Sacrifice Zone: Los Angeles
@ the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County
January 13-28, 2024

Performance Program

Created, curated, and produced by
Michael Bodie  &  Paula Cizmar

Set design by
Sibyl Wickersheimer

Interactive design by
Luke Quezada

Technical Director
Chad Smith

Live performance directed by
Fran de Leon

Live performance written by
Eliza Kuperschmid & Alessandra Viegas

Cast (in alphabetical order)
MONICA Claudia Elmore
AARON Xol Gonzalez
KENNY David Huynh
REMY Ella Lao
JUNIOR Lee Martinez
VICTORIA Alejandra Villanueva

Associate Set Designer
Aarti Patel

Stage Manager
MJ Adamson

Assistant Stage Managers
Naayah Bailey, Cherise Clough

Assistant Director
Matilda Corley Schulman

Costume Design Mentor
Ann Closs-Farley

Costume Designer
Anna Pollnow

Sound Design
Amelia Anello

Lighting Design
Oleyar Oleyar

Lighting Technician
Xandur Reed

Olfactory Design Mentor
Elizabeth Ramsey

Olfactory Design
Nikia Fenix

Interactive Map Design + Video Consultant
Cole Slater

Interactive Code Consultant
Rane Bieker

Video Animation
Zifei Zhang

Video Production
Nicolas Diaz-Magaloni

Additional Video Editing
Mika Panahon

Website + Graphic design
Nikhita Rao

Diorama Fabricator
Arabella McClure

Toolkit/Study Guide
Joseph Valdez

Set Fabrication
Pfinix Creative Group

Writing Team
Claire Bernstein, Cynthia Ochoa, Eliza Kuperschmid, Joseph Valdez, Marilyn Schotland, Steven Vargas, Alessanda Viegas

Community Organizations
Sylvia Betancourt and Marlin Dawoodjee Vargas, Long Beach Alliance for Children with Asthma;
Hugo Garcia, People Not Pozos/Esperanza Community Housing.

Members of the community
Maria Climaco, Kirk Davis, Pat Diaz, Aaron Eshman, Theral Golden, Javier Martinez, Ana Hernandez, Eric Kearney, Marta Linares, Andy Lipkis, Ashley Lazaro, Victoria Mercel, Teresa Mendoza, Evangelina Ramirez, Herendira Razcon, Maria Reyes, Alicia Rivera, Marlene Sanchez, Sandra Serrano, Katherin Velazquez, Selene Zazueta

Natural History Museum of Los Angeles Team 
Laurel Robinson, Ebony Mills, Chris Weisbart, Aaron Celestian, Chris Candelaria, Liam Mooney

USC Arts in Action
Lucy Zepeda

USC School of Dramatic Arts
Michael Lattimer, Elizabeth Harper, Phil Allen, Els Collins, Leia Crawford

USC School of Cinematic Arts, Media Arts + Practice
David Lopez, Stacy Patterson, Sonia Seetharaman, Holly Willis

USC Visions & Voices Marketing and Design Team
Hector Catalan, Eve Naranong, Martin Wong

Special Thanks
Communities for a Better Environment, Tree People, Dr. Rob McConnell, Dr. Jill Johnston, Kate Vavra-Musser,
An-Min Wu, Laura Flanagan, Colin Cox, William Warrener, Marlene Forte, Crissy Guerrero, Edgar Landa, Claudia Dolph, Nicole Appleby, Bob Bailey, David Jacobs

Extra Special Thanks to Our Sponsors
USC Arts in Action; Arkay Foundation; USC Institute for Theatre and Social Change; USC Equity Research Institute; USC Center for Children’s Environmental Health Research Translation; Will and Company; the MAP Fund; USC Advancing Scholarship in the Arts and Humanities program; and USC Undergraduate Research Assistant Program

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CREATIVE TEAM BIOS (alphabetical order)

MJ ADAMSON (Stage Manager).  MJ Adamson (They/He/Her) is a current student of the University of Southern California and is expected to graduate in May 2024. Working towards a BFA in Stage Management, they have devoted the last five years of their life to performance arts. In these five years MJ has also costume-designed, worked as a producer for ONYX LLC, production-managed, and has been credited as a screenwriter. As MJ’s work continues forward, their personal mission statement is to work on productions that amplify the voices of marginalized communities. MJ has strived to do this by working for nonprofits such as The Los Angeles Women’s Theatre Festival, The Braid, and Hero Theatre.

