Erlina Ortiz
Multidisciplinary Artist
484- 334- 5453
I believe being an artist is a super power. I believe in using my powers for good.
Co-Artistic Director and Resident Playwright - Power Street Theatre - 2012 to today
Power Street Theatre (PST), is dedicated to art for social change by investing in creative thought leaders, multidisciplinary artists, and community voices through prioritizing representation, accessibility, education, arts advocacy and joy.
AWARDS and RECOGNITIONS
Dramatist Guild Foundation Catalyst Fellow - 2023
Recipient - O’Neill National Music Theatre Conference 2022 (Siluetas)
Citation - American Theatre Critics Association 2022 (Young Money)
Arizona Theatre Company’s National Latine Playwrights Award - 2022 (La Egoista)
Recipient - Leeway Transformation Award 2021
Semi Finalist - Terrence McNally Award 2021
Recipient - Leeway Art and Change Grant - 2020/ 2021
Temple University Alumni Grant - 2020
Barrymore Award Nomination for Outstanding New Play - 2019 (Morir Sonyando)
Bonaly Recognition for Creation of Community Joy - 2018 (Las Mujeres)
Signal Fire Outpost Writer’s Residency - 2018
Recipient - Amtrak Writer’s Residency - 2017
PLAYS AND MUSICALS
La Egoista
90 minutes, 2F
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Commission + Staged Reading - Live! and In Color - Summer 2021
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Recipient / Reading - LTC Comedy Carnaval 2022
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Recipient - 2022 National Latine Playwrights Award
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Production - Actors Theatre of Louisville Dir. Amelia Acosta Powell - 2023
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Production - Skylight Theatre Company Dir. Daphnie Sicre - 2023
Honey Bee Baby
85 Mins, core cast (4W), ensemble 3-6
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Excerpt Reading - 2019 - Foundry Graduation
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Developmental Reading - 2023 - Theatre Exile
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Developmental Reading - 2023 - Rivendell Theatre
Siluetas, a New Musical
120 minutes, 3F, 2M + Ensemble
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Power Street Theatre Zoom Reading - 2021
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O’Neill National Musical Theatre Conference 2022 - AD Alex Gemignani
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Workshop with University of Michigan New Works Festival - AD Michael McElroy
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Concert Reading with Theatre Horizon November 2023
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Power Street Theatre production June 2024
Morir Sonyando
75 Minutes, 2F 1M
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Production - Passage Theatre Company - Spring 2019
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6 Barrymore Nominations at Theatre Philadelphia
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Public Reading and Podcast Recording - The Parsnip Ship - Winter 2019
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Fringe Arts Festival Self - Production - Power Street Theatre - September 2014
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“A dreamlike poetic drama about extreme domestic violence and the women’s prison system... With such a heavy topic, Morir Sonyando had an impressively light touch and said more with less.” -Quiara Alegria Hudes - Mentor and Pulitzer Prize Winning Playwright
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Temple University presentation for Domestic Violence Awareness - Power Street Theatre Company and Lambda Theta Alpha Latin Sorority Inc. (Temple University & University of Pennsylvania) - December 2014
Young Money
70 minutes, 2F, 1M
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Azuka Theatre AEA Production - November 2021 - Philadelphia
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“Throughout the 90-minute one-act, Ortiz balances the lighthearted and the serious, the tender and the terrifying." - Broad Street Review
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DigiRep - Zoom Production - September 2020 - Philadelphia
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Citation - American Theatre Critics Association 2022
Las Mujeres
90 Minutes, 5F
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Staged Reading - Power Street Theatre (Theatre en Las Parcelas) - May 2017
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Staged Reading - Power Street Theatre (Theatre in Fairhill Square) - September 2017
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Self - Production - Power Street Theatre - March 2018
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Bonaly Award for Creation of Community Joy
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She Wore Those Shoes
70 Minutes, 3F 1M
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Staged Reading - Theatre Exile - March 2016
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“Her theatrical voice is well beyond her years and we cannot wait to share it with you all.” Brey Ann Barrett - Theatre Exile Artistic Associate
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Self - Production - Power Street Theatre - October 2016
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“...The overall message of the evening, coupled with Power Street's commitment to community outreach, is deeply refreshing. Their approach not only attracts a diverse group of artists, but also a diverse audience, and everyone is committed to having difficult conversations.”
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MinorityLand
120 Minutes, 3F 3M
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Self - Production - Power Street Theatre - Fall 2019
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Co-Production with Theatre Horizon
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“..everyone should see this play.” Philadelphia Inquirer
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Fringe Arts Festival Self - Production - Power Street Theatre - September 2013
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“MinorityLand was really good, and I strongly recommend catching it before it closes.” - Philadelphia City Paper
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University of Pennsylvania Staged Reading - Power Street Theatre and Lambda Theta Alpha Latin Sorority Inc.- January 2014
SHORT PLAYS and CO-CREATED / DEVISED WORK
La Egoista (10 min version)
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Live and in Color - rolling Zoom premiere - September 2020
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Philadelphia Theatre Company - September 2020
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and others.
