Blue Marigold
Written by Mabelle Reynoso
Directed by Yasmin Ruvalcaba
Part of the TYA BIPOC Superhero Project
Run time: 90 minutes with no intermission
Themes & Content Notice:
Blue Marigold is best enjoyed by ages 10 and up
Themes of death and dying are explored repeatedly through “the land of the dead”
Two offstage murders occur during the play and gun violence is discussed
Themes of race and racism are explored
Themes of bullying are explored
Themes of gender identity are explored
Struggles with mental health are explored
Thank you to our sponsors!
Regional Arts and Culture Council
Kafoury McDougal: Lawyers for the People
Oregon Arts Commission
Oregon Cultural Trust
Pacific Office Automation
NWCT’s Donor Families
Media sponsors:
PDX Parent
The Oregonian/Oregon Live
NW Kids
Cast
SAMMY: Mila Kashiwabara
BEAR/ENSEMBLE: Willa Ramsey
JESSE/ENSEMBLE: Jamie Villada
LUPE/DOÑA DOLORES/LADY DEATH: Yolanda Porter
MOM/MARTINEZ/TEACHER: Eleanor Amorós
Creative Team
PLAYWRIGHT: Mabelle Reynoso
DIRECTOR/CULTURAL CONSULTANT: Yasmin Ruvalcaba
SCENIC/PROPERTIES/COSTUMES DESIGNER: John Ellingson
LIGHTING DESIGNER: Carl Faber
SOUND DESIGNERS: Kyle Delamarter
COMIC ILLUSTRATOR: Terry Blas
DRAMATURG: Pat Moran
STAGE MANAGER: Roger Monroe
Production & Support
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR: Sarah Jane Hardy
ASSOCIATE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR: John Ellingson
TECHNICAL DIRECTOR: Steve Hambrick
MASTER CARPENTER: Paul Brown
BOARD OPERATOR: Roger Monroe
PHOTOGRAPHY: David Kinder
VIDEOGRAPHY: Nick Fenster, Emma Sanders
GRAPHIC DESIGN: SUCHa Production
Meet the Cast
Mila Kashiwabara (Sammy) is an 8th grader at West Silvan Middle School, and she’s already an accomplished actor in town! Most recently Mila has appeared in Matilda (Portland Playhouse), Borderline (Milagro Theater), and Dragons Love Tacos (Oregon Children’s Theater).
Mila is thrilled to make her NWCT mainstage debut portraying a BIPOC superhero in Blue Marigold. “It means so much to me that the audience is getting to see representation on stage that I never had a chance to experience! A BIPOC superhero is something you will hardly get to see.”
Mila was inspired to get into acting by her sister, Lulu, who is currently studying acting in college. Mila calls Lulu her biggest role model, and feels that their bond is very similar to that of Sammy and Lupe.
If Mila could have any superpower, she would choose teleportation! “Then I would never have to go on plane or car rides! And if I’m ever in danger I could just teleport away!”
Mila hopes that Blue Marigold reminds audiences that I hope that you are never really alone and that there is always a light at the end of the tunnel.
Willa Ramsey (Bear/Ensemble) is a 9th grader at Cleveland High School. They are a big nature lover and love being out at camp! Willa is thrilled to return to NWCT, having performed in Vanport on the Mainstage and with Catalyst in Cinderella.
Willa is proud to be playing the character of Bear, as they don’t often see non-binary representation on stage. They hope that other non-binary kids can see this show and know that they’re not alone.
Willa also loves the bond between Lupe and Sammy in the story, as it reminds them of their mom. “I can talk to her about anything and she’ll understand.”
If Willa could have any superpower, it would be talking to animals (specifically so that they can talk with their cat). And their favorite kind of pizza is pepperoni!
Jamie Villeda (Jesse/Ensemble) is a genderqueer actor and creative. They appeared in the TV show “The Wonderland Murders” on Investigation Discovery and trained with Identity School of Acting in Los Angeles. Jamie was also chosen to participate in Cast Iron Studios’ Talent Diversity Initiative, sponsored by TNT, in 2016 and 2017. They played Mujer in the premiere of Un Pajarito Canta at Portland Revels, The Corrido of the San Patricios in addition to stage readings for the INGENIO Project at Milagro Theatre: Blue Bullets, World Classic, and Los Dreamers.
Participating in the TYA BIPOC Superhero Project is a privilege for Jamie “because it is not often that marginalized people (especially youth of color) get to represent their communities in theater through unique stories.”