AMELIA ANELLO (Sound Design). Amelia Anello is a senior in USC School of Dramatic Arts’ Sound Design program. She works as a sound designer, engineer, and mixer for theater, film, and themed entertainment. Her theater credits include Pippin, Urinetown, and The Winter’s Tale at the USC School of Dramatic Arts, and she is an alumni of the Television Academy Foundation Internship Program in their sound category. She is incredibly excited to be working on this project!

SYLVIA BETANCOURT (Community Partner). Sylvia Betancourt has actively engaged in community organizing and social justice for over 30 years. Sylvia is Program Manager at the Long Beach Alliance for Children with Asthma (LBACA), which is based at Miller Children’s & Women’s Hospital of Long Beach. She has extensive experience in community outreach, engagement & policy advocacy in environmental health and justice, particularly in the context of air quality and freight transport industries. Sylvia serves on the Miller Children’s & Women’s Hospital’s Pediatric Asthma Center of Excellence Leadership Team, the Long Beach Medical Center Community Benefit Oversight Committee, the USC Environmental Health Centers Advisory Board and as a Community Scholar, the Long Beach Board of Health & Human Services, and Metro’s Long Beach to East Los Angeles 710 Fwy Task Force and Coordinating Committee. Together, with allies in the Coalition for Environmental Health and Justice (CEHAJ) and THE (Trade, Health, Environment) Impact Project, Sylvia is involved in efforts to improve air quality and address environmental health concerns in our region through the inclusion of community voices. Together, with her talented colleagues at LBACA, Sylvia works to change the lives of children with asthma in our region through a promotora model that upholds equitable access to quality health education and healthcare, clinician training, and health policy changes for cleaner air and improved health outcomes.

MICHAEL BODIE (Co-Creator, Co-Producer). A filmmaker, theatre artist, and educator; Bodie began his career working for Sundance Institute’s Feature Film and Theatre Programs where he participated in the development of independent artists and their work including Me and You and Everyone We Know, Grey Gardens, and Passing Strange, among many others. After attending UCLA’s School of Film & Television graduate directing program he returned to Sundance as their content producer where he directed an eight-part documentary web series about their prestigious labs. Bodie was integral to the inception and direction of the Sundance Film Festival’s live-stream coverage, and continues to executive produce and direct their festival video content to this day. He has written and directed award winning short films and other video projects that have aired on MTVu, Logo, and the Sundance Channel, and has partnered with music artist Shyboy on videos for his tracks, "Bird in Flight", "Wouldn't It Be Good", and "Backroom”. Bodie's work has screened at domestic and international film festivals and exhibited as part of the Los Angeles Public Library’s To Live and Dine in L.A. in which food culture and issues of food justice were examined. Bodie also directs for theatre, most recently at Cal Poly Pomona’s Department of Theatre and New Dance, and collaborates with other media artists on the development of installation-based, immersive media projects designed to provide a space for reflection and dialogue. For the past two years he has been a key collaborator on two USC Arts in Action funded programs: Warrior Bards, a program that provides US veterans the opportunity to study ancient Greek plays, discuss them through the lens of their own military experience, and respond to their discoveries through artistic practice; and Sacrifice Zone: Los Angeles, a multimedia exploration of the environmental justice issues embedded with the neighborhoods of South Los Angeles.In addition to teaching courses for MA+P in documentary filmmaking, immersive docu-narrative installation, and media for social change, Bodie consults on and directs all of the video content for USC Bovard College's online Master's degree programs. He has also taught acting, directing, improv and media-based classes at schools and universities in both the U.S and abroad. michaelbodie.com

RANE BIEKER, (Interactive Code Consultant). Rane is a 2023 graduate from USC’s Media Arts + Practice program. Her specialties include visual art, web design, game development, songwriting, and being a jack-of-all-trades. Her weaknesses include replying to texts in a timely manner, keeping a normal sleep schedule, and writing artist statements. As a creator, Rane has two main goals: to create experiences that are simultaneously fun and thought-provoking, and to explore the fragmented nature of the self. Or maybe that’s just the nature of herself. She really can’t be sure. Make that another goal – showing audiences the unique way she interacts with her world. You can find her portfolio of work at amekinoko.com.

