Momo Nakamura

Director of Support and
Hot Pot at the End of the World
Understudy

Momo Nakamura is thrilled to be back in Baltimore theatre scene. Last time she directed in the area was decades ago, with Baltimore Playwright Festival, and the production earned 2nd place in the best play and the best production. Mostly an actor, but she enjoys all creative processes of theatre. She is one of the original members of Aadulting sketch comedy series in which she wrote, directed and acted. She is directing another staged reading at Keegan Theatre in DC for Boiler Room Series, working with an amazing theatre artist Priyanka Shetty. Loves to Grandpa and Beebstar.

Karen Li

Director of Cousins and the Soup and Secret Ingredient

Karen Li is thrilled to be featured in the AAPI Women's Voices Theatre Festival, having most recently appeared at the Strand Theater in Black Super Hero Magic Mama as Connie and Lady Vulture. Before moving to Baltimore during the pandemic, Karen was an immersive theatre performer, competitive ballroom dancer, and Michelin-starred sommelier based in New York City. She is the founder and artistic director of Consume & Company, which produces immersive dinner theatre.

Cori Dioquino

Co-Producer
Director of Mother Mandu and
Spaghetti Lo Mein

Cori Dioquino is a Filipino American actor, producer, arts integration educator, and acting coach based in Baltimore.  She is a co-founder and a current co-executive director of the Asian Pasifika Arts Collective.  In 2020, she helped launch the national campaign Unapologetically Asian in response to the growing discrimination towards Asians and Asian Americans amid the coronavirus pandemic. 

Cori is a member of SAG-AFTRA and an Equity Member Candidate. As a trained actor, she has worked on stage and in film and television, most notably appearing on screen in Marvel/Netflix's hit series Daredevil and Season 2 of New Amsterdam. She is currently represented by Whole Artist Management in New York.

Jennifer Hasselbusch

Secret Ingredient, Gayanne
Mother Mandu, Grandma Shin
Support, Toni
Hot Pot at the End of the World, Captain Lopez/Roger/Delivery Person; Sue u/s
Spaghetti Lo Mein, White Man/Emily/Pamela

Jennifer Hasselbusch is a performer based in Baltimore with favorite past roles including Susan in Vinegar Tom, Kayleen in Gruesome Playground Injuries, and Isabella in The Spanish Tragedy. Most recently she served as Stage Manager for Fells Point Corner Theatre's production of Angel Street (Gaslight). She is grateful for the opportunity to celebrate the voices and experiences of these wonderful artists from the AAPI community.

Daniella Ignacio

Cousins and the Soup, Si-Qi
Secret Ingredient, Jenna
Hot Pot at the End of the World, Cathy
Spaghetti Lo Mein, Linda

Daniella Ignacio is a writer, theatre artist and musician based in the DMV area. She holds B.A.s in Musical Theatre and Journalism from American University. During the day, she works as programs and communications coordinator with the Asian American Journalists Association and is a teaching artist at Imagination Stage. Credits: The Theory of Relativity (Amy/Video Editor) with Wildwood Summer Theatre, Man of God (Swing/u.s. Kyung-Hwa, Samantha) with Strand Theater Company, Jingle In July Play Festival (Ensemble) with Adventure Theatre MTC, and The Pliant Girls (Kem), Miss You Like Hell (Assistant Music Director), The Boy Detective Fails (Ensemble) and Shared Space (Khe Sanh Katie) at AU. Thanks to the whole cast and crew for such a special experience. www.daniellaignacio.com

Jolene Mafnas

Cousins and the Soup, Si-Yi
Support, Aimee
Hot Pot at the End of the World, Dave
Spaghetti Lo Mein, Jinny

Jolene Mafnas is a non-union actor based in Washington DC. She grew up as a dancer and always enjoyed singing. In college, she found her love of acting and has had lead and supporting roles in various plays. She has also done some new media work, youtube content, and short films. Recently, she did a staged reading for the DC based company Spooky Action Theatre, playing Birdie in "Grief Containers." She is playing Si-Yu in "Cousins and the Soup," and Jinny in "Spaghetti Lo-Mein." Connect with Jolene on Instagram @jooolenem.

Mika J. Nakano

Spaghetti Lo Mein, Zhao Jun/Mysterious Customer/Mysterious Stranger

Mika J. Nakano is a Baltimore based artist and teacher. Growing up in the West Coast as first generation Japanese-American, having to translate and navigate through different worlds and realities is all too familiar. And so she finds being part of this festival is in a way, a permission to herself to find comfort in the duality and to feel safe in the community that understands and reminds her that we are enough.

EN’ B

Mother Mandu, Kylah
Hot Pot at the End of the World, Mark

EN'B (they/he) is a producer, singer-songwriter, actor in search of 'Heung' from Han as their diaspora blues. Born in Koreatown Los Angeles but calling Baltimore their home, they explore the dissonance between pain of diaspora dysphoria through their music inspired by ancestral & traditional Korean music, Rhythm and Blues music of the Black diaspora as well as Korean tunes their dad loudly sung on family road trips. Their work speaks ‘Han’ -- “a theorized culture-bound syndrome in that denotes a collective feeling of oppression and isolation in the face of insurmountable odds, the overcoming of which is beyond the nation's own capabilities. It connotes aspects of lament and unavenged injustice. “ They have worked with the Red Emma's Collective, Fusion Partnerships, 0Zone collective to create platforms for POC Artists, and the North Avenue Knowledge Exchange for free community workshops in Baltimore City. They have performed on stages in Baltimore, MD including, Creative Alliance, The Crown, Metro Gallery, Wind-Up Space, and the Kennedy Center. They are currently fundraising for and working on their debut EP. IG: @littlegiant.enb

Lisa Spanougle

Hot Pot at the End of the World, Sue

Lisa Sponaugle is delighted to join the Strand Theater for the first time as Sue in HOT POT AT THE END OF THE WORLD. As a long time DMV-based actor, she has appeared in plays, movies, TV and commercials. Lisa can be seen in the upcoming features ‘Brave the Dark,’ ‘They Watch,’ ‘Serious Profession’ and ‘Queen of Hearts.’

Kim Li

Mother Mandu, Jennifer
Secret Ingredient, Armon/Maryam
Spaghetti Lo Mein, Grandma Siu

is thrilled to be playing Jennifer in MOTHER MANDU and Grandma Siu in SPAGHETTI LO MEIN. She is also directing COUSINS AND THE SOUP and THE SECRET INGREDIENT. Karen previously appeared at Strand Theater as Connie Wright/Lady Vulture in BLACK SUPER HERO MAGIC MAMA. Before moving to Baltimore during the pandemic, she was an immersive theatre performer, competitive ballroom dancer, and Michelin-Starred sommelier in NYC.