If Jamie could have one superpower, she’d want to be fluent in every language! And she’s a big fan of the Chicken Garlic pizza at Papa Murphy’s.
Jamie hopes that this show will encourage people to believe in themselves and to fight for a life they want to live, even when the world around them tells them to give up.
Yolanda Porter (Nana Lupe, Doña Dolores, Lady Death) is very proud to be a part of Blue Marigold, a story about important issues like family, racism and bullying. She loves that the characters are solid and relatable rather than stereotypical representations of BIPOC communities.
The relationship between Lupe and Sammy reminds Yolanda of her relationship with her maternal grandmother especially. “We were similar in many ways, and at times, we didn’t agree, but we loved each other deeply. She was a strong and refined woman who cooked with love and used to make the best refried beans you could ever have.”
Blue Marigold is Yolanda’s mainstage debut! She hopes that audiences walks away with a message of love, unity, hope, kindness, and the importance of family and community.
If Yolanda could have one superpower, she’d love to fly and to be able to travel faster than the speed of light!
Eleanor Amorós (Mom/Martinez/Teacher) is a local actor (and a psychologist!), and she’s thrilled to be part of a project that is all about bringing positive representation for BIPOC audiences.
“Seeing someone who looks like you on stage playing a superhero is priceless and something that I did not experience growing up. I’m thrilled that this project is making a difference for current and future generations of BIPOC kids and teens.”
Eleanor is making her NWCT debut with Blue Marigold. She has appeared on other stages around town including Milagro Theatre, CoHo Productions, and Portland Center Stage, as well as in print and commercial work.
Eleanor is thrilled to be sharing the stage with (and playing stage mom to) her real life daughter, Mila!
If Eleanor could pick any superpower, it would be a tie between time travel and invisibility. Her favorite kind of pizza? “Any pizza with meat on it!”
“I hope the audience sees that art can be healing and helpful during difficult times. Art is powerful and can make us feel better, feel seen and feel less alone.”
Meet the Creative Team
Mabelle Reynoso (Playwright) is an award-winning playwright, multidisciplinary storyteller, and educator whose work has been performed all over the country. She is co-host of the podcast “Hey Playwright” and a member of TuYo Theatre where she leads Pa’ Letras, a writing workshop for emerging Latinx playwrights.
Mabelle is currently pursuing her PhD in Education for Social Justice at the University of San Diego. Her research focuses on the impact of theatre and creative communities in carceral environments. A proud daughter of the Mexican-American borderlands, Mabelle’s plays for multigenerational audiences seek to amplify the narratives of Mexican and Mexican-American communities.
As a San Diego resident and regular Comic-Con attendee, Mabelle often dreamt about creating a superhero that looked like someone from her neighborhood. Writing “Blue Marigold” has been a dream come true and she is so grateful to the creative team at NWCT, and especially to Pat Moran, Sarah Jane Hardy, and Jose Casas for the opportunity to tell this story. This one is dedicated to those of you who feel like you’re always on the outside looking in. Your story is only beginning. mabellereynoso.com
Yasmin Ruvalcaba (Director/Cultural Consultant) is a Portland-based arts admin, director, writer, and consultant. She centers her work around advancing equity, honoring mentorship and education, and promoting community outreach and engagement. Yasmin is currently the Executive Director at Tualatin Valley Creates.
Yasmin hopes that audiences walk away with a deeper understanding of the importance of representation and belonging. Blue Marigold is about navigating the complexities of growing up and feeling out of place, but it’s also about finding strength in who you are and in the communities that support you.
“I want people to feel inspired by Sammy’s journey and recognize that we all have our own unique powers—whether it’s through our heritage, our relationships, or our resilience. Most importantly, I hope the play sparks conversations about the stories we tell and who gets to be the hero in them.”
If Yasmin could have one super power, it would be to magically make or adjust clothes. “I love the idea of working on my own clothes and fashion, but lack the patience to learn. So if we could make it a superpower, I would be all set!”
John Ellingson (Scenic/Properties/Costume Designer) is Northwest Children’s Theater’s Associate Artistic Director. After painting more than 60 sets for the company, his duties ballooned to include set design, property design, directing, puppet making, and more.