PAULA CIZMAR,(Co-Creator, Co-Producer). Paula Cizmar is an award-winning playwright/librettist whose work often takes a poetic approach to social issues.  Her plays include: ANTIGONE X (published by NoPassport Press); THE CHISERA, presented at Palm Beach Drama Works’ 2022 New Year/New Plays Festival; and DOMINION, currently being developed at The Writers Odyssey.  Her audio play, THE VIG (INGLEWOOD-90303), can be heard on The Zip Code Plays, Season 2, the Ambie-nominated fiction series produced by Antaeus Theatre Company.  She is one of the writers of the documentary play SEVEN (produced in over 30+ countries and translated into 22 languages).  She wrote the libretto for INVISIBLE, music composed by Guang Yang, presented at LA Opera’s Eurydice Found Festival and West Edge Opera’s Snapshot; NIGHT FLIGHT OF MINERVA’S OWL (composer Guang Yang), winner of the Pittsburgh Festival Opera Fight for the Right competition; and FIRECRACKERS! (composer Guang Yang), which premiered at White Snake Opera’s Let’s Celebrate! festival in Boston in 2023.  Also an educator, she is a professor of theatre practice at USC’s School of Dramatic Arts. Member: WGA and Dramatists Guild.  www.paulacizmar.net

ANN CLOSS-FARLEY (Costume Design Mentor). Ann Closs-Farley designed The Pee-wee Herman Show (Broadway), Toy Story The Musical (Disney), What About Dick? (Netflix), The Bourne Stuntacular (Universal Studios), A Christmas Karen (Renaissance Entertainment), St. Valentine Massacre (National Geographic), Pirates of the Caribbean: Eye of The Storm (Shanghai Disneyland), Sail Away (Carnival Cruise Lines), TWA @JFK (Connie Cocktail Bar), Twelfth Night (Guthrie Theater), Zoot Suit (Mark Taper Forum) Hopscotch: A Mobile Opera (The Industry), Cunning Little Vixens Opera (Industry and Cleveland Orchestra), Around The World in 80 Days (Cleveland Playhouse) and many more. Closs-Farley is also a long-time member of The Actors’ Gang and evidEnce Room theater companies. In addition to winning the Sherwood Award for Emerging Artists, Ann has received Ovation Awards, L.A. Weekly Awards, Backstage Garlands, and L.A. Drama Critics Circle Awards. Ann currently is an Assistant Professor of Costume Design at USC, Produces the Live From The Lounge Podcast, and is a photographer at Crockpot Photography. Visit Annclossfarley.com for updates.

FRAN DE LEON ( Director of Live Performance).  LA Native Fran de Leon is an actor, writer, director, and educator born in Downtown Los Angeles, raised in Hollywood and Manila. Her one person show, Faces of America, toured to over 500 venues across 49 states, including keynote performances for the United Nations Associations, California and New York. She is the Co-Artistic Director of Will & Company, Director of New Talent for Playfair, a Core Ensemble Member of Critical Mass Performance Group, and Adjunct Faculty at the University of Southern California. Most recently, Fran was a collaborator and performer in “Mariology,” a devised project which premiered at Mixed Blood Theatre in Minneapolis. In early 2023, Fran helmed “Into the Woods” for Pasadena Playhouse’s Tony Award winning season of Sondheim, a landmark partnership with Pasadena Unified involving 200+ student performers, pit musicians, stage crew, costume and set designers to work alongside industry professionals. Fran is currently working on her second short play commission from CTG which led her to psend two months researching in the Philippines.  Other companies with whom she has worked include: the Geffen Playhouse, South Coast Rep, Playmakers’ Rep, The Music Center of Los Angeles, Artists at Play, Playwrights’ Arena, and the Garry Marshall Theater. Additional writer/director credits include commissioned work for Segerstrom Center’s Arts Teach, TreePeople, and Twelfth Night Rep. TV credits include recurring roles on For All Mankind and For All the People, as well as guest stars on Criminal Minds, Speechless, and the upcoming Michelle Yeoh led Netflix series, The Brothers Sun. www.frandeleon.com // IG: iamfrandeleon

