PEDICAB PROGRAM
AN INVITED ONLINE READING VIA ZOOM:
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 12 @ 7:00 PM ET
This reading is free with a suggested donation of $10. make a contribution here.
A portion of the proceeds will go to support National Asian American Women’s Forum, a nonprofit organization that works for social, political, and structural change for Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) women and girls. Using a reproductive justice framework, THEY elevate AAPI women and girls and work to impact policy and drive systemic change in the United States.
CAST
Rudolph Villamaria | Claro de los Reyes
Jocelyn Villamaria | Jamie Nallas
Jean-Paul/Derrick/Jackson | Anthony Vaughn Merchant
Zuhair/Detective Cailles | Roy Koshy
Amy Saurez/Silvia/Kwenta | Ren Dara Santiago
Mavis/Sharon/Rosario | nic feliciano
Bradley/Herbert | Trevor Swann
BIOGRAPHIES
Claro de los Reyes
Playwright | Rudolph Villamaria
Claro de los Reyes (he/him/his) is NYC-based actor, playwright, and a social practice theatre-maker. As an actor he has performed with NY theater companies that include NAATCO, Pan Asian Rep, Leviathan Lab, and International WOW. He has had the honor of co-creating theatre alongside community members in NYC, Minnesota, the Philippines, and Rwanda. Recent accomplishments include: The Laundromat Project Create Change artist commission; National Artists Strategies Creative Community Fellow; Downtown Art Artist-in-Residence; Epic Theatre Ensemble’s Spotlight Playwriting Commission. His play Mongoloida’s Casa de Pun was featured at the Virgin LabFest 2020 at the Cultural Center of the Philippines. He recently directed a live international virtual presentation of Luis H. Francia's Black Henry, a collaboration between APT, NYU King Juan Carlos I of Spain Center, and Sulo: the Philippine Studies Initiative at NYU. Claro is the founder and director of Atlantic Pacific Theatre, a theater company committed to exploring cross cultural exchange and pluralism through theatre works, public history programs, and community-engaged social practice art experiences www.atlanticpacifictheatre.org | www.clarodelosreyes.com
Aureen Almario
Director
Aureen Almario is an educator and artist. She teaches Asian American studies at Laney College and SFSU. Currently the artistic director of Bindlestiff Studio, where she trained in performing arts, playwriting, puppetry and comedy since 2004. The COVID-19 pandemic presented opportunities for virtual programming; developing Kwento Times Staged reading series, Stories High workshop and show, HOEVID-19, OK Ba Tayo?, nü nü, and 500 Years of Resistance. As lead facilitator for the Restorative Theater Arts for Seniors program, she pivoted to direct services by coordinating grocery deliveries to seniors and vulnerable families. Past directorial experience include Welga by Conrad Panganiban, Chasing Papeles by Andrea Almario, various Tagalog Festival plays, and countless sketches for Granny Cart Gangstas (a sketch comedy group she co-founded). She has performed and directed shadow puppetry with FOB Show, Brownout Shadowplay Collective, and toured in the international production of Feathers of Fire: A Persian Epic by Hamid Rahmanian, in collaboration with Shadowlight Productions. In February 2020 she co-directed Shadows for Carlos Villa with Larry Reed and created a short shadowplay video Kumukutikutitap for the SF Parol Festival in 2020. She is a two time recipient of the SF Arts Commission Individual Artist grant and was listed as a 2020 YBCA 100 Honoree. Recent performances include Black Benatar’s Black Magic Cabaret (puppeteer), Nanay’s Lullaby (film), Interview with an Aswang and Stories High XXI. https://aureenbalmario.squarespace.com/
Mars neri
PRODUCTION stage manager
Mars Neri (they/them) is a junior Stage Management major and Gender Studies minor at Fordham University. They are also a chair for Fordham Theatre’s BIPOC Alliance, and the 2021-2022 head of the Fordham Theatre AAPI Affinity Group. Most of their work is with the Fordham Theatre program, but they’ve also done work with Signature Theatre DC, the Song Collective, and worked on the Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder Abridged fundraiser for Stop AAPI Hate. They’re devoted to doing work that brings unheard voices and untold stories to light.
