La Norteña

When playwright, director, and fellow Fresno State alum, Rodolfo Robles Cruz asked me to design his original piece for its debut, I was absolutely thrilled!

Designing for a play's initial debut was daunting, the weight of being the first to ever design this show's costumes on my shoulders. However, this only motivated me further to be thoroughly researched and intuitive. I was blessed to work closely with Robles Cruz and actors, Alexis Macedo, Cinthya Hernandez, and Joshua Taber, through the design process, honoring their Mexican heritage and traditions. It was my goal to elevate their voices through clothing, illustrating the divide between the two leads, cousins who grew up on either side of the Mexican-American border who reunite at a funeral for the death of the Mexican-American's mother. 

La Norteña culminated into a beautiful and striking illustration of how modern issues surrounding immigration and cultural divides intersect with family.

Robles Cruz went on to win the one-act category award in the 2020 National Playwriting Program for La Norteña.