The talented company of LUZMI.
MEET THE CAST OF LUZMI
Performs October 3rd - October 27th at Inner-City Arts, downtown Los Angeles
Based on two and a half years of research in the Amazon with Producing Artistic Director Elisa Bocanegra, the play educates audiences about the rich biodiversity of Colombia and the environmental injustices indigenous communities in the Amazon rainforest face. The play will be presented in English and subtitled in Spanish.
Read more about LUZMI here! (For Spanish click here)
Stay tuned for updates!
Read more about LUZMI here! (For Spanish click here)
Stay tuned for updates!
Stephanie Hoston
Jennifer is thrilled to be working with Hero Theatre for the first time. She has previously worked with Company of Angels, Neo Ensemble Theatre, and Sacred Fools. Select Chicago credits: 106th Mainstage Revue (The Second City); At The Table (Broken Nose Theatre, Jeff Award - Ensemble); Thoughts and Prayers...(Chicago Sketch Comedy Festival). Jennifer studies with Howard Fine and at BGB Studio, and graduated from the School at Steppenwolf. |
Peter Mendoza
Lisa has worked with The New Group, Asolo Repertory Theatre, Humana Festival, Playpenn, Actors Theatre of Louisville, East West Players, Circle X, Know Theatre of Cincinnati, SCF @ Son of Semele, Bootleg, One Year Lease, Bread & Puppet, Theatre of NOTE, California Repertory Company, Rogue Artists Ensemble and the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. You can see her on Shameless, Grown-ish, NCIS, Good Girls, Shut Eye, and How to get Away with Murder. Lisa is a MacDowell Fellow and serves as the Associate Artistic Director of Circle X Theatre Co. in Los Angeles. |
Bibiana Navas
Tomoko Karina is a LA based actress, born and grew up in Tokyo, Japan. Her theater credit includes Japan Premiere of “Balm In Gilead” by Pulitzer winning writer Lanford Wilson and Los Angeles run of “Blood, both directed by Obie award winning, Two-time Golden Globe and five-time Emmy Award nominee Robert Allan Ackerman, "Three Sisters" (Theater Project Tokyo), "Story of Domon Ken" (Kinokuni-ya Hall) and Playing a lead role twice at prestigious Tokyo Metropolitan Art Theater ( “Voice”, "Pecan in The Field). Tomoko can also be seen in popular YouTube premium show. “Cobra Kai” playing Hikaru, supporting role in a Netflix streaming horror film, “Haunting in Silver Falls: Returns”, “Another Tango” (Hallmark Movie) and many other. |
Helena Betancourt
During her undergraduate, in her senior year, she produced and wrote her first original play, Salina, a play about a Nepalese girl that was trafficked and sold to a brothel in India. Soon after, Ariel was accepted into South Coast Repertory's Summer Workshop in Costa Mesa, California, and continued her training at Broadway’s only conservatory program at Circle in the Square Theatre School in New York City. She returned back to the West Coast and started to produce plays that showcased women's empowerment in the Greater Los Angeles Area. She has performed in several Award Winning Los Angeles theatre houses such as the Echo Theatre Company, and the Rogue Machine Company. Her proudest role to date is being able portray the vibrant, Yuri Kochiyama, known for her involvement in the Civil Rights Movement and friendship with Malcolm X (twice in two different productions). In 2019, Ariel was able to work on three film projects that were produced by Tony Spiridakis and Bob Krakower in New York City. Currently in the world of Zoom, she is being mentored by Victoria Atkins (Assassin's Creed) in Motion Capture Performance and Voiceover. |
Julian Joaquin
Jully Lee is thrilled to be part of this TEAm of artists and would like to thank Elisa, Gabe, Rebecca, Velina, and the cast for their passion, positivity and resilience during these uncharted times. Jully is the artistic director of COLD TOFU, the nation’s first and longest running Asian American improv troupe based in Little Tokyo where she teaches and performs regularly. Most recently, she was seen on stage in Aubergine (South Coast Repertory), Hannah and the Dread Gazebo (Fountain Theatre), Ladies (Boston Court), Tales of Clamor (JACCC’s Aratani Theatre), The Enchanted Nightingale (Garry Marshall Theatre), and Mexican Day (Rogue Machine Theatre). Recent TV credits include: Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, Veep (HBO), This Is Us (NBC), Jane the Virgin (CW), Henry Danger (Nickelodeon), Rosewood (FOX), I’m Sorry (TruTV), The Kominsky Method, and Best.Worst.Weekend.Ever (Netflix). Recent feature film: The Illegal (currently in film festivals), Reach (Amazon), Thriller (Netflix), and Double Mommy (Lifetime). |
Carla Valentine
Andrea Lwin graduated from Florida State University with a BA in Media Communications. She has gained extensive experience in story development and production at notable companies such as NBC, Red Hour Films, New Regency Productions. Andrea’s highly praised one-woman show Slanted was adapted into a TV pilot (Slamdance semi-finalist) and a web series which won numerous awards at LAWebFest and the “Rising Star Award” at Women’s International Film & Arts Fest. Most recently, she wrote and directed the short film Biased with Industry Standard Films and Wondrous Pictures. Andrea has studied with renowned acting teacher Larry Moss and is a proud member of HERO Theatre. Theatre credits: The Super Sabado Show (HERO), Sun Sisters (CoA), Slanted (Matrix Theatre, Hudson, The Complex, Whitefire, Edgemar, Highways Performance Space), Fentor (hereandnow). Film/TV credits: Better Start Running, White Orchid, This Last Lonely Place, Mini’s First Time, Criminal Minds, Class of Lies, Wisdom of the Crowd, 90210. |
Emmanuel Loarca
Jessica Ma is a newcomer to LA, having been a graduate of SMU’s BFA program and Milwaukee Rep’s Acting Residency. Favorite roles include: Crystal in Bethany, Judy Chen (u/s) in Junk, and Afong Moy (u/s) in The Chinese Lady. She was last seen as Tamsin in Sacred Fool’s production of Antigone: Presented by the Girls at St. Catherine’s. Additionally, she dabbles in slam poetry and solo performance. Recent pieces include: Lotus Blossoms Don’t Cry: Lamentations of an Asian Savage or Flower of the Goddamn Orient: This Performance is 25% of My Final Grade. When she’s not in rehearsal, she’s likely at your local boba shop or pho place, but obviously right now she’s at home. Repped by Cylence Media Management. |
Adrian Quinonez
Rosie Narasaki is a Los Angeles-based writer and actor. Recent theatre highlights include acting in IN LOVE AND WARCRAFT and TWO MILE HOLLOW with Artists at Play, as well as a pre-Greta Gerwig turn as Amy in Playwright's Arena's multicultural transposition of LITTLE WOMEN. TV credits include SHAMELESS, WISDOM OF THE CROWD and FOR THE PEOPLE. In her spare time, she is the managing editor of TotalBeauty.com. |