12th Contemporary Performance
Diasporas Festival: The Diversity of US
Meet the Artists
Siddhi Creative and Siddhi Dance Academy
Sri Chamundeshwari:
The Fierce Protector and Guiding Light
This piece is a tribute to resilience, justice, and the power within us all to stand against oppression. Inspired by the legend of Goddess Chamundeshwari, a fierce warrior who vanquishes darkness, this performance embodies both strength and compassion—reminding us that true power lies not just in resistance, but in the courage to protect, uplift, and transform.
Chamundeshwari, the fearsome form of Goddess Parvati, is said to have slain the demons Chanda, Munda, and the buffalo-headed Mahishasura, restoring balance to the world. Today, she symbolizes all those who fight for justice, equality, and truth—the activists, artists, caregivers, and changemakers who resist hate with love and stand their ground in the face of adversity. Through movement, rhythm, and expression, this Bharatanatyam piece brings her spirit to life, celebrating the courage of those who refuse to back down—and the compassion that fuels true transformation. In times of division, love itself can be an act of defiance.
Dancers: Adithi Rao, Kruthika Sarthavally, and Saanvi Veerabhadranavar
Siddhi Creative and Siddhi Dance Academy serve as platforms for collaboration, exploration, and inclusivity in the arts. Originally focused on dance education (est. 2016), Siddhi has evolved to foster artistic innovation through Bharatanatyam and community focused activities. Rooted in Indian dance
heritage yet embracing contemporary relevance, Siddhi Creative challenges norms, ignites dialogue, and bridges artists and audiences.
“Fifty-Five Women (The Erin Merritt Song)” is from The Women in Theatre Project. Part love letter, part song cycle, part musical documentary, The Women in Theatre Project celebrates the craft of theatre making, and the women behind the art form. This show explores themes of creativity, joy, grief, inspiration, and the trials and tribulations of the artistic process. Inspired by interviews with notable women in theatre including: Daryl Roth, Jennifer Ashley Tepper, Mimi Lien, Ilana Levine, Earon Nealey, Lauren Gunderson, Dawn Chiang, and Erin Merritt. With book, music, and lyrics by Jen Coogan.
Jen Coogan
Fifty-Five Women
(The Erin Merritt Song)
Jen Coogan composer/lyricist recently debuted The Women in Theatre Project at 54 Below in NYC. Other works include The Tempest and As You Like It (SFShakes ‘24), Broadway Bares SF, The Morning After (LCTC), The New Teacher (Superbad Theater Co.), The Last Open Mic (Wildhorse Stage Co.), Pharma Girls, and The Oregon Trail Pages.
Sinjin Jones
Master of Ceremonies (Saturday)
Proselytization
What does it mean to preach? "Proselytization" plunges you into a chaotic sermon delivered by a lone figure, armed with nothing but a random book and fervent conviction. This one-man performance dissects the art of persuasion, exposing the seductive power of rhetoric and the inherent absurdity of blind faith.
Sinjin Jones (he/him) is a storytelling artist, teacher, and arts administrator based out of Santa Clara. From Denver, Colorado originally, he founded both Otherworld Collective, a multimedia artists collective, and Perplexity Pictures, a story driven film production company. After running both organizations for 10 years, he relocated to the Bay Area where he was the Executive Artistic Director of The Pear Theatre and founder of Foundry of Aether, an immersive storytelling project. He is currently an independent arts consultant and artist in the Bay Area.
Diaspora Ensemble
Music from the Mediterranean
Diaspora plays music of the Eastern Mediterranean region. The Sefardic songs they cover have roots in the musical traditions of Medieval Spain. The soulful and lively songs in varied meters are sung in Ladino (Judeo-Spanish). Diaspora also plays music from Greece, Turkey, the Balkans, and Afghanistan. Leah Sirkin (violin, vocals) Tano Brock (clarinet, laouto, vocals) and Steven Brock (percussion) are the core members of this family band from San Francisco. Diaspora has been performing at venues and events in the Bay Area since 2010.
