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World Premiere

February 13 to March 8, 2025

 CUCKOO EDIBLE MAGIC

 
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Cuckoo Edible Magic

WORLD PREMIERE

Written by Reed Flores
Directed by Michelle Talgarow

DATES: February 13, 2025 to March 8, 2025
LOCATION:
Magic Theatre, 2 Marina Boulevard, Landmark Building D, 3rd Floor, San Francisco, CA

When otaku-besties Ren and Mai step outside to discover an anime-blue sky, their first thought is, “Damn, this edible is strong.” But they quickly discover something more sinister afoot. A Sailor Moon-esque adventure through the Bay Area pits our nunchuk-armed heroes against one villain after the next - from a maniacal rice cooker to evil BART contortionists to demonic Tai-Chi-practicing elders. These unlikely heroes must save the Bay Area, but they can’t do it alone: they’ll need help from Mai’s tough-love parents, Ren’s over-involved sister, and maybe even a cute corner store employee. 

The two friends’ quest is as wacky as it is poignant. CHamoru playwright Reed Flores explores themes of Bay Area AAPI life, Queer love, and complex family dynamics–both “born” and “chosen.” Developed through SFBATCO’s Creators Lab and New Roots Theatre Festival, this world premiere promises to evoke laughter, tears, and a craving for some ha gao.

2 hours, with intermission

Tickets $20-$55
Discounted tickets for Students, Educators & Veterans.

Pay-what-you can previews:
February 13 & 14
Opening Night: February 15


 Special Performances & Events

PAY-WHAT-YOU-CAN PREVIEW
Thu February 13 - 7:30PM
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SUPER SMASH BROS TOURNAMENT
Sun March 2 - 4:00PM
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  • Are you ready to RUUUUUUUMBLE? Join us after the show for a Super Smash Bros Ultimate tournament hosted by the comedy group Super Trashed Bros. No need to sign up ahead of time, just stay after the performance, ready to smash some buttons and have some fun!

PAY-WHAT-YOU-CAN PREVIEW
Fri February 14 - 7:30PM
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OPENING NIGHT + CHAMPAGNE TOAST
Sat February 15 - 7:30PM
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  • Join us for a champagne toast after the show!

KARAOKE NIGHT
Fri February 21 - 7:30PM
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  • Do those vocal warm-ups because we’re hosting karaoke at the theater after the performance! Whether you belt a song or two or just listen, stick around for these post-show festivities! We’ll keep the bar open for some liquid courage.

ENHANCED SAFETY PERFORMANCE
Sun February 23 - 4:00PM
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  • Masks will be required during this performance.

COSPLAY NIGHT
Wed February 26 - 7:30PM
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  • Are you a Sailor Venus or a Sailor Mars? You repping Naruto or Dragon Ball Z? Dress up as your favorite anime character at this special cosplay night. Everyone in costume will get a free drink.

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CAST

Dom Refuerzo

Ren

  • Filipinx-American, queer artist Dom Refuerzo is elated to make their SFBATCO debut! Other theater credits include Queertopia (Bindlestiff Studio), Wildfire (Z Space), Variety Pack (Cutting Ball Theater), Tiny Fires (Custom Made Theatre Co), and Lizard Women (Awesome Theatre). He has also premiered his music compositions in Austria and the so-called United States, and sung with New Voices TIGQ Chorus here in the Bay. Love to their family, friends, and community. Instagram: @mirasoulx

Julie Kuwabara

3 Ladies / Cuckoo / Ensemble

  • Julie Kuwabara is excited to make her debut at SFBATCO. She has performed with various theatre companies, including Yale Repertory Theatre, San Francisco Playhouse, Cutting Ball Theatre, Playground SF, Shotgun Players, Central Works, Magic Theatre, Word For Word, and Bindlestiff Studio. In addition to her theatrical work, Julie is a proud member of the Granny Cart Gangstas, an all-Asian American sketch comedy troupe known for their sharp wit and vibrant performances that celebrate Asian American identities. With immense gratitude, she sends heartfelt hugs and appreciation to her husband, family, and friends, acknowledging the invaluable love and support they have provided her throughout her career.

