Zemi

Growing up, my family made sure I was cognizant of the truth behind Puerto Rican culture. I found myself undergoing leadership roles as I was always correcting my teachers on the culture of Tainos, educating them on the brutality that many indigenous people encountered due to colonization. As a Puerto Rican descendant, I feel that it is my duty to share the stories of my ancestors. With this production, I hope to enlighten the audience, inspiring them to looking into their own heritage and re-inscribe the truth of their own cultural identity.

Michelle Dieguez graduated from SUNY Purchase in 2020 with a major in Literature and a minor in Theatre & Performance. During her time at Purchase, she was a Lead Admissions Ambassador, the Social Media Manager for the School of Humanities, a Student Orientation Leader (SOL), and a member of the Varsity Women’s Tennis team. She will be pursuing a master’s at Boston University in the fall, while working in theatre.

Karissa Leonardo is a sophomore Theater and Performance major. She was born and raised in The Bronx. She has been actively working toward perfecting her craft and also plans to pick up a minor in the field of Computer Science. Her credits include: In the Heights (Vanessa), Sister Act (Tina), and A Chorus Line (Diana Morales).

Carlos Isaiah Perez is a graduating high school senior who hopes to own his own business. Isaiah has been drawing since the beginning of his middle school experience. After graduating, Isaiah will be attending college for illustration. His artwork has been displayed in public libraries throughout his hometown.

Nicole Sliwinski is a fourth year lighting designer from Newington, CT. Her past credits include: Cheat Day (LD), Excerpts from Jails, Hospitals, & Hip-Hop (LD), and La Gente De Mucho Más Allá (LD). She would like to thank all the wonderful people in her life for their constant support and encouragement.

Blanca Toro Morales was born and raised in Carolina, Puerto Rico, until she emigrated to New York in the 1950’s with her mother and brother. She always had love for all types of arts and often shares that love with her children and grandchildren. Blanca has previously choreographed and made costumes/clothing for her children’s sweet sixteens and other
family events, as well as school plays.

Julio Antonio Toro was born and raised in the Bronx, where he combined his talents in writing and drawing from very early on, underscoring what would become his obsession with the art of storytelling. He attended the School of Visual Arts as a student in the Illustration/Cartooning Program, and it is there that he honed his knack for visualization
& compositional design. In creating a collaborative film production company, HollyHood Productions, Julio has directed three of HollyHood’s short films. He is a gifted and accomplished writer, having written three feature screenplays.

Stacey Toro is a proud alumna of SUNY Purchase. She is an adjunct professor, community activist, poet, and cultural healer. She has studied critical race consciousness, urban education, and folkloric Black and Puerto Rican culture and history. She is proud to be part of this project and to see the creative innovation of our future leaders.

Kiara Jade Cuthbertson is a graduating senior, majoring in Theatre and Performance (Performance Practice concentration) with a minor in Literature. Coming from a long line of artists and activists, Kiara believes in the strength of people coming together for a greater purpose. Her inspiration for this production came from a previous course taken with Elliot B Quick, Documentary Theatre. Kiara would like to dedicate this show to her past ancestors and her supportive family. After graduating, Kiara is looking into becoming a theater teacher for middle/high school students.

In our teaching and art, the Conservatory values inclusiveness, equality, and excellence. Upholding all of our training is our aim to train and graduate citizen artists: multifaceted people with a strong sense of purpose in approaching an arts education.

What is a citizen artist? Citizen artists seek to discover how their unique voices can contribute to our world. They understand what it means to be an artist, and what they are here on earth to say and do and make.

The Conservatory trains future citizen artists in three degree programs:

+ BFA Actor Training. The BFA is an intensive professional training program offered to a highly select and diverse group of students. The professional training is anchored in four years of study in acting, voice, speech, and movement, complemented by offerings in dramatic literature and analysis, history of the theatre, stage combat, improvisation, mask work, acting for the camera, and the business of acting. As one of five schools in the Consortium of Professional Theatre Training Programs, Purchase is one of a handful of colleges in the world capable of training artists at this level—and of drawing a faculty from the ranks of professional theatre.

+ BFA in Theatre Design/Technology. Emphasizing studio and classroom training, our professional training program in theatre design/technology gives students the guidance and support of established and theatre industry professionals. Many of our alumni are recognized at the top of their field, and have received Tony, Emmy, Obie, and Drama Desk Awards, among other honors. Quite literally, Purchase grads are working in or have worked in every theatre on Broadway, in all tristate venues, and with countless touring productions.

+ BA program in Theatre and Performance. From traditional theatre to cutting-edge interdisciplinary work, the theatre and performance major encourages creativity, intellectual curiosity, social engagement, and critical thinking. The core requirements combine scholarship and practice to provide students with a strong foundation in theatre history and dramatic literature, with mandatory stagecraft/production courses. Theatre and Performance majors are encouraged to expand the scope of their education by studying abroad, as well as pursuing coursework in other programs of study within the School of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Purchase College.