Trinity Lloyd Social Media Manager & Publicity Designer
Katarina Fiallos Mia
Mercedes Isaza Clunie Javi
Maya Fleming Yari
Rachel Quintanilla Carmen
Alejandra Angobaldo Isa
Gloria Freire Alma
Julianna Olave Lucy
In GRINGAS, 7 Latina-teenagers have lost their ability to speak Spanish. In attempts to reconnect with their roots, their mothers force them to attend a Spanish-only summer camp.
Runtime: 60 minutes
ABOUT FIRST BORN THEATRE COMPANY
Inside cabins, bathing in lakes, and breathing in cigarette smoke, these young women are determined to find themselves before the summer is up. This play is a mystical and hilarious bi-lingual coming-of-age story that makes you wonder what it means to be Latina-Canadian today. A Toronto-based, queer, Latine company dedicated to creating the next generation of Canadian theatre, our mission is to follow innovative artists’ ideas from their conception to their birth through community feedback and peer support.
Hola! Thank you for joining us for First Born Theatre’s production of: GRINGAS.
GRINGAS was created on the territory of the Anishinaabe, the Chippewa, the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation, the Haudenosaunee, the Wendat, and many other Indigenous nations recorded and unrecorded. We are currently sitting, standing, and performing inside The Players’ Guild of Hamilton North America’s oldest continuing community theatre. Players’ Guild we thank you for letting us share this story in this beautiful space and are grateful for all the Indigenous artists who made this company possible.
Fun fact! The terms “Latino” and “Hispanic are words created by European settlers as a means to homogenize Latin culture and exclude the Indigenous peoples of the places many of us call home. We also recognize those of us who went to Latin America involuntary, as a result of the TransAtlantic Slave Trade and Slavery. Our cast and crew are made up of Latine people from across the Latin American diaspora, with many different experiences of colonization. We deal with some of these themes in our show. If you are curious to learn more about colonial roots in Latin America, please reference the links below for some helpful resources. Gracias. Thank you. And enjoy the show.
CAST & crew
In alphabetical order
Alejan
Alejandra (she/her) is a Peruvian actor completing her Acting degree at York University. She is extremely grateful to be part of GRINGAS; sharing some of the Latinx culture means the world to her As she continues to pursue her immense passion for theater, she hopes to always keep being part of beautiful Latinx stories like this one.
Ashley Naomi Skye – Sound Designer & Composer
Ashley Naomi Skye (she/her) is a trans theatre creator, actor, and musician/sound designer. Fringe credits: Dreams (2022), Hermaphroditus, House of Whale (both 2023) Recent nonFringe: Hip Hop 100 (Tarragon Greenhouse), Isle of Demons (Guild Festival Theatre), Every Day She Rose (Black Theatre Workshop), Young-in-Craft Cabaret (Buddies Rhubarb Festival) etc.
Blythe Russell – Movement Director
Blythe Russell (she/her) is a Toronto-based choreographer and dancer who earned her BFA in Dance from York University in 2023. Blythe is a dedicated artist who finds beauty in the nuances of storytelling and is eager to explore new ways of sharing her passion for movement.
Gloria Freire – Alma
Gloria (she/her) is a twenty year old actress currently studying Creative Industries at Toronto Metropolitan University. Coming from Ecuadorian, Chinese, and Irish descent, she is thrilled to be embracing her Latina-ness and putting her ever-evolving Spanish to the test in her Fringe debut with GRINGAS. ¡Vamos!
Cast & crew
Hayley Crowder – Stage Manager
Hayley Crowder (she/they) is a Toronto based artist. They discovered love for theatre through the community she found at university. Hayley has SM’d for a number of productions in varying styles and genres, and is SO excited to be part of such powerful storytelling with GRINGAS. Thankful to have been welcomed by this new, queer, Latine community!