Steven Brock began his study of tabla, the classical drum of North India, in the early ‘90s with the great master Swapan Choudhury, at the Ali Akbar College of Music in San Rafael. In 2003, after hearing the deep and mesmerizing sounds of the Kanjira, a small lizard skin tambourine from South India, he began his study of Carnatic rhythms with two great masters, Ganesh Kumar and Selvaganesh Vinayakram. stevenbrock.com
Leah Sirkin has been singing all her life and began playing violin at age eleven. She owes her inspiration to music camps she has attended since 2000, notably the Middle East & Balkan Camps in Mendocino. Leah has performed with the Aswat Arabic Ensemble, Helm and the Silk Road Caravan. Leah is also a playwright and songwriter and has written a musical based on the life of Mirabai. https://www.leahsirkin.com
Zina Pozen, originally from Ukraine, grew up in a family of classical musicians, playing piano from a young age. After moving to the U.S., Zina fell under the spell of the Eastern European Folklife Center Balkan Music Camps and picked up the accordion to play traditional music. Zina plays klezmer, Moldovan, Ukrainian, Turkish, Armenian, Greek rebetiko with many bands, including the Saul Goodman Klezmer Band, Orchestra Euphonos, Metanastys, Yeraz Ensemble, Cabin 19, and Moonshine Jelly. Zina is also a language technologist, training robots to help humans learn human languages.
Jamey Williams
Jamey Williams is a multidisciplinary force to be reckoned with! He is a prolific lyricist on a current artistic journey to generate new music every month for the next three years. This year, he will release six musical projects (4 albums and 2 EPs). Not only is he a spoken word poet, lyricist, actor, playwright, and storyteller, but he's also an accomplished educator and event organizer. He's been performing and teaching internationally for almost a decade, using his powerful stage presence and deeply nuanced writing to captivate audiences around the world.
A new play by Lauren Dunagan, exploring the life and times of 18th century actor Charlotte Charke. Charlotte was the youngest child of famous restoration playwright and actor Colley Cibber. After following in her father's footsteps and beginning a promising career on the stage, Charlotte's "private misconduct" and government censorship combined to bring about a descent into poverty and desperation. The real-life Charlotte told her story in an autobiography published toward the end of her life. In Mad Company, Charlotte's story is relayed in the form of a play by a group of rag-tag travelling players. This play is still being developed, and we are very pleased to share the opening scene with you at the Diasporas Festival.
“Mad Company”
Lauren Dunagan is an actor and fledgling playwright living in San Francisco. She has appeared on stages throughout the Bay Area and Los Angeles, most recently in Julius Caesar with ACT's educational and community tour, and Accused! at Central Works. She received her MFA in Acting from UCLA and her BA in Drama from Stanford University.
John Dunagan (Music Director) is a multi-instrumentalist living in San Francisco. He studied computer science and music composition at Washington University in St. Louis. When he is not at home practicing, he can be spotted playing bass with local jazz group The Black Hats, or, apparently, performing in his sister’s period theatre pieces.
Kelly Dunagan is a visual artist living in Berkeley, where she is a member of the Gallery 2727 Artists' Co-op. Though primarily a painter and photographer, she has also worked in costume, lighting, and production design. She is thrilled to be returning to the stage after a twenty-year hiatus to help bring her sister Lauren's vision to life. Favorite prior roles include a libidinous maidservant in a musical adaptation of Much Ado About Nothing, Catherine in Pippin, and Ellie Greenwich in Leader of the Pack: The Ellie Greenwich Story.
Alan Coyne has performed with We Players, SF Shakes, Center Rep, and Lafayette Town Hall Theater, among others. He appeared most recently as Julius Caesar in the A.C.T. Out tour, and as the Pigeon in PLAY Theatre's Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus. In 2019, his two-person adaptation, 2elfth Night, infiltrated the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. You can see him next in Shotgun Players' Yellow Face this May/June, and in Central Works' Dadaist Teen Musical this October/November.
Carolina Morones is an actor, bilingual teaching artist, movement director, and writer. Most recently she played the roles of Calpurnia, Octavius, and others in Julius Caesar (A.C.T. Out Tour). Other notable credits include: Max in A Very Hitchcock Christmas (Playground-SF); Citizen (Word for Word, ZSpace); Fade (PCPA’s InterPlay); Pericles, Prince of Tyre (San Francisco Shakespeare Festival); Elliot, A Soldier’s Fugue (The Pear Theatre); Much Ado Para Nada (Shakespeare in Detroit); She Persisted the Musical (Bay Area Children’s Theatre); and The Tenth Muse (Oregon Shakespeare Festival).
