Queer As Fuck and Bindlestiff Studio present

Resistance and Rebellion

The Program

Featured Short Plays

Date Night

An ace couple books a gastronomic tasting date night, unaware it is an over-the-top erotic journey.

Through the Garden

A young painter revisits wrestles with their past as they make their live performance debut.

Jingles

A neurodivergent love story with a musical twist, Jingles follows two lesbians on their first in-person date—where anxiety hums like a radio stuck on commercial jingles and connection comes with unexpected quiet. Funny, tender, and deeply human, it's about what happens when the right person finally drowns out the noise.

Bi(Annual) Women’s Support Group

A group of bisexual women form a support group so that they can try actually dating women instead of men.

Tahanan

A group of regulars find themselves at their favorite queer cafe questioning the motives of a gay man that chooses a side they never expected. A trans woman figures out how to move forward with the help of her peers. 

Trigger Warning: Transphobic language

Cursebreaker

Eunice thought she left the past behind when she quit the family business, and started a new life. But when her mother dies, she has to deal with her inheritances-and not just the haunted hotel back home. To make things messier, the only person who can help her deal with her family curse is her paranormal investigator ex, Alex. Eunice must wrestle with what's scarier: the escalating hauntings at the inn, or having to finally deal with her past?

Trigger Warning: Strobing lights, scary noises, and horror elements

Cast

Tahanan

Writer: Joce Ampón-Solis
Director: Emmanuel Romero
Featuring: Solitaire M., Ben Yuen, Jaylyn Abergas, Rachel Rio, Nick Wong

Cursebreaker

Writers: Sandra Criswell
Director: Raphael Louis
Featuring: Angelica Elaine Gonzales, Raye Goh, Alvin Adrian Lee, Ben Yeun, Rachel Rios, rené

Aileen Rubio She/Her (Extra - Tahanan)

E.Romero’s sister. Speech therapist. If you like scented candles, find me on IG @light.barer

Alvin Adrian Lee they/them (Artist - Through the Garden, X - Cursebreaker)

Alvin Adrian Lee is a writer, actor, and teaching artist based in San Francisco. Past credits include work with Awesome Theatre, CounterPulse, itsQwere, Left Coast Theater, and Killing My Lobster. They are thrilled to make their Bindlestiff debut! (IG: @alvinadrianlee)

Archie Lacanilao he/him/his (Tech Board Operator)

Archie Lacanilao is a returning tech booth operator, hoping to participate in as many shows as he can to accrue that invaluable tech booth experience. This is his first Queer As Fuck show. He identifies as heterosexual/biromantic. He adores the Bindlestiff space and its community and is always striving to translate the space’s chill vibes, passion for art, and drive for community as often as he can. You may catch a glimpse of him if you sit near the top risers, pushing buttons and scrolling the mouse wheel. He would like to thank the QAF producers and amazing cast for putting this colorful show together, especially in these trying times we live in.

Who is your Queer Rebellion Muse? Without overthinking it: Shirley Manson, vocalist of Garbage. She identifies as nonbinary, and I've always found her so damn cool ever since the late 90's. Doing a bit of research: Marlon Brando. He's got the great acting+handsomeness combo down!

Ben Yuen He/Him/His (Bobbee - Tahanan, Shadow Entity - Cursebreaker, U/S - Glitter Riot)

Ben is delighted to be back for his second QAF and hopes you enjoy these resistant and rebellious performances! Earlier this year, he had the honor of portraying Dracula with the San Leandro Players (SLP), where he's been performing for many years. He's also a member of GAPA (GLBTQ+ Asian Pacific Alliance) Theater and appeared in last year's show, Echoes of the Diaspora. Some of his other favorite roles include Winston Smith in 1984 (SLP), Jekyll/Hyde in Chemical Imbalance (SLP), Juror #8 in 12 Angry Jurors (SLP), and DHH in Yellow Face (Douglass Morrison Theater). Ben is exceedingly grateful to his bf Jay and his loved ones for their abundant love and support!

 Who is your Queer Rebellion Muse? My bf, Jay Ericson, is my Queer Rebellion Muse. His rebellious nature and political mindedness inspire me to venture out of my bubbles and own my intersecting identities.

Carla Grace Fajardo She/Her (Docent/Teacher - Through the Garden, Brooke - Bi(Annual) Women's Support Group, Costume Designer)

Carla Grace is a SF native and queer/pansexual multidisciplinary artist who works in film and theater. She is a freelance hair and makeup artist for video production and has been working in costumes for the past two years at Bindlestiff. When she isn't on set, she is playing video games or Carla Grace is a SF native and queer/pansexual multidisciplinary artist who works in film and theater. She is a freelance hair and makeup artist for video production and has been working in costumes for the past two years at Bindlestiff. When she isn't on set, she is playing video games or hanging out with friends at coffee shops.

