Studio Theater in Exile was founded in 2005 by Mara Mills and Jeremy Gratt to produce Original Work. STIE seeks to serve two communities: the artist community and the public community. We are committed to working with underrepresented voices, both in the playwrights and content of plays we produce. Our productions explore difficult issues of identity, conflict, and displacement. Prioritizing audience interface, we partner with libraries, museums, galleries, and community centers. Theater promotes dialogue. We seek that connection.
Our mission is to work with playwrights from inception to production to bring their voices to the fore. We also work with visual artists, storytellers, musicians, poets and writers to integrate theater/performance with other genres. Our goal is to create dialogue - with audiences, between creators, and bring forth the lesser known artists in our community.
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Mara Mills has been aneducator, storyteller, writer, stage director, and producer for over 45 years. In 1991, she co-founded theHerbert Mark Newman Theatre at the RosenthalJCC with Marsha Newman and Jeremy Gratt. In 2005, she founded StudioTheater in Exile @HVMOCA with Jeremy Gratt. Her work focuses on community engagement, explores social issuesthrough the arts, and introduces new plays. She received the East Coast TheaterConference Outstanding ServiceAward and the Cab Calloway Award for excellence in theater. In 2025, she was recognized by the City of Peekskill forher work bringing social justice to the STIE stage and her opening up thestage for collaboration with the Peekskill community, especially the June Pridecelebrations, to promote local actors, directors, dancers, poets, and writersand developing programs like Writing the Walls that integrates artistic genres.
Jeremy Gratt is a set, sound and lighting design professional who has worked in theater since 1991. One of the founders of the Herbert Mark Newman Theatre, he served as its Managing and Technical Director. Jeremy oversaw or designed sets and lights, and composed original music and sound scores for most of the shows at the Newman. While there, he also taught technical theatre skills to students from the Cottage School In 2005, Jeremy and Mara began Studio Theater in Exile at HVMOCA. STIE’s mission is to bring the arts, performance and community together with original work.
Ashley Antonia Lopez is New York City based Afro-Latina and graduated from Pace University with her BA in Devise Acting. Through her acting program, Ashley had the opportunity to perform in the Sibiu Theatre Festival. She also performed in an original piece titled, The Female Role Model Project, and performed in an immersive play called, An Immersive Theatrical Journey to Fight Human Trafficking. Now, she has created a new theater company called X|X Theater Company LLC. X|X Theater Company LLC is a Bronx based platform that uses devised theater, film and movement to empower Latine and BIPOC artists to tell their truth, unapologetically.
Carrie Ford was the Stage Manager for Writing the Walls and I Am My Own Wife here at Studio Theater in exile in 2024. She recently Stage Managed for Philipstown Depot Theatre's production of The Full Monty. Carrie is the Stage Manager for the new plays series at Arts on The Lake in Carmel, NY and various productions through the Putnam Arts Council. She graduated from Boston University with a degree in Stage Management and previously worked for The Children’s Theater Company in Minneapolis and Boston's Huntington Theatre Company.
If you are part of the theater industry and you are interested in joining Studio Theater in Exile, please send us a detailed email expressing your experience and how you will like to work with us.
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