NICOLAS DIAZ-MAGALONI (Video Production).  Nico studies Media Arts + Practice in the school of Cinematic Arts at the University of Southern California. He is a Chicano filmmaker and visual artist interested in immersive forms of storytelling. He is fascinated with the intersection of art and technology, video art, virtual reality films, and documentaries. Topics such as the abstraction of memories, magical realism, Latine love and spirituality influence his work. What others may describe as scary he has always found beautiful — identifying with the monsters from Mexican fables and myths.

CLAUDIA ELMORE (Monica).  Claudia is an actor who has performed in theatre and onscreen. Theater: The Zip Code Plays: Blue Like You: Lynwood, CA 90262 (Antaeus), SEVEN (Elan Ensemble), The Caucasian Chalk Circle (Antaeus), Talking Blues: Family Tradition (LGBT Davidson/Valentini Theatre), A Force to Be Reckoned With (Casa 0101). TV: Hawaii Five-0, Kominsky Method. Training: B.A., University of Hawaii, M.F.A., University of Southern California, and A.R.T. at Harvard with The Moscow Art Theatre.  Member: SAG/AFTRA. IG: @claudiaelmore

NIKIA FENIX (Scent Design).  Nikia  is an interdisciplinary tinkerer interested in colliding mediums to capture the intricacies of human connection. As an artist, her practice is centered in portrait-style storytelling, capturing a person's essence at a specific moment in time. As an academic, she is drawn to studying societal care systems and how we can better build them through spatial design and education. She is currently pursuing a B.A. in Media Arts + Practice at USC’s School of Cinematic Arts, watering her roots in creative writing and filmmaking with new media techniques, such as 3D modeling, creative coding, and mixed animation. Website: nikiafenix.wixsite.com/folio

HUGO GARCIA (Community Partner).  Hugo Garcia is a life-long resident of the El Sereno community in East Los Angeles, Hugo Garcia has a strong passion for environmental justice. He brings extensive experience with over 3 1⁄2 decades of community organizing and policy advocacy work related to environmental justice and open space campaigns, and projects throughout the City and County of Los Angeles. Hugo currently serves as the Campaign Coordinator for Environmental Justice at Esperanza Community Housing in South-Central Los Angeles. He, alongside the community, coordinates the People Not Pozos Campaign to end oil drilling at AllenCo Energy in University Park. He also is a Community Engagement Consultant for ClockshopLA, an arts and culture programming organization based in Northeast Los Angeles, and serves as Boardmember on Save Elephant Hill - a community-based environmental organization. Hugo previously worked at the Los Angeles Neighborhood Land Trust as Lead Organizer and Coordinator of the Park Equity Leadership Academy, and the San Gabriel and Lower Los Angeles Rivers and Mountains Conservancy as a Project Manager. He also serves as an appointed Commissioner on the Los Angeles County Fish and Wildlife Commission. In addition to community engagement, he specializes in building strategic partnerships and successful organizing strategies. Hugo also has experience in teaching and employment development, having served as Director of the 2nd largest youth employment development program in the city of Los Angeles.

