SHARK PARTY MEDIA

The Black Pantherettes is a shea butter-filled, musical, sketch comedy show written and performed by an all-black female troupe. The Black Pantherettes channels Michelle Obama, Beyonce, and Oprah to fight the powers that be and slay all day! Each show features original raps and music parodies with a range in topics from politics to pop culture. At their show, root for your favorite team as they compete for their reparations with Morgan Freeman, or witness what happens when Megyn Kelly starts a Youtube channel and interviews R.Kelly. They aren’t afraid of any subject. Founded by writer-director Lauren Vernea (UCB, The PIT), the 5 member sketch group has performed at the Harlem Comedy Festival, NY Sketch Fest, UCB NYC, and is a resident at The People’s Improv Theater NYC (The PIT).

​

 

THE BLACK PANTHERETTES CAST:

​

LAUREN VERNEA:

Lauren Vernea is a writer, actor, director, producer and founder of The Black Pantherettes. Her work includes the live sketch show The Resistance, her pilot and upcoming Chicago church comedy The Gospel of Yael, as well as her Youtube comedy series Art is Charisma. As a singer/actor Lauren has performed in plays and musicals across NYC (The Duplex, Don’t Tell Mama, The Workshop Theater) and Chicago (MPACCT/Goodman). She is a proud Chicago native and graduate of the MS in Leadership for Creative Enterprises program at Northwestern University. laurenvernea.com

 

SHEREE GRATE:

Sheree Grate is an actor, writer, and producer who proudly hails from Pittsburgh, PA. Grate debuted on-screen in Warrior starring Nick Nolte, Tom Hardy, and Joel Edgerton, and appeared in Subways(Best Feature of the Harlem International Film Festival). Grate's stage acting credits include: The Sinking Island (Under St. Marks Theatre), The Bacchae (New Ohio Theater), Paisieu (Target Margin Theatre), and Ralph Ellison's The Invisible Man (The August Wilson Center). She is a graduate of the Terry Knickerbocker Acting Conservatory, go class of 2018! Sheree has also trained at the William Esper Studio, Circle in the Square, with Ted Sluberski, and The New York Drama Center. shereegrate.com

 

KEZIA BERNARD-NAU:
Kezia Bernard-Nau was born in Trinidad and raised in Brooklyn. Her experience includes acting, writing, producing and directing. She is a proud mom of a vibrant 4 year old with whom she was featured in the upcoming Sesame Street 50th Anniversary Rock Video. Her acting credits include Facebook’s More Together commercial campaign, Self Servers a Comedy directed by Eliezer Vagara now running in festivals, Zoe In Review directed by Stacey Larkins (winner: Best Film, Manhattan Rep’s film festival), and Open Call a Comedy Central Pilot. Kezia writes for The Black Pantherettes and teaches community acting seminars. Kezia has worked with Terry Knickerbocker, Larry Moss, Brian McManamonvo, Joseph Siravo and Shane Ann Younts. keziabernard.com

 

TAMYKO VASSEL:

Tamyko Vassel was born and raised in Brooklyn. At a young age she fell in love with dance, performing, and modeling. 2012 marked her first TV appearance on Celebrity Ghost Stories. Tamyko trained with Anthony Abeson, a method based training class in Lee Strasberg/Stanislaviski. She has appeared on the Meredith Vieira Show, and in the award-winning horror short Evil Rising. Tamyko is currently a student at the Wynn Handman Studio, and continues to hone her talents as a comedic actor and writer.

 

ALEXIS BRAXTON:

Alexis Braxton is an actor and writer hailing from Harrisburg, PA. In addition to The Black Pantherettes, she is a member of the sketch comedy groups To Karen With Love and American Candy. Alexis has filmed videos for Uber and Dotdash's The Balance Careers, and can be seen in the award-winning web series Foster Sin, Switch, and Working Out The Kinks. Alexis also has a passion for tap dancing, thrift shopping, and her hair.

​

https://theblackpantherettes.com/

​