Amelia Acosta Powell (she/her/ella) is the Artistic Director at the Actors Theatre of Louisville. Previously she has been honored to serve as Associate Artistic Director at the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, Line Producer at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, and Artistic Associate & Casting Director at Arena Stage. Select directing credits include the world premieres of La Egoista, The Gradient, and Wave After Wave (upcoming). She is a steering committee member of the Latinx Theatre Commons, a member of the Casting Society of America, an inaugural grantee of TCG’s Rising Leaders of Color, and a proud alumna of the Allen Lee Hughes Fellowship. Her teaching credits include serving as adjunct faculty at Webster University Conservatory of Theatre Arts. She is originally from Denver and holds her bachelor’s and her master’s degrees from Georgetown University.

Ashley Alvarez is a Cuban-American actress and screenwriter. She originated the role of Molly in the inaugural workshop of PETER AND THE STARCATCHER at Williamstown Theatre Festival—an experience that ignited a desire to immerse herself in new play development. She’s continued collaborating on new plays at New York Theatre Workshop, Atlantic Theater Company, LAByrinth, Women’s Project, and INTAR. She fervently champions Latine playwrights, starring in regional premieres including DERECHO (La Jolla Playhouse), SANCOCHO (Geva Theatre), SWEET GOATS AND BLUEBERRY SEÑORITAS (Portland Stage), and THE CUBANS (Miami New Drama). On screen, she vacillates between comedy and drama with roles in "Search Party" and "Law & Order". Inspired to create her own stories, she co-wrote and stars in "Crabs in a Barrel", which won the HBO Latinx Short Film Competition and streams on HBO. Ashley is a 2022 Sundance Screenwriting Fellow and recipient of the Sundance Comedy and Latine Fellowships. www.ashleyalvarez.com

Luis Aleman Alvarez is Dallas based actor who hails from the great city of Houston Texas. He’s so incredibly honored and blessed to be granted the opportunity to work with Amphibian Stage!! Previous credits include PABLO, in ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’ at WaterTower Theater, NICK in ‘The Woods’ for Hearth and Soul and CB in ‘Dog Sees God’. He’s so excited to get to work on something so meaningful and important to him. There’s nothing more beautiful than telling stories by Latine folk, FOR latine audiences WITH latine faces and bodies. He’d like to thank his friends and family for their love, their support and their constant encouragement. And thank you to my wonderful, incredible, beautiful girlfriend for being my rock, my support system and my number one fan. Couldn’t do this without you.

JANICE AMAYA (they/them/elle) is an actor, theatermaker, and educator. Recent theater credits: Orlando (Signature Theatre Company), Shhhh (Atlantic Theater Company), A Necessary Killing (Clubbed Thumb), Nun Play (Stone Circle Theater), Mushroom (People’s Light Theater Co), Cartography (John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts), Your Hair Looked Great (Abrons Arts Center). Film: God's Lonely Magician (Tribeca 2025), Patriot’s Day (Lionsgate, Dir. Peter Berg), Up North (Dir. Stefanie Abel Horowitz). Janice is a Co-Director at Pipeline Theatre Company. MFA, Harvard University and the Moscow Art Theater.

Maria Patrice Amon is a director, producer, scholar, and arts leader. Directing: Matt&Ben (New Village Arts) Pásale Pásale (TuYo Theatre) Hoops (Milwaukee Chamber Theatre) A Skeptic and a Bruja (Urbanite Theatre) Group! The Musical (Passage Theatre) Hoopla! (La Jolla Playhouse POP Tour) Azul (Diversionary Theatre) Mojada (UCSD) A Zoom of One’s Own (CSUSM) Ich Bin Ein Berliner (Theatre Lab) DREAM HOU$E (CSUSM/TuYo Theatre) Fade (Moxie Theatre). Dramaturg: Little Foxes / Appropriate (South Coast Rep), Beachtown (San Diego Rep). Producing: Latinx New Play Festival, Amphibian Theatre’s SparkFest Consultant. Patrice is a Killian Directing Fellow (OSF), O’Neil Theatre Center National Directing Fellow, and an Old Globe Classical Directing Fellow. She served as an Associate Artistic Director at San Diego Repertory Theatre and is a Co-Artistic Director of TuYo Theatre, a LTC Steering Committee member, and an associate professor at CSUSM. JD: California Western School of Law. PhD: UC Irvine. www.mariapatriceamon.com

Matti Andrews is a multidisciplinary theatre artist. She is returning for her second year at SparkFest! Serving as the festival manager & lighting director! SparkFest is what she looks forward to every year and is beyond grateful for her Amphibian Family. This May, she graduated with a BFA in Lighting Design & Technology from the University of Cincinnati, College-Conservatory of Music. She is currently pursuing a MBA/MA in Arts Administration!

Rebecca Aparicio (she/her/ella) is a Cuban American, bilingual director and writer of socially driven work. Recent Directing: Las Borinqueñas (EST, 6 Hola Award nom.) Jardín Salvaje (GALA Hispanic Theatre), Beastgirl (Kennedy Center-Helen Hayes Nom), In Pieces (Joe’s Pub), Songs for Slutty Girls (Parkside), and was Asst. Director on Hell’s Kitchen on Broadway and First National Tour. Awards include: 2024 Barbara Whitman SDC Award, Roundabout Directing Group, MTC Directing Fellowship. She is a member of Latinx Playwrights Circle, Board Member of Rhinebeck Writers Retreat, founding member of Magic Forest Theatre, and Artist Ambassador with NYCLU. RebeccaAparicio.com

Ana Arellano is an actress, stage manager, and aspiring director and playwright. She is extremely excited to be continuing her career with Amphibian’s SparkFest as Estelita in Mamá Goose. You can usually find her over at UTA working on her BFA in Acting or at the local thrift store looking for the next best find. Some of her previous acting credits include: J in Passage at UTA, Sandrine in Almost, Maine at Theatre Coppell, and Georgette in Bonnets at UTA. From the bottom of her heart, she would like to thank her family, friends, and partner, Trevor, for always supporting her and pushing her towards her dreams. Finally, she urges you to continue supporting productions run by latine artists and communities.

