Working Title: Goddess, Unchained

written by: Diana Burbano

Directed by: Gregg t. daniel

In 2021 Lower Depth Theatre began developing the third play in our “Cycle of Violence” Commission Series with LA based playwright, Diana Burbano. This full-length play examines incarceration & women in prison through magical realism and the perspective of an imprisoned goddess. The process began in virtual Zoom boxes where it stayed for 12 months. In 2022 we finally gathered in person to workshop Diana's new play, “Working Title: Goddess, Unchained” at A Noise Within Theatre as part of their Noise Now program.

Actors, playwright, dramaturge, choreographer, drummer, and director gathered together at A Noise Within for a week-long exploration of text, character, story, and movement. This workshop process is one of the most vital parts of a new play’s development.

cast

Yaya/Yemaya Crewe - Yvonne Huff Lee

Iphis Cepeda - Carla Valentine

Xochi Chavez - Marilyn Fitoria

Alma - Veralyn Jones

Ahmad - Amir Abdullah

Voice / Additional Characters - Rosney Mauger

CREATIVE

Joyce Guy - Choreographer

David Leach - Drummer

Rebecca Ojeda - Dramaturge

Gabrielle Bruno - Stage Manager

Diana Burbano

Diana Burbano, a Colombian immigrant, is a playwright, an Equity actor, and a  teaching artist at South Coast Repertory and Breath of Fire Latina Theatre  Ensemble. 

Diana!s play Ghosts of Bogota, won the Nu Voices festival at Actors Theatre of Charlotte in 2019. Ghosts was commissioned and debuted at Alter Theater in the  Bay Area in Feb 2020. Sapience, was a Playground-SF 2020, Winner and was  featured at Latinx Theatre Festival, San Diego Rep 2020. Fabulous Monsters, a  Kilroys selection will premiere at The Public Theatre of San Antonio, featuring the  music of FEA in 2023. 

She was in Center Theatre Group!s 2018-19 Writers Workshop cohort and is in the Geffen’s Writers Lab in 20-21. She has worked on projects with South Coast  Repertory, Artists Repertory Theatre, Breath of Fire Latina Theatre Ensemble and  Center Theatre Group and Livermore Shakespeare Festival. 

Diana recently played Amalia in Jose Cruz Gonzales' American Mariachi at  South Coast Repertory and Arizona Theatre Company, and Marisela in La Ruta at  Artists Repertory. You can also see her as Viv the Punk in the cult musical Isle of  Lesbos.

She is the current Dramatists Guild Rep for Southern California.  www.dianaburbano.com