Stories High XXII

Casts

Bios

B (Walter in I Choose and WiseFool in Get Good)
If you pulled up, you’re a real one frfr. Iykyk. <3 I love you mom and dad!

Gwynnevere Cristobal (Lenny in Devil in the Crosshairs)
Gwynnevere (she/they) is a GNC/queer, Filipina theatre artist, film actor, and Bay Area native. She received her B.A. in Psychology with a minor in Theatre Arts from Humboldt State. Aside from Psychology, some artist communities she has worked with include: Art of Acting Studio in LA, Dell’Arte International, Tri-Valley Repertory Theatre, and Lime Arts Productions. She was recently honored as a national fellow in the Kennedy Center’s ASPIRE Arts Leadership Cohort and California Arts Council Emerging Artist Fellow. Gwynnevere currently works as a teaching artist and private coach for American Conservatory Theater and the Southeast Asian Development Center/Magic Theatre as well as a freelance Intimacy Director. They are an advocate for consent-based practices and the de-stigmatization of boundaries- both in theatre and life. It is her priority to make sure every space she is a part of strives towards justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion. GwynnevereCristobal.com

Sandra Criswell (Samantha in It’s Okay)
Sandra (they/them, she/her) is a non-binary performer, writer, healer, and facilitator. A persistent polymath, they know just enough about art, plant medicine, astrology, emergence, and liberation to be a little dangerous. Her actor self is shaking off the cobwebs and emerging from a long hibernation for their first performance at Bindlestiff with the best play family a femme could ask for.

Ray Dequina (Martin/Newscaster in Devil in the Crosshairs, Chooney in Chooney and the Skin Arranger)
Bay Area native, lifelong nerd, techie trash by day, and starving artist by nights and weekends. Past productions include: Hamlet, The Misanthrope, Woyzeck, Fahrenheit 451, and The Shape of Things. Ray is extremely excited to make his Bindlestiff debut after 15+ years of acting in Southern California and the SF Bay Area, as it certainly beats selling software.

Nicolette Dionisio (Director, Get Good)
Nicolette Dionisio has been a Bindlestiff volunteer since 2017 as a prop master, graphic designer, and sometimes actor. This is her first time as co-director along side her partner Thomas Paras. She hopes that her firsthand experience with difficult video games helped out her amazing cast.

Carmela Gaspar (Prop Master)
Carmela Gaspar is a first-generation Filipino American who grew up in the South of Market neighborhood in San Francisco. She loves her city, loves to dabble in different art forms, and does it for the culture! Carmela was a two-time Youth Speaks Poetry Slam Semi-Finalist. She danced traditional Filipino dance with Santa Clara University’s Barkada. In 2020 Carmela wrote her horror play "Be Good" and starred in Jowy Curameng’s Stories High play “LCR.” In 2021, she starred in Lindsay Ordesta's untitled parody short for Bindlestiff's The Nu Nu Show, in Jowy Curameng’s music video for his song "Tell ‘em," and in Dianne Aquino Chui's play "Gotta Love Them Immigrants!" She also performed stand-up comedy at Bit City’s Stand-Up Comedy Open Mic. She took a break from acting this year, but is stoked about the deer head prop she's worked on for this year's Story High!

Yasmine Gomez (Writer, I Choose)
Yasmine is a writer, director, producer, first-time playwright, and Bindlestiff newbie. She has directed the award-winning short films ASIAN AMERICAN JESUS, TERRA COTTA, and her upcoming film, PARTY FAVOR. Based in Los Angeles now, she would like to thank her early dating life in San Francisco for inspiring this play…well, not exactly, but those days were fun, right?

John-Carlo "JC" Guevara (Sheldon in I Choose; Cristiano (Understudy))
JC is an average sort of guy who spends their non-working time making funny voices, staying up way too late at night watching shows, or writing. He is excited to join his cast mates on the Bindlestiff stage for the first time as an actor with Stories High 22. Much love and gratitude to the talented peeps at Bindlestiff for being such a welcoming community, and many thanks to the friends and family that support his shenanigans.

Lisa Hu (Director, It’s Okay)
Lisa Hu (she/her) is a queer AAPI creative, facilitator, and policy wonk rooted in Oakland. Local affiliations include: Awesome Theatre, Bindlestiff Studio, FaultLine Theater, Killing My Lobster, Magic Theatre, Movement Generation, SFBATCO, ShortLived, and QAF Collective. Thrilled to return to Stories High & congrats to the entire Stories High fam & It’s Okay crew!

Matt Kim (MC Kirk in Cristiano’s Kween)
When it comes to acting I’m like a Brussels sprout… what the hell do you do with a Brussel sprouts. Pursue your dreams they said… I should’ve just gotten a job in tech. Also Matt Kim is a single mother of 12.

Lorl (Jade in It’s Okay)
Laurel Kuo is an artist, romantic, and human impersonator (secretly an onion) born and raised in San Francisco. Now finally debuting her high school thespian dreams, she is grateful for the Bindlestiff family in nurturing her through her journey (thank you Alexis Royeca for bridging this connection). When she’s not on stage or on camera, you can probably find her lifting at the gym, journaling at home, or out connecting with nature—or snacking in the green room. Should you want to know, she: is a cancer sun, has oat milk with her coffee, drives a Subaru, and has a cat named Baby Girl.

Thomas Lansang (Prop Assistant)
Thomas Lansang (Tommy) is an Artist, Graphic Designer, DJ, and Marketing Assistant. Tommy has been attending Bindlestiff productions since 2019, and this is his first time lending a hand for Stories High.

