Teddy / Nicholas

McKinley Belcher most recently starred opposite Benedict Cumberbatch in the limited Netflix series ERIC. Based on a true story, the 6-episode series follows a father battling his demons on the vibrant, dangerous, and intoxicating streets of ’80s New York in a race to bring home his missing son. Belcher stars as lead detective “Micheal Ledroit.” The Hollywood Reporter calls his performance “quietly magnetic" and Roger Ebert exclaims "Each time McKinley Belcher III is on screen, sauntering through each scene with a confident swagger warranted of an old Hollywood star, it’s impossible to take your eyes off him."

Upcoming, Belcher appears in the Netflix series ZERO DAY opposite Robert De Niro and Jesse Plemons. He recently wrapped on the independent film OTHER PEOPLE'S BODIES.

Last year, Belcher starred as the series lead in David Simon's HBO limited series WE OWN THIS CITY as well as in the HBO Max film ERASER 2031. Belcher starred as “Agent Trevor Evans” in Netflix thriller OZARK and can also be seen as “Arlong” in the Netflix series ONE PIECE based on the wildly popular Japanese Manga comic of the same name.

On stage, Belcher appeared as “Happy Loman” in the historical Broadway production of Arthur Miller’s DEATH OF A SALESMAN alongside Wendell Pierce, Sharon D. Clarke and Andre De Shields. For the first time in Broadway history, the revival was presented from the perspective of a Black family. Belcher made his Broadway debut in 2020 as “Private Louis Henson” in Roundabout Theatre Company’s A Soldier’s Play alongside Blair Underwood and David Alan Grier.

In 2013 he made his film debut in John Sayles’ GO FOR SISTERS. He has also appeared in David Simon’s HBO miniseries SHOW ME A HERO as well as THE WIRE. Other notable credits include Noah Baumbach’s MARRIAGE STORY, Ridley Scott’s PBS medical drama MERCY STREET and Ethan Hawke’s Showtime adaptation of THE GOOD LORD BIRD. Belcher’s screenplay KINDA BLUE BURNING BRIGHT won Slamdance’s inaugural 2020 Mentorship Award and he’s written a series of columns for Backstage.

He received an MFA from USC School of Dramatic Arts in Los Angeles and currently resides in New York City and Atlanta.

Jeremy / Ed

Uly Schlesinger is a New York based actor originally from Providence Rhode Island. He has been seen on screen in projects such as Genera+ion (Nathan), Jerry and Marge Go Large (Tyler), and Chicago Med (Ben), as well as on stage in This Beautiful Future (Cherry Lane), and The Animal Kingdom (The Connelly Theatre). He can often be found playing pool across the lower East side, doing poorly. He is absolutely thrilled to be involved in this wonderful production, and gives his thanks to every single person who made it happen. Uly is represented by Rebel Creative Group and Take 3 Talent Agency.

DIRECTOR

Shira Milikowsky is a Brooklyn-based director and producer specializing in new plays and radical re-imaginings of musicals and classic texts. She is also a founder of The Neon Coven (@TheNeonCoven on all platforms), a collective of artists making groundbreaking immersive nightlife musicals. OSCAR AT THE CROWN, The Neon Coven hit at 2023’s Edinburgh Fringe Festival is currently in development for a London opening in Spring, 2025. As artistic associate at the A.R.T. in Cambridge, MA, Shira directed great contemporary plays like THE LILY’S REVENGE by Taylor Mac, BRIDE*WIDOW*HAG by KimRosenstock, and countless other productions, workshops, and special projects. As a recipient of the Henry Luce Scholarship, Shira lived in Seoul, South Korea, where she was a visiting artist at the Seoul Metropolitan Theater and a visiting Professor at Kookmin University. A two-time Drama League Directing Fellow, Shira holds an MFA in Directing from Columbia, and a BA in Theater Studies from Yale. Since 2012, she has been an Associate Lecturer in Theater, Dance & Media at Harvard University.

PLAYWRIGHT

Ken Urban is a playwright, screenwriter and musician. His audio play VAPOR TRAIL was selected for the 2022 Tribeca Festival’s Audio Storytelling series and released as part of Playwrights Horizons’ Sound Stage that fall. His stage plays include A GUIDE FOR THE HOMESICK (Huntington Theatre Company, Trafalgar Studios in the West End), THE REMAINS (Studio Theatre), SENSE OF AN ENDING (59E59 Theatres, London’s Theatre503), NIBBLER (The Amoralists and Rattlestick Playwrights Theater), THE CORRESPONDENT (Rattlestick Playwrights Theater), THE AWAKE (59E59 Theatres, Chicago’s First Floor Theater), and THE HAPPY SAD (The Public Theatre/Summer Play Festival). He is a four-time recipient of the prestigious MacDowell Fellowship. Awards include Venturous Theater Fund Finishing Commission, EST/Alfred P. Sloan Science & Technology Project Commission, Weissberger Playwriting Award, New York Foundation for the Arts Fellowship, Independent Reviewers of New England’s Award for Best New Script, Headlands Artist Residency, Millay Arts Residency, Dramatist Guild Fellowship, and the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts Fellowship. His new play THE CONQUERED was recently awarded the 2024 Blue Ink Award by Chicago’s American Blues Theater and CATH CARROLL was named one of three winners of the 2023 A IS FOR Playwriting Contest for plays about reproductive justice. He is a resident playwright at New Dramatists and an affiliated writer at the Playwrights’ Center. Ken wrote the screenplay for the feature-film adaptation of THE HAPPY SAD, directed by Rodney Evans. His plays are published by Dramatists Play Service/Broadway Licensing. He leads the band Occurrence and their latest album SLOW VIOLENCE, released in April 2023, was called “a sonic tapestry that blends elements of indie pop, electronic music and shoegaze into a seamless whole” (PLASTIC MAGAZINE). The band collaborated with choreographer Dan Safer at MIT’s Theater program on a devised dance theater piece based around the album. They will release three new albums in 2025. His first TV pilot THE ART OF LISTENING was optioned by ITV and Madison Wells Media. He is currently working on a feature film. Ken is the Senior Lecturer of Theater Arts and Director of Dramatic Writing at MIT. He has taught writing at Harvard University, Princeton University, Tufts University and Davidson College. He lives in Washington Heights with his partner Johnny.