Circle, a Lortel, an Obie, and the Clarence Derwent Award for his work in both plays and musicals. He was most recently seen on Broadway in his virtuosic Tony-winning turn as Michael Dorsey/Dorothy Michaels in TOOTSIE. The New York Times wrote, “Santino Fontana [is] one of the most promising actors to emerge in the New York theater.” New York Magazine heralded him as an “indispensable stage star.” He’s been in 10 Broadway shows. Additionally, he is widely known for lending his voice to the villainous Prince Hans in Disney’s Academy Award–winning animated feature FROZEN. On television, Fontana was recently seen on Ryan Murphy’s GROTESQUERIE, and the Emmy-winning THE MARVELOUS MRS. MAISEL. He starred on CW’s comedy CRAZY EX-GIRLFRIEND as fan favorite Greg and NBC’s drama SHADES OF BLUE, opposite Jennifer Lopez, simultaneously.
Jasmine Aiyana Garvin
Jasmine Aiyana Garvin (she/her) is a New York based actor. She is a recipient of the 2021 Warner Brother’s 'Top 10 Actors in Training’ casting initiative. Jasmine loves stories that push boundaries, provide opportunities for underrepresented voices and encourage distinctive conversations. Television: CRY WOLF (FX, Becca), POKER FACE (S1 Ep 7, Katy Owens). Theatre Credits: SUNKEN CATHEDRAL (New York Theatre Barn / Fipap), SHE KILLS MONSTERS (Art Lab Productions / Theatre Row), and WINNER (New York Theatre Barn). Insta: @jasgarvin
Sara Haider
Sara is a Pakistani Actor and Singer! THE GOOD ONES @ Ma Yi Theater. PEACHY at The Public Theater’s New Writers Series, THE CURFEW (Venice Biennale premiere); Barbara Undershaft in Jay Craven’s MAJOR BARBARA (summer 2026); Attorney Wendy Stratford on NBC’s LAW & ORDER (Season 23); and Gladys Mottram in Mint Theater Company’s GARSIDE’S CAREER (Off-Broadway, Drama Desk–nominated revival). Stage work includes THAT GIRL (The O’Neill), WAIT UNTIL DARK and MS. HOLMES & MS. WATSON (Dorset Theatre Festival), THE ALAA TRILOGY (NYTW X Dartmouth) , PARTNERSHIP (Mint), DRAUPADI (Rattlestick/Huntington).
Austin Ku
Austin Ku (JOYSTICK, QUEERLEADERS) is a Grammy-nominated actor, director and new works enthusiast. Theater: International/Broadway Tour of CHINGLISH (StageSceneLA Award); Off-Broadway’s SOFT POWER at The Public Theater (OCR, Grammy nomination), PACIFIC OVERTURES and more; dozens of regional (WISE Award; Barrymore, BroadwayWorld, IRNE nominations). Film: KINDA PREGNANT, THE BUBBLE and more. TV: BULL, INVENTING ANNA, SHADES OF BLUE, YOUNGER and more. Streaming pandemic concert TAKE ME TO THE WORLD: A SONDHEIM 90TH BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION (NY Times “Best Performances of 2020”). Austin is also an up-and-coming audiobook narrator (Indie Ink Award nomination) and a food lover who aspires to host/judge a food-related show. Education: Rice University, UC Berkeley, Boston Conservatory. Thanks to Pradanya, Creative Talent Company and AWG. www.Austin-Ku.com • @secretaustinman
Lauren Lee
Lauren is so thrilled to be a part of S&F's summer Filmmakers' Workshop! Originally from Northern VA, Lauren has been living and acting in New York City for eight years. Most recently, she was featured in an episode of ELSBETH on CBS and had a blast playing Patricia in S&F's benefit reading of MOONSTRUCK starring Rose Byrne and Bobby Cannavale. Lauren holds an MFA from NYU Tisch.
John-Andrew Morrison
John-Andrew Morrison selected credits Broadway: OH MARY, A STRANGE LOOP (TONY Award Nomination). Off Broadway: A STRANGE LOOP(Lucille Lortel and OBIE Award), BLUES FOR AN ALABAMA SKY, MALVOLIO. Regional: 3 SUMMERS OF LINCOLN (La Jolla Playhouse) A CHRISTMAS CAROL (Hartford Stage 6 seasons). BA in Theater Arts from Brandeis University, MFA in Acting UC San Diego, member of The Actors Center.
Bhavesh Patel
Bhavesh Patel can be seen recurring on the Hulu comedy NOT SUITABLE FOR WORK and starring in the independent film THE ONE WHO SLEEPS HERE which is currently in post production. On stage he also starred in the world premieres of ELYRIA with the Atlantic Theatre Company and DON JUAN with the Westport Country Playhouse. He has appeared on Broadway in THE NAP at MTC and PRESENT LAUGHTER, opposite Kevin Kline. Additional theater credits include WAR HORSE and HAYDEN'S SEVEN LAST WORDS at Lincoln Center, INDIAN INK at Roundabout, A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM at the Public's Shakespeare in the Park and THE OTHER THING at Second Stage. His television and film credits include YOUR FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS, FBI: MOST WANTED, LAW AND ORDER: SVU, CHICAGO PD, LATE BLOOMERS, JOHN GLAZER LOVES GEAR, BULL, GOLD opposite Matthew McConaughey and more...MFA from NYU Grad Acting and proud member of The Actor's Center.
Max Sheldon
Max is a Los Angeles born and raised, New York City based actor, writer, director, and musician. Theatre credits include FINIAN’S RAINBOW (The Irish Rep); AFLOAT (WP Theater); WEST SIDE STORY, PETER AND THE STARCATCHER (Weston Playhouse); and DRACULA, OR THE UNDEAD (Williamstown Theatre Festival). Film and television credits include LAW & ORDER: ORGANIZED CRIME (NBC), THEATER CAMP (Searchlight Pictures), RED OAKS (Amazon), and THE PATH (Hulu). Max is a proud graduate of NYU Tisch School of the Arts and the David Geffen School of Drama at Yale University. Max would be nowhere without the unwavering support and love of his remarkable friends, teachers, Ted Walch, and his unparalleled parents.
Matt Sullivan
Matt recently played Michael in Table Read Podcast’s production of QUESSA by Victor Bumbalo. Recurring role on NEW AMSTERDAM, Guest Star - UNION SQUARE, FRASIER. Theater: The National Actor’s Theater at The Lyceum. The ROADS TO HOME by Horton Foote at Primary Stages. STANDING ON CEREMONY at The Minetta Lane. MACBETH, CORIOLANUS at The New York Shakespeare Festival. The Guthrie Theater, The Shakespeare Theater in D.C. Dallas Theater Center. Geva, The Hartford Stage Company. Numerous productions at Berkshire Theatre Festival. NJST - ROMEO AND JULIET directed by Ian Belknap! Four seasons with The Acting Company. The Juilliard School.