Bindlestiff Studio presents

Stories High XXIV - The Program

Casts

Bios

Carlie Algas (Jay in Give Them the Bird)
Well, I went today
Maybe I will go again tomorrow
Yeah yeah, well, the music there
Well, it was hauntingly familiar
Well, I see you doing what I try to do for me
With the words from a poet and a voice from a choir
And a melody, and nothing else mattered

Just like the white winged dove
Sings a song, sounds like she's singing
I said ooh, baby, ooh, said ooh
Just like the white winged dove
Sings a song, sounds like she's singing
I said ooh, baby, ooh, said ooh

Alex "Coveralls" Arguelles (Lolo in Finding Time)
Alex is a little troll that hides under the bridge that connects the Land of Creativity and the Isle of Passion. You may remember the Bridge of Enchantment as it was the famous grounds of the Battle of Schloon's and Kippel, 45 dials ago. Many speculate that Alex is a lost soldier, mourning his friends who were cast to the River of Time (that's the river that flows under the bridge). Others believe he is the forgotten King of the Nomandy Flame.

He is a recent graduate of Pitzer College and has a bachelor's degree in Cognitive Science.

When he is not posing riddles to bridge-goers, he is playing music around town. Don't ask him what kind of music he plays! He will talk for many hours.

Li-Leng Au (Facilitator, Acting Workshop)
Li-Leng Au studied acting in London at the Rose Buford School of Speech and Drama and then Physical Theatre at LISPA (London International School of Performing Arts). She has worked internationally as an actor in the UK, Australia, Poland and USA. Her career has seen her working on stage, screen, radio and corporate training. Career highlights have included: originating cast of multi-award winning “My Neighbour Totoro” for the Royal Shakespeare Company; “Arquiem” a pyrotechnic promenade physical theatre show on tour and at the National Theatre (London); “Top Girls” at The Melbourne Theatre Company; “Walk Me!” a devised project for her Sydney based theatre company & “Great Expectations” at the San Jose Stage. She is delighted to be teaching the Bindlestiff acting workshop this year.

Clarisse Bautista (Co-Director for Finding Time, and Maria in Shakespeare in Babak)
Clarisse (She/Her) is a Filipina-American actress born and raised in the Bay Area who began pursuing acting in 2020 right before the pandemic. She took classes in the Meisner technique, TV/Film acting, improv, and voiceover and acted in indie short films, student films, staged readings, and theatre. She is excited to make her directorial debut with her amazing co-direk, Tracy Keith Legacion, and to return to the stage to act in another Stories High. Clarisse would like to thank her partner, friends, and family for their patience and support, and SHXXIV casts and crew for all their hard work and dedication. She gives a special shout out of gratitude to her co-direk, Finding Time cast/writer, Shakespeare in Babak cast/direk/writer, & LO.

Randy Bautista (Pugoy in Shakespeare in Babak)
Randy (He/Him) had such a great time doing Stories High last year he decided to go for another round! Pursuing acting professionally in LA for 10 years, including appearances on NBC's Superstore and Nickelodeon's Sam & Cat, Randy went on a 5-year hiatus before rekindling his love of the acting craft with Stories High XXIII playing the lead in Once Upon a Time in Tondo by Jordan Idolyantes Guingao. He's excited to close another Stories High playing another character in the Jordan-verse, hoping that his mom above won't be too embarrassed knowing what Jordan and Shakespeare in Babak's directors Kyle & Kat are having him do in front of you all.

Gwynnevere Cristobal (*Intimacy Director for Shakespeare in Babak)
Gwynnevere Cristobal (they/she) is grateful to be back intimacy directing for SH! They are a non-binary, queer, Filipin@ theatre/film artist, & art model. Some of their favorite roles include: Janet Weiss in Rocky Horror (City Lights Theater Company), Susan U/S in tick, tick… BOOM! (New Conservatory Theatre Center), Elle Woods in Legally Blonde (Tri-Valley Theatre Company), and Veronica Sawyer in Heathers: The Musical (Cal Poly Humboldt). Gwynnevere is also a national fellow in the Kennedy Center’s ASPIRE Arts Leadership Cohort and a California Arts Council Emerging Artist. You can catch them onstage as Lizzie Borden in Lizzie (Redwood City Players - Oct), Jay in Cuckoo Edible Magic (SFBATCO’s New Roots Theatre Festival - Nov), and Kaia in High Tides (Jasmine x Lavender - pre-production). They are also a teaching artist/vocal director for American Conservatory Theater’s Young Conservatory and Bindlestiff’s Education Department! @GL_Crystalball GwynnevereCristobal.com

