Panza Monologues Program

Juliette Del Muro is a 21-year-old Theatre major at Cal State LA. She is a first-generation college student who transferred from Santa Monica College, where she graduated with four associate degrees in: Psychology, Sociology, Liberal Arts-Social and Behavioral Sciences, and of course, Theatre Arts.  Along with pursuing her upper educational career, she has also acted and worked on multiple plays throughout her time at SMC.  At the same time, she has been working professionally in modeling, Film and TV.  She chose to do The Panza Monologues as she feels connected to the themes involved and wants to bring Chicana and Latina stories to life in the form of theatre. She plans to make history in the industry.

Alyssa Herrera is a graduate student at Cal State LA. She will be completing the post- baccalaureate certificate program in Women’s Gender & Sexuality Studies this spring. She will begin her Master’s program in Chicana(o) Studies in the Fall. Her work centers around finding knowledge, healing, and safety in the body. She decided to be a part of this play since its mission aligns with her commitment to Chicana Feminisms.

Bridgett Khoury is a passionate advocate for inclusive sex education and social change. With a WGSS major she founded a nonprofit aimed at destigmatizing sex education both in homes and schools. Hailing from Los Angeles and raised in Temecula, Bridgett's identity is shaped by her Chicana and Palestinian heritage. This multicultural upbringing instilled in her a deep appreciation for diversity, which she now champions in her work. In addition to her advocacy, Bridgett finds fulfillment in her beautiful, blended family. Alongside her partner, they nurture their three daughters, who represent a rich tapestry of Hispanic, Arabic, and Japanese cultures. Bridgett takes immense pride in witnessing her children grow into strong, independent individuals, and learns life's greatest lessons from them.

Martha Angelica Mora has a background in Latina/o/x Studies and Counseling. She has been working as an educator specializing in community development for over ten years. She has participated in community Raza Teatro in the San Francisco Mission District and Panza Monologues will be her first teatro production in Los Angeles. Martha Angelica was drawn to the Panza Monologues in hopes to be a part of the healing and beauty of sharing Chicana counternarratives through art.

This is Crystal’s first semester at CSULA and transferred from LAVC. She is grateful to be acting alongside some amazing women in this thought-provoking production. She has been in 5 productions and has stage managed at LAVC and The Latino Theater Co.

Rebecca Silberman is in her second year of the graduate program getting her MFA in Acting at Cal State L.A. She was seen in last year's production of Stupid Fucking Bird and she has walked the boards of numerous theaters throughout Los Angeles. She is excited and grateful to be working with such a wonderful group of people.

Brizea Suarez is a Chicana writer who strives to tell engaging and compelling stories about her community and about the human experience. She is a 2-year MFA student in the writing track who has grown tremendously in her time in the program. The Panza Monologues stood out to her because of its stories about Chicana woman and the vulnerability that this piece allowed Brizea to explore. This is her first time acting on the stage and is excited for this opportunity.

Kimberly Torres is a junior at Cal State LA majoring in Business Management with a minor in Theatre Arts. She is a transfer student from Cañada College where she graduated with her AS-T in Business Administration, an AA in Economics and an AA in ECE. She is also in three organizations on campus which include the Hispanic Business Society, Alpha Sigma Tau, and the Child Development Association. She had also done an acting program in 2019 which is called the Celebrity Experience where she worked with professionals and performed in front of agencies. She last performed in Los Faustinos directed by Roberto Alcaraz in Spring 2022 where she played as Margarita. She would like to thank her family and friends for their support, she couldn’t have done it without you.

Nancy is a fourth year WGSS major. This is the first theater production she will be in. She has enjoyed her time being part of this amazing experience and hopes everyone enjoys The Panza Monologues just as much as she does.

Sophia Hernández (Director) (she/her) is an emerging Chicana filmmaker and theater-maker based in Los Angeles. A recent alumna of the Theater Arts and Performance Studies Dept. at Brown University and currently pursuing her MFA in Theater, Film, and Television at CSULA, she gravitates towards telling stories about social justice and the Latinx community. Her most recent work includes co-editing on the independent documentary Hummingbirds, winner of The Grand Prix of the Generation 14Plus International Jury for the Best Film at Berlinale Film Festival 2023, and assistant directing the U.S. premiere of Arthur Miller’s The Hook in Red Hook, Brooklyn.

