Sam Rise (they/them) is a black, gender-expansive performer, teaching artist, activist, human-amplifier, and the LOUDEST youth services librarian in the known universe. Sam’s passion for music and community are the heart of their work, feeding spaces that are inquiry-driven, participant led, and abundant in joy! In addition to their work as a songwriter, arranger and performer, Rise aspires to facilitate creative direct action with community organizers and leaders shaping change from the socio-political margins. They are dedicated to social justice interventions that embrace the challenge and the opportunity of reimagining our world.

Lili St. Queer (she/they) is a musician, cabaret & theatre artist, drag queen, comedian, educator, and DJ. They are a co-founder of Jaffe St. Queer Productions, whose recent partnership with the Penn Museum produced the original musical “Eric & Lili’s Night at the Museum,” and their cabaret duo Glitter & Garbage was named Philly Magazine’s Best Cabaret Act 2019. Lili is also the prettiest cast member in their recurring one-woman show “Cabaret Sauvignon.”

Elle.Morris (she/her) is a vocalist and member of ILL DOOTS, based in Philadelphia. Outside of the squad, you may find her musical directing, vocal coaching, or listening to an audiobook!

US (they/he) has a crush on fashionable sneakers, well cultivated herbs, and science fiction novels written by Octavia Butler and NK Jemisin. Also known as Anthony Martinez-Briggs, they are a Bearded Ladies Associate Artist as well as a Wilma HotHouse company member.
They wear many hats including but not limited to: writing, teaching, facilitating, music making and overall theater artist type things. Us is an mcee and original member of the band ILL DOOTS, seen on theater stages throughout the Philly area as well as music venues across the country. Their song "Heartbeat" was the recipient of the 2021 Lennon Award for R&B, it is featured on their double album “The Mess/Age”; available everywhere. Be sure to follow @ILLDOOTS on all socials. As a performer they work most frequently with the HotHouse company members at the Wilma but have also had the pleasure of performing with Theatre Exile, Ninth Planet, Arden Theatre, Philadelphia Theatre Company, Long Wharf Theatre, Applied Mechanics, and of course Bearded Ladies Cabaret, among others. As a sound designer they have worked with several theaters in the region including Arden Theatre, The Wilma Theater, Theater Horizon, Passage Theatre, Azuka Theatre, Simpatico Theatre, Theatre Exile, Drexel University and the University of the Arts. They've received a few awards, accolades, nominations, and whatnot, but more importantly the LOVE received has remained a constant source of inspiration and gratitude. Much love to my family, ancestors, creator and especially, my wife, Tess.

Jordan McCree (they/he) is a percussionist, producer, composer, sound designer, and teaching artist in Philadelphia. His most recents works and collaborations include: Empathitrax(Philadelphia Theatre Company), TOWN (Theatre Horizon), This Is The Week That Is (1812 Productions), Backing Track (Arden Theatre Company), Citizen (New Light Theatre), Peril’s Island (Shakespeare In Clark Park), Fat Ham (The Wilma Theater), My General Tubman (Arden Theatre Company). Recently, he has become one of the grant recipients to the 1/52 Project. He is also a member of Philly-based, Barrymore Award winning, hip hop collective, ILL DOOTS. Their music is available now on Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal, and more! #ILLMOVEMENT | ILLDOOTS.COM

Dorie Byrne [she/her] (Selene Medium, music director, accordion, piano, trombone and ukulele) hails from Sparta, New Jersey and has since taken her major in music to new heights, lengths and depths in recent productions of Richard III and Less Miserable [sic] with Der Vorführeffekt Theatre. When she isn't acting in plays (which is most of the time) she's usually playing music for them.  She also distorts accordion sounds and performs live scores during Philadelphia's Fringe Festival with her band Upholstery.  She has the greatest job ever teaching girls how to play music with Girls Rock Philly.  Outside of music she works with animals; walking dogs and raising chickens.

ILL DOOTS has always and will forever be a body of change. Since their inception at University of the Arts in 2009, this musical collective of individuals has each brought their own lifetime of artistic influences and experiences into the fold to contribute to the group’s timeless and genre-defying music. Hailing from all over the United States but unified under the undeniable grit and soul of Philadelphia, the band currently consists of four members; US, Elle.Morris, Scott Ziegler, and Jordan McCree, with frequent collaborations from Simon Martinez and Andrew Nittoli. From energy shifting live performances to commissioned theatre works and educational workshops, 3 studio albums and countless mixtapes, plus six national tours to date -- to deny ILL DOOTS’ output, social justice advocacy, and relevance to the culture would truly be a disservice to the community that helped make it possible. Every member strives to be a pillar in their community, especially in their work as teaching artists embodying the acronym behind the whole brand: ILL- I Love Living & I Love Learning. Their passion will spread this message throughout the cosmos as they continue to transmute experiences of curiosity and learning into the art.

John Jarboe (she/her) is a director, singer, writer, and host serving you herstory, queer community making, and a whole lot of glitter. She is the founding artistic director of The Bearded Ladies Cabaret, transforming opera, cabaret, and live performance, creating work that will make you sing, dance, and question. She has written, performed, and directed original work for La Mama ETC, Joe’s Pub, Opera Philadelphia, The Philadelphia Museum of Art, The Wilma Theater, Lincoln Center and most recently an original commission called Rose You Are Who You Eat for The Guggenheim’s Works & Process series.

MK Tuomanen (they/them) is a performance artist and playwright dubbed Best Theatre Artist by Philly Mag in 2015, and granted the Haas Emerging Artist Award in 2017. An amateur drummer and professional troublemaker, they sing kweerpunk poetry to disturb the comfortable and comfort the disturbed. They are a proud Associated Artist with the Bearded Ladies and a member of Applied Mechanics (www.AppliedMechanics.us). 

Lian Laventhol Brody (they/xe/xem/xyrs) is excited to be back on the Beardmobile this summer. Xe has done stage management work for Theatre Exile, The Bearded Ladies Cabaret, Tiny Dynamite, Philadelphia Young Playwrights, Temple University Theaters, and Philadelphia Theatre Company’s now-disbanded ActOut Summer Camp program where xe got xyr start in theatre working on devised projects with Philadelphia teens in 2013. Lian is interested in new plays, devised work, queer theatre, theatre of protest, and drag artistry. Thanks to Mayu, Grayson, and Mom for their endless love and support!

Sunflower B Rose (she/her/ze/zir/he/him) is grateful to be a Philadelphia based Theater Maker, Filmmaker, Painter,Teaching Artist, and much more. Sunflower is on a mission to create opportunities for love and education to thrive through creativity and does so primarily through his creative work. In his work, Suni plays with rhythm, tension, and lots of joy to create community around lasting experiences. Through her production company, OMG! Studios LLC, Suni has produced and featured work in Fade to Black: Issa a Black Philly Film Fest, Sheesh: Issa Blackity Black Joyfest, Open House @ The Palace, and TV GUIDE. Suni serves as a member of the Philadelphia Comedy Sportz Team, works as an Education Coordinator at Theatre Horizon, and grows through zir role as Artistic Director at OMG! Studios.