Nicole Apostol Bruno*

Mai

  • Nicole Apostol Bruno is delighted to be making their SFBATCO debut. Regional and Bay Area credits include: The Wolves (#13) @ Marin Theatre, A Good Neighbor (Liz) @ Z Space, understudy performances in Richard II (Harry Percy), Great Expectations (Clara + Pepper), and The Winter's Tale (Ensemble/Bear Puppeteer) @ Oregon Shakespeare Festival, The True History of the Chan Family (Celestia) @ Eugenie Chan Theatre Projects, Bright Shining Sea (Sylvia) @ PlayGround SF, Much Ado About Nothing (Hero) @ Marin Shakespeare Company.

Gwynnevere Cristobal

3 Ladies / Jay / Cuckoo / Ensemble

  • Gwynnevere Cristobal is a non-binary, queer, Filipin@ theatre/film artist, intimacy director, & ACT Young Conservatory teaching artist. They are absolutely stoked to reprise their role as Jay from the 2024 New Roots staged reading! You may have also seen them as: Lizzie Borden in Lizzie (Redwood City Players), Janet Weiss in Rocky Horror (City Lights Theater Company), and Susan U/S in tick, tick... BOOM! (New Conservatory Theatre Center). @GL_Crystalball GwynnevereCristobal.com

Lisa Hu

Sam

  • Lisa Hu is honored and ecstatic to return to the BATCO family. She is a queer AAPI creative, strategist, and policy wonk committed to love and justice work centering womxn and nonbinary folx of color. Local affiliations include: Awesome Theatre, Bindlestiff Studio, Contemporary Asian Theater Scene, FaultLine Theater, Killing My Lobster, Kunoichi Productions, Magic Theatre, Movement Generation, SFBATCO, SF Sketchfest, ShortLived, and QAF Collective. Lisa was a member of Making Good Trouble, an anti-racist artist activist program anchored by Crowded Fire, Magic, and Playwrights Foundation; co-lead for the BIPOC Living Document; and former performance critic. She is rooted in Oakland.

Amanda Le Nguyen*

3 Ladies / Cuckoo / Ensemble

  • Amanda Le Nguyen is a multifaceted Vietnamese American artist based in the Bay Area. Earlier this year performed as Tong in Vietgone (OKC Rep), she was also seen in SFBATCO’s New Works Festival 2023, the world premiere of The Hippest Trip: Soultrain The Musical (ACT), Poor Yella Rednecks (ACT), A Christmas Carol (ACT), Patty Di Marco in School of Rock (PAP), Annelle in Steel Magnolias (LASC) and Tong in Vietgone (CLTC). Other past credits include the musical adaptation of Twelfth Night (SF Playhouse), Shout! The Mod Musical (South Bay Musical Theatre), and the local tour of Don’t Let Pigeon Drive the Bus (Bay Area Children’s Theatre). Love to her beautiful family and friends. Hey, Bub. @sillieamanda (she/her)

Mickey Skinner

Worker

  • Mickey Skinner is thrilled to work with SFBATCO! They were recently part of 5 & Dime at the Theatreworks New Works Festival, the new play A Brand, A Lifestyle by Katherine Alberta, and the new Peter Pan musical revised by Larissa Fasthorse and directed by Lonny Price. Recent credits include Maria Romanov/Marfa in Anastasia (Hillbarn Theatre), Enid Hoopes in Legally Blonde (Ray of Light) and Moritz Stiefel in Spring Awakening (PSP). Support trans kids!

Rudy Guerrero*

Pop / Unk / Ron

  • Rudy Guerrero is thrilled to be working with SFBATCO. Regional credits include performances at 42nd St. Moon, A.C.T, Berkeley Rep, Central Works, Connecticut Rep, Foothill Music Theater, Lorraine Hansberry Theatre, Magic Theatre, Marin Shakespeare Company, Marin Theatre Company, Playground, SF Playhouse, TheatreWorks, and Word for Word. Rudy has a BFA in Musical Theater from Boston Conservatory and a MFA in Acting from American Conservatory Theater. He is a proud member of AEA.