nic feliciano
Mavis/Sharon/Rosario
nic feliciano is a writer, actor, performer, and cook born in manila based in berkeley, ca. when she’s not feeding people in the streets of oakland with her food hustle Sup Streetfood, you can find her writing short plays inspired by the filipino diaspora and acting at Bindlestiff Studios. She is dedicated to preserving and representing filipino culture to the max. Follow her on instagram (@cocomachetz) to see her work and/or for a good laugh.
Roy Koshy
Zuhair/Detective Cailles
Roy is an actor, writer, and comedian based in New York City. In addition to numerous theatrical productions, he has acted in videos for adultswim.com and Fast Company, and can be seen in the feature films How to be Single and A Hint of Disorder. Roy has performed improvisation and sketch comedy at the Magnet Theater, the Annoyance Theater, and is a graduate of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York. Roy also performs with Story Pirates and various other educational theater companies around New York City.
Anthony Vaughn Merchant
Jean-Paul/Derrick/Jackson
Anthony Vaughn Merchant Actor, Person, Director and Fight Choreographer (in that order). Anthony has become recognized for his work in classical plays including two Adelco nominations. He is also a proud member of Epic Theatre Ensemble, Less Than Rent, and Shakespeare in the Square. Most recently he appeared in this very same magical garage in Brooklyn for Target Margin’s “Go Forth and Act Accordingl.” Anthony can also be seen on screen, having worked on several shows including HBO’sVinyl Netflix’ Luke Cage and USA’s Mr. Robot. During the year that wasn’t, Anthony continued teaching and performed in an international internet performance of Black Henry with Atlantic Pacific Theatre Company. https://avaughnmerchant.wixsite.com/avmactor
Jamie nallas
Jocelyn Villamaria
Jamie Nallas hails from the city of Alameda in the SF Bay Area of California. Bindlestiff studio is her home base, and has association with other theater groups such as, appearances in SFSketchfest, Killing My Lobster, Taste Better Wit comedy troupe, The Geek Show, and in her first feature film, ZEUS on tfc/abscbn. Forever a performing arts actress and theater/film geek, you can catch her in the upcoming KML production of “My parents came to America and all they got was a kid who does comedy,” and is working on a paranormal comedy podcast called “Creepin it.” j
REN DARA SANTIAGO
Amy Saurez/Silvia/Kwenta
Ren Dara Santiago is a Fila-Rican playwright from Yonkers and Harlem. Her play The Siblings Play premiered in March 2020 at Rattlestick Playwrights Theater. Ren’s work has received development with The Bushwick Starr, The Cherry Lane Theatre, Clubbed Thumb, Labyrinth Theater, The Lark, MCC Theater, Ojai Playwrights Conference, and SPACE on Ryder Farm. She is a member of Rising Phoenix Rep; former Artistic Producer and founding member of Middle Voice at Rattlestick; and the inaugural recipient of Rising Phoenix Rep’s Cornelia Street American Playwriting Award. https://www.rendarasantiago.com/
Trevor swann
Bradley/Herbert
Trevor Swann has been raised by actors and started his career at an early age. Having partaken in conservatory programs at UNCSA (University of North Carolina School of the Arts) and SUNY Purchase, Trevor has refined his acting approach to fit his look. Recent stage credits include leading roles in "1776" as Thomas Jefferson and The Monster in "Young Frankenstein" at the Philipstown Depot Theatre. During the Pandemic, Trevor was given the opportunity to perform with Ariel Estrada, in "Shop in Peace" directed by Jo Shui from the Pan Asian Repertory Theatre. Trevor is honored to be involved with Leviathan Lab and to partake in celebrating National Filipino American Heritage Month. https://www.backstage.com/u/trevorswann/