Sierra DeBlonk (Adam)

Sierra DeBlonk (They/He/She) is a junior who transferred this fall as a Literature/Theater student. A Place to Belong is his first show at UCSC and she couldn’t be more excited to be a part of this amazing cast! You’ll see them as Adam (He/Him), a young trans man taking the first step between an online and in-person relationship. Being a teenager is hard, and navigating relationships even more so. Adam is navigating a new step in his relationship with Leti, navigating his identity and his gender, navigating the whirlpool that is high school, and navigating a world that is changing just as rapidly as things are staying just the same.

 

Katrina Alvarez (Adira)

Theatre Arts major

Born and raised in the Bay Area

A place to belong is my last show before graduating in the spring.

They play the character Adira an Arab-American who is fiercely protective of her friends which they can relate to in their own life.

 

Phoenix Ever (Amanda)

Phoenix Ever is a third-year psychology major exploring a theatre minor. Although performing since she was a small child, this is their first show with the UC Santa Cruz Performance, Play, and Design department. In A Place to Belong she portrays Amanda, an Asian-American high school student attending Mission high. Amanda struggles with avoidant coping cycles that make keeping up with her active school and social life difficult.

 

Omar Villaseñor (Carlos)

Although never fully being raised in the bay area his short time living there really gave him a sense for the culture. With this brief experience it allows him to relate to his character of Carlos and makes his portrayal more authentic.

 

Essau Robins-Bilal (D/Marcus/ Dance Company)

He is a Bay Area native from primarily West Oakland and San Francisco. He started his performance career as a kid with hip hop dancing and then in his teenage years became more focused on acting. His character is D’Marcus is a young black man working in order to help his mom pay the rent. Coming from a home with single mother He definitely have a lot of personal experiences that relate to D’Marcus and his life circumstances. Being able to create this play with many different folks from all walks of life has been an exciting and rewarding experience for him. We really bring that Yay Area energy to another level!

 

Katherine Osaima Pope (Dance Company)

This text especially resonated with them as being a teenager from Oakland. They have grown up in Oakland and the Bay Area their whole life and have seen and experienced a lot of the issues that the text touched on. They are extremely excited and grateful to be in this production that holds such significance.

 

Chloe Waimrin (Dance Company)

Chloe is a freshman who is ecstatic to be dancing in her first college production! She has loved performing ever since she was little, and is so excited to be in a show featuring her favorite dance style: tap! She connects with the movements in the show as she finds ways to incorporate the emotion of the piece into the sounds.

 

Kyler Salameda (Eric)

Kyler Salameda is a second-year transfer student with a Theater Arts Major. His focus in Theater is to improve His acting ability so that he can pursue a career in voice acting. He feels that him and his character, Eric, share a similar kind of consideration for others where whenever we see people who look like they need help, we both jump in to help them. We also stand up for what we believe in despite how difficult it can be sometimes.

 

Maya Gonzalez (Izzy)

Maya Gonzalez is a second-year theater arts major with an acting emphasis. This is her first theater production at UCSC. Maya is very excited to be playing the role of Izzy, as they both share the same passion for social justice and love for their friends.

 

Madison Tirado (Jada/Dance Company)

Madison is a 3rd year Language Studies major with a concentration in Spanish. They played Siobhan in Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time last quarter and was involved in Random: With a Purpose in 2019. They’re excited to be working on their third show here on campus and to bust out their tap shoes again. Madison is a Bay Area native and has been on the BART train 4 times, so they’re excited to bring life to the train performer, Jada!

 

Zoë Obers (Jenna)

She is a Theater Major on her last quarter here at UCSC! She has lived in the Bay Area her whole life so she was excited to be a part of this show. They love the diversity of the characters in this show and getting to see so many stories told all in one go is awesome to see. They hope you enjoy it as much as they have!

 

Chris Hernandez (Kevin/Devan u/s)

Chris is an environmental studies and theater student. He is from the Bay Area and excited to be a part of this show!