Delaney Bantillo (Andy in Give Them the Bird)
Delaney (She/Her) is thrilled to be making her Bindlestiff debut in Stories High XXIV. She’s honored, overjoyed, and filled with gratitude to have been gifted the opportunity to work, play, learn, grow, and co-create in this talent-filled company, and to have been absorbed into what is not only a team or community but also a supportive, encouraging, most-welcoming family. This production is part of a return to in-person theatre for Delaney after a few years of performances primarily in live but virtual spaces, a return to the Bay Area, her place of birth, after different chapters different places, and a return to her Self and her (he)art. A lifelong mover, maker, and paradigm shifter, having the privilege to be brown, to be queer, to be neurodivergent, and a gazillion other things, not only off stage, but now also on stage (and not the only one backstage), comes with indescribable feelings. Delaney thanks you for being part of the ride, and extends deep gratitude and big love to everyone who has enabled or empowered her on this so-far multi-decade adventure of becoming her, including those unable to be part of this audience. Saving the best seats for you in spirit<3

Ray Dequina (Kris in The Assistant, Nong Ben (Understudy) in Shakespeare in Babak)
Very demure. Very mindful. Hawk tuah, spit on that thang. Chappell Roan. Brat Summer. Pump up the jam. Skibidi. Rizz. Ohio.

That should about cover it. Enjoy the show, folks!

Lisa Domingo (Lola in Finding Time)
Lisa Domingo, AMFT (She/her/hers) is a Filipinx-American, San Francisco Bay Area registered therapist and now a newly performer, starting at Bindlestiff Studios! While she is new to acting and the theatre world, she is a rising therapist. She has a passion for creating a safe and healing environment for her clients to express themselves. Once fully licensed, she hopes to do therapeutic work with the filipinx/minority communities. Aside from enjoying her time at Bindlestiff Studios, Lisa loves to hangout with friends and try new foods.

Vanessa FItzpatrick (Benedicta in Ask Auntie Aurelia Anything, Trisha in Steal My Sunshine, and Nena in Shakespeare in Babak)
This is Vanessa’s first time on stage at Bindlestiff. She has stage managed for Sprung Edition: Love Edition and Pwet. Vanessa graduated from UCSD with a minor in Theatre and is so grateful to have found her place within Bindle! Vanessa's credits include: Larry The Musical (PA/Props Master), Bindlestiff (SM/Actor), Terror Vault, Sonnets for an Old Century, The Vagina Monologues, Twelfth Night, Peer Gynt, and Tartuffe. Follow Vanessa on Instagram: @vuhnessuh__ .

Jessica Fong (Fight Director for Shakespeare in Babak)

Jessica is a fight choreographer, actor, singer & multidisciplinary artist who has been performing since she was twelve years old. She has certification in six different stage combat disciplines, and her favorites include broadsword, smallsword, and quarterstaff. Her most recent role was Starveling/Moth in Inferno Theatre’s production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. She thanks her husband Jake and their two cats for their unwavering support. “Tangkilikin ang palabas!”

Angeli Goff (Joy in Ask Auntie Aurelia Anything, Mari in Finding Time)
2nd Gen Alert! A Bindle-baby officially takes the Stories High stage! From the womb to 22, Angeli (She/Her) has watched her Dad and his friends play and create at Bindlestiff Studio. After a handful of cameos throughout the years and stagehands in recent, she is thrilled to finally make her first acting debut at a place and with people she calls home.

She would like to thank everyone who took part in making this production happen and supporting her throughout, her Dad for taking her to many long nights (-4am) at the Stiff growing up :P, and all who have walked this space! You all make it the home one would want to come back to <3

Jordan Idolyantes Guingao (Writer of Shakespeare in Babak, Raphael in Finding Time)
Jordan Guingao (He/Him/Siya) is a Filipino-American writer & actor. He earned his MFA in Writing for Screen and Television from USC in 2020. He was a Humanitas New Voices Fellow in 2023 where he was mentored by Charise Castro-Smith (Encanto).

