Meet the Cast-MARIELA IN THE DESERT

Melinda Capeles-Rowe (Oliva)

Relatively new to Buffalo and recently enrolled in Buffalo State, Melinda is extremely grateful for the opportunities that continue to be afforded to her here and looks forward to an abundance of work in Buffalo Theater. She would like to thank her family for supporting her through her dreams and hanging in there through all the personality changes. “I love you, eternity!” She would also like to thank the wonderful students and staff members of Saint Mary’s School for the Deaf for routing her on…“kiss fist!”.

Lissette DeJesus (Blanca)

Lissette DeJesus (Blanca), a Buffalo native, is a local artist that has performed in Buffalo Academy of Visual and Performing Art’s productions of Pippin (Leading Player), A Streetcar named Desire (Eunice) and Frankenstein. She’s also played the part of Baby in the reading of The Curse Of The Puerto Ricans by Rosa Fernandez. This is her first production with Raíces Theatre Company.

Rolando Martín Gómez (Jose)

Rolando Martín Gómez’s credits Man of La Mancha, Romeo and Juliet, Blood Wedding, Riff Raff, References to Salvador Dali Makes Me Hot, A Streetcar Named Desire, Four Guys Named José and a Woman Named Maria, Marc Anthony and Cleopatra, The Last Days of Judas Iscariot and Death and the Maiden; he was most recently seen at MusicalFare in In The Heights for which he is nominated for Outstanding supporting actor in a musical Rolando is the co-founder of Raíces Theater Company where he has performed recently in Happiest Song Plays Last. He has performed throughout the U.S., Latin American and Spain, including performing for the internationally renowned Spanish Repertory Theater in NYC. He is a graduate of Buffalo State College with a B.A. in Theater with credits in radio, television commercials and films such as The American Side, Raymour & Flanigan, Kaleida Health and the voice for the Paradise Fall exhibition at the Buffalo Zoo.  In 2012, he was the recipient of the Mayor of Buffalo Art Award for his artistic contributions.

Sean Marciniak (Adam)

Sean Marciniak, born in Buffalo, NY, is a local actor and comedian who has appeared with The Subversive Theater’s production of The Shape of Things (Adam), Buffalo United Artists’ production of Cock (M) and Load More Guys, and the American Repertory Theater’s production of Picasso at the Lapin Agile (Picasso) and Rustbelt Grotesque.  As a comedian he has performed with the stand-up showcase Laugh & Other Drugs in the 9^th Ward at Babeville, weekly as a sketch and stand-up performer with the Rustbelt Comedy Showcase at Nietzsche’s, and with Helium Comedy Club’s Comedy Smackdown .

Carlos Rafael Maggiolo (Carlos)

Carlos Rafael Maggiolo is a 5th grade student at the Buffalo Academy for Visual and Performing Arts studying theatre. We has worked as an actor with Theatre for Change and with Subversive Theatre in their production of GRAPES OF WRATH.  He was last seen as Pinocchio in BAVPA’s production of Shrek, Jr.

Victoria Pérez (Mariela)

Victoria Pérez is the Co- Founder and Artistic Director of Raíces Theatre Company. She is a graduate of the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in NYC studying Musical Theatre. Victoria is an ensemble member of Road Less Traveled and a company member of O’Connell and Company and Subversive Theatre. Among her favorite theatre credits are, In the Heights (Daniela), Water by the Spoonful (Odessa) Death and the Maiden, (Paulina), The Clean House (Matilde), Botanica, (Millie), La Gringa (Iris), Last Days of Judas Iscariot( Mother Theresa), Superior Donuts (Randy), Twilight, (One Woman Show), No Child, (One Woman Show), References to Salvador Dali Make Me Hot, (Cat). Favorite director credits, Real Women Have Curves, A Raisin In The Sun, Radio Golf, Parallel Lives: The Kathy and Mo Show and La luz de un cigarillo, Ordinary Days, Happiest Song Plays Last. Victoria has been nominated several times for Buffalo’s Artie Awards, and won for Outstanding Actress in a Musical for her performance in Four Guys Named Jose and Una Mujer Named Maria at O’Connell and Co. She also received the Arts Award   from Hispanics United of Buffalo and the Community Arts award from Senator Antoine Thompson. Victoria is a vocalist for the Buffalo Tango Orchestra and is a teaching artist having taught with many local and state arts organizations.

MARIELA IN THE DESERT
January 20-February 5
For tickets click here