Today we’d like to introduce you to Atalaya Gonzalez and Marianne Paculba.
Hi Atalaya & Marianne, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
M: I had returned from a study abroad experience in Ireland, where I met an instructor of mine who had started his own theatre company, and it really inspired me. I wanted a place where I could collaborate with other artists to curate a safe space for people who were also looking to create and tell stories. I’m very passionate about storytelling and I wanted to be in a position where I could provide that; I also crave community and connection, and I found that the most effective way to do that is through theater for me.
A: Marianne and I had worked together previously as actors, but we both did other stuff in theater as well, and we knew each other and how we worked and how we saw the world of theater and we both wanted to make a space that would be for people who are starting and people who don’t normally get these opportunities, right? Outside of a school setting or a professional setting or an existing theater where it’s always people that you see over and over again, we wanted to have something that would be open and to do things that you perhaps usually wouldn’t see.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
M: Personally, it was not a smooth road! I have bipolar disorder, so I’m not the most orderly person. I was in between three jobs when we began all of this; I was doing two shows; my life was practically in shambles. My grandpa got diagnosed with stage three cancer in the midst of our production, and it was just a roller coaster of emotions as life continues to be for me. It was just a lot of logistics, worrying about the finances and whether we’d have an audience; it was a mixture of internal conflict as well as literal life!
A: 100% the audience and the money. Making theater takes a lot more money than you might think, even if you’re doing it with like, the lowest possible budget you can imagine. We paid for this out-of-pocket; that was what I think the most difficult, was trying to get that together and making those decisions and reckoning with what we had in mind versus what we could afford. But honestly, I think that kind of thing is what breeds creativity. We came up with a lot of creative solutions, but it was definitely tough getting there.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
A: Marianne and I run Tail’s End Theatre together, putting on small theatre productions here in San Diego. We’re pretty new! Our first show was Edith Can Shoot Things and Hit Them, which follows two Filipino-American siblings growing up in the 90’s. The story also navigates growing up queer and ostracized, so all in all it really encompasses what our whole goal is: to put on shows about things you don’t always see, for, by, and about people who don’t often see opportunities in theatre. We’re very proud that we’ve been able to do this with so few resources: we are self-funding this, and we’re a team of two who work normal jobs and can’t afford Bachelor’s degrees or unpaid internships. That’s special, I think, because while theatre as a medium is fantastic for connection, theatre spaces often end up exclusionary and rigid. Our mission is to be the opposite: a place of opportunity and flexibility.
Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
M: I am an active believer in taking a risk. It may come off as impulsive, but after the passing of a dear friend of mine, I realized life is too short to have any regrets. I believe that taking a plunge into the deep end, whether it comes out to be a bad or a positive experience, it’s worth taking that risk because it gives you experience! Perhaps, the outcome is a very vital lesson about yourself or about life. Worse comes to worst, the risk is usually more fulfilling and less daunting once you’ve taken it. I immigrated here with my family from the Philippines, my pursuit towards a career in the theatre industry is the biggest risk financially, yet it’s a risk I am willing to take every time.
A: I think Marianne is braver than me, but it was a risk in of itself to try and do this on our own at all. It was a major risk! But I think we did pull it off in the end.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/tailsend
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/tailsendtheatre
- Other: https://tailsend.ludus.com
Image Credits
Daniel Ramirez
