Let’s start with the obvious. Irma Herrera is not an actor, and I don’t mean this in a negative way. She’s a “writer, solo performer, social justice activista, lawyer, and world traveler.” That’s how she introduces and identifies herself on …

00054: WHY WOULD I MISPRONOUNCE MY OWN NAME? Read more »

A few days ago I attended the production of MEXODUS, a new hip-hop play by Brian Quijada. This new production took place at Berkeley Rep in Berkeley, CA.   I was excited to see this production for two reasons, three really. …

00052-MEXODUS Read more »

While my show Alicia from the Real in Wonderland was being produced at Contra Costa College, the place where I worked as a full-time theatre faculty and Chair of the Drama Department, the president of the college approached me and …

00046: WINTERLAND Read more »

And so it came to past, after a pandemic, several setbacks, challenges, injuries, and personal matters that Moderna Suspiros finally made it to the stage.  The show only had two showings but there were beautiful, fun, exciting, and filled with …

00043: INTRODUCING MODERNA SUSPIROS Read more »

Wear heels they said! You will look good in heels they said! It’s easy they said! And yes, it is fun to wear heels, but if you are a person who isn’t used to wearing heels and suddenly you have …

00041: INJURIES!!! Read more »

We had a costume fitting just a couple of weeks ago. The the fitting also included shoes, of course. It has taken me a while to post about this matter because the fitting, although exciting, was also a little bit …

00040: SHOES! COSTUMES! AND MAKEUP! OH MY! Read more »

When I first started my career in theatre, and I mean, going to school for it, I had no idea what “commedia dell’arte” was. When I first encountered it, I didn’t quite grasp its true meaning and didn’t think much …

0009: THAT’S WHAT IT’S ALL ABOUT! Read more »

Besides going to Italia to investigate Commedia dell’arte matters, I also have to do two more things during my sabbatical. Both are in relation to Commedia, of course. I must create a Commedia dell’arte class to become part of our …

0008: COMMEDIA DELL’ARTE CALIFORNIA Read more »

You would think that for someone who doesn’t like the cold, going to Venice at the top of February should be a big ‘no-no.’ The reality is that when I started thinking of Venice as part of my sabbatical, I …

0006: WHETHER THE WEATHER Read more »

Because this was a staged reading, no set was needed. The director, however, decided that the image of the show should be present as a visual. He also added two music stands and a box that served as a “table” …

0004: THE STAGED READING Read more »

I’ve arrived in Wooster, OH as planned. In the next two days, I will be giving a workshop on “solo performance” and preparing for the staged reading.  The artistic director of Teatro Travieso is also a full-time faculty at The …

0003: THE PLAY DEVELOPMENT PROCESS Read more »

Fall 22 has become the semester to fully work on both, my sabbatical play and the planning of my sabbatical trip. So far the one-person show has had three different re-writes, it has been read by three different theatre professionals: a …

0002: THE NEW NORMAL Read more »

I’m four years behind this post. And if you want to know why, I ask you to read the entry titled, “000 29: Intentions,” where I explained what happened regarding this event. So, what I’m recalling now is from memory …

00032: International Dublin Gay Festival Read more »

Throughout the years, I have set up many intentions, plans, goals, yet many of my desires have ended right at the beginning: at the intention, at the plan, at the wish. This has happened for many reasons; some intentions are …

00029: Intentions Read more »