Currently, he is finishing writing a pilot about the Philippines' love for basketball. The script takes deep inspiration from "The Bear", "White Men Can't Jump" and "No Reservations”.

Right now, he is reading “Queridas De Rizal” by Ambeth Ocampo, “The Three Cornered Sun” by Linda Ty-Casper, and "Romeo & Juliet" by that one british guy.

He also writes poetry, brews coffee at a charming cafè and makes zines with his friends. One day, he hopes to fight his family over ownership to their familial plot of land in Babak. He wants to turn it into a Chooks2Go.

Edu Ibazeta (Sound Designer)
When he's not testing robots, Edu (He/Him) loves making noises and dad jokes. Edu would like to thank his wife, Direkt Kathlyn, and his family. Most especially, he would like to thank the cutest lil bub, Sylvie. Also, if anyone wants to play Magic the Gathering, please reach out to Edu. He plays Commander and Pioneer.

Kathlyn Cabrera Ibazeta (Graphic Designer, Co-Director and Understudy for Emiliana & Maria in Shakespeare in Babak)
kathlyn (She/They) is very excited to direct and show the world her third Stories High play! She wants to thank her amazing co-director Kal and the cast of Babak for their trust in her and this wild chaotic process. She also thanks her sweet asawa, Edu, and cute fluffball, Sylvie, for all the emotional support cuddles. When not directing, kathlyn loves to act, paint, bake and meow, which is probably why most people call her kat.

Seul Ki (Assistant Director and Alyssa in The Assistant)
Seul Ki (She/Her) is a Korean-born, San Francisco-based actor and improvisor whose favorite roles include Lillian Okamura in After the War Blues, Soul in How to Glow in H.U.M University, and has appeared in Musical Improv shows.

She’s thrilled to make her Bindlestiff debut this year. She is deeply grateful to the fantastic Bindlestiff community for providing a safe space for artists and anyone interested in community arts to grow and thrive. It’s truly magic here. Seul would also like to thank her partner and her family, who have been the cornerstone of her acting journey.

Archie Lacanilao (Manong Ben in Shakespeare in Babak)
Archie (He/Him) is a returning Stories High alum who can’t get enough of the creative experience and community Bindlestiff offers. He is currently searching for a day job, having done film production and infotech prior. He commutes from Solano County to San Francisco just to participate in this rich Filipino creative community.

Chi Wan Lee (Co-Director of Shakespeare in Babak)

Chi Wan Lee feels good to be back at Bindlestiff for the second time in Stories High. To produce, direct, and act- man feels good to be back!

Tracy Keith Legacion (Director of Finding Time, Sam in Steal My Sunshine and Auntie Aurelia in Ask Auntie Aurelia Anything)
Having immigrated from the Philippines and now based in San Francisco, Tracy Keith wants to represent her culture and stay close to her roots while pursuing Theatre and Film. She’s found a home at Bindlestiff Studio and has performed in “The Love Edition: Sprung Edition” and “Stories High XXIII.” She’s proud to be back for this year’s Stories High and is making her directing debut alongside Co-Direk Clarisse in bringing playwright Allen Mark’s “Finding Time” to life on stage.

She loves scary movies, Karl the Fog, her dog Peppermint Patty, and is ready for where her next role will take her, both onstage and offstage!

She’s forever grateful to Bindlestiff for welcoming her, helping her hone her artistry in a multitude of different opportunities, & for leading her to the love of her life, her bindle-boo, Colin Antonio Skerritt. Thank you for your support & encouragement every step of the way, honey. I love you, times infinity, times pie, times all the stars in the night sky!

She would like to thank her mother Tet Legacion for her unconditional love and support. Without her none of this would be possible. Thank you for always believing in me. I love you to the moon & back mommy!

To her family and friends, thank you for coming to see the show and for lifting up our community! To the entire Stories High XXIV cast and crew, salamat sa lahat lahat. Mahal na mahal ko kayo. All love, always.