XOL GONZALEZ (Aaron).  Xol Gonzalez (He/Him) is grateful to be apart of this Production of Sacrifice Zone LA. He is a second-generation Los Angeles native, born in Inglewood and raised in East LA. He also has a career in film and television that spans across 18 years. When he is not in front of the camera, he is working diligently behind the scenes as a Director, cinematographer, and writer for his film company “Chicanos with A Camera” with works ranging from documentary, dance videos, educational content and more. Previous collaborations/credits include Grammy Award winning band Quetzal, Door to America (The Colony Theatre), Museum(Will Willard), SHH! The Library Musical (Sam), The Cherry Orchard (Trofimov), Angel City (Lanx), The Odd Couple (Speed) CALMATIC(Actor), Lena Waithe produced short, “Salao” (Writer), Smithsonian Folkways, Southern California Children’s Museum’s Walk The Walk series (Producer/Director), La Plaza de Cultura y Artes (Producer/Director/AC), Robert Yeoman, Roman Coppola(Actor), and American Idol(PA). Xol would like to thank his friends and family for nurturing his career over the years.

DAVID HUYNH (Kenny). David has performed with Playwrights’ Arena’s / Boston Court’s co-production of “Unrivaled” and previously with Playwrights’ Arena’s “Circus Ugly. David had appeared on stage at East West Players in "Brother’s Paranormal” and “Mysterious Skin", in Actor's Co-Op's "Rope" and at The Colony theatre in "Year Zero". David can currently be seen in season 4 of USA Network’s anthology series The Sinner on Netflix. David's feature film appearances include M.F.A. (SXSW world premiere) and Baby for which he won a Special Jury Prize at the 2007 Los Angeles Pacific Film Festival for Outstanding Newcomer/ Best Emerging Actor for his role as the titular character. David can be seen in season 5 of Magnum P.I. and in season 2 of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds as Zacarias Nguyen.

ELIZA KUPERSCHMID (Lead Writer). Eliza Kuperschmid (she/her) strives to show how "ordinary” stories can be extraordinary. Sheholds a BA in English and Music from Skidmore College and is currently a second year student in USC’s Dramatic Writing MFA program. Outside of academics, Eliza is Director of Operations at First Kiss Theatre Company (firstkisstheatre.com) and the Program Coordinator for USC's Institute for Theatre and Social Change. An enormous thank you to Paula Cizmar and Michael Bodie for the opportunity to help tell this story. Long Beach's 710 corridor, the "diesel death zone," accounts for about 20% of all particulate emissions in Southern California. This disproportionately affects Black and Latine residents, who make up 83% of all people who live along the 710, causing them to endure what is considered some of the worst air quality in the country.

ELLA LAO (Remy). Ella Lao is incredibly excited to be a part of Sacrifice Zone LA and to work with this team. She is a graduate of the University of Southern California’s School of Drama (May 2023) receiving her Bachelor of Arts in Theatre, Acting. Ella has most recently played Teddy in the world premiere of bloody noses and Susan in we, the invisibles. She thanks her family, friends, and mentors for their guidance and support in pursuing her acting career.

LEE MARTINEZ (Junior).  Lee  (he/him/his) is excited to be a part of this very important piece. Hailing fromPhoenix, AZ, Lee has performed on stages all across the great southwest. Favorites include Godspell, Pirates of Penzance, A Company of Wayward Saints, and Bent.

ARABELLA McCLURE (Diorama Fabricator). Arabella is a writer, filmmaker, and artist from Denver, Colorado. She attended the USC School of Cinematic Arts, where she met friend and collaborator Luke Quezada, who introduced her to the Sacrifice Zones project. She's excited to be a part of the project because of her passion for creating change through media.

OLEYAR OLEYAR (Lighting Design).  Oleyar is a sophomore at the University of Southern California earning their BFA in Theatrical Lighting Design. Though this is their first time working on an exhibit, they’ve had a great deal of experience designing plays, musicals, concerts, dances, and more throughout their high school and college years. This includes shows such as “Annie”, “A Night of John Williams”, “Rocky Horror Picture Show”, “25th Annual Putnum County Spelling Bee”, and more. Come see their newest design in USC’s “Much Ado About Nothing”, opening February 16th!

