CAST

ARANTXA CHÁVEZ

ERIKA GUADALUPE NÚÑEZ

ALFONSO VALDESPINO

JALINA WAYSER

COLLABORATORS

Written By
TANAQUIL MÁRQUEZ

Directed By
MARISOL ROSA-SHAPIRO

Stage Manager
JACE PASTRAS / RYAN LUSK

Sound Designer
ARTEMIS ZARA GÜLTEKIN

Lighting Designer
ZAID DAWSARI

Properties/Scenic Designer
MARY GRAGEN ROGERS

coLAB Arts

Producing Director, Co-Producer
DAN SWERN

Director of Education, Co-Producer
JOHN KELLER

Producing Associate
VICTORIA MASTELLER

Community Organizer
YEIMY GAMEZ CASTILLO

General Manager
JEFF KEY

Digital Archivist and Research Associate
DR. ADDIE GORDON

Line Producer
GLORIA NUNEZ-CARDONA

Scholar-in-Residence from Rutgers University-New Brunswick
DR. KENNETH SEBASTIAN LEON

Oral History Team
FLORIBEL CRUZ-HERNANDEZ, RICARDA GARCIA, and CAROLINA MORATTI

CAST BIOS

Arantxa Chavez

Arantxa Chavez is a theater artist, long-time improviser, and clown from Lima, Peru. Before moving to Philadelphia and returning to her alternative roots, she appeared in multiple Theatreworks/UCCS productions including The Art of Dining and Free-For-All production of A Midsummer Nights’s Dream. Most recently she was a part of Fringies winner: MADCAP & BUSTY late night variety show, and children’s musical, G(r)een during last year’s Philly Fringe. Arantxa is currently pursuing her MFA in Devised Performance at The Pig Iron School and enjoying her new life in the city.

Erika Guadalupe Núñez

Erika Guadalupe Núñez is a queer immigrant, artist, and community organizer currently serving as the Executive Director of JUNTOS, a Latine immigrant rights organization based in South Philadelphia. After emigrating from Mexico at a young age with her mother, Erika Guadalupe grew up sin papeles and eventually sin miedo. Since 2011, she has organized at the local and national level against the criminalization, detention, and deportation of her community, believing that a world without cages—in all its forms—is possible. As an artist, Erika Guadalupe’s work focuses on creating art for rallies and cultural events with her community, highlighting the lived experiences and truths faced by immigrants as part of the movement for justice, while preserving cultural traditions for future generations. She debuted as an actress in the play Nichos, which uplifted stories from Mexican immigrant communities in South Philadelphia, and is excited to continue playing roles that highlight the resilience and magic of immigrant communities. Erika Guadalupe is also an Aztec dancer with Yanki Yestli Tocnigua (Sangre Nueva) and a member of the musical collective Son Revoltura.

Alfonso Valdespino

Alfonso Valdespino is a first generation Mexican-American. Originally from the Chicagoland area, Alfonso is a Philadelphia based theatre artist. His family comes from Guerrero, Mexico. He is a full time Theatre Artist currently serving as the Artistic, Development, & Production Assistant at 1812 Productions. Alfonso is a proud member of the Philadelphia Latine Theatre Alliance. Other Credits: Nichos (Esperanza Arts Center), Ulysses (Elevator Repair Service @ FringeArts), Siluetas (Power Street Theatre), This Is The Week That Is, Torch Song, The Flatlanders, The Play That Goes Wrong (1812 Productions).

Jalina Wayser

Jalina Wayser is a Dominican - American actress based in Philadelphia, from Passaic, New Jersey.  Some recent works include Boleros for the Disenchanted (Players Club of Swarthmore), The Last Days of Judas Iscariot (The Stagecrafters Theater), The Ballad of Gladys and Miriam (Playhouse West Philadelphia), and The Hazards of Love (2021 Philly Fringe Festival). With a passion for storytelling, she's also worked on local short films in Philadelphia. Me siento muy orgullosa de poder trabajar en algo en que esta comunidad se pueda ver reflejada.  She dedicate this performance to her favorite Scorpio, Tío Ronnie RIP.  

CREATIVE TEAM BIOS

Marisol Rosa-Shapiro

Marisol Rosa-Shapiro (Director) a theater artist, educator, and facilitator based in NYC and Philadelphia, brings playfulness, empathy, and community-building into her work. A Princeton graduate, she studied at Helikos in Italy, where she trained in the Jacques Lecoq method. Marisol's work spans acting, directing, clowning, and community engagement, including projects with Theatre Horizon and Shakespeare in Clark Park. She is a board member of Clowns Without Borders USA and co-created The Most Important Place in the World, an acclaimed anti-colonial work on Puerto Rican diaspora. Her theater company, Soledad Ensemble, is developing The Seven Ravens Project, blending Grimm Brothers’ tales with modern migrant stories. @marisolmakes

