Hi! Ta’Neesha Murphy (테니셔) here, I am a sophomore BFA actor from Washington DC. I play Doctor Blazer and Rhoda in Roe vs Wade. The story of Roe vs Wade is ongoing, and the issue of abortion affects women around the world. When I first time I read the play I was so excited to share a story that touched on so many topics and represented so many types of people. People of color, women, LGBTQ, religious etc, all groups of people who all share the common goal of achieving happiness in life. Playing Rhoda has been a journey for me, in my eyes she is a strong woman who has had to build up so many walls because she is both a woman of color and a lesbian in a world that values neither. I have always believed that as humans we are afraid of that which we do not understand, and therefore my job as an actor is to come to my characters with compassion and understanding so that I can honestly tell their story to the masses. When we open ourselves to the perspectives of others and realize that we all have struggles we are able to come closer to a better existence on earth.

I also worked on a lot of the props for the show, such as the Years that appear throughout the play, the Columbo's Pizza Parlor sign, the Abortion Clinic sign and others. My focus with most of the props was to take care of the audience using colors such as yellows and greens which are the easiest colors to see from far away, or to support Allison or Jeannie using their base colors of blues, yellows, and oranges. Past credits include Macbeth(Macbeth) and The Bluest Eye (Mama) at Duke Ellington School of the Arts, and Maliki Simba(Nala) with Teens N Theater Theatre Program. I would like to thank my family, friends, ensemble and teachers for their continued support and love.

I am excited to continue to share the stories of people whose voices should be heard.