Iraq War vet Elliot Ortiz has a bright new career working in Hollywood action films. While shooting on location in Jordan, with the tumultuous Arab Spring rumbling nearby, he finds that his wartime dreams and nightmares have followed him into his new life.  At the same time, halfway around the world in a cozy North Philadelphia kitchen, his cousin Yaz takes on a heroic new role of her own: as the heart and soul of her crumbling community.  This powerful production is a tale of two young adults who cross the globe in search of connection, redemption, and their place in the world.

Aida Leguizamon (Yaz) is honored to be making her Theatre22 debut with such an incredible team of artists! An NYC based actor, Aida was last seen around town in Scott Kasier’s Shakespeare’s Other Women at Island Shakespeare Festival. Other regional credits include Luciana in The Comedy of Errors and Horatio in Hamlet (Island Shakespeare Festival) and Chase in A Dark Sky Full of the Stars (Ashland New Plays Festival). New York credits include Olivia in Sisters-By-Law (Theatre Row), Alfred in Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead (Midtown International Theater Festival) and Viola in Twelfth Night (Circle in the Square-PW). Additionally, Aida had a “first life” as a principle dancer for the Chicago based Trinity Irish Dance Co., spending almost a decade touring all over the country and the world. Aida is a proud graduate of Circle in the Square. www.aidaleguizamon.com Instagram/Twitter @aidaboo

Joshua Chessin-Yudin (Elliot) was born and raised in Seattle and is unbelievably grateful to make his Theatre22 debut!  He is a University of Washington graduate and his Seattle credits include ArtsWest’s My Mañana Comes (Whalid), Really, Really (Cooper) and Seattle Shakespeare Company’s 2015 tour of Macbeth (Duncan, Macduff) and Romeo and Juliet (Nurse, Mercutio).  He currently resides in New York.  Josh would like to thank Julie, the cast, the designers, and all the other awesome individuals and creatives who helped make this production possible and, most of all, would like to thank Theatre22 again for the opportunity to work.  www.joshuacy.com

Michael D. Blum (Augustine) Michael has been an actor and director since childhood. Over the years he has co-founded two Latino theater companies: La Compañía De Teatro De Albuquerque, Inc. in the 1980’s, and more recently Teatro Nuevo México, where he served as Co-Artistic Director for four years. His work has been seen as far afield as Europe, Mexico and South America, including a stint with the National Theater of Venezuela. He is also an award-winning voice talent in both English and Spanish providing voices for advertising, theater, television, audio books and video games. Michael holds the position of Instructor at the Seattle Voice Institute. He occasionally regrets having chosen theater over sleep.

Lexi Chipman (Shar) is thrilled to be making her Theater22 debut! Since graduating Cornish College of the Arts in 2016 you may have seen her in Shakespeare’s Other Women (Island Shakespeare Company), or in Seattle Shakespeare’s touring Company as Juliet (Romeo and Juliet) or Bianca/Biondello (Taming of the Shrew). You also may have seen her performing in Raisins in a Glass of Milk which she co-wrote and co-produced with fellow performer Maya Burton. Lexi is unbelievably grateful to be a part of this incredible production. And sends much love to her wonderful support system MELS!

Agastya Kohli (Ali) is a Seattle area based actor, director and producer. He leads the Drama Wing of Pratidhwani – a local South Asian performing arts organization – and has directed and produced many shows for Pratidhwani. Recent acting credits include Money & Run at Theater Schmeater, The Brothers K at Book-it Rep, and 14/48: TWQTF. A Telecom Engineer by day, Agastya proudly serves on the board of Theatre Puget Sound.  Many thanks to Theatre22, cast & crew of HSPL, to his wife Marianna, and to you for supporting live theatre.

Rich Hawkins (Lefty) was a working Seattle actor from the mid 1970s to the early 1990s. He’s perhaps best remembered for the role of Ronald Reagan in the Group Theatre’s long-running Rap Master Ronnie or his film appearances in Sleepless in Seattle and Homeward Bound. When the Soviet Union ended, Rich thought he’d take a year off to teach English in Central Asia. More than twenty-five years later, he’s back . . . and glad to be!