Runtime: 60 minutes ABOUT FIRST BORN THEATRE COMPANY
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.
@firstborntheatreco
firstborntheatre.com
Thank you!
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 Native Earth Performing Arts Centre - Canada’s oldest professional Indigenous theatre company. Native Earth - 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.
The Colonial Roots and Legacy of the Latinx/Hispanic Labels: A Historical Analysis Hampton Institute.
America slows recognition of Indigenous lands | Dialogue Earth
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!
isi bhakhomen – Yari
isi bhakhomen (they/them) is a Toronto-based playwright, performer and producer of AfroPeruvian and Nigerian descent Since graduating from the National Theatre School of Canada in 2021, they have made it their mission to champion stories that give black folks the freedom to laugh, to cry and to breathe.
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 BFA in Acting from York University and is based in Toronto, but originally hails from Hamilton. Karley feels so blessed to work with the wonderful GRINGAS team and be a part of bringing the show's magic to Fringe!
Katarina Fiallos – Mia
Katarina Fiallos (she/her) is a graduate of TMU's School of Performance acting program and has been venturing in acting, writing, and directing for theatre and film. Most recently, she has been seen in La Bête with TIFT and Wakey Wakey with County Stage/Stratford Forum. She debuted her first play, Morning After, last year at the Toronto Fringe which was mentioned on Intermission's list of favourited productions of 2023 She is so grateful to be a part of this incredible team.
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!
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 alez on
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
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 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
