Catalina La O explores the life of creator khattieQ and of female Puerto Rican singing legends Myrta Silva and Ruth Fernández, among others. In Catalina, the ravages of a storm force her to take shelter in an abandoned studio. None of Catalina’s live audience has arrived, but she broadcasts her show to the millions of viewers she hopes are watching. Catalina is a piece for the queer communities, the colonized body, for Puerto Rico, for anyone who has experienced heartbreak. It is a piece for survivors. It is a piece that speaks to resistance.
Story by jk jk
Performed by khattieQ
Script & Direction by Jenny Larson-Quiñones
Original music by khattieQ & Anton Berrios
Lyrics by khattieQ
khattieQ is a performer from Puerto Rico. Co-creator and star of 2020 Fringe New Play Prize winner ‘Catalina La O Presenta: Now With Me’ which features their original music. khattieQ was the guitarist and vocalist for punk band BLXPLTN. khattieQ has played as a professional musician with over twenty bands. Most notably, they toured as drummer for queer femme core band The Tuna Helpers. Professional acting credits include Denim Doves and Casta for Salvage Vanguard Theater in Austin, TX, Heaven Born Wind at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Frank Theatre’s Be-Longing and Rumble Theatre’s Untrue Stories Live.
JENNY LARSON-QUIÑONES is an interdisciplinary performance maker. They served as the Artistic Director of experimental new works company Salvage Vanguard Theatre in Austin, TX from 2008-2019 and has directed over 30 world premiere performances including From The Pig Pile by Sibyl Kempson. Jenny’s devised piece Guest by Courtesy has played the Fusebox Festival and the She Makes Theatre festival in Sofia, Bulgaria. Writing credits include Desperately Seeking Comfortable Shoes as part of The Art’s Club Emerging Playwrights Unit, always boy as an artist in residence at the Canadian Digital Dramaturgy Initiative, spring creek brook for Rumble Theatre.
jk jk, Jenny and khattie began creating together in 2015 on Adrienne Dawes’ Denim Doves. They performed at the Kaustinen Folk Music Festival (2017) and the Interplay Fest (2019). In 2020, Catalina La O Presenta: Now With Me was the Vancouver Fringe New Play Prize Winner. The film screened in November 2020 and then again at the OUTsider Festival in February 2022. In late June 2022, Catalina will premiere live presented by the Queer Arts Festival, Rumble Theatre, frank theatre company, and Neworld Theatre. In October 2022, jkjk will direct Adrienne Dawes Casta at the Blanton Museum of Art.
ANTON BERRIOS (composer) is a producer/musician from Puerto Rico. He’s been composing and producing different genres from punk, funk, rock, hip hop, trap, Latin trap, Reggaeton, pop, and other Caribbean and American genres for over 20 years. He was active in Austin, TX music scene where he did sound in SXSW and produced records of Pop, Kizomba, R&B, Trap, Rap, and Reggaeton. He engineered and worked on the recordings of different artist projects at the 512 Studios as well as recording live sessions for the local CW channel. He graduated with honors from the Arts Institute in Audio Production.
Executive Producer Shanae Sodhi
Music by khattieQ and Anton Berríos
Costume Designer Michelle Thorne
Production Designer Abby Levis
Editor | Director of Photography Rob Leickner
Associate Producers khattieQ and Jenny Larson
Stage Manager Heather Barr
Dramaturg Joanna Garfinkel
Lighting Designer Abby Levis
Set | Properties Designer Jenny Larson
Sound Designer Erika Champion
Hair and Make-up | Wardrobe Michelle Thorne
Assistant Stage Manager Katie Voravong
Camera Operator Rob Leickner
Second Camera Ryan Sudds
Third Camera Erika Champion
Production Associate Ivy Charles
