Co-Artistic Director & Founder
Co-Artistic Director & Founder
Ellie M. Plourde
Eli Mazursky
Sophia Castuera
Shay McWeeney
Hailing from Raleigh, NC, Ellie was a child actress who cut her teeth on stage at The North Carolina Theatre. By the age of nine, she booked her first SAG feature film, directed by Shirley MacLaine, and worked steadily in commercials and voiceovers until her teenage years. After training in theater at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, she discovered her passion for indie theater and new works, performing in eight world premier productions. In 2015, she moved to NYC and graduated from the Terry Knickerbocker Studio in 2020. She is a proud AEA and SAG-AFTRA member.
Ellie directed and produced both the Philadelphia SoLow Festival and NYC sold-out runs of This Is Not About 9/11, written by Sarah Van Auken. She co-founded the Making Our Space showcase in an effort to take matters in to her own hands, expand her artistic network, and create an opportunity for actors and industry professionals to be in direct contact and conversation with each other, without the high price tag. After producing three successful showcases, Making Our Space Theatre Co. was formed to continue building artistic community through the art of storytelling and the generosity of specialized training.
Eli Mazursky is an actor/writer/producer based in Brooklyn. He attended Boston University’s School of Theatre with a concentration in acting. He also attended the 2-year acting program at the William Esper Studio upon arriving in NY. He’s worked as an Art Director and Production Supervisor for film (including Somewhere in Queens for dir. Ray Romano, Three Women for Showtime) and commercial projects (including Google, Dodge, and Zara). He has a passion for the collaborative nature of storytelling through theater and film. Eli has dreamed for a long time of being part of an organization that creates affordable opportunities for actors to learn and showcase their talent. He strongly believes Making Our Space has the power to create a home for a formidable community of storytellers in NYC.
Sophia Castuera is an actor, filmmaker, and producer based in Brooklyn, NY. Producing credits include: august at twenty-two (also Director), doing fine (also supporting actor), VOCE (also Director and actor), and the upcoming Good Choices (also director and actor).
Sophia is passionate about community-building. Though she lives in a city overflowing with artists, the experience can be quite isolating and lonesome, especially being surrounded by big-budget projects, expensive workshops, and showcase opportunities, and the sometimes ugly competitiveness many say "just comes with this industry." It doesn't have to be this way. Sophia is thrilled to be on the producing team for Making Our Space because of the organization's goal to offer a low-cost showcase opportunity, as well as a chance to build community with fellow actors and artists who genuinely want to be there for each other and lift each other up. There is room for all of us, and we have the power and the right to make our own space, with some help from our friends.
Associate Artistic Director & Founder
Shay is an actress based in New York City. She graduated from Point Park University with a BFA in Acting with an Applied Music Minor where her favorite roles included Imogen in Much Ado About Nothing and Mary Bailey in It’s A Wonderful Life. She has also studied at American Conservatory Theatre in the Summer Training Congress and San Francisco Semester Program.
In New York, she enjoys taking classes at The Freeman Studio, seeing theatre, and collaborating with fellow artists.
She is thrilled to be on the team re-imagining actor showcases!
Associate Producer