A native of Austin Texas, Brandon attended EVERY DeaFestival since he was a baby. He enjoyed it so much that he got involved with Peter Cook's performances several times in Children's Programs. He was also a roving junior reporter for DeaFestival 2010 and an interviewer at DeaFestival 2012.

Mindy Moore is widely considered a deaf multi-talented lady. The passion of theater has always been in her blood. She departed from high school for Gallaudet University and became drawn into the TV/Media program. While at Gallaudet, she composed scripts and performed in the TV show, Deaf Moonlite Show, and also was involved in several sitcoms. This is when Mindy became spellbound with the film aspect of performing. Mindy passed the experience she had achieved to students at Texas School for the Deaf, where she also works as a Drama/Deaf Studies and Art instructor. She starred in the film “Forget Me Not” and the film “The Wrong Game”, both of which were avid successes.

www.justmindy.com

Miles first big step into acting was his 2015 Broadway debut in the Spring Awakening Revival. He continued his acting journey after Broadway starring as AJ in the feature film Talk to The Hands and as Steve in the short film This is Ed!

Most recently, Miles stars as Dummy Hoy in the Silent Natural. This is role has been a huge step for Miles in his career and one that he is extremely proud of.

Based in Southern California, Hula Bella, is well known for her signature flamboyant Purple-Orange-Pink hair, her hula hoops and fire fans. Hula Bella graduated from the California School for the Deaf, Fremont in 2005. She studied at Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandise L.A. (FIDM LA) in Graphic Design (AS) and Business Management (BS).

Hula Bella’s passion for hula hooping began only 6 years ago when she picked up a friend’s hoop to give it a try. She was hooked from that moment! In a 6-year span she went on to perfect her hula and fire hooping skills and to become a Certificated Hoop Dance Teacher. As a professional hula hoop entertainer and fire dancer she has had the opportunity to spin her way performing in Europe, Canada and throughout the US to showcase her captivating skills. She looks forward to returning this October for her 5th season at Queen Mary’s 'Dark Harbor' in Long Beach, CA.

Sean is a musician on a mission. An accomplished and passionate drummer, rhythm pours out of him, when he breathes, walks, types at his keyboard or hits his drums. Music is in his blood, his cells; it’s just the way he is. He’s also deaf – and out to build a badly needed bridge between the music industry and deaf people everywhere.

Sean grew up in Detroit where his parents, both musicians, filled their home with the sounds of the Motor City: Mitch Ryder, Bob Seger, the Funk Brothers and more. Despite losing his hearing as a baby, Sean soaked up the beats and the vibrations, experiencing great music in his own way.

Inspired by what he calls “The Three B’s” (the Beastie Boys, the Beatles, and Bob Dylan), Sean started out making music videos in his basement and today is producing professional music videos with a focus on the deaf and hard-of-hearing community. He is a voice for not only his generation but deaf culture. He is co-founder of D-PAN, The Deaf Professional Arts Network, a non-profit organization that focuses on translating popular artists' songs into American Sign Language music videos for the deaf and hard-of-hearing communities.

With his passion for music, Sean has opened the door to musical expression – a world historically considered off limits to people in the deaf community. His dream of music for all has helped to transform the way deaf people perceive music. Through his videos and his outreach to deaf people everywhere – particularly young people eager to feel included in popular culture – music is being presented to them as a beautifulsymphony of thought and expression, available to all. The hearing community, too, is fascinated by his ASL translations of musical hits and is clamoring for more. Since 2008, Forbes has also performed in over 20 cities across the US and has appeared in front of over 15,000 people.

Sean Forbes is living proof that if you have enough passion and dedication, magic happens and dreams come true. “The world is run by those who show up,” he says, “And I’m showing up.”

www.deafandloud.com

Sandra Mae Frank is a trained stage and film actress, best known for her role as Wendla from Deaf West’s Spring Awakening. She is thrilled to be working at DeaFestival again!

BROADWAY: Spring Awakening

REGIONAL THEATRE: Fun Home, Fiddler on the Roof at Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma; Our Town at Pasadena Playhouse/Deaf West Theatre; At Home at the Zoo at The Wallis/Deaf West Theatre

(Asst. Director); Spring Awakening at Deaf West Theatre; Richard III at NextStop Theatre Company.

