We were lucky to catch up with Daphnie Sicre recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Daphnie, thanks for joining us today. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.
A couple years ago, I was asked to direct, “Sama Sama: Solidarity in the Fields” for East West Players Community Arts and Youth Program. This play tells the story of three high school students, who come to understand their own identities by learning about the histories of the Manongs and the Bracero Program. It’s a trilingual piece, using English, Spanish, and Tagalog to reflect the rich cultural intersections between Mexican and Filipino communities. The play incorporates narration, poetry, music, movement, and Eskrima, and was designed to be an immersive and interactive experience, drawing inspiration from the theatrical traditions of Teatro Campesino and Theatre of the Oppressed.
As a Latina director, who has trained in the work of Teatro Campesino and Theatre of the Oppressed, this project held personal significance for me. I have always admired the organizing efforts of the farmworkers’ movement, and leaders like Dolores Huerta have been deeply inspirational in my own understanding of activism and solidarity. Through “Sama Sama”, I had the opportunity to honor these histories and share them with new generations, particularly youth audiences across Los Angeles. It was important to me that the production not only educate but also empower young people to see the ways their stories are interconnected and to recognize the impact of collective action. More importantly, it was presented for free in public spaces like the Los Angeles Public Library system. Making the work accessible was a key part of the mission: to reach youth and community from diverse backgrounds and to amplify multi-ethnic narratives that are often overlooked in mainstream educational spaces. Directing “Sama Sama” allowed me to merge my passion for socially engaged theatre with my commitment to community-centered storytelling. Watching audience members respond to the piece — connecting their own experiences to the histories we were uplifting — reaffirmed for me the importance of creating art that speaks to solidarity, resilience, and pride.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
Hi, I’m Daphnie Sicre, Ph.D. (she/her/ella), and I’m a bilingual, multi-hyphenated theatre artist — a director, dramaturge, scholar, educator, and consultant. My work lives at the intersection of creativity, cultural equity, and social justice. I’m passionate about using theatre as a tool to uplift underrepresented voices — particularly Black and Latine communities, and especially AfroLatine perspectives — both on and off stage.
I first discovered theatre in high school, and studied it in college, but my professional journey really began when I became a high school theatre teacher in Miami, Florida. I built a program from the ground up, and within three years, we won the Florida Theatre Conference and went on to the Southeastern Theatre Conference (SETC). That early experience showed me the power of building community through the arts and ignited a deep commitment to using theatre to inspire change, empower youth, and tell stories that matter.
Today, I direct plays across the country, bringing stories from the page to the stage in ways that center culturally competent, and consent-based practices. I’ve directed for companies such as East West Players, Latino Theatre Company, Playwrights’ Arena, Skylight Theatre, The Road Theatre, San Diego Rep’s Latinx New Play Festival, The Fountain Theatre, The Robey Theatre Company, Bratta Productions, First Foot Productions, Blind Spot Collective, among many others. I’m particularly proud to create brave creative environments that are also disability-inclusive and identity-affirming. I am also one of Ammunition Theatre’s Co-Artistic Directors in LA. Ammunition Theatre amplifies bold, underrepresented voices from Los Angeles to the world. We tell powerful stories that break boundaries and build bridges. Through meaningful partnerships with local organizations, we fuse art with action, sparking meaningful conversations and strengthening the communities we call home. We work on New Play Development and focus on crafting daring and disruptive stories that challenge entrenched narratives and reflect the complexities of today’s America.
What sets my work apart is my unwavering focus on equity, representation, and the transformational potential of theatre. Whether I’m directing, dramaturging, teaching, or consulting, I bring a deep awareness of systemic inequities and a desire to spark meaningful dialogue through art. I work closely with playwrights and collaborators to support the development of new works that reflect the complexities of our communities and identities.
