WRITERS.
Coley Campany and Robyne Parrish met at the Labyrinth Theater Intensive Ensemble in NYC during the summer of 2014. While there, they developed a deep bond through creative artistic expression. It wasn't until a personal revelation on Facebook a year later that they realized how much they had in common. A post about multiple pregnancy losses inspired a private conversation between the two women. They both had been writing scenes, monologues, poetry, etc as a way to cope with their silent losses. Robyne and Coley expressed a desire to create a play about pregnancy loss and began to share what they had written individually. Once their stories were combined, they began to see that there was a powerful story to tell. Coley and Robyne deeply desire to speak about their pregnancy losses so that others feel the relief of hearing their own story told, or feel empowered to tell their own.
Coley Campany is a Southern American writer, actress, dancer, director, and choreographer. Born and raised in Mississippi, she began her career as a professional dancer with Ballet Memphis and New Ballet Ensemble in Memphis, TN. After dance injuries, several miscarriages, and two late-term abortions, Coley began to look for other ways to create. She moved to New York City and found her artistic community while training with the Labyrinth Intensive Ensemble.
In addition to the play, Coley has created a dance film called Still, Birth., as a way to further engage the discussion around pregnancy loss and women's reproductive rights.
Coley also writes, directs, produces, and directs sketch comedy for film and stage and is a founding member of the sketch comedy group Meekus. Coley can also be seen in film and television shows like Candy, The Eyes of Tammy Faye, Creepshow, The First Lady, NCIS: NOLA, The Resident, Loving, Watchmen, and the upcoming Hulu series, Mike.
Coley supports and recommends the grassroots non-profit organization 601 For Period Equity, based in Vicksburg/Jackson, MS. The organization has donated over 500 care packages to women's shelters, schools, community organizations, and menstruating people in need across Mississippi.
Robyne Parrish is an Actor/Director/Writer in NYC – Most recent regional directing credits include A Man of No Importance, Violet and Grey Gardens at Front Porch Theatricals in Pittsburgh; Urinetown and The Carols at Gilbert Theatre, Hamlet and The Seagull at Seton Hill University, Mumburger at Off the Wall (also at Off the Wall 4.48 Psychosis, The Carols, The Musical of Musicals the Musical, Stop Kiss, The Zero Hour, The Mercy Seat, House of Yes, Looking for the Pony, and Shaken and Stirred) and Steel Magnolias with the Great American Melodrama. Parrish has directed off-Broadway: Musicals Tonight!, The Chain, NYICF, NY Artists Unlimited, Sonnet Rep, and the 79th Street Workshop/Incite Productions. Other memorable directing credits include...Gamma Rays..., The Diary of Anne Frank, The Fantasticks, Much Ado About Nothing, A Christmas Carol, It's a Wonderful Life and Quilters. Parrish is a member of the Dramatist Guild and writer of the web series Peri-Street and the short film What If I Were You. She has directed her new play, Still, Birth. co-written with NYC Labyrinth Theatre Ensemble collaborator, Coley Campany, most recently through a NYFA grant in collaboration with the Chain Theatre Company in Manhattan, for the NYTF (nominated for Best Play), and at the Rogue Theatre Festival. She served five seasons as Artistic Director of the Gilbert Theatre in NC. In NYC she is the Founding Artistic Director of Sonnet Repertory Theatre Inc. and was the assistant to the Company Manager of WICKED on Broadway. As an actor: TV: HBO’s Gossip Girl; Film: A Man Called Otto (with Tom Hanks); Off-Broadway (The York, The Mint, Musicals Tonight!, Indieworks and the Chain), Pittsburgh: as an actor at Pittsburgh Public, City Theatre, the CLO, Quantum, Off the Wall, Bricolage, PMT and The REP, as well as commercial/film. A theatre educator for more than 20 years teaching students from grade school through the collegiate level, she is an Adjunct Theatre Professor at FTCC in Acting/Voice and a private coach with NYC Parrish and Co. BFA in Drama from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts and MFA Graduate candidate in Theatre and Pedagogy at Point Park University. Currently studies at Russian Arts Theatre in NYC. Proud member of Actors Equity/SAG-AFTRA and published author RM Parrish. www.RobyneParrish.com.
Instagram @parrishandco