Benjamin Benne was named part of "LA Vanguardia: The Latino innovators, instigators, and power players breaking through barriers" by the Los Angeles Times. His produced plays include ALMA (Center Theatre Group's Kirk Douglas Theatre, American Blues Theater, ArtsWest Playhouse, Curious Theatre Company, Central Square Theater, The Spot, Chance Theater, Passage Theatre Company), IN HIS HANDS (Mosaic Theater Company, First Floor Theater), MANNING (Portland Stage, forthcoming: Crowded Fire), WAVE AFTER WAVE (Actors Theatre of Louisville), and WHAT / WASHED ASHORE / ASTRAY (Pillsbury House Theatre). Additionally, his work has been developed by by the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center's National Playwrights Conference, Ojai Playwrights Conference, Great Plains Theatre Festival, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Williamstown Theatre Festival, The Public, Roundabout Theatre Company, The New Group, Primary Stages, Playwrights Realm, Colorado New Play Festival, Denver Center for the Performing Arts, The Old Globe, Two River Theater, New Harmony Project, SPACE on Ryder Farm, and The Lark, among many others. He has been awarded Ojai Playwrights Conference’s Dr. Kerry English Award, Portland Stage's Clauder Competition Grand Prize, American Blues Theater's Blue Ink Playwriting Award, Arizona Theatre Company's National Latinx Playwriting Award, and KCACTF Latinx Playwriting Award, among others. He has been commissioned by South Coast Repertory and Seattle Repertory Theatre. MFA: David Geffen/Yale School of Drama. 

www.benjaminbenne.com

Diana Burbano is a Colombian immigrant playwright, performer, and teaching artist based in Southern California. Her work, which explores themes of identity, resistance, and belonging, has been produced at theaters nationwide. Works include Sapience, Ghosts of Bogota, and Flickers. She is committed to elevating underrepresented voices through her writing and her work with Breath of Fire Latina Theater Ensemble, where she mentors new storytellers using anti-racist and anti-bias techniques. Diana serves on the Dramatists Guild Council as the representative for Southern California.

Jovane Caamaño is excited and honored to be a part of this competition.

Some of his regional credits include All Is Calm; Everybody; and Scrooge in Rouge (Stage West Theatre); El Rey del Pollo (world premiere) and Catch As Catch Can (Echo Theatre); The Amazing, Fabulous, and Spectacular Untruths of Juan Garcia (world premiere) and Gutenberg! The Musical! (Amphibian Stage Productions); Hedda Gabler and Red Chariot (world premiere) (Undermain Theatre); Tiny Beautiful Things (Circle Theatre); and three seasons with the Trinity Shakespeare Festival.

Jovane earned his BFA in Theatre from Texas Christian University and is passionate about his work teaching Fine Arts at Key School and with Story Stage.

Outside the theatre, they love to spend their time crocheting, musicking, enjoying the outdoors and games of all kinds, and doing their best to help make a better world.

Jovane would like to extend a huge thank you to Amphibian for having him; to his family, friends, and amazing partner, Levi, for all their invaluable love and support; and to you for supporting live theatre.

Roger Calderon is a Texas-based writer, storyteller, and arts advocate. His screenplays have advances to the semi-finals of the NYC Midnight Short Screenwriting Challenge. His play "Iron Henry" was featured in the 2023 edition of Spark Fest. In 2024, he was commissioned to write the short play "Case #031983" for Bishop Arts Theater Center’s Banned Book Festival.

Roger’s creative work is deeply influenced by his background in theater and his years living between Texas and New York City. In addition to his writing, he has spent more than sixteen years working in nonprofit leadership and LGBTQ+ community advocacy, including his current role as President of Trinity Pride Fort Worth. He is a graduate of Marymount Manhattan College with a degree in Theater Arts Performance and Arts Management.

Caroline Campos (she/her) is a half Chinese half Puerto Rican artist from Brooklyn NY. She is a recent graduate of the Yale School of Drama. Her credits include: Off-Broadway: Hamlet (The Acting Company), Are The Bennet Girls Okay? (Bedlam). Regional: Falcon Girls (Yale Repertory Theatre). David Geffen School of Drama at Yale University: Grand Concourse, Moe’s A Dick, Pearl’s Beauty Salon, Kilile, Macbeth. Yale Cabaret: Love Show, Deep in the Soul Deep in the Dew, The Day The Butcher Shop Closed, The Aughts, Hot & Cold Showers.

MFA Yale School of Drama, BA Kenyon College

Nydia is a Fort Worth native, first-generation Mexican-American, and proud product of FWISD who has spent her career bringing people together to solve complex problems. She holds a mechanical engineering degree from Stanford University and an MBA from the University of Michigan, and has worked across tech startups, small business development, and leadership coaching. She co-founded the 817 Gather, a community-building initiative connecting residents across Tarrant County, and founded The Energy Takeback, a leadership coaching practice rooted in engineering principles and human flourishing. Nydia believes the strongest solutions come from listening deeply, centering community voices, and working alongside people rather than above them.

Christine Carmela is thrilled to be returning to Amphibian Stage for the first time since the world premiere of her play Miss Molly. She is a writer/actress from the bright city of Las Vegas who has since journeyed to reside in the even brighter city of NYC. Along the way she picked up a BFA from TCU in Acting and an MFA from USC in Writing. Her work as an actress has been seen across the nation at theatres such as Yale Rep, Intar Theatre, Soho Rep, Amphibian Stage, Moxie Theatre, Circle Theatre, and more.

Javier Carmona is a Mexican-born, American actor.

Appearing with Amphibian Stage for the first time, his DFW performances also include Teatro Dallas, Echo Theatre and Watering Hole Collective. Carmona began acting in Chicago, where he performed with The Artistic Home, Invictus Theatre, Redtwist Theatre, amongst others.

Acting in television and film, Carmona is represented in Texas and New Mexico by Bankston Talent Agency and Grossman & Jack Talent in Chicago.

