Berkeley Rep Appoints victor cervantes jr. as Associate Producer – New Work

Berkeley Repertory Theatre has appointed Victor Cervantes Jr. (they/elle/iel) as the award-winning theatre company’s Associate Producer – New Work.

In this newly formed role, cervantes will be responsible for managing the activities of The Ground Floor: Berkeley Rep’s Center for the Creation and Development of New Work, as well as work with the artistic team on the planning, producing, and artistic support of the mainstage season.

"We are thrilled to welcome victor to Berkeley Rep as our new Associate Producer - New Work,” said Pfaelzer. “Their passion for storytelling, deep understanding of the creative process, and commitment to amplifying diverse voices make them an invaluable addition to our team. I am grateful that even in these challenging times, Berkeley Rep’s commitment to the creation of new work remains robust, and I look forward to seeing the impact I know victor’s collaboration and vision will have on the future of The Ground Floor, and the artists we support."

"Having been born in Mountain View, I am thrilled to return to the Bay Area and support Artistic Director Johanna Pfaelzer—one of the foremost crafted and artist-centric producers of the American Theatre—and work alongside Associate Artistic Director David Mendizábal—one of the American Theatre's leaders in visionary community-centric practices,” adds cervantes. “As a proud child of previously undocumented Mexican-American residents, to be a part of Berkeley Repertory Theatre's Artistic team is a dream not dreamt by my ancestors. I am thankful to the staff and team at-large for their warm and welcoming invite into a committed artistic community; and I look forward to building on the work of those before me within new work development and creating bridges for artists to The Ground Floor."

cervantes is a theatremaker, educator, and community organizer hailing from Phoenix, AZ. They are the Founder and CEO of la mission project, a social impact production company that specializes in the development and execution of wide-scale, immersive arts projects and their intersection with community mobilization. They aim to support and uplift BIPOC+ Queer and Trans artists and stories to more visible platforms, and to reach communities that have been pushed to the margins; as such, they are the Creative Producer for New Roots: A Queer Artist Residency at Walhalla Farm, a Core Faculty Member at The National Theater Institute within The Eugene O'Neill Theater Center, and a Mentor for The Miranda Family Fund Fellowship.

Recently, they served as Executive Producer for A Good Day to Me Not to You by Lameece Issaq and directed by Lee Sunday Evans with Waterwell Productions and Plate Spinner Productions at The Connelly Theater in New York City; 7 Minutes by Stefano Massini (The Lehman Trilogy on Broadway) and directed by Mei Ann Teo with Waterwell Productions; and a sold-out run of The Pool Plays (3 Premieres in Repertory by Kate Cortesi, Brenda Withers, and Emily Zemba) at The New Ohio Theater.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, they were the Creative Producer for The Homebound Project, a fundraiser for No Kid Hungry, which raised over $150K. This past year, they served on the selection panels for American Playwriting Foundation's Relentless Award, American Musical Theatre Project, HERE Arts HARP Residency Award, NAMT: Impact & Exploration Fund Grant Award, Eugene O'Neill's Musical Theater and Playwrights Conference, Playwrights Realm's Development Programs, Terrence McNally Fellowship at Rattlestick Playwrights, and the Theater Producers of Color Cohort. They are the former Associate Producer of New Work and Innovation & Strategy at Oregon Shakespeare Festival (Seasons 23 & 24); Associate Producer at Rattlestick Playwrights Theater (Seasons 23 & 24); and former Co-Artistic Director of Middle Voice at Rattlestick (2013 - 2018).

They have enjoyed teaching for AADA, AMDA, ASU, Columbia University, Hunter College, NYU's Tisch School for the Arts, and schools serving the ASD community.
 

photo credit: Ben Krantz Studio