 

Yuritzi Argueta (Leti)

Valentina Yuritzi Argueta is a first year and a double major in Theatre and Marine Biology and she is so excited to be in her first production at the UCSC campus. She loves all parts of the theatre but has a special interest in Tech and Directing. A Place To Belong has a special place in their heart, the experience of her character, Leti, reminds her of how she grew up. The story of gentrification reminds her of her beloved home in East LA.

 

William MacDonald (Luca)

William MacDonald is a transfer student from Fresno City College, he is a third year theatre arts and history double major. He hopes this production will spread stories that have gone unheard for far too long. He would like to thank the entire cast and crew of A Place to Belong for helping tell these stories, and he’d like to thank you, the audience, for listening.

 

Ricky May (Mr. Jones)

Ricky May is a third year (first year transfer) and a theatre arts major. He grew up in the Bay Area and can’t wait to give life to the role of Mr. Jones. As a former YMCA counselor, he has worked with many young students in the past; which is a source of inspiration for this character. Ricky is excited to be back on stage again and wants everyone to know that home is where your tummy is full and your heart and soul are at peace.

 

JD Houston (Policeman)

Something that he really love about this show is that it helps him connect more with NorCal and the Bay Area! He’s from SoCal so being able to be apart of a production all about a day in the life of Bay Area kids really allows him to grow a fonder appreciation of this beautiful part of California!

 

Roxanne Knight (Sasha)

Roxanne Knight is a third year student at UCSC. She connects with her character Sasha greatly. She herself is a young trans woman with family trouble. She is ecstatic to be able to bring proper representation to this character.

Joan Young (Security Guard/ Amanda u/s)

She is a third year human biology major from the Los Angeles area. She is playing the role of security guard. This play resonated with her because of the diversity and the representations of mental health.

Matthew Gold (Security Guard)

He is really excited to be back in the theater. Just glad to be here and meet new people.

 

Avalon Bruno (Shopkeeper/ Joyce/ Jogger)

Avalon Bruno is third year transfer student majoring in Theater Arts. She spent a couple years of her childhood living in the Bay Area so she is thrilled for this opportunity to bring this important piece of art about the Bay to life on the stage. One aspect of A Place to Belong she relates to is the theme of one’s idea of home. As someone who moved around a lot in her life, she doesn’t see “home” as a place but more so as a feeling. Home is where she feels included and free to be authentically herself without fear of rejection.

 

Bailey Victorio (Slam Poet)

Bailey Victorio is a 4th year Computer Science: Game Design and Theater Arts double major. Although they are familiar with the practice of storytelling and uplifting people through slam poetry because of their experience with the Cultural Arts and Diversity Resource Center’s Poet’s Corner, this is the first time they are performing on stage as a poet. Bailey views their character, the slam poet, as a bridge between various worlds which seeks to educate the uninformed and advocate for the teens within this play much like they do for their residents within their role as an RA. Creating and maintaining a community of people from different backgrounds and experiences has its challenges, both external and internal, making it too easy to give into othering and alienating but what Bailey and the slam poet hopes the audience will see through this play is the strength of a community that is bonded through shared lived experiences and recognition of differences.

 

Brooklyn Baker (Tiana/ Keandra u/s)

Brooklyn Baker is a declared psychology major. This is their first production and she couldn’t be more thrilled. Tiana is incredibly bright and artistic. Her vision through the lens compliments her beliefs of the world she lives in.

 

David Letman (TJ)

David Letman is a 3rd year student at UCSC. He is so incredible grateful and honored for the opportunity to create art in such difficult times. He is thankful for his loving family and everyone else who has helped him get to where he is today. He will be playing the role of TJ a zealous filmmaker afforded the position of supporting a friend in need.

 

Lilian Marcodia (Vero)

Liliana Marcoida (she/they) is a first year Theatre Arts Major. After acting for the majority of her life, she is excited to take her first steps onto the UCSC mainstage. She will be taking on the role of Vero, a young Latinx teen who is eager to document the displacement of her family. Vero is someone who will do anything to make the people she loves feel seen in a world fueled by judgement.