Javier Carmona holds an MFA from the University of New Mexico and the BFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. He lives and works in DFW.

Ale Checka is a long-time educator and literacy advocate. She believes that a strong public education is the foundation of a democracy and she is a proud graduate of three schools in Arlington ISD - Hill Elementary School, Bailey Junior High School, and Arlington High School. She went on to study at Dartmouth College, Middlebury College, and Harvard University. For many years, she taught in Fort Worth ISD and now tutors at Encouraging Learning. Ale loves books, kids, gardening, cafe de olla and tiny things. When it comes to education policy, Ale does not love shenanigans, nonsense, or tomfoolery.

Nefesh Cordero Pino, a native of Puerto Rico, is an accomplished artist working across theater, television, and collaborative performance. She studied at the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras, where she double majored in Theater and Public Relations, and later earned her M.F.A. from the David Geffen School of Drama at Yale University.

She made her New York City debut in Manifest Destiny by Manuel Ortiz, a production that received three HOLA Awards. She also appeared in the final season of NBC’s New Amsterdam, expanding her work into television.

Her stage credits include Manning by Benjamin Benne, You Will Get Sick by Noah Diaz, Manifest Destiny by Manuel Ortiz, Blood Wedding, Bakkhai, Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet, The Maids, and Hand to God. Deeply committed to artistic exploration, she integrates dance, poetry, and interdisciplinary collaboration into her practice.

RUBEN CRUZ (AEA Assistant Stage Manager) is excited to be working with SparkFest for the first time. Based in Fort Worth, Ruben is the Production Stage Manager for Texas Ballet Theater. TBT – SWAN LAKE, PETER PAN, GISELLE, THE NUTCRACKER. BALLET AUSTIN – POE / A TALE OF MADNESS (Assistant Stage Manager). ZACH THEATRE: BEAUTIFUL: THE CAROLE KING MUSICAL (AEA Assistant Stage Manager), THE LEHMAN TRILOGY (Assistant to the Director), A YEAR WITH FROG AND TOAD (Stage Manager), THE GREAT COMET OF 1812 (Assistant to the Director), POP! (Assistant Stage Manager), HEAD OVER HEELS (Assistant Stage Manager), NOISES OFF (Assistant Stage Manager), A CHRISTMAS CAROL (Production Assistant), THE INHERITANCE PART 2 (Assistant Stage Manager), THE INHERITANCE PART 1 (SM Intern). ADDITIONAL CREDITS: B.F.A in Theatre with an emphasis in Stage Management from Texas State University.

Cindy De La Cruz can currently be seen recurring on the new Fox series BEST MEDICINE. This past summer, Cindy could be seen on stage in Camino Real at the Williamstown Theatre Festival alongside Pamela Anderson. Cindy is an Obie Award recipient for her work as founding artistic producer of the Dominican Artists Collective. Previous television credits include BLUE BLOODS, THE VILLAGE and BLINDSPOT. Cindy is a 2025 graduate of the David Geffen School of Drama at Yale University

Caleb De La Torre is an actor and writer from San Juan, TX, making his Spark Fest debut. He is grateful to be part of this year’s acting competition and to collaborate with such a talented group of artists. He recently made his feature film debut with director Peter Landesman, acting alongside Diego Luna, Richard Cabral, and Tenoch Huerta. Raised in the borderlands of the Rio Grande Valley, his background shapes his identity, creative voice, and sense of community. He hopes to make his raza proud. He gives all the glory to God and thanks his family, friends, and girlfriend for their unwavering love and support.

Breana Deanda (She/Her) is a DFW based performer. This is her second time at Sparkfest, and is so thrilled to be back! She was recently seen as Lulu in Fabulous Monsters at Echo Theatre, Caro in Laughs in Spanish at Theatre Arlington, and Jasmine in Aladdin for Disney Cruise Lines. Breana is also a graduate of UT Arlington and represented by Cachet Talent Agency.

Stephanie Divoky is a dedicated Manager and Creative based in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Currently finishing a BFA in Design and Technology at the University of Texas at Arlington, their University credits include Stage Manager for Seize the King (UTA) and Stage Manager for Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 (UTA), and as Assistant Prop Designer for Ivories (UTA). Most recently seen at Amphibian Stage’s production of The Birds as a Production Assistant. Driven by a passion for Creation, Stephanie is committed to building experiences that are accessible to everyone. They focus on bringing forward stories that are unheard and overlooked, striving to see those narratives on stage. Stephanie hopes to inspire fellow artists as well as the next generation of theatre makers through their work. @Steph.on.Stage

Jay Duffer is the Artistic Director of Amphibian Stage. I am absolutely thrilled to host yet another year of SparkFest. I warmly welcome everyone. This year, we come together to celebrate the art and artists of the Latine Community, whose deep and varied histories, cultures and communities emanating from rich and traditional homelands not only inextricably intertwine with the American experience, but also speak deeply to the powerful artistic voice within the global majority. May your experience here be most rewarding and fulfilling. I encourage you to meet others, make connections, attend as many events as you can, do something that challenges you creatively and find inspiration and insight from the art and artists that so bravely move us and stir our souls.

Lori Felipe-Barkin is playwright, performer, and voiceover artist based out of NYC. She is the 2025 Page 73 writing fellow, a 2026 NYSCA grantee, and is part of the 2026 “Irons in the Fire” development series at Fault Line Theatre. Her plays include Flor Underwater, Ama. Egg. Oyá., and The Peepholeman. Her work has been selected to be read at Play Penn, Iati Theater, INTAR Theater, Playwrights Horizons, La Jolla, and BAM Fischer Theater. She has been a finalist for the 2023 Risk Theatre Award, the 2023 Austin Film Festival Playwriting Competition, and the 2024 Royer Award. She also received an honorable Mention for the 2021Terrence McNally Award. She holds an MFA in playwriting from Brooklyn

Nayib Felix is a Dominican American artist born and based in New York City. He was an apprentice at Actors Theatre of Lousiville’s Professional Training Company where he understudied Belize in Angels in America Parts I & II. He performed in the ensemble in Shakespeare in the Park’s production of Coriolanus and can be seen in Marvel’s “Jessica Jones” and Hulu’s “Not Okay.” Nayib graduated from Juilliard with an MFA in Drama where he performed in Troilus and Cresida and How to Catch Creation. Most recently, Nayib was in Hartfords Stages Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and in A Raisin in the Sun and Twelfth Night at People’s Light. Nayib as holds a B.A. in Psychology from Penn State.

