DON GARCIA
Don Garcia is a recipient of the Kennedy Center National Latino Playwright Award for his play “A Kiss for Death” which was featured at last year’s Edward Albee’s Great Plains Theatre Conference. He is in his final year of graduate studies with the University of New Mexico in obtaining a Masters Degree in Fine Arts with a concentration in Dramatic Writing. Garcia’s plays feature the lifestyles of people from Northern New Mexico and their unique ways which have held unchanged for over 400 years in some traditions, where chili is bought from neighbors and not supermarkets. Garcia is the proud father of three beautiful boys that he says are the drive and inspiration to all his stories. “Without little kids running around, life would be endless days of selfish, acts of pleasure. Those little mocosos remind me that giving is the real pleasure.

TERRY GOMEZ
Terry Gomez is from the Comanche Nation of Oklahoma. She is a published and produced playwright, published writer, theatre director, actor and painter. Her play Inter-tribal was produced as a staged reading at The Public Theater in New York City and published in the anthology Plays by Women of Color. Other plays produced in various New Mexico venues include Inter-tribal, Reunion, The Antigone, A Day at the Night Hawk, Carbon Black, Rain Dance, Melanin, and The Woman with a Mustache. Terry has been an adjunct faculty teaching theater arts classes at the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and faculty for the I.A.I.A./ABC/Disney Summer Film Program. She has directed seven original plays and two showcases for the I.A.I.A. and Ghost Dance by Annette Arkeketa. She has also taught workshops for the Santa Clara Pueblo Community School, Tesuque Pueblo Language Program, and the Crown Point Community School; as well as giving workshops at the International Workshop Festival in London, England. She is a recipient of the 2007-2008 American Indian College Fund/Andrew W. Mellon Fellowship. Recent acting stints include a month long tour of New Mexico with the theatre troupe Wise Fool in the play Baggage. Terry received her BFA degree in Creative Writing at the Institute of American Indian Arts and will graduate with her MFA in Dramatic Writing in 2008 from the University of New Mexico. Her play Numunu Waiipu (The Comanche Women) will receive full production at the University of New Mexico Words Afire Festival in 2008. She is the mother of two and currently resides in Santa Fe.

LEONARD MADRID
Leonard Madrid is in his third year in the MFA Dramatic Writing Program at the University of New Mexico. He has a BFA in Theatre from Eastern New Mexico University as well as a BA in Design for performance from UNM. He has received the Kennedy Center award for Latino Playwrights twice. His set, light, costume, and puppet designs have been seen on the stages around Albuquerque.

MARZ MRÁZ
Mars Mráz – Playwright, Musician/Composer, Scenic Designer and sometimes Actor. Originally from Albuquerque, NM, Mráz graduated from UNM in 2005 with a B.U.S. degree in History, Theatre Arts and Media Arts. As an undergraduate student at UNM Mráz had three plays produced through the Words Afire New Play Festival: Dios No Existe, en el Fin (one act, 2002), Miserable Miranda Milvenschlager (a play for young audiences, 2003) and Bringing in the Sheeps: A Political Burlesque (2004). As a first year graduate student last fall, Mráz was featured in a graduate reading series in Words Afire with his play The Feather. Mráz is also the Resident Scenic Designer and Technical Director of Tricklock Theatre Co. and has designed many shows for them including, Black River Falling, Candide, The Mercy Seat, Ionesco’s MacBett and Mac Wellman’s Dracula. In the summer of 2007 Mráz participated in a four week writing workshop in Prague, Czech Republic where he studied with graduate students throughout the U.S. and many distinguished writers from both the U.S. and Eastern Europe. He is also a loving father of his three year old son, Massimiliano Mráz. 

SHANNON ROGERS
Shannon Rogers is in her third year at the University where she studies English. This is also her third year of involvement with the Words Afire theater festival, the second year as a playwright. Her work has also been seen in Tricklock's 2005 Manoa Project. Shannon is a member of BLACKOUT, UNM's sketch comedy and improv troupe

The PANIC (CENTRAL STREET PROJECT) Writers

Amber Cannon is a UNM student majoring in anthropology and religious studies with a minor in theatre. She has been involved with Words Afire before, but this is her first playwriting experience. She is very excited and grateful for the opportunity.

Magdalene Gallegos is a 23 year old playwright currently residing in Albuquerque. Her play, Perfecting Eva, was produced for 2006 Words Afire Festival. She made her debut as a stage manager/assistant director for Body Burden and is pleased she did not go crazy in the process. Magdelene would like to give a special thanks to Lou Clark, Leonard Madrid, Don Garcia, and Brian Herrera for the influence they have all had on her creative process.

Theodore Jackson was born and raised in Albuquerque, NM. He is a senior majoring in theater with an emphasis in acting. In addition to his love of theatre he has many collections including comics, movies, and shot glasses. He has two great parents and two great sisters. He feels very lucky to be where he is and would like to thank anyone and everyone who has helped him get here.

Danaë Lopez is your average American, ADHD gal who is fighting against global warming. She is a theatre major with an emphasis in dramatic writing and this is the first time her work has been featured in Words Afire.