Shayna Ann Howlett most recently appeared in the A.C.T. Out Tour’s Julius Caesar. Other credits include Measure for Measure (The Duke) with A.C.T. Out, Hamlet (Laertes) with Vallejo Shakespeare in the Park, A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Titania) with the Foodbank Players, The Comedy of Errors (Antipholus of Ephesus) with Prague Shakespeare Company, Hamlet (Rosencrantz) with the University of California, Berkeley Theater Department, and Dog Sees God (Van’s Sister) and 1984 (The Loudspeaker) with Barestage Productions. Follow them @shay.how on Instagram for more updates. (they/them)
“Female, Ashkenazi with a Sewing Machine”
Jamie Greenblatt (Playwright) Jamie’s plays often integrate music, movement and puppetry. Her full-length plays My Recollect Time and Female, Ashkenazi with a Sewing Machine were produced by Inferno Theatre. A monologue from My Recollect Time was published in Smith & Kraus’ “WE/US: Monologues for The Gender Minority” anthology, 2022. She is a member of The Dramatists Guild of America. Her New Play Exchange Profile is: https://newplayexchange.org/users/27406/jamie-greenblatt
Melissa Clason-Gonzalez Performing since childhood, Melissa thrives in the collaboratively creative yet disciplined environment of the theatre and has worked with numerous companies across the nation, including Inferno Theatre as Goneril in King Lear and Anna in the world premiere of Female, Ashkenazi with a Sewing Machine. She emphatically thanks the oncology team at MarinHealth Cancer Care, her adoring husband, Ray, her loving family and fabulous friends, who make each day matter.
Molinete
Molinete is a Spanish word that means to spin or twist one thing around a pivot point. This concept and word are also used as one of the fundamental dance elements of Argentine tango. The Molinete ensemble began as a violin, guitar and cello trio. Carol Braves and Robert Fields were two founding members of the original group. Steve Heckman joined as our woodwinds player, with Suzanne Schrift joining as our bassist thereafter. Recently, Molinete added back a cellist, Nancy DeRoche.
Molinete performs original Argentine Tango style music penned by Fields and Heckman. Each piece blends in musical tidbits from other styles like soul, funk, and jazz. Fields’ arrangements follow as many of the Argentine tango traditions as are practical. This includes using simple acoustic instruments, no drums per se, yet presenting a strong sense of rhythm. Our pieces are generally styled as one of the three major Argentine tango forms: Tango, Vals, and Milonga.
“Legacy”
Rather than taking it to the grave, and with no children of his own, a middle-aged man approaches his nephew about learning a specific family skill that has been passed down for several generations.
Robert Fields writes screenplays, stage plays, and radio plays. He has worked as a script doctor and script consultant for indie feature films. His short plays have been performed in Somerset, KY, Houston, TX, and Inferno Theatre Diasporas Festival in Berkeley. One of his short radio pieces was performed live on KPFA. Fields has also written and produced a number of short films and YouTube videos.
“Sound of the Far East”
A presentation of the sound of the Daf and in context of a historical background.
Amir A. Etemadzadeh is a Middle Eastern musician, instructor, performer and composer. Born and raised in Iran, he received extensive musical education from various masters. After arriving in the U.S. in 2002, he expanded his portfolio to include world music drums. Amir’s collaborations in the U.S. include numerous performances and recordings with musicians and the music groups Ethel String Quartet, Hafez Modirzadeh, Ramin Zoufonoun, Miriam Pretz, Qadim Ensemble, Silk Road Festival, and Cal Poly Middle Eastern Music Orchestra. He is passionate about promoting peace through music and education and manages his organization "Mint Tea Music Production" and his music academy "Amir School of Music" at www.amirschoolofmusic.com. Instagram: instagram.com/amirschoolofmusic.
“Still I Rise”
For decades, Myanmar (Burma) has fought for democracy. Since the February, 2021, military coup, violence, widespread poverty, famine, and economic turmoil have worsened. As the civil war among the ethnic groups and the repressive military force stifles the country's progress, the people of Myanmar and its diaspora continue to fight for freedom and democracy across the world. As we experience this new administration in the US, and other nations struggle like Myanmar, how can we acknowledge our pain and suffering, but continue to live our lives? How can we find meaning and love when we are going through these difficult and unheard of times?
