Episode 16: Intitutional Racism in Theatrical Education

In today's TEA episode, Natalie, Mat, and Caroline sit down with actor Cassie Moronez and costume tech, Nick Lamb, about what filming during the pandemic has been like, how to be a model for COVID safety on set, and ways you can get into the film industry. Cassie Moronez is a Bay Area native whose heart has always belonged to Los Angeles. She is a Latinx creator, actor, director and believer in growing more knowledge about yourself and the world that surrounds us. She studied theatre performance for over 6 years finishing with her BA Theatre Arts in Performance from CSULB. For the span of almost 14 years, she has incorporated the arts in almost every aspect of her life. She continuously strive to grow her abilities as an artist seeking out any outlet she can. She's a full time (newly SAG-AFTRA) actress balancing an array of background gigs and auditions. Connect with us! EMAIL: [email protected] INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/theeducatedactor/

In today's TEA episode, Natalie and Carolina speak with Tyler Bremer about breaking into the theatre scene straight out of acting training, Los Angeles's theatre community, and how to find ease during the pandemic. Tyler Bremer is an LA-based actor and writer. Recent Theatre credits: Puppeteer in Little Shop of Horrors (Pasadena Playhouse), Cat in Wood Boy Dog Fish (The Garry Marshall Theatre), Lampwick in Pinocchio (South Coast Repertory), Jumbo in The Last Croissant (Broadwater MainStage; as part of Hollywood Fringe and winner of the Top of Fringe award), Bon-Bon in Lunatics & Actors (Shakespeare Center of Los Angeles). Tyler is a member of a number of LA theatre companies, including: The Attic Collective, Rogue Artists Ensemble, Four Clowns, and Sacred Fools. He co-produced Let’s Create: A New Play Festival (2017) with Natalie Cruz, and has hosted various readings of plays in development under the name Let’s Read a Play. Tyler received his BA in Theatre Arts, Performance Emphasis from California State University, Long Beach. He has also studied Clowning at The Clown School LA under Zach Steel. He is a proud member of AEA and is repped by BBR (commercial) and Hines and Hunt Entertainment. Connect with us! EMAIL: [email protected] INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/theeducatedactor/

*DISCLAIMER* This episode was recorded over Zoom and, thus, has some audio issues that are inevitable when conducting virtual interviews. We appreciate your patience! Black History Month is EVERY month here at TEA and this #TEAtime, we're bringing attention to theatre that doesn't get talked about very often. Dr. Daphnie Sicre sits down with Natalie, Mat, and Caroline to talk about her work in uplifting Afro-Latinx theatre, intentional casting when it comes to Latinx productions, and how she practices Anti-Racism in the classroom and rehearsal space. Dr. Daphnie Sicre is an assistant professor of Theatre Arts at Loyola Marymount University, where she teaches directing, performance pedagogy, Latinx theatre and theatre for social change. She shares a deep passion for discovering multiple Latinx and African-American perspectives in theatre. Focusing on Afro-Latinx performance, she completed her Ph.D. at NYU. Her latest publication is a co-authored article entitled “Training Theatre Students of Color in the United States” in the Theatre, Dance     and Performance Training; special issue Against the Canon journal and a book chapter in The Routledge Companion to African American Theatre and Performance entitled, “Afro-Latinx Themes in Theatre Today”. Other publications include, “#UnyieldingTruth: Employing the Culturally Responsive Pedagogy” from the book Black Acting Methods and the upcoming book chapter, “A Time of Protest; Exploring Activism through Theatre of the Oppressed and Hip Hop Pedagogy” in Dynamic Bodies, Emerging Voices- Racializing and Decolonizing Actor Pedagogy as well as the journal article, Afro-Latinidad: Being Black and Latinx in Theatre Today. Engaging in anti-racist and cultural competent theatre practices, Daphnie facilitates Theatre of the Oppressed workshops remixed with Hip Hop Pedagogy to teach about equity, diversity and inclusion in theatre. When she is not writing, teaching, or conducting workshops, she can be found directing. Connect with us! EMAIL: [email protected] INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/theeducatedactor/

