Joyful Rehearsals of Delivery with the Queens Theatre

During the months of July and August, I got the chance to work with a fantastic group of artists to bring my play Delivery to life. As apart of the New American Voices Summer 2020 Virtual Reading Series at the Queens Theatre, my play was directed by Ruben C. Gonzalez and put on as a reading. I was approached by Rob Urbinati, the Director of New play Development.  We both had a piece in the Black and Latino Playwright Celebration.  Speaking of BLPC, Eugene Lee's (the Director of the Celebration) piece Lyin' Ass was in the Reading Series too!  The whole process was like a reunion.  I got to work with many people from the BLPC session including Ali, Joe Luis, Ruben, and Preston.  

It was also a wonderful experience to work with new actors too.  Shout out to Ruben for casting.  The group that he brought together was thoughtful, talented and top-notch.  Each of them brought their flair to roles, their questions, feedback and their best selves.  I got the chance to do some rewrites as well.  I know I still have more to do, but I am happy with the progression of the work.  What you will be seeing online, has been recorded and edited by the great Tech director and Queens Theatre General Manager Jay Rodgers!  He fielded our tech issues and put together the show with ease and awesome energy. 

Between Sean's impromtu talent shows, Rachel's rendition of "Kiss by a Rose", Yeniffer's pep talks, Ruben's jokes, Nickclette's ode to "baby hairs" and Ja'Michael's positive energy, I found this to be one of the most joyful rehearsal spaces I'd been in a while.  YOU MUST FIND JOY WHILE WORKING. This was also a grand opportunity to work with two colleagues from UT Austin (Nickclette and Ja'Michael).  It was awesome to work with Ruben and Joe again. During Black and Latino Playwrights Celebration, they were in the trenches with me figuring out the play!

I wanted to take the time to share a little bit about the incredible cast and creative team!  
You can read about them below. Check out their bios and hire them!

I hope you can come see this fantastic cast kill it Tuesday August 25th 7pm Central time.  You can RSVP here.

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Cast and Crew

Director
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Ruben C. Gonzalez is a critically acclaimed solo performer, actor, writer and director who hails from southeast Los Angeles. He is a 28 year veteran actor/director of the prestigious, El Teatro Campesino. He recieved his training at The London Academy for the Performing Arts, Circle in the Square Theatre School (NYC), El Teatro Campesino and holds an MFA in Dramatic Arts from the University of California, Davis. In spring 2019, his solo piece, LA ESQUINITA, USA was published in the anthology, ENCUENTRO: Latinx Performance for the New American Theatre (Northwestern University Press). Ruben has directed; LA VIRGEN DEL TEPEYAC at The Mission of San Juan Bautista, CONJUNTO BLUES by Nicolas Valdez, PILGRIMAGE by Joe Quintero, Monica Sanchez’s THE CHONICLES of ODISIA, ALISO in WORKERLAND, MI ABUELO FUE UN BRACERO and IYA by Luis Juarez and THE THROWDOWN by Theatre Troupe Headrush.  In August, he will graduate with a Master’s in Psychology where he will dedicate part of his life to bringing mental health assistance to people from marginalized communities of color.

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Actor-Javier
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​SEAN CARVAJAL Harlem born, Washington Heights bred. Actor/Activist. Selected Credits include: Broadway: King Lear. Off-Broadway: RICHARD II (Public Theater/WNYC); Halfway Bitches Go Straight to Heaven, Tell Hector I Miss Him (Atlantic Theater); Jesus Hopped the ‘A’ Train (Signature Theater; Lucille Lortel Lead Actor, Obie, Drama Desk, Clarence Derwent Awards)’ Seven Spots on the Sun (Sol Project/Rattlestick); Queen Latina and Her Power Posse (Cherry Lane); Ghetto Babylon (59E59), Lissabon (La MaMa); Holy Land (HERE Arts Center). Regional: Water by The Spoonful (Mark Taper Forum), Seven Spots on the Sun (Cincinnati Playhouse), Between Riverside and Crazy (Studio Theater). TV: “Crashing” (HBO). Member of The Actors Center.
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Actress-Mani
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​Rachel Webb is a singer, actress, dancer and model from Dallas, Texas. She recently received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre from Texas State University. It was through the Black and Latino Playwrights Celebration at Texas State that she found a passion for developing new works. She was introduced to Jelisa Robinson’s writing through BLPC as well. In school she portrayed the roles of “Mayme” in Intimate Apparel by Lynn Nottage, “Ariel” in Shakespeare’s The Tempest, and “Sarah Brown” in Guys and Dolls. Now that she has graduated, Rachel is focusing on writing her own music. Find more of Rachel’s material on her website: rachelswebb.com