Rosie Chu (she/her) is a queer Burmese/Chinese actor and dancer from the SF Bay Area. Originally from Myanmar, she began dancing at the age of 8 and has over 20 years of movement experience. Experienced in Belly Dancing, Tahitian Dancing, Hula, and Pole dancing, she enjoys all types of movement. She has starred in several short films and dance performances across the Bay Area. As a multi-faceted artist, she enjoys sharing untold stories from marginalized voices and performing work she finds meaningful. @get.rose
“Narasimha Kavitvam”
This kavitvam is a devotional introduction to Lord Narasimha, the half-man, half-lion incarnation of Lord Vishnu. According to legend, he emerged from a pillar to slay the tyrant King Hiranyakashipu and protect his devoted follower, Prahlada. The dance will explore the different facets of Lord Narasimha, emphasizing his strength, power, and righteous anger.
Dance Composition: Smt. Indira Kadambi
Introductory Shloka: Sri. Adi Sankaracharya
Lyrics: Sri. G. Gurumurthy
Music Composition: Sri. Balasubramania Sharma
Raga: Ragamalika
Tala: Khanda Chapu
Swati Pramod Hegde is a dedicated Bharatanatyam dancer currently training under the guidance of Acharya Smt. Meera Sreenarayanan. She began her training with Acharya Smt. Seema Bhagwat in Sirsi, Karnataka, India. After a gap of 11 years, which included relocating to the US, Swati reconnected with her passion for Bharatanatyam and resumed her training with Acharya Smt. Surabhi Bharadwaj. She has performed both solo and ensemble pieces across the US, including at the IDIA Dance Festival, Smaran Dance Festival and SafeHouse Arts. Recently, she participated in the Dancepts Dance Intensive in Guruvayur, Kerala, India where she immersed herself in intensive training with her teacher and other distinguished scholars. Alongside her dance pursuits, Swati works full-time as a Hardware Engineer.
“No more Hank. There are reasons.”
Karen Marguerite Caronna is a San Francisco Bay Area writer and actor, honored to be a Brady Fellow with 3Girls Theatre. Short plays have been produced locally, including Playwright’s Center of San Francisco, Play Cafe, Women+ in Theatre conference Howard, MD. Her work has been a semi-finalist at Ground Floor, Garry Marshall Theatre, B Street Theatre New Works festivals, and a finalist in 46th Bay Area Playwright’s Foundation New Works Festival and Napa Valley Players. A California native, Oakland is home.
Hao C. Tran
Hao is a Viet Kieu - a Vietnamese living overseas. He left Vietnam as a young man shortly before the fall of Saigon. He has returned to look for his family and writes about his longings, regrets, and a post-war Vietnam. His short story collection “Skinny Woman in a Straw Hat” is about his emotional journey home after twenty years in exile.
Inferno Theatre
Giulio Cesare Perrone (Playwright/ Stage Director) is a playwright, director, set and costume designer. His approach to theater, informed by his experience and training in the U.S. and Europe, emphasizes the physical aspects of movement and dance, and the central role of the actors/performers/creators in the creative process. The artistic importance of scenery always incorporates live music, and often video as well. As a writer, designer, and director, Giulio has been recognized with two prestigious Pew Grants and several industry awards.
His commitment to making and supporting progressive, traditional and non-traditional forms of theater and programs gives voice to the many urgent cultural narratives that have been historically excluded from theater throughout his lifetime. Giulio moved from his native Italy to the United States in 1995. Now a U.S. resident, Giulio has over 300 theater and opera productions to his credit.
Aero England (they/them/theirs) is thrilled to perform as Maria in their first ever Shakespeare play! Previous credits include Moritz in Spring Awakening (Masquers Playhouse), Orcus in She Kills Monsters, Lydia/Miss de Bourgh in Pride and Prejudice and Bad Idea Bear/Mrs. T/Newcomer in Avenue Q (Plethos Productions). They would like to thank their family and friends for their constant encouragement and support! Enjoy the show!
