Dámaso Rodríguez is a director of new and classic plays with over 100 credits at theaters across the country. Most recently, he concluded a nine-year tenure as Artistic Director of Artists Rep in Portland, Oregon. In prior years, he co-founded L.A.’s Furious Theatre and served as Associate Artistic Director of the Pasadena Playhouse. He is a recipient of awards from L.A. Drama Critics Circle, Back Stage, and the NAACP. Dámaso serves on the Directors Council of the Drama League, the Latinx Theatre Commons Steering Committee, and is a member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society. 

Idris Goodwin is an award-winning storyteller for multiple generations. An accomplished playwright, breakbeat poet, content creator, and arts champion, Goodwin is recognized as a culture bearer who celebrates community values and cultivates histories with care. Idris is the author of over 60 original plays ranging from his Hip Hop inspired breakbeat series to historical dramas to works for young audiences. Titles such as And In This Corner: Cassius Clay, How We Got On, Hype Man: A Break Beat Play, This is Modern Art (co-written with Kevin Coval) and the ground breaking Free Play: open source scripts for an antiracist tomorrow, are widely produced across the country by a diverse mix of professional and academic venues. Driven by a passion for cultural impact and civic engagement, Idris also serves as Artistic Director of Seattle Children’s Theatre. Prior to this he was Executive Director of The Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado College, where he also taught as a professor in The Department of Theater and Dance. Previous to this Idris led StageOne Family Theatre in Louisville, Kentucky as Producing Artistic Director. Idris is Board President of Theater For Young Audiences/USA and also serves on the board at Children’s Theater Foundation Association. In addition to Idris’s work in theater he’s created original content for and/or appeared on Nickelodeon, HBO Def Poetry, Sesame Street, NPR, BBC Radio, and the Discovery Channel. "Your House is Not Just A House", his first picture book, will be published by Harper Collins in 2024.

Savanah Coleman is currently a Junior at Stadium High School and is thrilled to be involved in NNMC again after being a National Finalist in the competition last year. She’ll be a judge for this year’s competition and can’t wait to see the new participants, she believes in each and every one of them!

Gabrielle Moore is a graduate of the University of Northern Colorado where she received her B.A. in Theatre Studies, a Minor in Film Studies, and a Certificate in Arts Entrepreneurship. In Colorado, she enjoyed working at the Denver Center for Performing Arts as a teaching artist, actor, playwright, and Bobby G High School Musical Awards adjudicator. Gabrielle came to Seattle to join the Education and Engagement Department as the School Programs and Partnerships Coordinator at Seattle Children’s Theatre. Most recently, Gabrielle serves as a judge for TPS’s Gregory Awards honoring theatre in Washington State. You can find Gabrielle working at the Rep as the Arts Engagement Associate!