FILM: Soulto Keep and The Sound of Fear.

TELEVISION: Freeform’s Switched at Birth.

ADDITIONAL CREDITS:

• 2015 Breakthrough Matlin Impact Award
• 2015 BroadwayWorld LA Award’s Best Leading Actress in a Musical
• B.A in Production/Performance from Gallaudet University, Theatre Arts Program.

Stay tuned for her upcoming movie, Entangled in selected theaters!

Instagram/Twitter: @sandy21mae; www.sandramaefrank.com

Rosa Lee is a performance artist known mostly for her YouTube ASL music videos, her work as a solo performer of The Rosa Lee Show, and as a lead actress in ASL Films’ feature film, Versa Effect.

Rosa Lee attended Indiana School for the Deaf and then went on to graduate from the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) with a B.S. in Social Work. It was RIT where she discovered her love for acting. Rosa Lee founded and acted in an acting troupe named Dangerous Signs. Later on, Rosa Lee became recognized nation-wide for her ASL music videos featured on YouTube. Rosa Lee also worked as managing editor of the digital magazine, KISSFIST Magazine.

For 23 years now, Rosa Lee has been in several stage productions, performance troupes, television shows, and countless videos.

Rosa Lee also travels all across the country giving workshops/instruction on the art of ASL music, storytelling, and rhythm. Currently, Rosa Lee can be seen performing her one-woman variety show, “The Rosa Lee Show” where she plays different characters sharing stories, poetry while celebrating the beauty of American Sign Language. Rosa Lee also worked as an ASL Translator and Performer for Deaf Film Camp at Camp Mark Seven, helping make music videos that have gone viral nationwide.

Acclaimed Hip Hop Recording Artist, WAWA, has been hitting the ground running with music with insatiable drive since he first picked up the mic in 2005 and began writing and rhyming at an unstoppable pace.

When you go to "WAWA's House", you'll be taken to a whole new level of music through DEAF eyes! With 15+ years in the game with no signs of slowing down at all, WAWA's critical reception and positive acclaim has manifested over the years through not only admirable work ethics, but also through a charismatic, diligent original persona and genre that he labels "Dip Hop" (Hip Hop through deaf eyes), a unique sound of audio & imagery that has helped the rising artist garner a growing fan base that has landed him many opportunities onstage, in the studio, and everything in between that the industry offers.

His rendering of Dip Hop explores Hip Hop in a way where the focus is taking on challenges and educating people about deaf musicians in the hearing world. A pursuit where he hopes to put deaf Recording Artists on the map in the mainstream public interest. Something not only original, but admirable, genuine, and bringing music to a whole new world of audiences of artists where their disadvantage ultimately becomes their biggest one. Something that has strongly showcased WAWA's interest in inspiring to aspire. Even to those who are more challenged to do so.

In 2016, WAWA released his sophomore album "Deaf: So What?!" An album that further explores the pursuit of proving that a disadvantage can be its polar opposite; an album of inspiration for those to understand and pursue music without the sense of hearing.

www.diphopwawa.com

Robbie Wilde, the open format DJ, has rapidly become a respected force. His name caught fire for his talents in New Jersey/New York’s music scene in the early 2000’s.

At first it was difficult for music fans to grasp the concept of a Deaf DJ, let alone one that can challenge some of the front-runners of the music scene.

Eventually word spread and curiosity took the world by storm as his story gained traction across an array of publications and industries.

New tech movements are increasingly showing interest. From futuristic wearable’s to next level sound devices; the engineers and brand marketers alike seek his advice and story.

Projects with teams at Intel, Google, HP, Cisco, Hereplus, Subpac, Bayer and more continue to grow. Press coverage from all sectors; BBC radio, Fuse, MTV, Insomniac, Buzzfeed, CNN, Fox, Elite Daily, and more.

Alliances with the Deaf community include the Deaf Professional Arts Network (dpan), the Able Kids Foundation, the Starkey Hearing Foundation and Able Planet, along with national tours at schools and universities for the Deaf with other creative visionaries from the Deaf community.

Hollywood began showing interest in 2015, as Robbie found himself performing high profile gigs; covering film releases at paramount pictures and 20th Century Fox, to featuring in large scale films such as Before We Were Kings.