Paula Vercudia

Lin

  • Paula Vercudia is thrilled to be part of SFBATCO production! She is known for her performance in Arthur G. Night’s feature-length horror film “Unholy Song” as Janine. She is also part of Giovannie Espiritu’s romantic dramedy feature-length “Love and Karma” as Joy. Paula was credited by Vogue Philippines magazine for her sketch comedy piece "Sack of Rice" with the Granny Cart Gangstas. She is based in San Francisco, CA, and loves to eat. Paula thanks her family and Lenny for encouraging her always to follow her heart. Instagram: @paula.vercudia


CREATIVE TEAM

Reed Flores

Playwright

  • Reed Flores is a playwright and director based in the East Bay, gi Kañada giya Guåhan, familian ChiChi/Kueru. He's worked around the country at cool places like Seattle Rep, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Breaking Wave Theatre Company, and works locally at Hillbarn Theatre (Casting Director), and TheatreWorks Silicon Valley (Line Producer). He's written for Bindlestiff Studio, PlayGroundSF, Contemporary Asian Theatre Scene, and SFBATCO (Creator's Lab; New Roots Theatre Festival). He's hella Queer, hella Brown, and hella silly -- so is his work. Stalk him on IG (@reed.flores), or at www.reedflores.com.

Ray Oppenheimer

Lighting Designer

  • Ray Oppenheimer is a San Francisco Bay Area based lighting designer, educator, and creator who has been bringing his boundless curiosity, chimerical aesthetic, and Sisyphean perseverance to lighting design and education since 2005. Ray is an active company member with Shotgun Players. This is Ray's first show with SFBATCO he's honored to have been invited to work on Cuckoo Edible Magic

Aidaa Peerzada

Dramaturg

  • Aidaa Peerzada is the Literary & Outreach Manager at SFBATCO. She is an actor and writer who grew up between the suburbs of Baltimore, Maryland and Lahore, Pakistan. She is currently a recipient of the Theatre Bay Area’s Director’s Residency and is SFBATCO’s Artistic Development Director. Aidaa studied at the Baltimore School for the Arts and went on to receive her BFA in Drama from Carnegie Mellon University.She debuted her voice as a writer in CMU’s "Playground" Festival with her play “Scheherazade” which went on to the NYC Fringe Festival. Workshops of her original plays include: One Googol and One (SFBATCO), Grandma Science,(The Greenhouse Theatre Solo Lab), Shining, (The Ground and Field Theatre Festival at UC: Davis.) She is currently co-writing the book of an original musical Sunflowered, in development with Northern Sky Theatre. Regional performance credits include: The Pittsburgh Public Theatre, Illinois Shakespeare Festival, Utah Shakespeare Festival, Steppenwolf Theatre Co, American Players Theatre, Theatre Lila and Quantum Theatre. Her on-camera credits include the HBO series Girls, the web series Blank My Life, as well as the independent films Gorenos, and Stay Home.

Michelle Talgarow

Director

  • Michelle Talgarow is a Kalmyk/Filipina performance maker in the Bay Area for over 25 years. She is beyond excited to be directing this full production of Cuckoo and so grateful to be collaborating with so many fine artists. Michelle most recent directing credits are THIRTY-SIX by Leah Nanako Winkler with Shotgun Players in Berkeley, the immersive rock play, DARKHEART by Golda Sargento with Bindlestiff Studios in SF. Michelle is a proud member of Shotgun Players’ artistic company and a proud member of the all AAPI Bay Area theatre collective, Ferocious Lotus. Michelle is currently an adjunct professor at University of San Francisco.

Joan Osato

Projection Designer

  • Joan Osato is an awardee of the MAP Fund, Creative Capital and the Creative Work Fund. She was inaugural recipient of SFAC’s Artist and Communities Grant, Theater Bay Area Award in Video Design and Surdna's Artists Engaged in Social Change Award. Recent work includes Larry: The Musical, Richard II, Garuda’s Wing, DARKHEART, DUGO, Dirty White Teslas Make Me Sad, The Travelers and Josephine’s Feast. She is producer for the acclaimed theater ensemble Campo Santo.