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Actor-Murdr
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Preston Perez is a rising junior at TXST in the BFA Musical Theatre program. He had the opportunity to read for Murdr at the TXST Black and Latino Playwrights Conference this past August and is thrilled to be on this script again. Regional Credits: A CHORUS LINE (Paul), IN THE HEIGHTS, CHICAGO, AN AMERICAN IN PARIS at Music Theatre Wichita, and WEST SIDE STORY (Luis) at Weston Playhouse. 

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Actress-Ms. Tolivar

Johnique Mitchell was born and raised in Dallas, Texas. She received her BFA in Acting  from Texas State University, class of ‘15  and her MFA in Acting  from Penn State University, class of ‘17. The variety of roles she’s played includes the Jack Daniel's toting Marie from Robert O'Hara's "Barbeque", the ambitious hopeless romantic Olivia from Shakespeare's "Twelfth Night" and the powerhouse care-taker Athena from Mary Zimmerman's "Argonautika."She originated the role of Randy in Hansol Jung’s "Double Think" in the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown, South Africa and  Janeece in the second world premiere  of Ruben Santiago Hudson’s "Your Blues Aint Sweet Like Mine." In 2018 she joined The  Chautauqua Theater’s acting company in their production of Brandon Jacob Jenkins’ “An Octoroon”. In 2019 she  joined the Oregon Shakespeare Festival’s acting company in their production of “Hairspray”, “As You Like It” and the west coast premiere of Christina Anderson’s “How to Catch Creation”. ​

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Actress-Mama

Yeniffer Behrens-Mendoza is an Award-winning actress that has amassed a prolific career as an established actress for over two decades. Yeniffer has expanded her talent as a producer, director, content creator, mentor & philanthropist.  Her passion to support dual-language education led her to produce a benefit to bring awareness and advocate for children to grow up bilingual. The "Multicultural Harmony Gala" ran for two years and she raised thousands of dollars for her community, she also served as a board member to the Beauty in Beauty out a foundation in Chicago for a few years, supporting women from all walks of life. Her mission is to create content and live events that make a difference in the world  & unite us all. During these unprecedented times, Yeniffer created a daily Spiritual fun live show on youtube FB/IG: 11:11 Conversations with Yen & Mau Known as 'The best Spiritual Party Ever"! As well as Shortcut2hollywood.biz: An online coaching & mentorship school for aspiring actors to become working actors. She established True Form Films production company in 2006 and joined forces with her husband Mauricio Mendoza in 2010. Since then, they have produced  numerous award-winning films such as After School, Desconocidos, Fighting Chance, The Shifting, Intolerance, It Can Only Be Used Once, Taco Shop, Sinverguenzas & Mi Amor, to name a few. Her latest acting credits are Ben Affleck's movie “The Way Back”, Netflix-Grace & Frankie, Hulu FX-Dave & ABC-How to Get away with Murder. She is currently in the post-production of the anthology feature Covid19 Sins & Virtues.

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Actress-Student 1

​Nickclette Izuegbu is an actress, writer, producer, with wit and a hint of goober that you can curl up to. She began her career working and training at various theaters across the United States, including the Steppenwolf Theatre, Milwaukee Repertory Theater, Zach Scott Theater, Vortex Repertory Theater Company, Houston Shakespeare Festival, and First Stage Theater. She has written, produced and starred in several digital series, including "the Bards" and the hit scripted comedy "Nneka the Uber Driver."

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Actress-Student 2

​Ali Gutierrez is a Theatre Performance and Production major with a Political Communication minor at Texas State University, she graduated high school from Shoemaker High School in Killeen, Texas. Her hobbies include activism, writing, and crying watching turtle videos on YouTube.