Who is your Queer Rebellion Muse? Julie d'Aubigny - She led an extravagant and adventurous queer life as an opera singer, swordswoman in the 17th century. She got into many duels and scandals but she still persevered to fight for love and what she thought was right.

Dom Refuerzo She/Her (Actor - Miriam in Bitopia)

Dom Refuerzo (they/he) is a Filipinx-American, queer artist hailing from the Pacific Northwest. Earlier this year, they were at Magic Theatre starring as Ren in SFBATCO's world premiere of cuckoo edible magic, and at Theatre Rhinoceros starring as Hyun-Joo in the west coast premiere of Gumiho. Recently, too, he made his playwriting and directing debuts with Stories High right here at Bindlestiff. Other theater credits include Found Family (Left Coast Theatre Co), Duck Soup (Bindlestiff), Wildfire (Z Space), Variety Pack (Cutting Ball Theater), Tiny Fires (Custom Made Theatre Co), and Lizard Women (Awesome Theatre). As a musician, they have premiered their compositions in Austria and across the so-called United States, and sung with New Voices TIGQ Chorus and AfterGlow Chorus all around the Bay Area. He starred as Ash in the last QAF, so he is freaking pumped to be wearing his playwriting hat this time around! After this, you can catch them at a local boba shop preparing to bring more new work to life. Much love and thanks to his family, friends, community, and himself tbh <3 Instagram: @domrefuerzo

Who is your Queer Rebellion Muse? The babaylans -- these ancestors prove that queerness, itself, is a conduit for collective healing.

Emmanuel Romero He/Him/His (Director - Tahanan)

Beginning in 2007, Emmanuel Romero spent most of his time at Bindlestiff Studio working as a playwright, penning more than half a dozen short plays that eventually made their way to the stage. One short play, "Viewer Discretion Advised (Tape 96)," made its way to a short film adaptation and won awards at festivals around the world. Since 2019, he focused more of his energy on directing, which he found to be a pleasantly different set of muscles. In the daytime, he works as a clinical Microbiologist at a Bay Area hospital lab. He would like to thank his sisters, nephews, and brother-in-law for their unwavering support, and he would also like to thank his cat, Miko, for offering the feline equivalent of patience and understanding. Emmanuel dedicates his directorial work on Tahanan to his own queer elder, Edward Malcolm. With love and anger, always.

Who is your Queer Rebellion Muse? My current Queer Rebellion Muse is Magnus Hirschfeld. As advanced as we'd like to think we are in our understanding of sexual orientation and gender identity, I believe we're 100 years behind where we should be. The reason I believe that is because of the Nazi-executed destruction of the sex research conducted by Magnus Hirschfeld in 1933. Google it.

Enedina Ramos Padilla She/Her (Director - Date Night, Writer - Jingles)

Enedina Ramos Padilla is a Mexican-born playwright, director, and performer based in the Bay Area. She returns to this year’s Queer as Fuck (QAF) lineup to direct Date Night and debut her original short play Jingles, continuing her longtime collaboration with the QAF collective. Her work centers queer love, healing, and storytelling rooted in lived experience. Enedina is currently developing A Walk in the Park, a full-length queer musical set in 1970s rural California.

Who is your Queer Rebellion Muse? My Queer Rebellion Muse is Chavela Vargas—because she lived unapologetically, loved boldly, and sang with a rawness that made space for grief, rage, and queer desire—all without needing to explain herself. Just like my best friend Rudy (RIP), who lived out loud while enduring family beatings and rejection. He never stopped being who he was: a beautiful, feminine, loving, and courageous gay man. They were both rebels till their last breath.

Jaylyn Abergas She/Her (Lara - Date Night, Sonja - Tahanan)

Jaylyn Abergas is a beloved Bay Area performer and actress with over 20 years of experience lighting up stages and streets alike. Crowned Carnaval Royale Ambassador in 2018, she is celebrated for her joyful, dynamic presence across the Castro, Folsom, and Mission districts. Jaylyn stars in the groundbreaking immersive play Compton’s Cafeteria Riot, honoring trans history and the radical origins of Pride. She is also set to appear in the upcoming film Dope Queens. A proud member of the trans performance collective The Spice Queers, Jaylyn has brought powerful, playful energy to Pride stages and beyond. She has also performed with Bindlestiff Studio, the Bay Area’s renowned Filipino black box theater in SOMA, where her passion for storytelling and representation continues to shine.

