MISS J, Jaylyn Abergas, artist, performer, actress, has been entertaining the Bay Area for over 2 decades. You can catch her dancing in the streets of Folsom St, the Castro, and the Mission. Crowned Royale Ambassador of Carnaval in 2018, Miss J, can also be seen acting in an upcoming movie, “Dope Queens”, a feature film set in San Francisco’s Diva’s, and in “Comptons Cafeteria Riot”, an immersive play set in the Tenderloin reenacting the initial riots of the 60’s that sparked PRIDE of today. PRIDE IS A RIOT! Her life is dedicated to telling the trans history of San Francisco to the upcoming youth and to tourists and visitors to the beautiful Bay Area.

Robyn is a native of Las Cruces, NM where she was deeply involved with theater before she came to San Francisco at age 18 to attend the San Francisco Art Institute and graduate from the  Academy of Art College. A graphic artist, web designer and illustrator, she worked for many years in animation as a color designer and background painter and freelance designer. She has had an interest in transgender history dating back to her early drag life in the 1990s and later as the creative director for the Louise Lawrence Transgender Archive for whom she designed the Doris Fish: Ego As Artform exhibit at the GLBT Historical Society, which led to the creation of DorisFish.com, an online archive of the great San Francisco Drag Queen. Most recently, she managed social media and creative services for the 2024 San Francisco Pride Parade. She is excited to return to acting and is honored to celebrate the story of the Compton's Cafeteria Riot. She lives in Oakland with two cats and her teenage son, Jonah.

Wriply Marié Bennet, a proud self-taught illustrator, activist/organizer born and raised in Ohio. Her art and organizing work started with the Trans Women of Color Collective and expanded in Ferguson when she and a few others were freedom riders traveling to stand with the family and community of Mike Brown, not only as a community organizer for the Trans Women Of Color Collective: but a Black Trans women who needed to stand with all black lives and remind the world that they Matter. As an artist, Wriply’s work expresses the perseverance, power, strength, resilience, grace and beauty of Black trans women, femmes, G.N.C and queer folks. It also sheds light on the lack of national outcry surrounding an epidemic of Black trans death in America, a number that gets larger each year at the hands of state sanctioned violence and ramped toxic masculinity.

Jonah Hezekiah Bessellieu is extremely excited to perform as Frankie in Compton’s Cafeteria Riot. He has performed in numerous productions in the Bay Area, and is looking forward to expanding the strength of his craft. Outside of acting, Jonah is a musician, under the alias RNJ, and genuinely enjoys creating art that inspires others.

Anthony grew up on the San Francisco Peninsula and after many years living and traveling overseas returned to the Bay Area and found a home for his wanderlust in acting. Favorite past roles include Bob in Loose Knit (Masquers Playhouse), Floyd in Speakeasy (Boxcar Theater), Peter Timms in Chinglish (San Francisco Playhouse & Plethos Productions), and Herr Zeller in Sound of Music (Foothill Musical Theater). He currently studies acting at ZA Studios. Special thanks to Carmen for her faith in me. 

Matthew is a queer advocate/activist with a background in political/LGBTQ+ research, grassroots efforts, youth education, and non-profit work. Recently graduated from the University of Southern California with a BA in Political Science and a Spanish minor, Matthew is currently helping grow a queer support group with Behavioral Fitness for ages 18-30 in Walnut Creek to expand queer community in East Bay. They are honored to make their acting debut as Young Vicki Starlight, working with a predominantly queer cast to bring trans history and visibility to the forefront—an experience of a lifetime that they can’t wait to share.

Saoirse Grace is a Bay Area-based actor, singer, visual artist, cyr performer, clown, and award-winning filmmaker. She has performed for theatre audiences in France, Austria, Germany, Texas, and California.

Casimir Kotarski (he/him) is honored to portray the role of Adrian in Compton's Cafeteria Riot. Casimir is new to Bay Area theater, having spent the last five years immersed in Seattle's underground drag scene and delighting the crowd as one of Pony's go-go dancers. He hopes this production inspires late nights nerding out on queer history and a commitment to carrying out the legacy of this story by not complying with BS in advance from a place of fear. He'd like to thank his community of sex workers and trans people, whose magic and generosity so often go unrecognized.

