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YOUTH JOURNALISM FELLOWSHIP

In partnership with Stage Raw, The Unusual Suspects Theatre Company offers a paid fellowship to prospective writers (15-25 YO) with a focus on theatre coverage and critique.

The three-month fellowship enrolls up to 8 fellows per year, and a selection of writers from each cohort will be featured in future editions of DEVISE Magazine, the annual theatre publication launched by The Unusual Suspects in 2024.

Through the Youth Journalism Fellowship, young writers interested in exploring their journalistic voices will receive mentorship from Stage Raw’s pool of professional journalists and collaboratively produce publishable reviews, essays, and interviews, all adhering to traditional journalistic ethics, rigor, studiousness, and cogent analysis. After each collaborative piece between the mentor and mentee, the mentee’s articles and reviews are posted on Stage Raw. Both mentors and mentees will be financially compensated for each article published on Stage Raw.

2025 COHORT

Avery Eletto

Mar Mar Hernandez

Maribelle Hoffa

Fable Isaacson

Katy Kragel

Keelyn McDermott

Warren D. Riley

Avery Eletto

Avery Eletto is a theatre student at LACHSA who loves doing it all—acting, writing, and directing. She’s spent 13 years on stage and screen (You Are So Not Invited To My Bat Mitzvah), won Dramafest 2024 and was published for her play The Pretty Test, earned an LA Poet Laureate Honorable Mention, and completed LMU’s Screenwriting Summer Program. She co-runs Brunette Productions where she directs, produces and writes plays. Avery is thrilled to see more shows… and have someone other than her mom to analyze them with.

Mar Mar Hernandez

Mar Mar Hernandez (she/her) is an aspiring dramatic writer/director from Pico Rivera, CA. She is currently studying acting at the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts. Her talents outside the writers’ room include stage management, filmmaking, and directing for the stage in student-led productions. She was previously a Newsroom Writer for TeenTix’s first LA branch and attended the California State Summer School for the Arts (CSSSA) for Creative Writing. Mar Mar wishes to write and produce uplifting narratives centered around the experiences of others to provide a safe space for communities desperately in need.

Maribelle Hoffa

Maribelle Hoffa is an emerging actor and writer based in Los Angeles. She is a junior at LACHSA (Los Angeles County High School for the Arts) in the theater department, with a recent emphasis on dramatic writing and directing. When she isn’t doing either of those two things, she is probably reading plays, playing guitar, or watching Dance Moms.

Fable Isaacson

Hello! My name is Fable Isaacson and I am currently a junior at LACHSA in the Theatre Department. I love all things stage related and am so grateful for this awesome opportunity!

Katy Kragel

Katy Kragel just graduated from the University of Southern California’s acting school! While there, she had the privilege of attending the British American Drama Academy in London which highlighted her love for classical theatre – particularly Shakespeare. Acting has always been the love of her life since she did her first musical at five years old, but she discovered a new love at USC while working in the recruiting department for the football team. Whether sports or theatre, you can always find Katy analyzing and deep-diving into live entertainment!

Keelyn McDermott

Keelyn McDermott (she/her) is a Los Angeles-based writer, performer, and director with a passion for contemporary theatre and socially engaged storytelling. A graduate of Occidental College, she has written and staged original plays that blend comedy with critique, most recently at the Mixtape Festival and Occidental New Works Festival. Keelyn is excited to sharpen her critical voice through the Stage Raw/Unusual Suspects Fellowship and explore how writing can amplify underrepresented perspectives in the arts. She currently freelances across mediums and is developing a new theatrical satire.

Warren D. Riley

Warren D. Riley (he/him) is a writer and a fourth-year student at UCLA, pursuing a BA in English. Riley has a keen interest in seeking truth – whether it be through his work at the Daily Bruin, or in his rigorous practice at UCLA’s Playwright Circle. His playwriting pursuits most often concern grounded, humanizing portrayals of the trans experience. His latest play, Urgent Care, is currently being developed with a group of UCLA collaborators. Riley’s coverage of theatrical productions have appeared in ad campaigns for prominent Los Angeles theaters such as the Latino Theater Company and the Geffen Playhouse.

APPLICATIONS ARE CURRENTLY CLOSED.