Directing

A Natural Transition

After more than 30 years as an actor, singer, educator, and performing artist, directing has become a natural extension of my artistic journey. Having spent decades telling stories from the stage, I now find equal joy in helping shape them from the rehearsal room—guiding actors, collaborating with designers, and creating an environment where honest, courageous storytelling can thrive.

Throughout my career, I have had the privilege of working alongside extraordinary directors, designers, musicians, and fellow artists. Every rehearsal, every production, and every collaboration has become part of my education as a storyteller. Those experiences have not only shaped the performer I am today, but have also laid the foundation for the director I am becoming.

As a director, I am drawn to stories that explore our shared humanity, celebrate diverse voices, and invite audiences into meaningful conversation. My process is rooted in trust, curiosity, and collaboration. I believe the strongest work grows from rehearsal rooms where artists feel supported, challenged, and empowered to take creative risks.

My directing experience spans theatre, film, music, and live performance. Long before stepping into the rehearsal room as a theatre director, I was creating and shaping performances through concerts, cabaret, and film.

Shaping Live Performance

I have directed three benefit concerts for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS with the company of *The King and I* National Tour, as well as fundraising performances for the Starfish Greathearts Foundation at The Triad Theater in New York City.

I also wrote and produced two original solo shows: *Amor y Desengaño*, first performed at The Triad in New York City and subsequently presented at venues around the country, and *Boleros to Broadway*, performed at The Green Room 42 in 2025. Through these theatrical concert experiences, I explored the rich connection between timeless Latin American music, personal storytelling, and the Broadway repertoire.

Storytelling on Film

My work in film began with Jane, the first short film created by my filmmaking collective, The A Team, and continued with OVER-THRONE, which premiered as part of the Asian American Film Lab's 72 Hour Shootout. Created entirely during quarantine, the film was selected as one of the festival's Top 50 films and later broadcast on Film Lab Presents on Spectrum TV. I later wrote, directed, and starred in the award-winning short film May I Take It Your Plate?, recipient of Best Latino Film at the NYC Downtown Short Film Festival and Best Live Action Short Film at the International Puerto Rican Heritage Film Festival. For my performance in the film, I was also honored with Best Lead Actor at both festivals.

Moving Forward

Today, I am excited to bring that same spirit of collaboration to the theatre. Directing allows me to draw upon everything I've learned as a performer while embracing a new level of creative agency—to tell the stories I believe in, champion artists and voices that inspire me, and build the kind of creative community that has shaped my own career.

I am deeply grateful to the mentors who continue to guide me on this journey, including my longtime teacher and mentor Rob McCaskill, Vik Sivalingam, Brett Smock, James Vásquez, and Kai-Ling Cheung. Their generosity, wisdom, and encouragement continue to influence my growth as an artist and creative leader.

For me, directing is not a departure from performing—it is an expansion of it. It is the next chapter in a lifelong commitment to storytelling, collaboration, and creating work that connects us to one another. I look forward to the many stories still to be told and the artists I will have the privilege of creating with along the way.

UPCOMING

 Directing — Motherf**ker with the Hat at SUNY Purchase

I’m honored to continue my artistic journey as a director with Stephen Adly Guirgis’s Motherf**ker with the Hat at the Conservatory of Theatre Arts at SUNY Purchase.

This opportunity marks an exciting new chapter in my work as a storyteller—one that allows me to bring together everything I have learned as a performer while collaborating with a talented company of young artists. Together, we will explore the humor, vulnerability, and emotional truth at the heart of this remarkable play, creating a rehearsal environment rooted in curiosity, trust, and creative risk.

I’m deeply grateful to Becca Rich, Director of the Conservatory of Theatre Arts at SUNY Purchase, for her confidence in me and for the opportunity to work with such an extraordinary group of students and artists.

I’m excited to begin this journey with this incredible cast and to discover where their talent, imagination, and commitment will take us.