Jord Liu (she/her) is thrilled to be understudying for The Compton's Cafeteria Riot and connecting with the trans mammas and activists who paved the way. Jord is a theatre maker, writer, musician, and during the week can also be spotted in the machine shop at the Exploratorium, building hands-on science exhibits. She would like to thank her amazing friends, chosen and given family, and her siblings in solidarity. See you at Compton's!

Born and raised in Queens, NYC, Steve is a child of Egyptian and German immigrants. He completed BS studies in Percussion from Brooklyn College Conservatory of Music as well as his minor in Theatre. He was also a student at Manhattan School of Music, Third Street Music Settlement and American Conservatory Theatre. He has toured the world three times, was a member of New York City’s American Folk Theatre for two years, narrated over 275 audiobooks, performed countless voiceovers for major brands, appeared in national commercial campaigns and continues to perform as both an actor and musician/composer with over 21 albums recorded for the The San Francisco Free Jazz Collective Label (https://freejazzcollective.bandcamp.com). He previously owned and taught Hapkido and Jujitsu in San Francisco and continues to teach when his old knees allow.

Jordan L’Moore has been active in the Bay Area theater and music scenes for over 30 years. She has performed as an actor with the Sick and Twisted Players, and as vocalist for legendary punk drag band PEPPERSPRAY, as well as currently singing in The Velvet Underwear. She’s also been found GoGo dancing for the Tubes as one of the Ludettes and as a regular drag performer at T-Shack and later the Oasis- where she recently appeared as the space vixen Magda in Star Trek Mudd’s Women. She is thrilled to be playing an actual human, and true legend Vicki Marlane in this production. When not on stage Jordan can be found styling hair at GlamaRama Oakland and sleeping under her cats trying to ignore the news for the next four years.

(They/Them) Maurice holds a B.F.A. in Music Theatre from the University of Texas, El Paso (UTEP) and is a proud member of the Oakland Education Association. Past theatrical collaborations include work with New Conservatory Theatre Center, Bay Area Children’s Theatre, Berkeley Playhouse, Ray of Light, Red Ladder Theatre Co. and Berkeley Rep. They are currently in their 8th year at Westlake Middle School, where they teach choir to 6th, 7th, and 8th grade. San-Chez champions arts integration as a tool for social change in the face of gentrification and the decline of working-class communities of color. In 2022, they undertook a 20-Day Hunger Strike to protest racist school closures, galvanizing the community in the fight for public education. This commitment to social justice led to them being recognized as the 2023 Assembly District 18 Educator of the Year. (Photo Credit: Brooke Anderson Photography)

Lavale-William Davis A.K.A Coco Buttah (She/They) is a Non-Binary, Oakland based actor, dancer and drag queen, who performs all over the Bay Area and beyond. Coco grew up performing musical theater from a very young age. After being cast in a local production of La Cage Aux Folles they fell in love with drag and almost 10 years later, she is still going strong, she even chose her drag name from a Broadway show.  Coco likes to incorporate their love of theater, dance, comedy, and camp into her drag performances, and loves to spread joy and happiness when they perform.

Shane Zaldivar relocated from Florida to California in 2014 in the pursuit of an authentic lifestyle. Since then she has flourished as an artist and activist in San Francisco. Known locally as the Pop Up Drag Queen, she has captivated audiences with spontaneous performances in front of the Ferry Building since 2016. Her project celebrates San Francisco’s diversity, creating engaging and unexpected moments that spark joy and connection for both visitors and residents. Shane was also in the original cast for the 2018 production of the Compton's Cafeteria Riot. Through her art she inspires curiosity and dialogue, especially for those unfamiliar with drag culture or the transgender community. Beyond street performances, Shane professionally serves as the Manager of Training and Education at San Francisco's Office of Transgender Initiatives. Since she began working for the office in 2020, Shane has developed and facilitated live-educational training for thousands of City and County employees on topics pertinent to transgender communities. This work has included presenting on national stages such as the Creating Change Conference and the National Transgender Health Summit. Shane's dedication to art, activism, and education highlights her unwavering commitment to fostering inclusivity and driving meaningful cultural change. Through her work, she not only educates but also builds bridges of empathy, ensuring that every person—regardless of familiarity with transgender or drag communities—feels seen, heard, and valued.