In addition to directing, I served as the resident dramaturge at The Robey Theatre Company, where I lead the Playwrights’ Lab for two years. My dramaturgical work spans regional theaters, universities, and new play festivals. I’m also proud to have supported countless writers in bringing their stories to life through readings, workshops, and productions nationwide and anything from plays to musicals. I also help run the Candela Fellowship at the Dramatist Guild in New York City, NY. Candela is a pioneering initiative dedicated to advancing high-quality theater education for emerging playwrights, book writers, and lyricists of Latin American and Caribbean heritage in NYC. Candela’s mission is to close the gap created by geographic, economic, and social obstacles that many from our communities face in accessing high-quality education. By providing direct access to resources at no cost to fellows, we provide emerging playwrights and musical theater writers of Latin American and Caribbean descent the educational tools necessary to hone their craft and skills.
As a scholar, I’ve published various book chapters and journal articles on Black and Latine theatre, anti-racist pedagogy, and performance as activism. My recent work includes book chapters in The Routledge Companion to Latine Theatre and Performance as well as African American Theatre and Performance, both were articles on AfroLatinidad and theatre. Other publications include book chapters in Black Acting Methods, Dynamic Bodies; Emerging Voices, and Contemporary Black Theatre & Performance: Acts of Rebellion, Activism, & Solidarity and many more. My research areas include AfroLatine Theatre, Latin American, Black Theatre, Theatre of the Oppressed, and Hip Hop Theatre, among others. Before being hired at UC Riverside this year, I received LMU’s Ascending Scholar Award (2021) and was named one of 25 Black Theatre’s Game Changers in Black Mask Magazine (2021).
Outside the academic and theatre worlds, I’ve also worked as a culture consultant for Nickelodeon on projects like the Emmy-nominated Santiago of the Seas, and the latest Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles film — ensuring cultural authenticity and inclusivity in children’s media.
Ultimately, I want people to know that my work is about creating space — for complex stories, for joyful resistance, for intergenerational knowledge, and for the voices that have long been pushed to the margins. I’m most proud of the communities I’ve built and supported through my work — whether in rehearsal rooms, classrooms, libraries, or theatres — and I’m always looking for new collaborations that align with my mission of justice, storytelling, and transformation through the arts.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
For me, the most rewarding aspect of being an artist is the ability to create spaces for connection, reflection, and transformation while brining stories from the page to the stage. Whether it’s through a play, a workshop, or a conversation sparked by the work, I love seeing how storytelling/performance can open hearts, challenge perceptions, and bring communities together. As a theatre artist, especially one committed to uplifting Black, Latine, and AfroLatine voices, I find deep fulfillment in giving life to stories that might otherwise go unheard — stories that honor histories, identities, and dreams.
There’s something incredibly powerful about witnessing an audience see themselves on stage for the first time, or watching a young person realize that their story matters. That’s what keeps me going — knowing that theatre has the potential to spark change, to heal, and to empower. Art allows me to merge my love for culture, activism, education, and creativity into something bigger than myself. Every project, every collaboration, every story told feels like a small act of resistance, resilience, and hope- especially now.
How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
A major pivot in my career happened literally last year, when I made the decision to leave a predominantly white institution (PWI) at the exact time I was supposed to go up for tenure. It wasn’t an easy choice but deep down, I knew that staying in a space that didn’t truly support my creativity, my values, or the kind of work I wanted to nurture wasn’t sustainable for me as an artist or educator.
I chose instead to step into the unknown and join the faculty at The University of California, Riverside — and within months a discovered a place that fully believes in me, my artistry, my scholarship and leadership. It was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. At UCR, I found a community where my voice is not only heard but celebrated. I even got asked and accepted into a leadership program and the biggest bonus, I get to teach and mentor students who look like me, who share parts of my background, and who are hungry to tell their own stories. It’s deeply fulfilling to be in a space where diversity isn’t just a buzzword — it’s part of the fabric of the institution.That pivot taught me that sometimes you have to bet on yourself, even when the “safe” choice is right there in front of you. Growth, joy, and purpose often live on the other side of fear, and I’m so grateful I trusted myself enough to take the leap. I couldn’t be happier.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://daphniesicre.com/
- Instagram: @drsicrelovestheatre
- Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/dsicre/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daphnie-sicre-6b9012215