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Student 3-Actor
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Ja’Michael De’Shawn is a new york-based actor, singer, and multidimensional storyteller from lil ole HEARNE, texas. He enjoys telling stories that create space for black folks and their friends to live blissful and unapologetic lives. Writing: The Electric Lady, The Self-Portrait of the Soul as a Young Man, Exile Blues Theatre: Self Portraits, The Breakup, The Afterparty, Kill Floor, Twenty Eight Film: Dear Bruh (YouTube), If There Is Light (Hulu), You Die (Amazon) ​

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Actor-Stage Directions 

Joe Luis Cedillo is a left-handed Chicano writer-director who works on stage and behind the camera.  He is a graduate of Cal State Northridge and the University of Iowa’s Playwright's Workshop. Iowa Director credits: 7 DAYS: A FANTASIA ON THE LIFE OF MILES DAVIS; THIS IS YOUR LIFE, THE SUPERIOR STORY and his play DRY. His plays ON PAINTED SKIN and COLUMPIO were both Runner Ups for the Kennedy Center ACTF National Latino Playwriting Award.  Playwright-Director credits include: 69 PORTRAITS OF CHE, TEXTBOOKS & FENCES and 7, 8IGHT, 9.  Site-specific work includes ASCENSION (Watt’s Village Theatre Company Meet Me @Metro), THE PARTY (Chalk Rep at The La Brea Tar Pits), and CRUISING CON LA VIRGEN (Moving Arts Car Plays as part of Radar LA) to name a few.  He was a member of the MET Theater Company, Urban Ensemble Theatre Collective, Co-Founder of Company of Strangers, founding member of The Unit Collective@The Playwright’s Center in Minneapolis.  He interned for Director Diane Rodriguez at the Center Theater Group and assisted Playwright Robert Schenkkan on his production of LEWIS AND CLARK REACH THE EUPHRATES that premiered at the Mark Taper Forum.  In Houston, he served as Production Dramaturg/Literary Manager for the Alley Theatre for the 60th anniversary season. Dramaturg credits include: JOURNEY'S END, THE CLEAN HOUSE, SUBJECT TO FITS and MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING to name a few.  At Texas State’s Black and Latino Playwright’s Conference he’s worked with such playwrights as Elaine Romero, Gus Edwards, Mando Alvarado and Amparo Garcia-Crow.  As a Director-Dramaturg for Watts Village Theatre Company he devised the play UNLOCKED with students at Animo Watts Locke High, developed Donald Jolly’s RIOT/REBELLION about the ’65 Watts Riots, acted & directed in the EVERY 28 HOURS plays, and most recently directed OCHRE & ONYX in the East LA area libraries.  Joe served Producing Artistic Director Kinan Valdez as Associate Artistic Director for El Teatro Campesino. Credits include: puppeteer for LA CONQUISTA, screenwriter for MAURYA’S KICK, and acted on the back of a flatbed for the annual Dia De Los Muertos pageant like back in the day. He served Founding Artistic Director Luis Valdez as a Producer, Assistant Director and Sound Designer for his new play VALLEY OF THE HEART and subsequent remounts at the Teatro and CSU Monterey Bay’s World Theater.  Mr. Cedillo directed El Teatro Campesino’s annual Christmas folk opera productions LA PASTORELA and LA VIRGEN DEL TEPEYAC performed site-specifically in Mission San Juan Bautista’s church.  His digital film credits include: HERMANA and WRNG IN STUDIO CITY.  Commissions include: Highways 4x4 Emerging Latino Artists, The LA History Project with the Edge of the World Theatre Festival, NYC’s The MET Museum with Houston’s MFAH, and Minneapolis’s zZamya Theatre Project. Recognitions include: Bay Area Playwright's Festival Finalist, FAIR Fellow at Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Theatre Master, Core Member Apprentice for the Playwright's Center, Alliance Theatre Kendeda Finalist and a Latino Theater Commons Fellow.  He is Artistic Director for Company of Strangers having recently directed the new work BULLETS AND SEEDS at Highways for the most recent 4x4 Festival, acted in Henry Ong’s DREAM OF THE RED CHAMBER, and served as Workshop leader for CASA 0101’s Beyond Macho Writer’s Circle.  Mr. Cedillo is developing an original LA crime drama pilot SWEET PALMS and a new musical about the 1934 General Strike on San Francisco’s Waterfront. FB under his full name, Twitter: @JoeLuisCedillo, Instagram: joeluiscedillo.

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Tech Director for the Reading and General Manager of Queens Theatre

Jay Rogers

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 RSVP here for the Reading of Delivery on Tuesday August 25th 7 pm CST. 

I would like to thank everyone for this opportunity.  It was a pleasure working with you all.
If you kept reading through all of this, thank you.  I do this to share my playwriting journey in hope that it will help someone begin or continue their journey in this craft.  Keep pushing.  Keep fighting.  Keep going!