CADRE SHOWCASE

Naomi Columna

Naomi Columna is a musician and artist based in Cleveland Ohio, trained in western classical music, (BM from CIM, 2016, MM from SFCM, 2019.) Though a vocalist by degree, Columna engages a shape-shifting practice which balances performance, audio/video work and installation art, resulting in a varied portfolio of projects. Focusing on ensemble endeavors and committed to showcasing/commissioning new works, Columna often blends the roles of project manager, and performer. Since returning to Cleveland, she has performed with Ingenuity Cleveland, Maelstrom Collaborative Arts, fp Creative, Sofar Sounds, and was a grant recipient for 'The Satellite Fund' from SPACES gallery, where she later served as juror in the program's upcoming iteration. Columna also regularly performs in early-music ensemble, Quire Cleveland and experimental trio, Halumnen, which released its debut EP, ‘Rectangular Oracle’ in May 2022. Outside of performance work, Columna is currently the Gallery Assistant at Transformer Station, and Visitor Services Manager for FRONT International: Cleveland Triennial for Contemporary Art, where she is also the sound designer for Triennial's limited podcast special, ’The Pod of Dust and Rainbows.

Nate Puppets

From the depths of Cleveland Ohio’s murkiest waters emerges a creature so ineffable their name alone conjures imagery so bewildering you wonder if it isn’t all a hallucination… but, no! This is no dream! This is the world of Nate Puppets; underground puppet ringleader, Queer cartoonist and Black Cultural historian, who was recently Awarded the title of Most Surprising Act at the 2022 Asheville Fringe Festival and less recently, “Muppeteered” for Sesame Street! For the last 15 of their 30 years, Nate Puppets has been weaving the misadventures expanding the seedy world of his “fiends,” characters roughly based on Nate’s experiences in Cleveland pop surrealist, and art scene reject over there in their wheelchair, Nate Puppets is always doodling and noodling in his notebooks. Deeply influenced by the aesthetics of Drag, Punk, and all things 90s, Nate prefers to use accessible, cost-effective materials like foam, fake fur and hot glue to summon his gonzo sketches to life.

Silk Allen

Silk Allen is a storyteller and personal stylist based in Cleveland whose influences range from fashion and history to the words of Iceberg Slim and Lil Kim. Silk has received a degree in journalism from Central State University, an Associate’s in fashion merchandising from Virginia Marti College, and she has written for local publications like BFly Magazine, The Plain Dealer, The Plain Press, and currently writes for The Destination Cleveland Visitor’s Guide. Silk completed the Twelve Literary Arts Baldwin House Urban Writing Residency in 2021, and has created fashion based installations for the Maelstrom Collaborative Arts shows Activate (2021) and Four Futures (2022) and she is always looking for creative ways to combine her passion for writing, fashion, and hip hop.

Cadre Digital Program

Produced by Maelstrom Collaborative Arts
Jeremy Paul, Jasmine A. Golphin, and Katherine Nash

Lighting Design by Katherine Nash

Projection Design by Jeremy Paul

Special Thanks

Marcia Custer, Kathy and Reginald Harris, Near West Theater, Slim

Bios

Silk Allen
Silk Allen is a storyteller and personal stylist based in Cleveland whose influences range from fashion and history to the words of Iceberg Slim and Lil Kim. Silk has received a degree in journalism from Central State University, an Associate’s in fashion merchandising from Virginia Marti College, and she has written for local publications like BFly Magazine, The Plain Dealer, The Plain Press, and currently writes for The Destination Cleveland Visitor’s Guide. Silk completed the Twelve Literary Arts Baldwin House Urban Writing Residency in 2021, and has created fashion based installations for the Maelstrom Collaborative Arts shows Activate (2021) and Four Futures (2022) and she is always looking for creative ways to combine her passion for writing, fashion, and hip hop.

Naomi Columna
Naomi Columna is a musician and artist based in Cleveland Ohio, trained in western classical music, (BM from CIM, 2016, MM from SFCM, 2019.) Though a vocalist by degree, Columna engages a shape-shifting practice which balances performance, audio/video work and installation art, resulting in a varied portfolio of projects. Focusing on ensemble endeavors and committed to showcasing/commissioning new works, Columna often blends the roles of project manager, and performer. Since returning to Cleveland, she has performed with Ingenuity Cleveland, Maelstrom Collaborative Arts, fp Creative, Sofar Sounds, and was a grant recipient for 'The Satellite Fund' from SPACES gallery, where she later served as juror in the program's upcoming iteration. Columna also regularly performs in early-music ensemble, Quire Cleveland and experimental trio, Halumnen, which released its debut EP, ‘Rectangular Oracle’ in May 2022. Outside of performance work, Columna is currently the Gallery Assistant at Transformer Station, and Visitor Services Manager for FRONT International: Cleveland Triennial for Contemporary Art, where she is also the sound designer for Triennial's limited podcast special, ’The Pod of Dust and Rainbows.