John’s been designing sets and props for NWCT for the last 8 years, receiving multiple Drammy awards including mask design for The BFG (2013), special design for James and the Giant Peach (2014), and set design for Mary Poppins (2015), which also received a PAMTA award for Outstanding Set & Prop Design.
His proudest design achievements include Matilda the Musical, The Cat in the Hat, James and the Giant Peach, Elephant and Piggie: We Are in a Play!, and The Little Mermaid.
John studied puppetry in the U.K after being the recipient of the Portland Civic Theater Guild’s Leslie O. Fulton Fellowship which led to creating NWCT’s Starling series, for which he designed and fabricated over 50 original puppets, and took home another Drammy for outstanding puppetry.
Carl Faber (Lighting Designer) is back turning lights on and off for all his friends at NWCT! Some of his favorite shows with us include Chitra: The Girl Prince, Mary Poppins, and the many versions of Elephant & Piggie: We Are in a Play!
From Portland to Poland, Broadway and back, Carl has helped design lighting for live performances all over the world. His experiences range from plays and musicals to cruise ships, found spaces, and concert halls. Find him at carlfaber.com.
Kyle Delamarter (Sound Designer) first became interested in sound design when he was in high school and got the desire to be in a band. He taught himself the accordion and showed up (uninvited) to play at parties and on bus rides to cross country meets.
This interest in music got Kyle a gig composing for the Portland media company Flying Rhinoceros where he wrote the theme song for a cartoon. Eventually, Kyle broadened his skills to recording all kinds of sound.
Kyle regularly does sound design for Imago Theatre, and he is very proud of his work on Imago’s 2016 show La Belle: Lost in the World of the Automaton, which is a re-telling of Beauty and the Beast by Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve.
If Kyle could have any superpower, he’d want the ability to communicate with animals in their language. “I know how to squeak at squirrels, make kissing noises at humming birds, and cluck at chickens, but I have no idea what I’m saying.”
Kyle’s favorite pizza? “Ski Flake pizza at 2nd Avenue in my childhood hometown Sandpoint, Idaho.”
Terry Blas (Comic Illustrator) is the GLAAD award winning illustrator and writer behind the viral webcomic “You Say Latino” (Vox.com). He has created comics for Ariana Grande, Steven Universe, and Rick and Morty. His original graphic novels are “Dead Weight: Murder at Camp Bloom” (Oni Press), “Hotel Dare” (Kaboom!), “Lifetime Passes” (Abrams/Surely Books 2021), and “Eat Your Heart Out” (Oni Press). He is the writer for the Marvel comic series “Reptil” and has also written “Wonder Woman” for DC Comics.
“The super power I would want isn’t really a flashy one, but I’d like to be able to understand every language and be able to read all writing.”
And according to Terry, pizza toppings should be cheese, pepperoni, sausage, mushrooms and black olives.
Pat Moran (Dramaturg) is a multi-disciplinary theatre artist from Portland, Oregon. He’s a director, playwright, dramaturg, actor, teaching artist, and producer, specializing in creating and developing theatre for young and multigenerational audiences.
Pat is also Northwest Children’s Theater’s Artistic Partnerships and Rentals Manager. NWCT credits include: Co-writer of The Halloween Ball, director of Catalyst’s The Wardrobe, co-writer of The Jungle Book, Sir Guy in Robin Hood, and more.
Pat has also worked with Cal Shakes, Action/Adventure Theatre, Joe’s Pub at The Public Theater, Oregon Children’s Theatre, CoHo Productions, Hand2Mouth, Milagro Theatre, Shaking the Tree Theater, Arts for Learning NW, Theatre Vertigo, Kickstand Comedy, Sight Educational Theatre, and more, as well as teaching, directing, and performing at schools and educational programs throughout the Northwest.
If Pat could have a super power, he’d choose the ability to fly, with his second choice being, “thinking of a food and having it magically appear in front of me on a plate.”
Pat’s favorite pizza? Black olives and onions!
Roger Monroe (Stage Manager) has been with NWCT for more than 25 years! His favorite part of working with the company is seeing youth performers come back as adults.
Roger is excited to be participating in a project that combines TYA, BIPOC and superheroes because, “It’s more important now than ever to unite people, and Superheroes are great symbols for that.” He hopes that this show reminds audiences not to listen to the loudest negative voices and to remember that there are more good people in the world.
If Roger could have any superpower, he’d want the ability to adapt quickly to extreme conditions. Plus, his favorite kind of pizza is sausage, mushroom & black olive! Yum!
