La Ruta

Isaac Gómez is an award-winning Chicago-based playwright originally from El Paso, Texas/Ciudad Juárez, Mexico. He graduated from The University of Texas at Austin Department of Theatre and Dance in 2013 with a B.A. in Theatre and Dance. His adaptation of Erika L. Sánchez's award-winning novel I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter had it's world premiere with a Steppenwolf for Young Adults production in February 2020; his play La Ruta received its world premiere at Steppenwolf Theater Company in December of 2018; and his play the way she spoke received its Off-Broadway premiere at the Minetta Lane Theatre (produced by Audible) in Summer 2019. He is currently under commission from South Coast Repertory, Denver Center for the Performing Arts and Steep Theatre. His plays have been supported by Steppenwolf Theater Company, Denver Center, Primary Stages, Oregon Shakespeare Festival and Goodman Theatre, among others. He is the recipient of the 2018 Dramatists Guild Lanford Wilson Award, the 2017 Jeffry Melnick New Playwright Award at Primary Stages, is an inaugural 3Arts “Make A Wave” grantee and holds various affiliations with artistic organizations nationally and locally. He is a Professional Lecturer at The Theatre School at DePaul University and is represented by The Gersh Agency and Circle of Confusion.

Anna Skidis Vargas is a director and play-maker who subverts stereotypes through myth, spirituality and humor. She works primarily in devising and developing new work, with a focus on Latinx and mixed identity stories. She is the founder of Theatre Nuevo in Saint Louis, where she produced and directed This is Not Funny, Orgullo, Acronyms, HELL and Luchadora! Skidis Vargas holds a B.A. in Performance from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and is a current M.F.A. in Directing candidate at The University of Texas at Austin where she has directed Spring Awakening, Lloronx, A Fistful of Trespassing and 30 Floods. skidisvargas.com