Alec Braun studied drama at San Francisco State University from 2014 to 2018. After graduating, he spent seven years performing across the Bay Area, including Berkeley and San Rafael, in stage productions, music videos, short films, and voice recordings. His most notable stage roles include War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells, Pfeiffer’s People by Jules Feiffer, and Quantum Desire by Giulio Perrone. During college, he honed his vocal projection and diction through rigorous performances, training under esteemed SF State drama instructors Terry Boero and Bruce Avery. Alec thrives in roles that demand dynamic emotional range and striking characterizations. He is particularly drawn to playing villains, heroes, and enigmatic side characters - the ones who stir up the most mischief. With a passion for storytelling and an ever-evolving craft, Alec continues to seek out challenging and compelling roles that push the boundaries of performance.
Torey Bookstein has trained in Europe, at Berkeley Rep, and at SF ACT. Favorite past roles: Rosalind (As You Like It) - Alameda Foodbank Players; Titania (u/s) (A Midsummer Night’s Dream [The Musical!]) - Berkeley Shakespeare; Hodel (Fiddler on the Roof) - Ballibay. Torey has also written, produced, and directed several autobiographical cabaret shows, including "Parenting: How Bad Could It Be?" and "Parenting 2: I’m So Glad I Caught the Vomit In My Hand!"
Bailey Sanders is a Bay Area native rediscovering her love for acting. Bailey found her love for acting and performing while taking a theater class at Laney College. In addition to acting, she eases her performance itch by performing stand up and poetry at the pubs around her home. When she is not on stage, Bailey spends her time honing the craft of writing by creating comedy and drama scripts, sketches, and poems. Bailey would like to give a special thanks to Inferno Theatre for supporting her return to acting.
Joshua-Morris Williams is an actor, musician and teacher from California. After portraying such roles as Othello, Peter Quince, and Jonathan Harker with Inferno Theatre, Joshua-Morris backpacked across Europe before returning to California to teach. A current Master of Education student, Joshua-Morris is excited to take the stage with Inferno Theatre once again, after closing African-American Shakespeare Company’s 2023-24 season as Petruchio in Taming of the Shrew.
Osvaldo Mora is an optimistic nerd, fueled by a lifelong love of cartoons and storytelling. Whether embodying a character, singing his heart out, or crafting a scene behind the camera, he’s always pushing his creative boundaries. When he’s not living on his boat, he’s chasing spontaneous adventures, enjoying live shows, boot scootin’, or embracing his inner kid!
Paul Bisesi is excited to make his Inferno Theatre debut! Recent credits include Nick Carraway in The Great Gatsby (The Foodbank Players), Doctor John Watson in Sherlock Holmes and the Mystery of the Missing Mystery (Actor’s Ensemble of Berkeley), Performer in Hold On: When Everything Changes in a Flash (Crescent Moon Theater Productions), Rutherford Selig in Joe Turner’s Come and Gone (Lower Bottom Playaz), and roles in a variety of short films, including a sociopathic stalker, a pretentious clown, and Death. Check out paulbisesi.com for more.
Ronnie Anderson is thrilled to work with this imaginative company. Favorite roles: Ivan in Theatre Rhinoceros’s Billy, Jaques As You Like It, Madame Sylvia Saint Croix Ruthless!, The Musical, Gloucester King Lear, Sir Evelyn Anything Goes! and Ensemble with National Theatre’s The Lehman Trilogy. Ronnie has performed and directed with American Conservatory Theater, California Shakespeare Festival, SF Shakespeare Festival, Berkeley Shakespeare Company, Center Rep, Contra Costa Civic Theater and Altarena Playhouse.
Valentina Emeri, a native Italian, began dancing at age 8 and earned her BA in Acting at the National Academy of Dramatic Arts “Silvio D’Amico” in Rome, learning with Luca Ronconi and Andrea Camilleri. She studied with Peggy Hackney in Berkeley to be a Laban/Bartenieff Movement Analyst (CLMA). Valentina performs in Italian, German, English and loves movement theatre. She is in an ongoing collaboration with Roland Selva and “Freilichtspiele Südtiroler Unterland” in Italy and with Giulio Cesare Perrone’s Inferno Theatre in Berkeley.
Vaughn Easterday is ecstatic to make their Inferno Theatre debut with Twelfth Night! They are graduating this year from Oakland Technical High School where they performed in Chicago (Velma), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Bottom), and Romeo & Juliet (Friar Lawrence). They plan to study Plant Biology next year at UC Riverside.
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