Who is your Queer Rebellion Muse? Geena Rocero and Bretman Rock are my modern day muses because they live life authentically with joy and style.

Jessica Fong (Director - Bi(Annual) Women's Support Group, Fight Choreographer)

Jessica Fong (she/her) is a queer Filipina multidisciplinary artist, and is excited to be making her directorial debut! She has been doing theatre for over twenty years and has no plans of slowing down. Her most recent production was Love Edition at Bindlestiff Studios. Jessica is also a stage combatant who is certified in six different disciplines. She recently did the fight choreography for Shakespeare in Babak as part of Bindlestiff’s Stories High ‘24. Jessica holds a BA in Theatre Arts and a Minor in Asian American Studies from San Francisco State University. She would like to thank her husband Jake and their two cats for their support and keeping her sane!

Who is your Queer Rebellion Muse? My QAF fam!

Joce Ampón-Solis they/them, siya (Director - Jingles, Writer - Tahanan)

Joce Ampon-Solis is a non-binary Filipinx artist based in Salinas, CA. They have collaborated with Bindlestiff Studio since 2006 trying on as many hats as possible, but mainly as an actor, director, and producer. They are the director of “Jingles” and the writer of “Tahanan”. Having been with QAF since its humble beginnings in 2016, they have found these queer and Filipinx communities to be the source of much of their artistic inspiration, identity and connection to their cultural roots. They are grateful for the QAF culture and mission, and the joy and reprieve it has brought into their life in trying times. When not in the theatre, their favorite forms of expression are with flowers, music, and words on paper. They would like to thank their wife Renee for her unwavering support and to their sister Marissa for always being their superfan.

Who is your Queer Rebellion Muse? Audre Lorde, understood people and her words ring true to this day.

Joshua Ornelas He/Him (Choreographer - Cursebreaker)

Joshua Ornelas holds a BA in Dance from San Francisco State University (2014), where he debuted original works by celebrated Bay Area choreographers. With over 20 years of dance experience and 14 years of teaching under his belt, Joshua has cultivated a deep love for movement that’s equal parts expressive and unexpected. He spent seven years performing as a company member with requisitedance, honing a voice that thrives in the strange, the spooky, and the surreal. After many years working with young dancers, Joshua is thrilled to be creating alongside adult artists again—an experience that has felt both invigorating and creatively expansive. This show’s eerie aesthetic was the perfect invitation to dive back into the weird, and he’s loved every minute of it.

Kyle “Kal” Melgarjo He/Him/His (Co-Director - Through the Garden)

Raphael Louis He/ Him (Director - Cursebreaker)

Raphael Louis is honored to make his directorial debut with Cursebreaker, a short play exploring grief, legacy, and the paranormal. He recently directed the workshop presentation of Demoniac at Shotgun Studios in Berkeley. With roots in stage and production management, Raphael approaches directing as both architect and conduit, bringing a wide-lens view in blending structure with care and clarity. Acting credits include Fallin by John Fisher, Mix and Match by Enedina Ramos, directed by Sandra Criswell - as part of QAF 2024 - and Cabaret (as Ernst Ludwig) with Theatre Rhinoceros. Alongside stage and production management, he also works in sound and web design, and is Executive Director of SF Eagle Players, a queer theatre company based at the Eagle bar in SOMA. Grand gratitudes to Bindlestiff Studio and Queer As Fuck for sustaining radical joy, story, and community, and to his constant, his partner, Josh O.

Raye Goh Raye/They (Passerby - Jingles, Alex - Cursebreaker)

Born and raised on Ramaytush Ohlone land to immigrants from Seoul and Manila, Raye is a neuroqueering theater artist who identifies as agender and acearo (asexual and aromantic). Raye have performed with Theatre Rhinoceros, playing the role of Sargeant Day in the action play _Billy_ and its sequel _Fallin_ in 2024, as well as the role of Kam Grey in _Gumiho_ this past Spring. Raye's pursuit of performing arts is driven by our shared human need for expression, connection, and storytelling. Participating in _Queer As Fuck: Resistance and Rebellion_ has offered Raye a nourishing safe haven, and Raye hopes the audience too will feel their spirits fed and freed by the stories they witness in the show.

Who is your Queer Rebellion Muse? My Queer Rebellion Muse is Nature, because diversity is essential to Nature and Life finds a way to grow, pretty much no matter what.

Maraming Salamat, thank you!

Queer As Fuck - Rebellion and Resistance is proudly sponsored by Theater Bay Area and Bindlestiff Studio, supporting innovative and inclusive theater arts in the Bay Area.