Liza’s work spans Broadway, Off-Broadway, regional theatre, film, and television. She has appeared on Broadway at Circle in the Square and Off-Broadway with Signature Theatre, Cherry Lane, and Rattlestick. Regional credits include Yale Rep, The Fountain Theatre, Ammunition Theatre (Stage Raw nominee, Ovation Award winner), Denver Center, INTAR, Steppenwolf (dir. David Cromer), The Goodman, Victory Gardens, and the Humana Festival.

On screen, she’s appeared in High Desert, Dead Ringers, Law & Order: SVU, FBI, S.W.A.T., Mom, The Good Place, Mindhunter, and How to Get Away With Murder. Film work includes TINTO (Tribeca Film Festival), The Scoop, and The Glasses.

She is also the co-creator of Subway Token Films, developing original, collaborative work rooted in bold, character-driven storytelling.

Itzel Flores Ortega is a Mexican American actor from Dallas, Texas. She is currently working on getting her BFA at the University of Texas at Arlington. She was last seen in Ivories at UTA and The Taming of the Shrew at Shakespeare Dallas. Itzel is very excited to be a part of Sparkfest this year and highlight stories that others might identify with. She would like to thank her family and friends for all the love and support! She'd like to give a special shoutout to her mom for always being there, supporting her every step of the way. Te amo mami.

Sarah is thrilled to be back at Amphibian after appearing as Diane in The Birds. She is a member of Actor’s Equity Association and has performed on stages across Texas, including Dallas Theater Center, ZACH Theatre, The Alley, Uptown Players, Lyric Stage, Stage West, TexARTS, Penfold Theatre, Casa Mañana, Circle Theatre, Theatre Three, and more. Favorite directing credits include Penelope (Theatre Three & Stage West), Ring of Fire (TexARTS), and The Last Wide Open (Circle Theatre). She is the Education Co-Manager at Stage West, where she is proud to bring theatre education opportunities to artists of all ages!

Tammy Gomez is a poet, multimedia performer, and playwright/director based in Texas. A Best Poet of Austin award winner (Austin Chronicle, 1997), she has performed throughout the U.S. and internationally. Her poems and essays appear in numerous collections, including Yellow Medicine Review (2009) and Women in Nature: An Anthology (Louise Grace Publishing, 2014). Tammy is profiled in Las Tejanas: 300 Years of History (University of Texas Press, 2003) and featured in Voices from Texas, a PBS documentary on Latino poets. She is the founder of Sound Culture, an intermedia production lab based in North Texas.

Franky D. Gonzalez is a Dallas-based playwright of Colombian descent and the Dramatists Guild Regional Representative for DFW. His work has been developed and presented by organizations including The Lark, Sundance Institute, Ojai Playwrights Conference, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, NNPN, Sol Project, Ars Nova, Dallas Theater Center, Goodman Theatre, and Repertorio Español, among others. Awards include the Charles Rowan Beye New Play Commission, the Judith Royer Award for Excellence in Playwriting, an MTC/Sloan Commission, the Crossroads Project Diverse Voices Playwriting Initiative Award, the Risk Theatre Modern Tragedy Prize, and the MetLife Nuestras Voces Latino Playwriting Award (co-recipient). His work received Chicago's Non-Equity Jeff Award for Short-Run Production in 2024. He is a former Playwright-in-Residence at Bishop Arts Theatre Center and a current board member of the New Harmony Project.

Hailey has worked in the field of stage management professionally since 2015. She serves on faculty in the University of Texas at Arlington Department of Theatre Arts & Dance and is a production manager for Six Flags Entertainment Corporation. Additionally they are a proud member of Actors Equity Association, USITT & the Stage Management Association.

Gisela Guajardo is a Chicanx theatre and film actor based in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. Overjoyed to be working with Amphibian Stage for the first time, their onstage credits include Sarah, in Time Stands Still at Teatro Dallas and Severita Lara, in Crystal City 1969 at Cara Mía Theatre. Interested in the balance of power and vulnerability, Gisela prioritizes authenticity the audience can identify with. While always seeking to explore the wondrous complexities that live in marginalized bodies, Gisela focuses mostly in Meisner based work, having attended Sherrill Actors Studio for two years and for over six years consistently attending diverse workshops to inform their craft. A furious fiction reader and international cinema buff, they're always head first into a story. Follow them @gisela.plays.pretend

Mariell Guzman (born Zamora, Michoacán, Mexico) is a multidisciplinary artist based in Dallas, Texas, working across painting, murals, and sculpture. Drawing from her experience as a Mexican immigrant, her work creates vibrant, surreal ecosystems that explore cultural identity, ancestral memory, and the healing potential of our relationship with nature. Through intuitive mark-making and layer symbolism, Guzman invites viewers into spaces of reflection, transformation, and belonging.

Libby Hawkins holds an MFA -Theatre (Acting Concentration) from University of South Carolina, Professional Actor Training Certificate from Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts. Libby has acted and directed across DFW, California, and the southeastern US, where her work has focused on female-centered stories and development of new works. She is proud to work as a professor with University of Texas – Arlington and the Mississippi University for Women, as well as a teaching artist with Shakespeare Dallas and Theatre Arlington. @libbyonstage on Instagram

Michael John Improta is a Brooklyn based Actor/Writer/Producer from a Puerto Rican and Italian family. He has been seen on stages in New York and across the world and most recently can be seen in the feature film Speed Demon. He is a long time Ensemble Member of the award winning New York Neo-Futurists. Y que viva Puerto Rico!