LO (Co-Producer, Assistant Director of Ask Auntie Aurelia Anything)
Magda-drive ako hanggang Baguio
Magda-drive ako hanggang Bicol
Magda-drive ako hanggang Batangas
Tapos magsu-swimming do'n sa beach

Isasama ko ang girlfriend ko
Isasama ko kahit sino'ng may gusto
Kahit may kasama siyang aso
Basta't mayro'n s'yang baong sariling buto

Magdadala ako ng pagkain
Burger, fries, tapsilog at siopao
Magda-drive ako hanggang Visayas
Magda-drive ako hanggang sa Mindanao

Magda-drive ako buong taon
Magda-drive ako habang-buhay
Magda-drive ako hanggang buwan
Please, please lang turuan n'yo akong mag-drive

Gusto kong matutong mag-drive
(Kahit na wala akong kotse)
Gusto kong matutong mag-drive
(Kahit na walang lisensiya)

Mag-drive, Drive, Drive, Mag-drive, Mag-drive, Drive, Drive, Drive, Drive

Pare, 'di na mag-start 'yan
Buti pa, kain na lang tayo

Ah, gusto mo ng, ah, tahong?
Gusto mo ng labong?
Spaghetti? Patituccine?
Banana cue? Nilagang suso?
Tahong Chips Ahoy?
Gusto mo ng tapuy? Brokoli?
Peanut brittle? Pinekpekan?
Gusto mo ng, ah, kapeng barako?
Blue marlin? Panga? Durian?
Shalinga? Peanut kisses?

Ah, champoy? Lomi? Shawarma? Buko pie?
Humus? Hot sauce? Ox brain? Kailangan mo nu'n Leche flan? Kalderetang kambing?
Pinatuyong itlog ng kabayo? Silicone implant? Ginataang manok? Ginataang gata? Ginataang niyog? Sarap 'no?

'Di mo nasabi 'yung sushi
Ginataang sushi

A.J. Lugue (Wilfredo in Shakespeare in Babak)
Alexander (A.J.) Lugue (He/Him) is a Filipino-American, born and raised in San Francisco. He began performing on film and stage in 2022 as an outlet to better understand himself and the world around him. He's performed theater with Bindlestiff Studio, dabbled in improv, and hopes to expand his reach as a performing arts creative. His hope is to bring the truth of the human condition to every role he plays. Outside of performing, he daylights as a sales commission analyst, enjoys Brazilian jiu-jitsu/muay thai as a hobbyist, and loves cooking for friends/family.

René Ly (Director of Ask Auntie Aurelia Anything)

René is a multi hyphenated artist born and raised in San Francisco. They are excited to be back at Stories High as a director. Thank you to her amazing cast for bringing this hilarious story to life! Sex education for all!

Ed Mabasa (Stage Manager)
Ed Mabasa is an SF native who has written over a dozen short plays for Bindlestiff, focusing on the occult, 1940’s San Francisco noir, science fiction, and horror. He was recently seen in Golda’s “Darkheart” as Lab Tech 1 and his short play “The Old Market” was published in the Liwanag Vol 3 anthology. His short “Chooney and the Skin Arranger” was in Stories High 2022. He is also Bindlestiff’s go to stage manager and house manager.

Kyle “Kal” Melgajero (Co-Producer, Co-Director of Shakespeare in Babak, Paolo in Steal My Sunshine)Kyle "Kal" Melgarejo (he/him) is elated to be a part of his second Bindlestiff Studio production as an actor, director, and producer (among other things). After receiving his B.A. in theatre arts (performance emphasis) with minors in cinema and education from San Francisco State University, he is now a multi-hyphenate artist based in the Bay Area. As a young Filipino-American artist, Kal hopes to utilize his experiences to uplift and highlight marginalized communities through accessible, innovative, and transformative art within the film, television, and theater industries. He would like to thank the Bindlestiff community for all of their hard work and commitment to put on a stellar show, as well as his own community for their care and support.

Zolboo Namkhaidorj (Francesca in The Assistant)
Zolboo Namkhaidorj is a Mongolian American actor, teaching artist and creative based in San Francisco. She is passionate about social justice, access to arts education and creating new works and systems.

Jacob Padua (Milton in Shakespeare in Babak)
Jacob (They/Them) is a SF-born, partially Sacramento-raised actor who has recently hopped back into the theatre scene with Stories High XXIV. They are so excited & grateful to be warmly welcomed into their first production with Bindlestiff working with so many lovely talented people. Jacob would like to thank all of their family, closest friends, and their partner for everyone's undying support in their passions, acting among them!