Mikee Loria (Writer, Get Good)
Mikee Loria (he/him) is an empathetic storyteller / actor based in the Bay Area. He graduated from UC Berkeley Class of 2021, earning a B.A. in Theater and Performance Studies and a B.A. in Film and Media Studies. He is also an alumnus of A.C.T's 2019 Summer Training Congress. “Get Good” is Mikee’s second play produced by Stories High. When not acting, writing, or playing video games, Mikee serves as a teaching artist at NCTC and volunteers with Kollaboration SF. Mikee will continue to tell stories that not only entertain, but also challenge the way we perceive ourselves and the world we live in. IG: @michaeleloria

rené ly (Writer, It’s Okay)
Entering sophomore year of Stories High, this time as a writer, René is filled with immense gratitude for her community and their ongoing support throughout all her artistic explorations. During the day, René is an educator, dreaming, teaching and learning alongside youth of SF towards a more loving and equitable world. Special shout out to Aimee Espiritu, long time friend and chosen family for the Bindlestiff intro back in 2015. To the directors and cast of “It’s Okay” thank you for breathing life and putting your hearts into this story. To the audience, thank you for being here. Much love!

Ed Mabasa (Writer, Chooney and the Skin Arranger)
No bio, I’m still alive. Wait for my obituary.

Carlie Mari (Dani in Get Good)
Carlie live mixed Aklasan Fest in August. Now, she makes her acting debut after taking the Stories High Acting Workshop taught by Jed Parsario.

Jake Montano / Imelda Glucose (Tina Maldita in Cristiano's Kween)
Jake/Imelda is a longtime San Franciscan by way of SoCal and Dallas, so you know his taste in music and food is legit. He is an educator by day and drag queen by night, and advocate for his community all day everyday. He has a dog named Chancellor who still has not been able to see one of his shows. One day...

Johnny Huy Nguyen (Cristiano in Cristiano’s Kween)
Johnny Huy Nguyen is a multidisciplinary artist based in Yelamu (aka San Francisco), a second generation Vietnamese American, and son of courageous refugees. His practice spans dance, poetry, installation, performance art, and theater, working with the body to channel stories that are both vital and necessary. His most recent solo work, Minority Without A Model, premiered at the 2021 United States of Asian America Festival. He is currently working on his next solo project, No Country for Mother, premiering in 2023. This is his first Stories High and he is honored to be back sharing the Bindlestiff stage with immensely talented community.

Nikki Nutterfield (Skin Arranger in Chooney and the Skin Arranger - Closing Week)
Nicole Nutterfield grew up in San Francisco where she attended the Ruth Asawa School of the Arts for Dance. She continued her passion for “Artivism” at the University of San Francisco studying Performing Arts and Social Justice. At USF, she studied under esteemed artists including Natalie Greene, Christy Funsch, Sydney Loyola, Jo Kreiter, Christian Burns, and Charles Slender-White. After graduating, Nicole found her way back to the stage and her future home away from home at Bindlestiff Studio. Selected performance credits include: H.O.M.E. with Sean San Jose’s Campo Santo, On the Hill: I am Alex Nieto by Paul Flores, Welga by Conrad Panganiban and directed by Aureen Almario, Queer as F*ck!, Piano Fight’s Pint Sized Plays, Forbidden Future(s). Static Age by Nic Feliciano which was recognized at the LA Indie Film Festival, THEM via Awesome Theatre, & Coffee Lady!

Evelyn Obamos (Sidney in I Choose and Philomena in Get Good)
longtime lurker, first time actor @ the stiff. say hi to mama obamos or my ate edilen. they flew in to watch every show on opening weekend! im on the web 🕷 @evelynsees.

Thomas Paras (Director, Get Good)
Thomas Paras is a resident artist at Bindlestiff Studio where he's been playing and volunteering since 2006. For SH22 he serves as a co-director for "Get Good" along with Nicolette Dionisio. He spends his weekends chasing mountaintops with grumpy old men on bikes.

Jack Pateña (Director, Devil in the Crosshairs)
Supreme Love to the Family, as always. BiG THANK YOUS to the very good people of Bindlestiff for allowing me to grow creatively. And a BiG Shout Out to the Devils- DeathStyle!!!

Nutasha Quintine (Nutasha Quintine & Malisha Silverstone in Cristiano’s Kween)
I have always been passionate in expressing my creativity whether it be through drag (which is a newfound outlet) or through animation and arts. Will always be the curious individual that would be interested in dabbing on different creative projects.

Jepoy Ramos (Director, Cristiano’s Kween)
Jepoy is thrilled to be back at Bindlestiff - where his directing career began. He is honored to be part of this year's Stories High and is beyond grateful for the opportunity to co-direct Maurus' original play Cristiano's Kween. Aside from theatre, Jepoy works in Tech for his day job and also dabbles in Crossfit and Obstacle Course Races. Follow his adventures in various SocMed at @jepriy - FULL SEND!!!!!

Alexis Royeca (Genesius in Get Good)
Alexis is born and raised in the Bay Area. She was part of the Stories High Acting Workshop with Jed Parsario, and this will be her first show with Bindlestiff! She would like to thank her partner, friends and family for their love and support. She thanks her directors and castmates for providing a safe space to play. She is also grateful to the crew and production team for the opportunity to be a part of the Bindlestiff community. She dedicates her performance to her younger self; a shy kid who was afraid to take up space and walked with their head down. For them, Alexis proudly takes the stage with her head held high.

Rebel Maria Golda Supernova Sargento (Director, It’s Okay)

Yep, still doin’ it!

Aura San Miguel (Director, I Choose)
high pinay • leo • actor • artist • grannycartgangsta • fun auntie • middle child • nap snack kween • social lurker • receipt keeper • hyphy wifey

Anth Bongco (Asst. Stage Manager)
Originally debuted as a SH 2019 writer, Anth returns as a chaotic great stagehand helping things reappear/disappear like magic!