JOTA at Fat Elephant Theatre

ABOUT THE PLAY 

JOTA is a solo show written and performed by Katherine Bahena-Benitez, Directed by Manuel Pickett. JOTA is a show that follows a young queer Mexican Indigenous woman on the cusp of a new chapter in her life. As she prepares to leave her childhood home behind and move to New York, she embarks on an emotional journey of self-discovery. In the process of packing up her belongings, she encounters a series of objects—each one a portal to her past, her culture, and her queerness. Through these items, she reflects on the intersection of her identity, her upbringing, and the history of LGBTQIA+ people in both Mexico and the United States. With heart, and deep introspection, JOTA is a story of resilience, cultural pride, and the power of carrying one’s history forward.

Tickets now available at: https://teatroespejo.com/tickets

ABOUT THE PLAYWRIGHT

Katherine Bahena-Benitez (she/they) is a queer Mexican Indigenous multidisciplinary artist, born and raised in Stockton, California. The proud daughter of Mexican and Indigenous farmworkers, she grew up grounded in the values of resilience, determination, and community—principles instilled in her by her family and are now central to how she tells stories.

Now based between New York and California, Katherine is an actor, writer, director, filmmaker, teaching artist, and model. She has trained with the American Conservatory Theater, the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center, California State University Sacramento, and the Broadway Advocacy Coalition at Columbia University. She’s performed with New York Stage and Film, Teatro Línea de Sombra, NYU Skirball, La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club, among others. She has been featured in HipLatina, Vogue, Remezcla, Fenty, Voyage LA, Canvas Rebel, Brooks, and Apostrophe Magazine. A Miranda Family Fellow alum, Katherine’s writing has been published in HEROICA, Museum Guild, and the International Human Arts Movement.

With deep joy, she now debuts her solo show JOTA with Teatro Espejo—the first theater she ever worked with, and where she says, "my dreams came to life."

Katherine says, “Con mucho amor y cariño, I do this for our gente, I do this for us.” 

For more of Katherine IG: @_imjstlivin OR email: bbenitezkatherine@gmail.com