It's almost been a year since the beginning of the pandemic. Since last March, millions of artists have been left unemployed. Theatres have had to become creative with producing works online, livestream, outside, or the ingenious (and infamous) Zoom Reading. Artists around the world are proving that even in a pandemic, theatre will still live on. So in an age of digital advancement and social distancing rules that inhibit patrons from coming to the theatre, what has pandemic theatre proved to be? What does it look like? Why is it more important than ever to create art? For today's TEA, Natalie, Mat, and Caroline talk with Ryan Chiu, creator and producer of Chiu's Haunted Drive-Thru, and Jesse Bosworth, co-founder and Executive producer of Streamlight Theatre Company, of which Caroline is Artistic Director. Jesse Bosworth is a young theatre professional from Long Beach, California who fell in love with the theatre at the age of 4. He got his start working in small community theatres where he has done shows such as Old Black Magic (Olio Theatre Works), Somberton Senior Center Presents the Nutcracker (The Found Theatre) and Assassins (Long Beach Playhouse). He attended Cal State Long Beach where he earned his BA in Technical Theatre and Design and worked many of the student devised pieces in Theatre Threshold. He can usually be found behind the scenes at Knott’s Berry Farm making sure their main stage shows run without issue and is looking forward to coming back once this pandemic is over. In 2020, he recently founded and is Executive Director at Streamlight Theatre Company in Long Beach, CA. Ryan Chiu is an Actor/Comedian with a B.A. in Theatre Performance from California State University, Long Beach. He has performed in hit plays such as She Kills Monsters and Woke: A Revolutionary Cabaret with the California Repertory Theatre. In 2020, Ryan Chiu is also executive producer and director of Chiu's Haunted Drive-Thru in Long Beach, a Halloween Drive-Thru Experience He is excited for his future being out of college and is itching to get back on stage once the pandemic is over. Connect with us! EMAIL: [email protected] INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/theeducatedactor/

Happy Holidays, TEA fam! On today's episode, Natalie, Mat, and Caroline toast the end of 2020 with some wine, some self-care face masks, and some news about what we have in store for season 2. Grab your favorite face mask, your favorite drink (alcoholic or not), and decompress with us! Connect with us! EMAIL: [email protected] INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/theeducatedactor/

Welcome back to TEA Time! In the kick-off for Season 2, Natalie, Mat, and Caroline sit down with April Sigman-Marx and Jaina Alexander of Thumprint Studios Chicago to talk about teaching theatre in the pandemic, what pandemic theatre looks like, and how YOU can enter in our partnered giveaway for a chance to win the must-read book, The Creative Habit by Twyla Tharp. Be sure to check out our livestream with Thumbprint Studios on their Facebook! At Thumbprint Studios, we confront challenges, remove blocks, and cultivate the core of your artistic self. We assist artists in establishing strong practices, develop an embodied performance and empower artists to tell important stories from a place of honesty.  We are committed to inclusive, individualized educational practices. Active participation in a creative cooperative learning environment rooted in each individual’s unique needs and perspectives amongst faculty, guest facilitators and artists is our highest priority. Thumbprint Studios holds space for everyone to feel served and supported by our community within the work. Thumbprint Studios Chicago: https://www.facebook.com/ThumbprintStudiosChicago/ https://www.thumbprintstudios.org/ https://www.instagram.com/thumbprint_studios_chicago/ Connect with us! EMAIL: [email protected] INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/theeducatedactor/

WHAT'S UP. TEA-BAGS?!?! ... Wait, that came out wrong... What's up, TEA listeners? We bring to your our SEASON FINALE of The Educated Actor. That's right, ladies, theydies, and gents, our next episode coming at you will be the start of SEASON 2 of our podcast. Can you believe it?! Don't worry, we'll be back on your podcast platforming sites in November. Just taking a much-needed mental/COVID break. In the Season Finale episode of The Educated Actor, Natalie, Mat, and Caroline talk about how the artistic journey is not a straight-forward journey from childhood dreams to big-time success. Everyone's artistic journey is different and that's okay! Joining us in this episode are fellow theatre artists, Pedro Campos and Daniela Fajardo, who talk about how they became artists. Connect with us! EMAIL: [email protected] INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/theeducatedactor/