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Hidden Disabilities Project
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Power Street Theatre - Performer and creator - June 2018 and ongoing
The Caregivers
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Pig Iron Theatre Company - Co-creator and community engagement - June 2018
Out of Orbit
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Power Street Theatre & (re)Focus Fest - April 2016
Information Overload
Everyone’s Life is Clearly Amazing
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InterAct Theatre Company & The One-Minute Play Festival | Philadelphia, PA - 2015
ACTING/ PERFORMANCE / SPEECHES
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Keynote Speaker - Delaware Museum Annual Writers Conference - Summer 2019
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Storyteller, Looking Class, Commonspace Podcast, Dir. Gabriela Sanchez - WHYY 2018
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Ensemble, Richard II Rebel Against the Patriarchy, Dir. Krista Apple - Rev Shakes 2018
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Deviser and Performer, War of the Worlds, Dir. Adrienne Mackey - Drexel U - Fall 2017
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“Death” and ensemble in Blood Wedding - The Duende Cycle - Directors/ Creators Tanaquil Marquez and Eliana Fabiyi - Philly Fringe 2016
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One Minute Play Festival - InterAct Theatre Company - Dir. Daniel Student - 2015
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“Genesis'' in Morir Sonyando - Power Street Theatre - Dir. Thais Flaitt - 2014
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“Zachi” in The Laramie Project - Temple University - Dir. Ed Sobel
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Philadelphia Young Playwrights Festival - Dir. David O’Connor - 2012
DIRECTING and ASSISTANT DIRECTING
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Felipillo by Tyler Rocio Econa - Director - University of the Arts - 2023
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72 Miles to Go by Hilary Bettis - Co- Director - InterAct Theatre Company - 2022
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Untitled by Mya Banegas - Director (virtual reading) - Temple University and Philadelphia Young Playwrights - 2020
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REVOLUTIONS by Elaine Romero - Director (virtual reading) - InterAct Theatre Company - 2020
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MinorityLand by Erlina Ortiz - Director - Power Street Theatre - 2013 & 2019
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Homeridae by Zandra Espinoza - Director - Staged Reading - PlayPenn - May 2019
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#therevolution by Kristoffer Diaz - Dir. Seth Rozin - InterAct Theatre Company - Assistant Director - 2016
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El Jefe by Dalissa Duran - Philadelphia Young Playwrights Paula Vogel Mentor’s Project - Director - May 2016
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Walk Away by Crystallbell Smith - Temple University and Philadelphia Young Playwrights - Director - 2016
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Sex, Drugs, Rock and Roll by Eric Bogosian - Dir. Allison Heishman - Plays and Players Theatre - Assistant Director - 2015
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We are Proud to Present (etc) by Jackie Sibblies Drury - Dir. Pirronne Yousefzadeh - InterAct Theatre Company - Assistant Director - 2015
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Mere Players by Kirstie Floyd - Philadelphia Young Playwrights Paula Vogel Mentor’s Project - Director - 2014
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InterAct Theatre Company and Philadelphia Young Playwrights Monologue Festival - Director - 2013
TEACHING
Adults
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Land and Body - Power Street Theatre (Resident Playwright)
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Bilingual Playwriting Course for Adults - 2018 - Present
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Playreading - University of the Arts - Spring 2020
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Playwriting in Community - Blue Stoop Phl - Spring 2020
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Playwriting 1 Professor - University of the Arts - Fall 2019
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Our America, Our Shakespeare - Delaware Shakespeare Festival and Wilmington Latin American Community Center
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6 week Adult Bilingual Playwriting Class - 2016
Children
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Mighty Toddlers/ Pequeno Poderosos - Bilingual interactive storytime at Mighty Writers El Futuro - 2017
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Colors and Cultures - Taller Puertorriqueno - Lead teacher for 3 classes of approximately 15 students each ranging from ages 5-15 - 2013
EDUCATION/MEMBERSHIPS
Member - Dramatist Guild of America 2017- present
Board Member, Secretary - Theatre Philadelphia 2019 - present
Member - New Pages, Azuka Theatre 2019 - present
Member - NEXUS cohort at New York Stage and Film 2020
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(recommended by Quiara Alegria Hudes)
Alumni - The Foundry, A Philadelphia Emerging Playwrights Lab 2015-2018
Apprenticeships and Internships
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Summer Intern - PlayPenn New Play Development Conference - 2011
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Season Intern - Plays and Players Theatre Company - 2011
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Season Apprentice - InterAct Theatre Company - 2012/2013
Alumni - Temple University
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BA Theatre - May, 2012