Elizabeth Kensek brings over 20 years of experience in the theatrical arts—as a performer, stage manager, educator, and producer. She grew up in Chicago, graduated Magna Cum Laude from Illinois Wesleyan University, and called NYC her home for over a decade. She moved to the DFW metroplex in August of 2019 to serve as the Associate Producer of WaterTower Theatre in Addison, TX. A professional actor since the age of 13, she has worked in theaters across the US in genres including musicals, plays, classical, devised, experimental, and children’s theater in over 100 productions. Elizabeth is a proud member of Actors’ Equity Association and has expanded her professional theater experience to include stage management and producing roles in the last decade. In NYC, she served as the Director of Development and Artistic Associate for Theatre 4the People and was a member of Working Man’s Clothes Theatre Company.

In DFW, she is recognized for her work with The Barcus Brothers band at music venues and as an actor on local stages. Elizabeth is a founding member of the DFW Theatre Alliance, which united North Texas professional theaters during the pandemic, and she has served on grant committees for TACA and NAMT. Elizabeth lives in Anna with her partner, Steve Barcus, and their two dogs, Henry & Junior.

Wesley Kirk is the Development & Community Relations Manager for Amphibian Stage. He also runs the arts advocacy organization Support Fort Worth Art, produces the 817 Podcast, and runs a film & photo production company called Vision & Verve. Wherever art & civics collide, you can expect to find Wesley there.

Giancarlo Lopez is thrilled to be reading for this year’s SparkFest! Giancarlo is local film and stage actor who has been seen in productions of The Tempest, Alonso (University of North Texas), And Then There Were None, William Blore (University of North Texas), Puffs, Cedric Diggory (Lewisville playhouse), and more. He would love to thank his family and friends for the love and support they give on his journey.

AEA Actor, Representation: Kim Dawson Agency. Seen at Dallas Theater Center, Theater Three, Uptown Players, Water Tower theater, and Amphibian Stage

Paloma Francisco Magaña (they/he) is delighted to return to the role of Nortico in MAMÁ GOOSE for SparkFest 2026! A rising senior in UTA’s BFA Musical Theatre program, Paloma has also been seen as Claude in HAIR, Laurent in Jen Silverman’s BONNETS, and Ensemble in GREAT COMET at UTA. Other DFW credits include Carole King in BEAUTIFUL (Plaza Theatre Company), Agatha in THE MARTYR (SheDFW), and Maurice in LORD OF THE FLIES (FIT at T3). Besides working as an actor, Paloma is a local daycare teacher and freelance photographer, passionate about helping humans of all ages and identities feel seen and empowered through their work. Paloma would like to thank Libby Hawkins and Amphibian Stage for the opportunity to celebrate his Mexican heritage and genderqueer identity as a Spanglish-speaking little boy, as well as his family, friends, and professors for their constant inspiration.

Jennifer Martinez recently received her Bachelor in Fine Arts at the University of Texas at Arlington. She is thrilled to be making her debut at Amphibian Stage! She was most recently seen at Cowtown Puppet Slam (Hip Pocket Theatre) and in Hair (UT Arlington). She wants to thank her friends and family for their constant support, as well as her cast and crew for all their hard work. @jenn_im_bby

ANTONIO MININO is a global Caribbean actor, director, writer, dramaturg, intimacy director, and sensitivity specialist; their work has been seen across the US (NY, LA, Denver, Cleveland, Santa Fe, Arizona), Canada (Toronto), Ireland (Dublin), Serbia (Belgrade), Italy (Rome, Sardinia), and Dominican Republic (Santo Domingo). Former artistic director Santa Fe Playhouse (NM), Manhattan Theatre Works (NY), and creative partner for Different Translation (NY). Two-time Jonathan Alper Directing Fellow (Manhattan Theatre Club), and a two-time Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation Observer. Proud member of AEA/SAG-AFTRA, Intimacy Coordinators of Color, SDC (Assoc.), and Colorado Theatre Guild. Dedicated to the ancestors upon whose shoulders we stand.

Alexander Montalvo is the founder and CEO of The Catalyst Project, LLC, which supports diverse communities through social entrepreneurship, leadership development, business consulting, non-profit support, and advocacy projects. With a professional background in IT consulting, Alexander shifted to a focus on community service in 2013 with various leadership roles in non-profits that included mentoring Latino males, PTA leadership, public education advocacy, collective impact for 3rd grade literacy, state legislative advocacy, and more. Since establishing the Catalyst Project in 2021, he has helped develop several progressive grassroots organizations throughout Texas, including the development of Tarrant4Change with other grassroots leaders in Tarrant County.

Camila Moreno is a Puerto Rican actress working across stage and screen. She starred as a series regular in Naomi, created by Ava DuVernay, and recently starred as Medea in Luis Alfaro’s Mojada: A Medea in Los Angeles at Yale Repertory Theatre. She also appeared as Claudia Lopez in the world premiere of Jessica Huang’s Mother of Exiles at Berkeley Repertory Theatre.

Her recent work includes readings of Karina Billini’s Apple Bottom at The Public Theater and La Jolla Playhouse, where she played Winnie. Additional stage credits include Irina in Three Sisters, Cordelia in King Lear, and Ophelia in Hamlet.

Moreno is a recipient of the Victoria Espinosa Award from the Universidad de Puerto Rico and holds an MFA from NYU’s Graduate Acting Program. She divides her time between New York and Puerto Rico.

Taking its name from the word for heart or soul in the Afro-Cuban religion of Santeria, 2-Time JUNO Winner OKAN fuses Afro-Cuban and other global rhythms with jazz, folk and classical forms.

Embracing genres and roles that have historically been dominated by men, co-leaders, composers and multi-instrumentalists Elizabeth Rodriguez and Magdelys Savigne bring a fresh perspective to Latin and world jazz fusion through their powerful vocals, incredible musicianship and potent lyrical content. 

Both are JUNO-nominees for their work with Battle of Santiago and Grammy-nominees for their contributions to Jane Bunnett and Maqueque of which they are former members. 