At The Educated Actor, we feel it's necessary to use our platform to uplift the voices of Black artists who are at the frontlines of creating change so that America might see a more equitable system of power. That's why, for an indefinite period of time, we will be using our What's the TEA? episodes to bring you discussions from up & coming Black artists! This week on What's the TEA?, Afro-Latina actress and writer, Malachi Beasley, tells us about his ourney as an athlete to an Army man to an actor, how he has had to struggle through his artistic process, and what it's been like studying his MFA at Yale. Malachi Beasley is an actor, songwriter and storyteller from San Diego, CA. Currently at Yale School of Drama he is a 2nd Year rising in the MFA program. He earned his BA in Theatre Arts as a performance major from Cal State Long Beach. He currently resides in New Haven, CT. Connect with us! EMAIL: [email protected] INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/theeducatedactor/

At The Educated Actor, we feel it's necessary to use our platform to uplift the voices of Black artists who are at the frontlines of creating change so that America might see a more equitable system of power. That's why, for an indefinite period of time, we will be using our What's the TEA? episodes to bring you discussions from up & coming Black artists! This week on What's the TEA?, Afro-Latina actress and writer, Barbara Vides vulnerably tells us about what it means to her to be an Afro-Latina artist, the ways that even Latinx culture and media stereotype Afro-Latinx and other Black people, how to be a great ally to Black folks, and the racism she has experienced from Latinx people. Barbara Vides is an actor and writer from Hawthorne, CA. She has appeared in several productions including “Wanda’s Visit”, “The Laramie Project”, and “The Pillowman” and also wrote the play “Distortion” which was performed at the 2017 Let’s Create Play Festival. She earned her BA in Theatre Performance from Cal State Long Beach and is a founding member of Contigo Theatre Company. Connect with us! EMAIL: [email protected] INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/theeducatedactor/

TRIGGER WARNING: Racism, Violence against BIPOC This episode, Mat and Natalie sat down with Brenda Orellana, McKinley Merritt (theatre alums of University of Tennessee, Knoxville), and your third host, Carolina Xique (theatre alum of Cal State Long Beach) to talk about how they are combating institutional racism in the traditional Western theatre education system. How do the micro- and macro-aggressions used against BIPOC students affect the whole student body? And what can alums and current students do to change it? You can follow Brenda and McKinley's work on the Instagram page, https://www.instagram.com/utkbipoctheatre/ You can learn more about what BIPOC theatre artists are demanding from White Theatre-makers everywhere at https://www.weseeyouwat.com/ Brenda Orellana is a Latinx-Queer actor, writer, director, and producer, born and raised in Los Angeles CA.  In professional theatre, she has performed in "Alias Grace," "King Charles," "Hamlet," "Urinetown," "A Christmas Carol," "Madwoman of Chaillot," and "People Where They Are". Since performing her one-woman show I Am A Rose, she has been a guest artist at California State University Summer Arts, and has been teaching solo performance and acting to young artist. She is also a founding member and Co-Artistic Director of Hear Me Roar Theatre, a theatre dedicated to giving a platform to underrepresented minority playwrights and actors. Most recently, she has written and shot her first short "My Little Tomate" in Hollywood and work-shopped her full length play Sun Kissed Montañas at The Carousel Theatre in Knoxville, TN. She holds her MFA from University of Tennessee Knoxville, and BA from CSU, Long Beach. Find out more at brendaorellana.com McKinley Merritt is a University of Tennessee Theatre alumni and a native of Nashville! Prior to COVID, you could often find McKinley interning and singing at a cappella conventions, performing in Knoxville and Nashville theatres, and singing with her 90s cover band, Teen Spirit. Stay healthy, wear masks, and be patient to the folks you’re stuck inside with! Connect with us! EMAIL: [email protected] INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/theeducatedactor/