After first joining Studio Players as a costume manager for our 2016 production of Stage Kiss, Elizabeth Sanchez Quiñones quickly blossomed into one of our finest actors and most dedicated leaders– gracing our stage in numerous productions including Vanya, Sonia, Masha & Spike; Jake’s Women; A Seusified Christmas Carol; and Almost Maine.
However it was through her tireless and diligent work off-stage that she made the greatest impact on our community. In June of 2020, as the Black Lives Matter movement surged to national prominence, Elizabeth spearheaded the Studio Players DEI initiative– hosting a series of honest, open discussions with BIPOC artists from throughout the community– and she enabled Studio to build authentic relationships that have allowed us to diversify our representation on stage, behind the scenes, and in our leadership positions.
But she didn’t stop there.
Understanding that true diversity stretches beyond the issues of race, she hosted conversations with neuro-diverse artists and artists from the Blind and Deaf communities– allowing Studio to learn about common-sense accommodations and strategies that have helped us to become more accessible to all artists.
Studio is proud of our growth as a diverse, welcoming theatre company that can better reflect the community that we call home, and we are eternally grateful for the momentous efforts of Elizabeth Sanchez Quiñones that enabled us to achieve this progress in a meaningful way.