Ely Sonny Orquiza

About Ely Sonny Orquiza

A 2023 YBCA 100 Honoree, Ely Sonny Orquiza (he | him) is a multidisciplinary Queer Filipino artistic director, stage director, dramaturg and arts educator and advocate based in the unceded territory of the Ramaytush Ohlone People colonially known as San Francisco Bay Area. Through theater and the performing arts Orquiza explores the role of the Asian diaspora, Asian American experience, ancestral ghosts, and the politics of Queer/ness for the American stage. He champions new works by Black, Indigenous and Artists of Color, examines previously untold folklore, and advocates for undiscovered works highlighting the narratives of People from the Global Majority. He believes in the remarkable power of equity and representation in storytelling to bridge the divide and differences amongst us. Orquiza is one of the three co-Founders and co-Artistic Directors of The Chikahan Company, a new Filipinx American theater company in San Francisco. As the Director of Education and Community at Magic Theatre, he has reinvigorated and redesigned the entire program with an eye towards centering historically marginalized communities in the Bay Area. He is a faculty member at the American Conservatory Theater’s Young Conservatory and Education & Community Programs and a teaching artist with StageBridge: A Senior Theatre Company among others.Orquiza has been in various work at the Academy of Art University School of Acting, African-American Shakespeare Company, American Conservatory Theater, ARC Repertory Theatre, Bindlestiff Studio, Cal Performances, California Shakespeare Theater, Campo Santo, Crowded Fire Theatre, Custom Made Theatre Co, East West Players (Los Angeles), FOGG Theatre, Gritty City Repertory Company, Leviathan Lab (New York, NY), Magic Theatre, New Conservatory Theatre Center, PianoFight, PlayGround, Playwright’s Foundation, Playwright’s Center of San Francisco, San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Co, San Francisco Opera, Studio 52nd (Amsterdam, NL) and Theatre Rhinoceros. He is a Company Member of PlayGround, a Board Member of Theatre Rhinoceros, and an Affiliated Artist and Immigrant Artist Mentor for the New York Foundations for the Arts.He hold a Bachelor’s Degree in Theater and Performance Studies from the University of California, Berkeley.

Experience

1. Director of Education and Community

   Magic Theatre

   Jan 2022 — Present · San Francisco, CA, US

   Invigorate and design the Education and Community Department with an eye towards servicing historically marginalized communities in the greater San Francisco and building sustainable partnerships with non-profit organizations.Scout, conceive, and lead a team of leading talent and next generation of teaching artists in the Bay Area; aid and organize professional development opportunities and workshops promoting anti-racist and trauma-informed instructions.Design and develop culturally responsive and culturally competent courses between a period of 8 to 12 weeks residency in collaboration with teaching artists, program directors, and community stakeholders.Demonstrate and advocate for the importance of arts education, outreach, and enrichment to inner-city population. Promote the socio-emotional benefits of arts and literacy workshops as well as the transformative power of live theater and performance. Perform market research and establish long-lasting partnerships with non-profit organizations of various sizes and authorize low-to-no-cost programming to advance a deeper community engagement and relationships.

Education

• University of California, Berkeley

  Bachelor's Degree, Theater and Performance Studies

  2013 — 2017

• The A.C.T. Conservatory

  Certificate, Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General

  2016 — 2016

Skills

• Public Speaking
• Social Media
• Community Outreach
• Research
• Drama
• Contemporary Art
• Improvisation
• Creativity Skills
• Strategic Planning
• Curriculum Development
• Event Planning
• Critical Thinking
• Theatre
• Strong Writing
• Administrative Assistance
• Interpersonal Skills
• Microsoft Office
• Analytical Skills
• Interdisciplinary Teaching
• Leadership
• Peer Tutoring
• Teamwork
• Acting