Directing
Over the past few years, I have realized that as a young woman of color, I want to be a leader who encourages and guides other artists in creating theatre that is joyful and revolutionary in a safe and productive space for collaboration.
Native Gardens
by Karen Zacarías
Identity. Belonging. Borders.
Native Gardens is a fast-paced comedy about heavy hitting issues like immigration, class, gender, and privilege. With all of the conflict and offensive statements each of the characters made, I wanted to make sure not to villanize any of them. Each one is meant to be a kind, caring, genuine person, with their own internalized implicit biases. It is what makes these characters so very human and relatable. Additionally, with the two-sided thrust space, I really wanted it to feel like the audience was situated in their back yards. To do this, the designers did an excellent job providing dressings like real mulch and dirt, subtle sun-setting light shifts, and gentle ambient yard sounds.
The Box of Stories
by J.S. Puller heavily adapted by Kerstin Vaughn for NHSI
What is the thing that humans need and love the most? Stories.
​
This production of The Box of Stories was adapted for an ensemble cast of 15 high school students for the National High School Institutes "Cherubs" program at Northwestern University. For this joyful and playful production about folktales and myths from around the world, I focused on teaching the students how to embrace child-like imagination and creativity while also bearing in mind the responsibility of research and respect when working on material from different cultures.
Julius Caesar
by William Shakespeare adapted by Brad Dell
“Why should Caesar get to stomp around like a giant while the rest of us try not to get smushed under his big feet? What’s so great about Caesar, hm?... WE SHOULD TOTALLY JUST STAB CAESAR!” – Gretchen Wieners
​
At first glance, there does not seem to be much in common between the great Roman conquerors and conspirators with contemporary teenage drama. Yet, issues of popularity, loyalty, power, and betrayal are central to both the lives of teenagers and the characters in Julius Caesar. With this in mind, prepare yourselves for Mean Girls meets Julius Caesar. Shakespeare should be enjoyable for everyone, so I wanted to give our student audience plenty of familiar images to hold on to.
Anansi the Spider
by Jeremy Kisling
For this production, I conducted a great deal of research into West African storytelling traditions, Anansi tales, and Akan/Ashanti culture and dance. For many young people, this would be their first encounter with African ideas, so I wanted to make sure the design team and cast would be well-informed and able to be culturally-conscious decisions.
It was very fun to incorporate what I termed the "Dora the Explorer" moments where the performers could directly interact with the audience and bring them into our mythical world.
​
It's a Wonderful Life Radio Play
by Joe Landry
It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play is based on the classic holiday movie with a clever twist thrown in: the story is staged as a live radio broadcast. Actors portray numerous characters, and sound effects are created by Foley artists/actors. During this process, I focused heavily on helping the actors develop clear and distinct characters through a series of voice and movement exercises. One of my goals for this production was to welcome and encourage the inclusion of performers from diverse backgrounds. Bedford Falls is meant to represent an honest and genuine America- and our America today is one of great racial, ethnic, and gender diversity.
Why We Are Angry
a charity cabaret
As co-founder of Feminist Commune Theatre Collective, I produced our first performance which served as a fundraiser for Lubbock Women’s Protective Services, an organization that supports women leaving abusive relationships. The performance featured both new works and familiar favorites that highlighted the struggles of women-identified persons.
Hairspray
by Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan
The goal of this production for this company was to engage the Black community of Lubbock, which had been historically excluded from the Lubbock arts scene. For casting, we coordinated with one of the only black arts organizations, the West Texas Dancing Raiderettes, to develop the appropriate and diverse ensemble for this show. Although the script itself lacks nuance and subtlety, my goal was to encourage and uplift these marginalized voices and highlight the sense of joy and community in the script for the Lubbock community. In my direction, I emphasized dreamlike nature of Tracy and her imagination through the use of tableaux and encouraging the actor playing Tracy to lean into her innocent sense of hope.
Gwen and Annie
by Charles L. Hughes
Produced as a part of Texas Tech University's new work festival in 2022, Gwen and Annie is close to my heart. I was able to collaborate with friend and playwright Charles L. Hughes on this beautiful play about sisterhood, memory, and trauma. In this piece, I focused on developing a sense of intimacy between the two actors as sisters. While the play deals with domestic abuse and mental illness, the play is at its core about how despite everything your family lifts you up. My direction focused on bringing to life humor and nostalgia so that the audience left with a sense of warmth.
​
The Snake Eater
by Bradley Hewlett
For this new work, I served as choreographer. I was inspired heavily by Japanese Butoh dance and Western contemporary dance techniques. The dances in this play create a dream world in which the protagonist, Thomas, fights against his understandings of faith and fear.
The dance is meant to be a dreamworld representation of an ancient tribe of snake-worshipers. The goal of the movement is not to emulate any indigenous culture, but rather the dance is rooted in hip-hop and modern dance, and then morphed into something otherworldly.
​
Live Stream Performance Start at 15:05
Twelfth Night
by William Shakespeare
I served as assistant/tour director of The Acting Company's educational tour of Twelfth Night under the direction of Jesse Jou.
For this production, I prepared an actor packet via a Pinterest board (linked below). I also served as a liaison between the company and the staff of the schools we toured.
For this production, the director and I leaned into the inherent queerness of Twelfth Night. The world of Illyria was intentionally genderqueer and racially inclusive. Read more about representation and educational theatre in the article linked below!
​
If Representation Be the Food of Love
​
In the Heights
by Lin Manuel-Miranda and Quiara Alegría Hudes
As assistant director for Lubbock Moonlight Musical, I served as acting coach, vocal coach, and intimacy director. The director Francisco Rendon and I wanted to focus on the sense of community and togetherness in the piece. So, I facilitated dance and movement exercises to grow the sense of community and connection within the cast.
Our Offering
created by Sis and The Next Generation Project
I was honored to serve as the Production Stage Manager for both Our Offering and A Christmas Offering. The virtual production we developed during the pandemic originally as a queer BIPOC adaptation of Our Town. As PSM, I managed the schedules of around 50 actors and creative team members spread across 4 times zones. I ran creative team meetings, handled budgets, and coordinated all company communication.
​
​
girl misknown
based on the work of Phillis Wheatley
This was an experimental psuedo-devised piece in which I explored the artistic styles of George C. Wolfe and Mary Zimmerman. I was inspired by Wolfe's fascination with Black history and Zimmerman's physical and imaginative creation process. In the piece, I work to balance joy and darkness. I encouraged the actors to always remember to play and enjoy the language, rather than be bogged down by heightened text.
After the Plague
by Charles L. Hughes
This piece is an expression of how many of us felt during the 2020 COVID-19 days of isolation and uncertainty- scared, alone, vulnerable, and a little bit crazy. I directed two first-year college students and worked with them on discovering reality and honesty in the somewhat absurd circumstances.