Elzie Alexander

Alonso

Elzie Alexander is a downtown Los Angeles resident, actor and comedian. Last fall, he played the role of “Cowboy” in Love on San Pedro, our collaboration with the Skid Row community.

 

Maria Cano

Antonia

Maria Cano was in Cornerstone’s Cafe Vida and in SEED, and also served as a Community Connector. When Cornerstone contacted her for this show she dropped everything to run here. “Thanks to our loyal supporters, Cornerstone familia, to my husband whose support means the to world me, my parents whom I love and hope to make proud of me and to my kids- I love you. Thank you for coming!”

Karen Covarrubias

Minerva

Karen Covarrubias was first involved with Cornerstone about 4 years ago, when they came down to Pacoima CA. She was part of It’s All Bueno, in which she played the role of the narrator paletero. Throughout the gaps of years she was doing other projects with another theatre company named “The Unusual Suspects”. She recently contacted Paula this year in January asking her if they had any upcoming projects She could be part of, and luckily California: The Tempest was brought up and she came to audition, and now she is blessed to say she got the part of Minerva. She is extremely excited to take this journey with Cornerstone and can’t thank them enough for the opportunity.

Marcenus “M.C.” Earl

Stephano / Ensemble

M.C. first came to Cornerstone as a community member back in 1993 during the company’s Watts Residency when he appeared in Love of a Nightingale and Breaking Plates. Other community collaborations M.C. has appeared in include Broken Hearts,For Here or To Go?, For All Time and the ongoing Beyond the Diagnosis, Cornerstone’s partnership with Gilead Sciences, Inc. to promote HIV/AIDS awareness through theater. M.C. is a graduate of USIU San Diego’s B.F.A. Acting Program.

Gabriel Garcia

Trinculo

Gabriel Garcia was a CTC Institute Summer Residency student in his hometown of Arvin for the production of Flor. He recently returned to California from a yearlong tour doing Children’s theatre with CLIMB Theatre.

 

Iris Gonzalez

Sebastia

Iris Gonzalez was finishing up her degree in Drama at UCI when Cornerstone reached out to her about California: The Tempest. She has been acting since she was ten years old and she was sixteen when she worked on her first Cornerstone production, Jason in Eureka, in her mythical wet woodland hometown of Eureka.

Chelsea Gregory

Ariel (in Grayson, Pacoima, Fowler, East Salinas)

Chelsea Gregory has performed as a dancer, spoken word poet and actor for over 15 years. Her documentary theater piece The 6 Project toured to 12 cities, engaging over 3000 people in dialogue around race. She was an assistant choreographer and performer in the 2009 Institute performance and is excited to be part of this production as well!

Brent Grihalva

Ferdinand

In 2011 Brent Grihalva played “William” in A Man Comes to Fowler. He studied theatre at the University of Minnesota and dedicates his involvement in the Bridge Tour to the many inspiring Californians and Cornerstoners, his family, and new wife, whom he met at the Institute in Fowler.

 

Peter Howard

Caliban / Ensemble

Peter is a founding member of Cornerstone Theater Company. He has performed in, written or otherwise collaborated on dozens of Cornerstone productions in Los Angeles and around the country since 1986.

 

Joji Koyuri

Oliver

Joji Koyuri was grateful to play “Kenny“ in Lethe, Cornerstone’s 2006 Institute Summer Residency production in San Francisco. He is absolutely thrilled to return to Cornerstone’s bosom. “Look out for Oliver!”

 

Page Leong

Ariel / Ensemble

Page Leong has had the privilege of being in Cornerstone’s ensemble since 1994, and of being a Californian all of her life. Institute shows include atTraction, which she wrote with and for the Los Angeles Downtown Arts District; Plumas Negras in Salinas, for which she choreographed, and created one of her favorite roles~”Wife Crow”; Lethe, which she choreographed and performed, in her home city of San Francisco.

Francisco Martinez

Adrian

Francisco Martinez was first introduced to Cornerstone during his high school performing arts class when his teacher announced that auditions would take place in Grayson, California. This is Francisco’s first Cornerstone production; however, he has performed in other shows in the past.

Gema L. Sánchez

Gonzala

Gema L. Sanchez was encouraged by a friend to audition for Cornerstone in 2013 during the Institute Summer Residency in Alisal (East Salinas, CA). She was cast in Plumas Negras, where she played “Alma” for the 1963 generation.

 

E’Vet Thompson

Antonia (in Arvin/Lamont/Weedpatch, Lost Hills, Grayson)

E’Vet Thompson was first introduced to Cornerstone Theater on the production of Love on San Pedro where she was cast as “Mamie”, a character who represented the homeless mothers of California. She was honored to play the role and have the opportunity to audition for California: The Tempest, in which she plays “Antonia,” the governor of California.

Bahni Turpin

Prosper / Ensemble

Bahni Turpin (Prosper/Ensemble) has been a CTC ensemble member for nine years. She has performed at the Mark Taper Forum, The Kirk Douglas and the Taper Too in Los Angeles. Bahni also has numerous TV and film credits. She is a teacher and practitioner of yoga and the founder of SoLa food co-op.