 Julia Lopez, writer, theater artist, and educator. Julia was born and raised in the South Bronx New York. She has lived and worked in Philadelphia for 19 years and is raising her 13 year old son, Damani Gabriel Lopez.
Julia graduated from Wesleyan University with a BA in theater, attended the Eugene O'Neill National Theater Institute in Waterford, CT, and the Instituto Internacional in Madrid, Spain. After graduating from Wesleyan, Julia was mentored by Nyorican Poet, Tato Laviera at the Henry Street Settlement's Hispanic Theater Workshop. She began to write and showcase her original theater and poetry works after her move to Philadelphia as part of her political, community, and arts organizing with the Centro Juan Antonio Corretjer and the Taller Puertorriqueno inc. Some of these early works include; "La Borinquena", "New Colony Miss America", "Colonialism on the Brain", and "Bitches Ain't Shit".
Julia produced and hosted 13, one hour, episodes of "Scenes from El Barrio" for public TV station WYBE-35, with special guest appearances and interviews with renowned musician Willie Colon, Puerto Rican Nationalist Party Leader Lolita Lebron, and local activists, cultural workers, artists, politicos, and residents. In 2001, Julia was awarded the Leeway Foundation's Windows of Opportunity grant to workshop "Converse Sneakers", a play written and performed with Magda Martinez, at the Centro Su Teatro in Denver, CO.
Julia is a founding member of Las Gallas. Julia has performed her work in venues throughout the US, Mexico City, and Madrid. Venues include the Taller Puertorriqueno Inc., Painted Bride Arts Center, the Nyorican Poets Cafe, Three Rivers Festival and for the National Association of Latino Arts and Culture. Her latest play "Graciela" was part of the Pregones Theater's "Asuncion" program and was professionally read and directed by Jorge Merced in June of 2005. |
