catherine
raina
traceski

Hi there!  I'm Catherine (she/her), but those closest to me also call me Cat or Catty (or Catarina, but only my mom calls me that).  I'm a hapa (Filipino / Taiwanese / Polish / German / American) theatre artist originally born in Honolulu and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area where I am now currently based.

I completely fell in love with performing after watching Lea Salonga's rendition of "On My Own" in the iconic 10th Anniversary Dream Cast's rendition of Les Miserables.  At 8 years old, I couldn't understand why I was suddenly crying so uncontrollably watching her.  The sheer power and vulnerability in her storytelling made a lasting impact on me.  From then on I knew I wanted to have that kind of profound affect on someone else too.  Storytelling, like Lea's, is a rich and beautiful way to bring one another to our truest, most empathetic selves.

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I believe theatre reminds us of the undeniable value and dignity of the individual.  It is a practice that teaches empathy for others, and arguably more important, empathy for oneself.  I see theatre as a noble work that, at its foundation, takes the inevitable brokenness of the human condition, and from it, draws beauty.  It has not only been an outlet for creativity and expression in my life, but it has also been a vehicle of change, empowerment, and hope. 

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Outside of performing, my favorite past-time is of course cuddling up with my dog, Ella (deftly named after my favorite jazz artist, Ella Fitzgerald).  But aside from floofy pup cuddles, I also enjoy doing puzzles, being a local foodie trying out new restaurants and expanding my palate with new cuisines, spending time with dear friends, doing my best not to score last at trivia nights, nerding out on all things Disney and Avatar: The Last Airbender, discovering new soul/jazz/funk/pop music, listening to my favorite niche podcasts, hunting down the best matcha latte in the Bay and tearing through whatever latest tv show is all the rage.