ABOUT THE PLAYWRIGHT: MAYA MALAN-GONZALEZ

Maya Malan-Gonzalez is a multidisciplinary artist focused on performing, writing, and ensemble collaboration. She’s a lifelong member of Milagro Theatre in Portland, where she most recently performed in Wolf at the Door. Through her history with the company, Milagro commissioned her new play, A Xmas Cuento Remix. In addition, Maya is an ensemble member with Teatro Luna West, where she recently premiered The Times, in which she was a core developer and performer. Maya’s story “Down the Side of the Mountain” is featured in Teatro Luna’s Audible Original audiobook, Talking While Female and Other Dangerous Acts. Her online blog series “Learning With Maya” can be found at Teatrolunawest.org/blog. Maya is also a company member with Cara Mia Theatre, where she was last seen performing in Deferred Action and De Troya. Maya received her BFA in Acting from The Theatre School at DePaul University with a concentration in Latino Studies.

ABOUT THE DIRECTOR: HOLLY HOLSINGER

Holly Holsinger has been a Cleveland theatre artist for over twenty years. Most recently, Holly toured to New Orleans and London with her solo show, Frankenstein’s Wake, which she co-created with Raymond Bobgan. Other original works include Ancestra and Insomnia: The Waking of Herselves, co-devised and performed at CPT. Holsinger’s work has been featured in Canadian Theatre Review, Theatre Journal, and in Lisa Wolford’s book Grotowski’s Objective Drama Research. She has performed throughout the United States, Canada, Romania, Belgium, and Brazil. Holly is an Associate Professor at Cleveland State University where she received a Distinguished Faculty Award, the University’s top honor for teaching. She received an MFA in Acting from the University of California, Irvine and is a certified Associate Teacher of Fitzmaurice Voicework.

ABOUT THE MUSIC DIRECTOR: MARIA DIDONATO

This is Maria’s first time music directing a show at Cleveland Public Theatre. She is fresh off of music directing Into the Woods at CSU where she has also worked on Violet, Avenue Q, Company, and Emotional Creature. Maria has also done musical direction for French Creek Theatre, The Academy for the Dramatic Arts, Huntington Playhouse, Brecksville Theatre, St. Mary’s Catholic School, and the Tri-C Performing Arts Camp. Maria is an adjunct theatre professor at CSU, a music theory professor at Tri-C, and gives voice/piano lessons through her own studio. Maria’s favorite performances include: opening for Common at the Wolstein Center, performing/recording with hip-hop violinist DBR, and singing for President Obama. She also enjoys performing with her band Hip to That all over Northeast Ohio. Maria has earned both a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education with a minor in Theatre and a Master of Music in Vocal Performance from Cleveland State University.

ABOUT THE DRAMATURG & ASSISTANT DIRECTOR: LILLY CORONA MORENO

Lilly Corona Moreno joined Teatro Público de Cleveland in 2014. TPC Stage credits: Vuelo del Ocean (Pandemonium 2014), Mi Nombre Es (TCG 2015), White Rabbit Red Rabbit (2015), Yo Sueño of Home (Pandemonium 2015), Mariel’s List (Pandemonium 2016), Labio de Liebre (The Lip of the Hare) (2017), and ¡OBRAS EN EVOLUCIÓN! A Festival of New Play Readings (2017). Lilly was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio. She is married to Alejandro Moreno, one of the founding members of Teatro Público de Cleveland. They have two children, Cruz and Citlali Moreno. Currently, Lilly is a Spanish teacher in North Ridgeville, Ohio. She is the Director of Grupo Tepehuani Nelli, the Mexican folkloric dance group she founded in 1999. The group performs pre-Hispanic/Aztec dances and dances representing the different regions of Mexico. She has been dancing/performing since childhood. Lilly enjoys recording voice overs and is a former radio announcer for the show La Preferida at WCSB, 89.3 F.M.