AARTI PATEL (Associate Set Designer).  Aarti Patel is a Junior Scenic Designer at USC with a minor in Cinematic Arts & Music Industry. She aspires to use her passion for storytelling to create and bring the visions of various artists and writers to life on stage. In her free time, she enjoys hosting events that bring the community together, and going to concerts with her friends.

MIKA PANAHON (Additional Video Editing).  Mika is a USC student majoring in Psychology with minors in Advertising and Cinematic Arts. She hails from K-Town, Los Angeles and is passionate in exploring and appreciating the city she calls home. In her free time, Mika enjoys watching (way too many) movies and TV shows, and pursuing self-directed video editing.

ANNA POLLNOW (Costume Design).  Anna Pollnow is a bachelor of theatre arts at The University of southern California. She is studying costume design under faculty Ann Closs Farley. Anna was assistant costume designer on a USC production of We the Invisibles by Susan Soon He Stanton directed by Edgar Landa in 2022. In 2023 Anna was assistant costume designer on USC's production of a Winter's Tale by William Shakespeare directed by Kate Burton. Anna was lead costume designer on USC's production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee by Rebecca Feldman directed by Jenni Barber in 2023. Anna was also lead costume designer on USC visions and voices production of Cynossema by O-Lan Jones.

LUKE QUEZADA (Interactive Designer).  Luke Quezada is a Media Artist and designer from South Pasadena, CA. He works with design,code, LiDAR, 3D modeling + environmental mapping, traditional film, and pretty much anything else you can think of. Luke's work is informed by a variety of film and design theory that helps better guide and articulate the messages he incorporates. Content is easier to produce and distribute than ever before which demands work that is not only engaging but understandable and impactful. Luke aims to create work that is as meaningful as it is aesthetically interesting.

ELIZABETH RAMSEY (Scent Design Mentor).  Elizabeth Ramsey, PhD, is Vice Chair and Associate Professor of Cinema Practice in the Media Arts + Practice Program. Her research and teaching are focused on the integration of theory and practice with attention to affective computing, affect studies, alternative ways of knowing, sensory design, olfaction art, and issues of gender, race, children studies, empathy and technology. She is the director of the Affective Media Lab, a research lab that examines the intersection of emotion and technology through a media arts and interdisciplinary perspective. She has several publications in the field of children studies and media; and has developed and taught courses for educational programs internationally.

NIKHITA RAO (Website + Graphic Design).  Nikhita Rao is a twenty-year-old junior from Santa Barbara, CA majoring in Media Arts+Practice, minoring in User Experience. At USC, Nikhita strives to further her passions of creativity and leadership. She is currently a part of ZA+P, a Media Arts+Practice club dedicated to student-led creative projects such as a “zine” or a magazine showcasing student’s personal stories through art. She is also a member of Delta Phi Epsilon (DPE), a professional fraternity centered on International Relations as well as a Student IT worker for the School of Cinematic Arts. Currently, Nikhita is an undergraduate research associate, working with Professor Michael Bodie on his upcoming installation called “Sacrifice Zone” at the Museum of Natural History in LA doing graphic and web design work. Professionally, Nikhita strives to become a UI/UX designer one day for tech companies like Apple or Google or work in an advertising agency in a major city. Website: https://nikhitarao.weebly.com/

MATILDA CORLEY SCHULMAN (Assistant Director). As a recovering student athlete (Equestrian) (yes, she is a horse girl), and now writer/actor (and director) based in Los Angeles, Matilda finds herself sharing stories filled with a little bit of magic, loud women, and a whole lot of heartbreak. She holds a BA in English and Minors in Theatre Practices and Creative Writing from UC Berkeley, having also studied at A.C.T., Berkeley Rep, and BADA's MIO Program. She holds an MFA in dramatic writing from USC. Most recently, her play "bloody noses" went up April '23 at USC directed by David Warshofsky. Her Writing: https://writers.coverfly.com/profile/writer-bd52db523-131629 / ig: @matildacorleyschulman