Having worked with Bomba Estereo, Lido Pimienta, Bianca Gismonti among others, OKAN follows up on their Juno-nominated and Independent Music Award-winning debut album Sombras, with their JUNO Award-winning album Espiral, and a JUNO Award-winning album OKANTOMI, out on the Lulaworld Records label.​

With just two years under her belt, Taylor P. has taken the Dallas comedy scene by storm! Armed with a smooth captivating voice, Taylor has proven herself as a dynamic MC for a variety of events.
As a finalist of the Purvis Wilson Funniest Comic in Dallas competition,  and opening for headliners like Phoebe Robinson, Cam Bertrand and Beth Stelling, she's ready to stand out among the best stand up comedians in the industry.

Samantha is thrilled to be back at Amphibian for her first ever Sparkfest! As of late she has been on the production side as assistant directing for Rock of Ages at The Firehouse Theatre and Disaster! The Musical at GPAC, which was, thankfully, anything but! On stage, she was most recently seen as Louise Seger in Always… Patsy Cline at WaterTower Theatre, Cinderella’s Stepmother in Theatre Arlington’s family series production of Cinderella, Daniela in Theatre Arlington’s production of In the Heights, and Professor Lazaro/Vendor in Amphibian Stage’s The Amazing, Fabulous, and Spectacular Untruths of Juan Garcia—coincidentally an alternative title for her one woman cabaret, “I Don’t Date.” Favorite roles include Badass Betty, Paulette, and Magenta: loud ladies with big hair and bigger voices. Many thanks to Bruce and Shane for this incredible chance to say all of the words and to her delightfully unhinged village for all of their support.

Josselin Garibo Pendleton, a first-generation college graduate born in El Salvador, currently serves as the Director of Education and Community Programs at the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra. With a decade of experience in the nonprofit sector, she specializes in education and community engagement. A passionate advocate for youth development and arts accessibility, Josselin believes that true progress comes from working within the community.

Reynaldo Piniella was seen on Broadway in Trouble in Mind (Roundabout), Off-Broadway at Signature, the Public, Rattlestick, TFANA, and the Working Theater, regionally with Baltimore Center Stage, Syracuse Stage, Long Wharf, the O’Neill, Cleveland Play House, NY Stage & Film, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, St. Louis Shakespeare, and Actors Theatre of Louisville, and internationally with the Sundance Theatre Lab in Morocco and NEAP Fest in Brazil. TV credits include Reservation Dogs, Sneaky Pete, Law & Order: SVU, The Carrie Diaries, Flesh & Bone, Blue Bloods, Greenleaf, Louie, NYC 22, Us & Them,and The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.

Amanda Reyes is a Mexican American actor and filmmaker from Fort Worth, Texas. She holds a B.A. in Media Arts from UNT and an M.F.A. in Directing from the Feirstein Graduate School of Cinema in Brooklyn, NY. Named Best Actor/Performer 2025 by Fort Worth Magazine Readers and featured in Arts & Culture Texas, Amanda’s favorite stage credits include Big Love (Hip Pocket), The Visit and The Amazing, Fabulous, and Spectacular Untruths of Juan Garcia (Amphibian Stage), Destroying David (Circle), and Sherlock Holmes & the Adventure of the Fallen Soufflé (Stage West). She has also recently directed El Rey Del Pollo (Echo) and the staged concert reading of Miss You Like Hell (UTA). She’d like to thank her husband, Wesley, for his encouragement, support and love. And her daughter, Adelita, who inspires her endlessly.

Levi is excited to be working his third SparkFest. A graduate of UT Arlington's Musical Theatre program, Levi is a multi-faceted theatre technician working across DFW. See @goodmorningit'slevi on Instagram for his makeup portfolio.

Sammy Rat Rios, a Mexican-Okinawan-American interdisciplinary performing and visual artist, acts, writes, directs, and composes for theatre and film. Select stage credits: Dancing on the Sabbath; The Brother and the Bird; Blood Wedding (Shaking the Tree), Dracula: A Feminist Revenge Fantasy, Really (Portland Center Stage), Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women (PCS, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park), Chekhov! Three Farces (21Ten Theatre), Young Americans (PCS, Pittsburgh Public Theater), Amélie; A Christmas Carol (Portland Playhouse), We’re Gonna Die (AT&T Performing Arts Center, Amphibian Stage, Shaking the Tree), In the Next Room...or the Vibrator Play (River & Rail Theatre), A Christmas Carol (Dallas Theater Center). They compose and produce music under Rat Rios. Education: B.F.A. in Playwriting and Directing from Southern Methodist University, Conservatory Acting graduate from British American Drama Academy in London, UK.

Jacob Rivera Sanchez is excited to be a part of this year's SparkFest! Jacob serves as a graphic designer for And That's Strategy and The Social Team, and has created content for The Great Gatsby, Maybe Happy Ending, How To Dance In Ohio, Barbie The Movie: In Concert, The Lonely Few, Lizard Boy, Deaf West Theatre, the current national tours of Monty Python’s Spamalot, The Notebook, Dirty Dancing: The Musical and more. He previously served as a marketing associate with Bond Theatrical on the Broadway national touring productions of Cats and Dear Evan Hansen, and on the Netflix premiere and Broadway production of Diana, The Musical. Jacob is an Actors’ Equity membership candidate with performance, directing, stage management, design, and technical credits with Stage West Theatre, Casa Mañana, Circle Theatre, Theatre Wesleyan, Live Theatre League of Tarrant County, Grand Prairie Arts Council, and Fort Salem Theatre, among others. Other freelance and personal work includes collaborations and social media content for Reese's Book Club, Sondheim Letters, and ParodyBill on Instagram. Jacob was a Kennedy Center ACTF Musical Theatre Initiative National Finalist and trained at the Open Jar Institute in New York and at Texas Wesleyan University, where he received a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre. linktr.ee/jacobrivsan @jacobrivsan

