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Friday, March 7
A staged reading of
La Mamá Chingona
Welcome to the 2025 New Works Festival! We're excited to be opening this year with La Mamá Chingona by Marcia Aguilar Kailan and directed by Edna Mira Raia.
About the Play
La Mamá Chingona is a play about Terra, a Chicana in a fool's pursuit of motherhood. It’s also about La Malinche, the mother of Mexico or a traitor or a hero, who finally tells her side of the story. They are connected through time and space using surreality and comedy.
Play by Marcia Aguilar Kailian
Marcia Aguilar Kailian, MA is a registered drama therapist and actress in San Francisco. As a bilingual drama therapist, Marcia fuses play, theater, and healing. She teaches improvisational theater workshops in San Francisco and Berkeley. Marcia also teaches Improv for Real Life, highlighting concepts of improvisation: spontaneity, listening, teamwork, and emotions, for better personal communication and reducing anxiety. Marcia practices Developmental Transformations, an embodied drama therapy technique for healing and creative expansion.
As a recipient of a SF Arts Commission grant, she recently performed La Mamá Chingona, her third solo show. Marcia directs self revelatory performances, guiding actors towards healing as they create original theatrical productions. She was a teaching artist with the Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts, where youth created their own devised theater play. She has performed in Schooltown Funk, with a sold-out run at the SF Fringe Festival, Orlando (American Conservatory Theater), Three Sisters (Utopia Theater Project) and many more. Marcia offers creative play and drama therapy online for personal growth and well-being.
As a recipient of a SF Arts Commission grant, she recently performed La Mamá Chingona, her third solo show. Marcia directs self revelatory performances, guiding actors towards healing as they create original theatrical productions. She was a teaching artist with the Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts, where youth created their own devised theater play. She has performed in Schooltown Funk, with a sold-out run at the SF Fringe Festival, Orlando (American Conservatory Theater), Three Sisters (Utopia Theater Project) and many more. Marcia offers creative play and drama therapy online for personal growth and well-being.
Directed by Edna Mira Raia
Edna Mira Raia is an award-winning comedic writer and a graduate of Second City Chicago. She is a dramaturg, director, producer, and teaching artist. Her solo and collaborative work has toured in local and national festivals and she is the Artistic Director of her own company, Potatoes Mashed Comedy, through which she writes and performs socially conscious sketch comedy, theatre and drag.
Cast
Natalia Delgado as Terra / Malinche
Natalia is a passionate storyteller currently residing in Oakland, originally from Los Angeles. A teacher, actor, writer, and rising producer, she brings over 15 years of theater experience, both on and off stage, to her work. By day, Natalia teaches second-grade English at a Mandarin immersion school, inspiring young minds to engage with language and creativity. Outside of the classroom, she is actively involved in the arts, working on diverse creative projects and always eager to collaborate. Theatrical roles include but are not limited to: World Premiere of Paradise(La Lengua), Exhaustion Arroyo (Cutting ball), Dreaming in Cuban(Central Works) and Romeo and Juliet (UCSC) She is deeply guided by the principles of collaboration, inclusivity, and creative community. IG: @artistanatalia
Carlos Aguirre as Sams / Cortes
Carlos Aguirre (actor, emcee, vocal percussionist, educator) has been performing and educating in the Bay Area for over 25 years. He has shared the stage with The Roots, Eryka Badu, Black Eyed Peas, Mary J. Blige, Jam Master Jay, L.L.Cool J and George Clinton among others. He has recently been guest starring with Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Tony Award winning show Freestyle Love Supreme. He is also currently producing his original rap and beatbox adaptation of Edgar Allen Poe’s “The Tell-Tale Heart” as well as recording and releasing new music. Aguirre shares his experience by teaching at various schools and at-risk environments throughout the Bay Area.
Marcia Aguilar Kailian as Fool / Dr Altoro / G-Spirit / Frida / Selena / Soldier / Uterus
Marcia Aguilar Kailian, MA (she/they) is a registered drama therapist and actress in San Francisco. As a bilingual drama therapist, Marcia fuses play, theater, and healing. She teaches improvisational theater workshops in San Francisco and Berkeley. Marcia also teaches Improv for Real Life, highlighting concepts of improvisation: spontaneity, listening, teamwork, and emotions, for better personal communication and reducing anxiety. Marcia practices Developmental Transformations, an embodied drama therapy technique for healing and creative expansion.
As a recipient of a SF Arts Commission grant, she recently performed La Mamá Chingona, her third solo show. Marcia directs self revelatory performances, guiding actors towards healing as they create original theatrical productions. She was a teaching artist with the Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts, where youth created their own devised theater play. She has performed in Schooltown Funk, with a sold-out run at the SF Fringe Festival, Orlando (American Conservatory Theater), Three Sisters (Utopia Theater Project) and many more. Marcia offers creative play and drama therapy online for personal growth and well-being.
As a recipient of a SF Arts Commission grant, she recently performed La Mamá Chingona, her third solo show. Marcia directs self revelatory performances, guiding actors towards healing as they create original theatrical productions. She was a teaching artist with the Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts, where youth created their own devised theater play. She has performed in Schooltown Funk, with a sold-out run at the SF Fringe Festival, Orlando (American Conservatory Theater), Three Sisters (Utopia Theater Project) and many more. Marcia offers creative play and drama therapy online for personal growth and well-being.
Angie Marie Espinoza as Fendi / Nina
Angie Marie Espinoza is an actress known for Love, Cecy (2018), B corta (2004) and Sin Padre (2012).
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