Tyler Miller

Production Manager

  • Tyler Miller can’t believe this is his first production with SFBATCO - he’s been missing out! Since graduating with an acting degree from Stanford in 2019, he has worked as a stage manager, production manager, technician, and theater carpenter in many theaters around the Bay Area, including Golden Thread, Berkeley Rep, ACT, and Cal Shakes. He currently calls Cal Scenic his theatrical home, where he helps build sets as a Lead Carpenter.

James Ard

Sound Designer

  • James Ard is a noisemaker specializing in new works and live experiences. His recent work includes collaborations with Under the Radar at The Public Theater, American Conservatory Theater, TheatreWorks Silicon Valley, San Francisco Playhouse, Summerhall at the Edinburgh Fringe, Sibiu International Theatre Festival, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company, Guthrie Theater, American Repertory Theater, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Portland Center Stage, CenterREP, Ensemble Theatre Company, Shotgun Players, Golden Thread Productions, Cutting Ball Theater, Crowded Fire Theater, Joe Goode Performance Group, Stanford University, UC Berkeley, and Atlantic Theater Company.

Enkidu Khan*

Stage Manager

  • Enkidu Khan is a multi-disciplined theatre artist who has worked in a variety of positions. This is their third production with SFBATCO and they are excited to be back! They studied theatre and performance with an emphasis in new works and devised theatre at Oklahoma City University. Some of their favorite credits include stage managing The Poes, a devised live cinema experience, and writing and directing Learning to Forget.

Heidi Button

Props Designer

  • Heidi Button recently received her BA from SF State, also serving as Interim Props Department Coordinator for spring 2024. Recent credits include designing props for Nollywood Dreams at San Francisco Playhouse, and In The Evening By The Moonlight for the Lorraine Hansberry Theatre Company. In a former life, Heidi lived in France 8 years as an aerialist, and spent 9 years at SF Circus Center doing circus production. Spring 2020 she co-directed Circus Center's Youth Program.

Lauren Quan*

Assistant Stage Manager

  • Lauren Quan is excited to make her debut with SFBATCO. She has previously worked as an assistant stage manager at Aurora Theatre and Berkeley Playhouse. Lauren has also stage managed Magic Theatre's 2023 season which included the world premiere of The Travelers by Luis Alfaro, as well as it's Los Angeles tour with the Latino Theatre Company. Lauren has most recently completed Magic Theatre's 2024 season which included the world premiere of Dirty White Teslas Make Me Sad by Ashley Smiley and Naomi Iizuka's translation of Richard II.

Madeline Berger

Costume / Hair / Makeup Designer

  • Madeline Berger is thrilled to be joining the SFBATCO family and designing with such incredible artists and collaborators! Madeline is a multifaceted costume designer and wardrobe stylist based in the East Bay. Her work can be seen throughout the greater Bay Area. Madeline currently runs the first full-service costume design house and collective, located in Berkeley to provide support and community for all. For more visit: madelinebergerdesign.com

Mikiko Uesugi**

Scenic Designer

  • Mikiko Uesugi has designed Sign My Name for Freedom for SFBACO. Recent theater credits include The Strange Library for Word for Word, Fallen Angels for Aurora Theater Company. She has also designed for Magic Theater, Golden Thread Productions, Shotgun Players, Theater Works, ACT M.F.A, Berkeley Repertory Theater, among others. She is a resident artist at Golden Thread Productions, a recipient of the NEA/TCG Career Development Program for Designers and The Isadora Duncan Dance Award.

Landyn Hikaru Endo

Fight Choreographer

  • Landyn Hikaru Endo is a queer, transmasculine-of-center actor, martial artist, dance/fight choreographer and acrobat. He has performed in Europe with DTM2 Ensemble, Off-Broadway in NYC, and in Japan in “Dreaming Forward,” an artistic collaboration with choreographer Motoko Hirayama. Landyn is a member of Bow and Arrow Circus, and teaches at the SF Circus Center. He has a deep passion for encouraging queer and trans youth to find their voice through movement and art.

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PRESS COVERAGE

For press inquiries, email kevin@prismaticcommunications.com

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