Cat Rodríguez (she/ella) is an Obie Award-winning Nicaraguan American multihyphenate performance maker. Cat works across media with a creative practice that spans directing, acting, dramaturgy, and translation (Spanish/English). A “people person” with a politic and a love for the Ridiculous, Cat brings discernment, rigor, and laughter to process. Black / Latinx feminisms as well as collectivist organizing experiences fundamentally inform her artmaking and pathtaking. Cat is co-founder of the theatrical ensemble Fake Friends, a two-time Sundance Institute Fellow, and NYTW Usual Suspect. An artist-scholar, her writings have been published by Northwestern University Press (forthcoming), Cambridge University Press, MIT Press, TDR/The Drama Review, and Yale Alumni Magazine. Select credits: Círculo Teatral de México, New York Choreographic Institute (New York City Ballet), NYTW, The Public, South Coast Rep, The New Group, Ars Nova, Mercury Store, CultureHub/La MaMa ETC, OSF, WTF, DCPA, Primary Stages, Playwrights Realm, The Old Globe, Two River Theater, Baltimore Center Stage, TheatreSquared, and more. Cat lives and labors in english y español, talks with her hands, and also anda con ganas; she names New York, New Orleans, and Nicaragua home. www.catlikemeow.com

Danica Rodriguez (she/her) is a Washington D.C./New York-based casting director & theatremaker dedicated to celebrating the voices of the historically underrepresented. DC: Folger Theatre: As You Like It, Twelfth Night, Our Verse in Time to Come; STC: Guys and Dolls, Merry Wives, Uncle Vanya, Kunene & The King, Leopoldstadt, The Comedy of Errors, The Matchbox Magic Flute, Macbeth, The Lehman Trilogy, Macbeth In Stride, Evita, Here There Are Blueberries, King Lear, Much Ado About Nothing and others; Woolly Mammoth: The World to Come*, The Great Privation, The Sensational Sea Mink-ettes*, Incendiary; Kennedy Center: The Day You Begin. New York: The Public Theater: cullud wattah*, Romeo y Julieta, Soft Power, for colored girls…, Much Ado About Nothing (Shakespeare in the Park), Mojada, Ain’t No Mo’*. Awards: TCG 2021 Rising Leader of Color. Founding Trainer with Broadway for Racial Justice Casting Directive. BA in Film & Media Studies, Dartmouth College. DanicaRodriguez.com @danicarodriguezcasting | *world premiere

Littleboy/Littleman (Geffen Playhouse), The Beautiful Land i Seek (Puerto Rican Traveling Theater), You Will Get Sick (Roundabout) Other theater credits include Don Juan (Westport Country Playhouse) An Enemy of the People (Yale Repertory Theatre.) Television: “FBI,”“Blue Bloods,” “Bull,” “WeCrashed,” “Mr. Robot.” Training: Heidi Marshall Studio, William Esper Studio, MFA Yale School of Drama.

Instagram : @_bobbyroman

CINDI RUSH CASTING: NY: Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock, Vape, Very Hungry Caterpillar, Mr Parker, Sesame Street the Musical, Winnie the Pooh, Paddington Gets in a Jam, Friends, Ruthless, Disenchanted, Silence!, Rooms, Jacques Brel, Urinetown. The Thing About Men, Tours including Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock, Winnie the Pooh, Sesame Street the Musical, Golden Girls, Paddington Gets in a Jam Regional Theaters including Workshop Theatre of Nantucket, Seven Angels, Triad Stage, 5th Avenue, Hudson Stage, Penguin Rep, Pittsburgh Public, Charleston Stage Film: A Bread Factory (Independent Spirit), The Grief of Others (SXSW/Cannes), Runoff (L.A Film Fest), Policy of Truth (SOHO Film Fest),The Woman (Sundance),Funeral Kings (SXSW) Ghoul, Theresa is a Mother, Jugface (Slamdance), In The Family (Independent Spirit) Consultant for NYU Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Program (1999-2023).

Edie Salas Miller is a New York–based actor from Los Angeles.

Recent Select Credits: Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (2 seasons), The Space Within (Audible #1), Diversion (Premiere Stages), The Lesson Plan (upcoming). She is a graduate of Bennington College and a huge fan of the state of Texas. Instagram: @ediesalasmiller

Hi! My name is Daismar Santos and I was born and raised in the wonderful city of Austin, Texas. I'm a proud graduate of Texas Christian University and an incoming Juris Doctor Candidate at Gonzaga University School of Law. By day, I work as a paralegal and on weekends, you can find me at local farmers markets running my small business, Bat City Blooms. In my free time, I enjoy reading, walking my dog Snoopy, jamming to Jamiroquai, or watching a new TV series. I also love exploring new matcha spots, restaurants, and recently picked up horseback riding as a new hobby. As a volunteer with CoAct, I am passionate about giving back to the community that has given so much to me.

Adriana Sevahn Nichols is a native New Yorker of Armenian, Dominican, and Basque heritage. An award-winning actress and playwright, her acclaimed solo show, Taking Flight, won a San Diego Theatre Critics Circle Award and was named one of the year's 10 best plays. She also received the inaugural Middle East America Distinguished Playwright Award for Night Over Erzinga, inspired by her grandparents' survival of the 1915 Armenian Genocide. Her writing has been developed at the Sundance Theater Lab and the Goodman Theatre, and published by Samuel French and Routledge.

As an actress, Nichols has guest-starred on Law & Order, Sex & The City, and The Unit, and starred in the film Harvest. Her extensive stage credits include performances at The Public Theater and South Coast Repertory. She also teaches theatre internationally and is an instructor in Equine Facilitated Learning.

Directing credits include Ride the Cyclone, Once Upon a Mattress (Stage West Theatre/Theatre TCU), h*llo k*tty syndrome (Undermain Theatre), Cruel Intentions: The ‘90s Musical (Stage West Theatre/Uptown Players), Hir, Like a Billion Likes, Deer, The Nether, Jacob Marley’s Christmas Carol, Mr. Burns a post-electric play, Orlando (Stage West Theatre),The Moors (Theatre Three), Bright Half Life (WaterTower Theatre), Bonnets (UTA), The Naughty List (Moonrise Initiative). Acting credits include productions at Amphibian Stage, Kitchen Dog Theatre, Second Thought Theatre, Shakespeare Dallas, Stage West Theatre, Stages, Theatre Three, Trinity Shakespeare Festival, Undermain Theatre, Uptown Players, WaterTower Theatre, and RADA among others. Voice actor with Crunchyroll. Associate Producer at Stage West Theatre. BFA in Musical Theatre from Sam Houston State University.