Sam Paguita (Reina in Ask Auntie Aurelia Anything)
Sam Paguita (She/Her) is a vocalist and actor. This is her first appearance in Stories High. Born and raised in the SOMA district, she wants to thank the Bindlestiff for their devotion to the community arts.

Dom Refuerzo (Writer of Give Them the Bird, Director of The Assistant)
Dom Refuerzo (they/he) is a Filipinx-American, queer artist and transplant from the Pacific Northwest. They have premiered their music compositions in Austria and across the so-called United States. In the Bay, he has sung with New Voices Bay Area TIGQ Chorus and AfterGlow Chorus. Recent theatre credits include Wildfire (Z Space), Duck Soup (Bindlestiff), Variety Pack (Cutting Ball Theater), Tiny Fires (Custom Made Theatre Co.), and Lizard Women (Awesome Theatre). They are elated to make their playwriting and directing debuts with Stories High 2024! After this, you can catch him at a local boba shop preparing to bring more new work to life. Much love and thanks to their family and friends for supporting their artistic journey with all of its chaos. IG: @mirasoulx

Colin Skerritt (Co-Director of Give Them The Bird)
Colin Skerritt (He/Him) is thrilled to return to Bindlestiff for Stories High as a first time director! When Colin is not in theater, he is pursuing his undergraduate degree in Speech Language and Hearing Sciences at San Francisco State University. He would like to thank his co-director Joyce, the cast of ‘Give Them The Bird’, and everyone involved in this production for all of the support he has received as a first time director. He would also like to extend gratitude to his friends, family, and his beautiful partner Tracy Keith Palmer Legacion.

Lyian Soria (Ann in Finding Time, Emiliana in Shakespeare in Babak)
Lyian David Soria is a Pangasinanse filmmaker, dancer, and substitute teacher, born in New Jersey and moved to the Bay Area at age 9. She is the co-writer and co-director the short film Rude Awakening, a Southeast Asian mother-daughter story produced with production company In Scope Films.

She is now developing her feature film Ate, Kuya, Bunso, which began as a play in Bindlestiff's Stories High writing workshop, and serves as the head director of the East Bay dance collective Project 925.

She would like to thank her parents for raising her with a deep connection to her culture; her friends and partner Brandon for supporting her everyday; and her little brother, Ian for letting her use his car to drive to SF sometimes.

She thanks Allen Mark and Jordan for writing the characters she brings to life and Kal, Kat, Clarisse and Tree for guiding her first acting experience.

Michelle Talgarow (Facilitator, Directing Workshop)
Michelle is a Kalmyk/Filipina performance maker in the Bay Area for over 25 years. She is beyond excited to facilitate the Directing workshop for Stories High this season! More so, she’s grateful for the opportunity to share back with a community that has helped shape the artist she is today. Her most recent directing credits are, THE CHINESE LADY by Lloyd Suh with Capital Stage in Sacramento, MAN OF GOD by Anna Ouyang Moench with Shotgun Players in Berkeley, and BALIKBAYAN BOX by Jeffrey Lo with TheatreFIRST. Michelle is a proud member of Shotgun Players’ artistic company and a proud member of the all AAPI Bay Area theatre collective, Ferocious Lotus. Michelle is currently an adjunct professor at University of San Francisco.

Gina White (Camellia in The Assistant)
I (She/Her) am an sf native. I started freelance modeling over a year ago. Started taking acting more seriously around two years ago. I have been in a handful of indie productions. This is my first production with Bindlestiff and I am beyond excited. We’ve worked really hard to put on a great show for everyone. Enjoy!

Oli Dub (Dr. Chanadra in The Assistant, Ken/Allen in Ask Auntie Aurelia Anything, Paolo (Understudy) for Steal My Sunshine)
Oli Dub (He/Him) is an actor, comedian, and musician, born and raised in San Francisco. He studied drama in a random forest in Vermont, where he was the first known Filipino Sri-Lankan American of that state's history. Most recently, Oli had been performing comedy around Asia, where he learned which countries did not appreciate his humor. Despite these challenges, Oli's racially-ambiguous brownness allowed him unfiltered access to the inner circles of various cultures; at the same time, this made Oli more prone to random security checks...On a less therapeutic note, Oli is super grateful to return to the Bindlestiff stage and perform with this crazy cast and crew!