Foundry (2022)
eppchez yo-si yes is a Quaker, gender expansive, Cuban & Jewish theatre maker, musician, and designer. Ey has lived in Philadelphia since 2014 writing plays, performing, and championing self-determination for all trans people. In 2012, while still an undergrad at Wesleyan University (CT) ey started up the production company Alma’s Engine, which develops new work across a variety of genres and media. This process- focused creative ministry seeks to spread whimsical and earnest dis-ease with our status quo. Eppchez’s work is sometimes bilingual, often musical, and always leaves the audience with a party-size bag of food for thought. Eppchez has self-produced 7 original works of theatre through Alma’s Engine and has collaborated with many other local companies. Among them: Pig Iron, Simpatico, Applied Mechanics, Swimpony, and Bearded Ladies Cabaret. Eppchez studied at Headlong Performance Institute in 2017. In addition to theater Eppchez works as an independent designer making affirming undergarments and wearable art for gender expansive people. Apart from art Eppchez is deeply engaged with Quaker organizations. In several capacities Eppchez pushes Quakerism (White Liberal Friends) towards fully embracing the work of becoming an anti-racist faith community. The anti-racist work of unlearning toxic aspects of eir socialization and illuminating patterns of the settler colonialist mindset informs all aspects of Eppchez’s life.