COLE SLATER (Interactive Map Design + Video Consulting).  Cole Slater  is an art director, digital designer, and community curator examining the contentions between physical and digital materiality. His work spans a variety of mediums including 3D forms/environments, films/photos, and sensory design installations. Using his background in ensemble performance, Cole creates space, develops community, and facilitates sites of knowledge production through his creations of various artist collectives such as USC Media Arts + Practice’s ZAP. Cole’s work has been featured in Hypebeast and Clockshop and he has created media for brands including The Peggy Guggenheim Collection, Emerge, No Maintenance, and Alex Skeffington. His films where he has served as a Cinematographer, Producer, and Assistant Director have won awards at Maui Film Festival, Paris Film Awards, and the Florence Film Awards. Cole’s artwork always has his hand on the story's pulse and interweaves ethical questions to inspire social and environmental change. His grit and artistic philosophy make him a versatile collaborator, effective live-event director, and a natural storyteller. Please visit coleslater.com for more details.

CHAD SMITH ( Technical Director).  Chad Smith  has been a creator of theatre and theatrical sets since the last century. Chad has worked with many esteemed companies such as Blue Man Group NY, The Public Theatre/NYSF, and Center Theatre Group. He is now teaming up with Bow & Harrow Workshop to build specialty props, sets, high end furniture, and specialty items. Check out our website at bowandharrow.com

ALESSANDRA VIEGAS (Lead Writer). Alessandra Viegas (she/they) is an NYC-born, LA-based playwright. She holds a BA in English and American Studies from Wesleyan University and is currently a second-year in USC’s MFA Dramatic Writing program. Their plays explore queerness through the lens of family, temporality, and the body.

ALEJANDRA VILLANUEVA (Victoria).  Alejandra Villaneuva is excited to be a part of such an impactful project! She was recently a part of the Old Globe's Globe for All Tour production where she toured a free professional Shakespeare show to the San Diego community, and prison facilities. She is happy to continue to be a part of projects that are impactful to the community. Favorite roles include, Queen Margaret in Queen Margaret (USC), Rita in La Mujer Que Cayó del Cielo (Voces en la Umbra), and Dromio of Syracuse U/S in Comedy of Errors (Old Globe).

SIBYL WICKERSHEIMER (Set Designer).  Sibyl’s interests span design for live performance, installations, exhibitions and design for mental health care initiatives. Her foundation as a theatrical set designer led Sibyl to co-author the book Scene Shift: U.S. Set Designers in Conversation with scenographer Maureen Weiss. She most recently designed the set for Fetch Clay, Make Man at the Kirk Douglas Theatre, Every Brilliant Thing, and The Lonely Few at the Geffen Playhouse, and Metamorphoses at Seattle Rep. Sibyl is an Associate Professor at the USC School of Dramatic Arts. Opening on February 2, 2024, Scene Shift/The Exhibit will be in exhibition across the street from the Natural History Museum at the USC Fisher Museum of Art!   Learn more about Sibyl’s work at www.sawgirl.com.

JOSEPH VALDEZ ( Toolkit/Study Guide Creator).  Joseph  is an actor, playwright, and educator based in Los Angeles. His work has been developed at a number of organizations including Native Voices at the Autry, The Vagrancy, La Jolla Playhouse, and Oregon Shakespeare Festival.  He’s been selected as a Finalist for the O’Neill Playwrights Conference and a multiple-time Semi-Finalist at the Bay Area’s Playwrights Festival. As an actor, Joseph has worked professionally on both new and classical works, as well as a multitude of film, audio, commercial, and multi-media productions. He was featured in American Theatre Magazine’s Inaugural Role Call: People to Watch, and he was a member of the Indigenous Writers Collaborative at Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Joseph was formerly an educator at LAUSD, where he taught English, History, and a multitude of other subjects. He is currently completing his MFA in Dramatic Writing at the University of Southern California.

ZIFEI  ZHANG (Video Editing + Animation).  Zifei Zhang is a multidisciplinary visual storyteller based in Los Angeles. They work in branding, publication design, editorial illustration, and motion graphics.  They are interested in crafting new ways of accessibility in design and exploring immersive experiences.  Outside of their design and media art practice, you can find them producing pieces for radio and podcast journalism.