Mariana Texeira is a recent graduate of the University of North Texas with a BA in Theatre and a concentration in performance. Previously at UNT, she played Leslie in American Idiot, Prentiss in Peter and the Starcatcher, Bielke in Fiddler on the Roof, and Leslie in Sideways Stories at Wayside School. Her last project was reading for Flora in the staged reading of Flora and the Train for the Dallas Children’s Theater.

Dr. Marta Maria Torres, Ed.D., is an educator, storyteller, and theater maker whose work lives at the intersection of art, culture, and community. She creates spaces where storytelling, creativity, and identity come together to inspire reflection and action. She also serves as Managing Director of Kinfolk House, leading community-centered programming that uplifts cultural stories and lived experiences. Through her work as a storyteller and theater maker, she explores the power of narrative to connect, heal, and transform.

Martin is a Mexican-American writer and stand-up comedian. He has written for THE TONIGHT SHOW WITH JIMMY FALLON, DANNY BROWN’S HOUSE (Viceland), and the NATIONAL LAMPOON COMEDY HOUR.

His stand-up special, The Apology Comeback Tour—filmed in Austin, Texas at the State Theatre—completed a year-long run at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, where it earned critical praise and a nomination for the “Best Newcomer” Award. The show also toured Just For Laughs and the Melbourne Comedy Festival and is now available on YouTube.

Martin’s on-screen credits include his Late Night debut on JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE!, his recurring role as “Julio Tambien” on Hulu’s THIS FOOL, and Comedy Central’s stand-up showcase, FEATURED.

Ash Vance is exhilarated to be back with the Phib Fam for SparkFest'26! He is an alumni of Texas Woman's University with his BA in Theatre. Ash served as the Outreach and Development Apprentice for SparkFest'25, and can often be found with a big smile in the Amphibian box office. Ash does work all over DFW such as serving as a youth director for Stage West's Festival of the Kid 2025 and 2026. He has recently been seen performing in So You Wanna Talk About Race at Bishop Arts Theatre and in several shows at Hip Pocket Theatre. He would like to thank the Amphibian team for always being supportive and uplifting. He would also like to thank his wife, Mercedes, and his daughter, Clementine, for being fonts of inspiration. Let's go Spark this Fest!

Marlon Alexander Vargas is a Dominican-born, New York-raised multi-hyphenate artist with a love for both movement and language. Previous credits include: Littleboy/Littleman (Geffen Playhouse); Camino Real (Williamstown Theater Festival). He is a Jerome L. Greene Fellow (2024-2025) and the recipient of the Oliver Thorndike Acting Award for his dedication to the theater (2025). This past May he received his M.F.A. from the Yale School of Drama. Marlon is a proud immigrant and a product of the community of Black and brown women who raised him. www.marlonalexandervargas.com @vc.marlon

Casterline Villar hails from the Bronx, New York, with family origins in the Dominican Republic. She currently works with Only Make Believe, performing for young audiences with disabilities. She is a voice artist, puppeteer, and social justice advocate. She has trained at SUNY Fredonia, Stella Adler Studio of Acting, and the Atlantic Acting School. As a multidisciplinary artist, she continually seeks to satiate her love of learning, allowing it to guide her through the various realms of her artistry, while drawing inspiration from her family– Mami, Papi, Abuela, her loving siblings, nieces and nephews– and her generous friends, who offer their own beautiful minds to hers. Recent credits include Tybalt/Nurse (Romeo and Juliet at Rude Grooms Shakespeare Co.), Greek Chorus (Medea at Columbia University), Cassandra (Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike at The Gallery Players), Elinor Powell (Fort Huachuca at the SHE L.A. Summer Festival), Theonoe (Helen at the NY Euripides Summer Festival) and more.

Alex Voeller is a theater artist with a background in performance and entering into the world of producing. Currently finishing is MA in Theatre & New Play Development from Hollins University, and exploring how theater can promote and create social flourishing for our communities.

Evan is a Fort Worth–based multidisciplinary theatre artist and director. His work has appeared at Amphibian Stage, Dallas Theater Center, Stage West, Trinity Shakespeare Festival, Second Thought Theatre, and Undermain Theatre, among others. He has photographed more than 100 plays in the Dallas-Fort Worth region; his photos have been featured in The New York Times, American Theatre Magazine, The Dallas Morning News, and more.

Evan holds a BFA in Acting from Texas Christian University and has been on staff at Amphibian Stage since 2018, working across artistic development and marketing.

Current Work in Development: Wine Play by Dani Nelson, Dolores, Who Now Knows Everything by Kathleen Culebro

Upcoming: Ivories by Riley Elton McCarthy at East Village Basement, Fall 2026

evanmichaelwoods.com | IG: @seriouslycantevan

Laurie Woolery is an OBIE award winning director and playwright, working at the intersection of theater and civic engagement with theaters national and internationally such as The Public Theater, National Theatre, Weiwuying National Kaohsiung Center, etc. Laurie’s long history of new plays includes Mary Kathryn Nagle’s Manahatta (OSF/Yale/Public), Tanya Saracho’s The Tenth Muse (OSF), Charise Castro Smith’s El Huracan (Yale), Marisela Trevino Orta’s The River Bride (OSF), Aditi Kapil’s Imogen Says Nothing (Yale), Maria Irene Fornes’s Promenade (New York City Center Encores), etc. Her musical adaptations of As You Like It and The Tempest had premieres at the Delacorte Theater. Laurie served as Director of Public Works/Public Theater, Associate Artistic Director of Cornerstone Theater Company and Conservatory Director at South Coast Repertory. Laurie is founding member of The Sol Project, 2020 United States Artist recipient, 2021 Americans for the Arts Johnson Fellow and named 2022 National Theatre Conference’s Person of the Year.