bio
Graciela Fernandez (she/her) is a multi-hyphenate artist and Oberlin ’24 grad with a passion for experimental theater that uplifts her queer and BIPOC peers. She is a director, playwright, choreographer, and occasionally performer if you can coax her to the stage. She is a Cuba-rican creyente de Santería from St. Augustine, Florida, relocated to the DMV. Graciela’s focus as an artist holding historically authoritative positions is to give every creative a seat at the table. She enjoys writing about religion, assimilation, queerness, and BIPOC resilience. She enjoys directing plays addressing similar topics and always includes music and dance in the story. Currently, Graciela is working on a new play and revising several old works for publication. She hopes to realize her work on the stage again soon.
Photo by
Serafina Yan
Artist Statement
If it isn't obvious already, I was raised Catholic.
But I’m also a lesbian, so there’s that.
After a year of college, I felt older and wiser, and I wanted everyone to know what I learned about love, so I wrote a play or two. We don't talk about them.
After four years of college, I feel older and wiser, and I want everyone to know what I have learned about everything, but I have also learned to listen.
My journey as an artist has been a dynamic evolution from performer to writer to director, deeply influenced by physical somatic practices and a commitment to experimental and devised theater. Throughout this progression, my artistic vision has been shaped by my psychological studies in child development, my collegiate peer support and education experiences, and, most of all, my relentless pursuit of social justice through meaningful spectacle. My work commits to maximizing accessibility for community engagement, fostering collaboration with artists of all kinds, and prioritizing the voices of my fellow queer and BIPOC artists whose contributions are so often overlooked. This mission is particularly important to me, having experienced exclusion from artistic spaces due to being perceived as too young, too brown or not enough, or too much of something that could tarnish a “company image.”
Accessibility to art is a powerful act of resistance against relentless capitalist efforts to white-wash and commodify BIPOC and queer art. I am eager to contribute to this mission, helping to bring more BIPOC and queer talent to the table and their art to the stage. This principle is integral to my approach in the rehearsal room. I believe in creating an environment where every voice is heard and valued, where communication is multifaceted, and where my team’s collective vision for a show can be fully realized. Though production teams often operate within traditional power structures, I advocate for a horizontal hierarchy in art, which offers an opportunity for assistants and actors alike to hold the same space as the directing and management teams. It is my duty and honor to produce art that reflects my family’s resilience and fortitude and to honor the BIPOC artists whose labor has paved the way for my journey. I hope to continue this legacy, creating bold and meaningful theater that speaks to the diversity and strength of our communities.
Big Spender
Concieved & Dir.
Lauren Elwood
Dykes Want Revenge
WOBC Coverband
Calypso
Written & Dir.
Jordan Muschler
Graciela Fernandez (she/her) is experimental playwright and director local to the DMV area and looking to connect with local artists especially if queer and BIPOC-identifying.
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