Tanya Kane-Parry (Supervising Director) is Full-time faculty, Department of Theatre and Dance, Cal State LA since 2001. Tanya is a director/choreographer in theatre, opera, dance. She is the Artistic Director of performance group, Opera del Espacio. Some credits include: The Way Of Water at Bootleg Theatre; Meet Me @ Metro II and III ; Space: The Final Frontier SOSE Company Creation Festival; Private in Public SoCal Dance Invitational Concert and World Dance Alliance-Americas in Honolulu; Triple [Inter]sect dance concert at Highways Performance Space; site-specific performances: desert ruins at Llano del Rio, Downtown Art Walk, The Series at the Standard. Additional credits include productions at Long Beach Opera, LA Phil, Festival Opera, Opera Omaha, Houston Grand Opera, Washington National Opera, Los Angeles Opera, Canadian Opera Company, Liceo Opera (Barcelona), National Opera of Bordeaux and Angels Vocal Arts. More recent on-campus projects include original works collaboratively devised with the students: Dreaming of Our Future/Soñando de Nuestro Futuro, about the challenges of navigating a purposely byzantine immigration process, and Fighting Back, a satirical journey through the rise of fascism in America. Tanya has lived and worked in Spain, France, the former Soviet Union, Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Peru and Japan. She volunteered in Ukraine at the onset of the war. She is fluent in Spanish and French and speaks conversational Russian.

Zoia N Wiseman (Course Instructor, Stage Manager, Lighting & Sound) is a member of Actors' Equity Association. She has worked as a theatre artist in the Washington DC Metro area, New York, Ireland, the UK, California, and on tour. She received her BFA from Stephen's College, a diploma of graduate studies from Queen's University Belfast, and a MFA from California State University, Los Angeles. She has taught at Allan Hancock College and the Sitar Center for the Arts as an instructor, at Cal State LA as a graduate student, and at Howard University as a Guest Artist. She is thrilled to be a part of The Panza Monologues, supporting the current students of WGSS and TAD as they bring this work to life.

Dionne Espinoza, Ph.D. (Course Instructor, Producer, and House Manager) is committed to visibilizing Chicana and Latina lives and stories. For over 25 years, she has taught courses at the intersection of Chicana Feminist Studies and Women’s & Gender Studies. This production comes out of a course collaboration with Professor Tanya Kane-Parry (Theatre Arts and Dance) and our shared goal of bringing the Panza Monologues to life at Cal State LA. Espinoza is grateful for the ensemble cast of talented Cal State LA mujeres estudiantes who have created such a powerful and meaningful space of Chicana teatro.

Dr. Anita Tijerina Revilla (Guest Moderator, Tues. 4/30) is a Muxerista and Jotería activist-scholar, Professor, and Chair of CSULA’s Department of Chicana(o) and Latina(o) Studies. Her research focuses on student movements and social justice education, specifically in the areas of Chicana/Latina, immigrant, feminist, and queer rights activism. Her expertise is in the areas of Jotería (Queer Latinx) Studies, Chicana/Latina and Black Feminisms, and Critical Race Theory. She is a Harlandale High School graduate from the Southside of San Antonio and the first in her family to attend college. After receiving her bachelor’s degree from Princeton University and master’s degree from Teachers College, Columbia University, she earned her doctorate from UCLA Graduate School of Education. She is also a visual artist and loves to paint her community.

Renee Lemus Elisaldez (Guest Moderator, Wed. 5/1) is a Xicana Feminist Bruja, scholar and scribe. She received her PhD in Ethnic Studies from UC Riverside and works as a lecturer at Cal State LA in the Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies Department. She is also the co-host of the nationally recognized podcast Las Doctoras that seeks to take gender studies convos out of the ivory tower and onto the kitchen table. Dr. Lemus’ academic and public scholarship utilizes a decolonial and intersectional feminist analysis to explore an array of topics including pop culture, reproductive justice, spirituality, sexuality and so much more. She is a mama of two, loves to watch reality TV, and is a triple water sign, Cancer, Cancer, Pisces. Feminist mantra: “Who’s got time to wash the dishes when I’m too busy planning the revolution with my amigas!”

Cristina Frias (Guest Moderator, Thurs. 5/2) is an award-winning Chicana Theater Artivist, Actor, Director and Associate Professor in the Theater Arts Department at East Los Angeles College. Cristina’s artistic mission is to center and uplift the theatrical and artistic voices of the Latine/x community on the world’s stage. “Profe Frías’'' position includes being a Community Liaison to the larger Los Angeles Arts community, Co-Advisor to the Performance East Club and serving on the Global Education Committee. Cristina teaches Chicanx Theater and Acting for the Stage and Screen Courses. She holds an MFA from the Institute of CalArts (Acting) and a B.A. from U.C. Berkeley (Sociology). Founding Member Latina Theater Lab and Teatro Califas. www.cristinafrias.com @lacristinafrias @elacacting