Julianna Olave – Lucy
Julianna Olave (she/her) is a queer Colombian-Canadian artist in York University's BFA acting program She explores magic realism, absurdity, culture, femininity, spirituality, and honesty in her theatre work. Eager to deepen her artistry, she seeks representation and challenges within communities while aiming to establish her presence among future artists.
Karley Jagusic – Intimacy Coordinator
Karley Jagusic (she/they) is a queer and disabled multi-disciplinary storyteller She holds a d i T b i i ll h il f
cast & crew
Maeve Weishar – Lighting Designer
Maeve Weishar (she/her) is a theatre artist from northern Ontario and a recent graduate of York University's theatre production and design program. Maeve is so excited to have the opportunity to light GRINGAS and work with some amazing people!
Maya Fleming – Yari
Maya (she/her) is a Caribbean-Canadian multidisciplinary artist currently studying Acting at York University. She strives to embrace the intersectionality of her identity within her craft and to inspire others to do so as well. She is thrilled and honoured to be a part of GRINGAS!
Mercedes (she/her) is a queer, Chilean-Canadian playwright, actor, and poet from Toronto Her work explores topics such as girlhood, culture, sexuality, and language through diverse formats that both disrupt traditional conventions and celebrate the essence of theatre Her play GRINGAS (hello!) is three time award-winning play Mercedes holds a BFA in acting from York University and is a recent alumni of Paprika's playwriting unit, where she developed her play Pablo and Bill Make a Baby. Mercedes is passionate about creating work that celebrates her communities and makes strides towards a better and more art-filled Canada.
Millie Cameron – Set & Props Designer
Millie Cameron (she/her) is an emerging set designer from Cornwall, Ontario She is currently pursuing a BFA in Theatre Production and Design at York University Her recent and upcoming design credits include Splinters by Mercedes Isaza Clunie (York University Playground Festival 2023), *Snacey by Priscila Gonzalez (Toronto Fringe Festival, Kids Fringe 2024), *The Evolutionary and Insecapable Rotting of Girlhood by Payton Oswald (Edinburgh Fringe Festival, 2024), and *People, Places and Things (York University Mainstage Production 2025) Millie is overjoyed to be working alongside such an incredible group of creatives!
* - Current/upcoming works
Rachel Quintanilla – Carmen
Rachel Quintanilla (she/her) is a latinx emerging artist based in Toronto. In spring 2023, Rachel completed her training in the acting conservatory at YU. Her most recent work includes playing Sofia in Dance Nation She is beyond proud of Gringas & cannot wait for you all to see it!
cast & crew
Rebecca Fadoju – Costume Designer
Rebecca Fadoju (she/her) is a Toronto based filmmaker, actor & creative with a BFA in film production. She recently branched her creative skillset into the magical realm of theatre & is back at this year's Fringe as our Costume Designer! She is excited to continue to intersect her work in film and tv with her passion for theatre. P.S. She based all our characters' costumes on their respective countries' flags. Have fun guessing which one is which!
Trinity Lloyd – Social Media Manager & Publicity Designer
Trinity Lloyd (she/they) is a queer Jamaican/Filipino actor & creator based in Toronto. Trinity has done media & publicity design for Do You Think You’re Better Than Me? (Toronto & Hamilton Fringe, Toronto Sketch Comedy Festival) and is so happy to be doing the same for GRINGAS. There’s nothing she loves more than making silly little edits on their silly little iPad to support the beautiful theatre their friends have created.
Zoe Marín – Director, Producer
Zoe Marín (she/her) is an Argentine-American theatre artist and comedian. Recent credits include: Internet Sensation (Paprika Festival) and Do You Think You’re Better Than Me (Toronto Fringe, Hamilton Fringe, Toronto Sketch Comedy Festival) She is First Born Theatre’s Artistic Producer. And Native Earth Performing Arts’ M UPER EXCITED about GRINGAS!!! IG: @zmar
Please be advised that GRINGAS includes course language, sexual content, smoking. Mentions of racism, colonialism, death, and mental health. If you require any more information, please email us at firstborntheatreco@gmail.com