Audrey Tupaz Godoy
A cardiology nurse practitioner with a love for expression of emotion through dance, Audrey is the artistic director of Pacific Paradise Entertainment & Halau Ka Pua Mae’ole Kuikanani.

Jasmine A. Golphin
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Justin Gunter
Justin is a percussionist currently residing in Cleveland, OH. He was born and raised in Albuquerque, New Mexico where he discovered his love of music and the great outdoors. He then studied percussion at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music where he fell in love with the Midwest and the creative atmosphere of Cleveland. In addition to performing, Justin is passionate about education and enjoys teaching students of all ages. He is grateful for the opportunity to make music and share it with others.

Stephan Haluska
Cleveland-based experimental harpist, improviser, and composer Stephan Haluska often involves unconventional approaches to the harp. He expands his sound palette through non-traditional techniques, like playing the harp with a collection of tools, gadgetry, assorted materials to prepare the harp, and electronic processing. As managing director of Cleveland Uncommon Sound Project (CUSP), Stephan produces and curates new and experimental music concerts.

Sonia Hu
Sonia Xinyuan Hu is an Eurhythmics faculty at the Cleveland Institute of Music and a local music director, with a passion for exploring the relationship and nuances between music, movement and dance. With interest in various dance styles, Hu’s choreography draws from ballet, modern and latin.

Obediya W. Jones-Darrell
Obediya Jones-Darrell is a Canadian music composer & sound design artist currently based in Cleveland. He studied music composition at Simon Fraser University, and sound engineering at Douglas College. In 2019-2020 Obediya was selected as the Kulas Music Composer Fellow for Cleveland Public Theatre. During his tenure scoring theatrical productions he also wrote a new musical, Speak Easy, which was performed in Infringe Fest (New Orleans) & CPT's Test Flight (Cleveland). Over the past 3 years he has worked with Grammy award winning Czech National Symphony Orchestra, several Wutang Affiliated recording artists, and community based Cleveland Theatre & Music organizations. His film & theatrical work has been performed locally & internationally in over 40 theatre and film festivals on 5 continents.

Julia Kim
Julia Kim is a flutist based in Cleveland, Ohio and Las Vegas, Nevada. She is studying flute performance at the Cleveland Institute of Music. Although classically trained, Julia loves to explore creating music of all genres and collaborate with artists of all mediums.

Katherine Nash
See Staff Bios

Jeremy Paul
See Staff Bios

Nate Puppets
From the depths of Cleveland Ohio’s murkiest waters emerges a creature so ineffable their name alone conjures imagery so bewildering you wonder if it isn’t all a hallucination… but, no! This is no dream! This is the world of Nate Puppets; underground puppet ringleader, Queer cartoonist and Black Cultural historian, who was recently Awarded the title of Most Surprising Act at the 2022 Asheville Fringe Festival and less recently, “Muppeteered” for Sesame Street! For the last 15 of their 30 years, Nate Puppets has been weaving the misadventures expanding the seedy world of his “fiends,” characters roughly based on Nate’s experiences in Cleveland pop surrealist, and art scene reject over there in their wheelchair, Nate Puppets is always doodling and noodling in his notebooks. Deeply influenced by the aesthetics of Drag, Punk, and all things 90s, Nate prefers to use accessible, cost-effective materials like foam, fake fur and hot glue to summon his gonzo sketches to life.

Jameelah Rahman
Jameelah Rahman is a talented dancer and choreographer originally from Cleveland, Ohio. She first began her dance, theater and capoeira journey at Rainey Institute. She is a graduate from Cleveland School of the Arts and was a participant in All-City dance ensemble in her youth. She has trained and performed at several International Blacks in Dance conferences. She has been a part of several Karamu productions (Leap of Faith, Black Nativity, Aida). She has also been a part of several productions with Mojuba Dance Collective (How I Got Over and more). She is currently a member of Blakk Jakk Dance Collective with aspirations to grow and mature as a creative being.

Graham Rosen
Graham Rosen aka Elephant Ornament, is a music producer and recording engineer based in Cleveland, OH. His music is crafted in Ableton Live, and experiments with sound collage, phrase, beats, and meters.

Laura Swedenborg
Laura Swedenborg is a dance artist performing professionally in Western Pennsylvania and Northeast Ohio since the year 2000. Most recently she has been presenting Butoh dance solos in Cleveland metroparks as full moon offerings since April 2022. Swedenborg currently  works in the avant-garde Japanese dance form Butoh. In Cleveland theaters you may have seen her in the choreography of Story Reinhardt, Megan Young, and Joan Meggitt. About town Swedenborg has enjoyed collaborations with musicians Max Hyde-Perry, Marcia Custer, and Matthew Kiroff.

Max Hyde-Perry
Max (he/him) is an improviser, contrabassist, and puppeteer. He studies music at Cleveland State University and recently completed an apprenticeship with the Bread and Puppet Theater.