Tanaquil Marquez

Tanaquil Márquez (Playwright) is a bold and innovative Latina artist, passionate about celebrating the LatinX voice through bilingual work. She has created original work and self-produced plays in both Spanish and English, building a bridge between her shared culture and communities. Tanaquil is the Director of Education at 1812 Productions and a member of 1812’s Artistic Core. Tanaquil is the recipient of the 2022 Pew project grant for Nichos and, in 2023, was a finalist for the F. Otto Haas Emerging Artist Award. She has created many original bilingual works as a director, producer, and writer, such as Azul and I Only Came to Use the Phone under her theater company project, La Fábrica. Upcoming for Tanaquil is The Thanksgiving Play at Villanova University and two original plays premiering in 2025: Twelfth Night with Liz Filios (Delaware Shakespeare) and La Otra with Eliana Fabiyi (1812 Productions). @tana.marie01

Mary Gragen Rogers

Mary Gragen Rogers (Properties/Scenic Designer) is an educator, administrator, production manager, and puppeteer. Film and commercial credits include Wes Craven’s My Soul To Take and BOSE audio feature commercials. Regional credits include George Street Playhouse, Hartford Stage, The Alley Theater, Passage Theater, McCarter Theater, Connecticut Repertory Theater, BoxCar Theater, Flock Theater and CoLAB arts. New York credits at Premiere Stages and The Village Theater. National Tours of Dragon Tales Live! and Bear In The Big Blue House Live! Her work is on display at Universal Studios Hollywood and was formerly on staff at George Street Playhouse, McCarter Theater, and Montclair State University. Mary holds a BA from Wheaton College and an MFA from the University of Connecticut in Puppetry.

Ilycia Boatwright-Bufaloe

Ilycia Boatwright-Bufaloe (Costume Designer) is thrilled to be working with coLAB Arts for the first time. Recently, she had the pleasure of serving as the lead costume designer for EgoPo Theater Company, Delaware Shakespeare, InterAct Theatre, and Arden Theatre Company, as well as assisting on a project for Passage Theatre Company. A graduate of West Chester University with a degree in Design, Technology, and Management, Ilycia launched her costume design company, B-Bufaloe, in the summer of 2019. Specializing in performance wear for anyone ready to take the stage, B-Bufaloe is dedicated to creating inclusive and dynamic designs. As an emerging talent in the field, Ilycia has collaborated with some of Philadelphia’s finest drag and burlesque performers. Guided by her mantra, “Size inclusion is neither an obstacle nor an option,” she takes pride in designing for all individuals, celebrating diversity in shape, size, and style.

Zaid Dawsari

Zaid Dawsari (Lighting Designer)  is a lighting programmer and designer from San Francisco, California, currently based in the New York area. He recently graduated with a BFA from Rutgers University and is thrilled to be returning to coLAB Arts, having served as the lighting designer for the workshop production of Click Here (To Start Your Order) last April. He is excited to collaborate with Teatro Esperanza. His programming credits include The Antiquities at Playwrights Horizons (Off-Broadway) and The Club at NJPAC. His design credits include Macbeth and Heavenly Fools with the Rutgers Theater Company.

Artemis Zara Gültekin

Artemis Zara Gültekin (Sound Designer) is an actor, writer, singer, sound designer, violinist, and an overall lover of telling stories from Ankara, Türkiye, and she is so excited to be a part of telling this beautiful story. Besides being a freelancing artist, she is a resident artist of Turkish American Repertory Theater & Entertainment (TARTE). She also participates in the monthly radio play series Living Radio (every first Monday of the month at Under St. Marks!) as an actor, director and assistant sound designer & engineer. In her free time, she likes getting lost in other fictional worlds, jamming to Fall Out Boy, anime music, and Ado; making silly TikToks, and reacting very loudly to everything! Selected sound design: feejee mermaid, Lilith in Pisces (The Flea/Drops in the Vase), Richard II, The Winter's Tale (Stella Adler); pillow talk (The Tank/KSTC). NYU Tisch Drama BFA. IG: @arty_zara

JACE PASTRAS

Jace Pastras (Stage Manager) is a multidisciplinary artist who is interested in the power of art to heal and cultivate community. Jace has been the Education Assistant at coLAB Arts since 2023. He received a BFA in Acting from Montclair State University in January. In addition to his acting training, he is a theatrical director and choreographer. His recent credits include; (Organizer/Choreographer/Dancer) TrueSevles VII at coLAB Arts, (Bingley) Pride and Prejudice at MSU, (Director) The Last Five Years at Blue Fire Theatricals. @jaceeepastras

Ryan Lusk

Ryan Lusk (Rehearsal Stage Manager)  is a professional Stage Manager based in Philly and NYC. He graduated from Pace University with a Bachelor of Arts in Stage Management. Past Credits include 9 to 5, Newsies, Kill Move Paradise, and more. Thank you to coLAB Arts for this opportunity!

Special thanks to Seth Rozin and InterAct Theater Company and to Freshii, our frequented lunch spot, on 131 Neilson St for their support of the show.