Next person biography:
Elisa Bocanegra is a renowned U.S.-born Puerto Rican actress, director, producer, and activist. She is the founder of HERO Theatre, a Los Angeles-based theatre company that focuses on social and environmental justice. The company has received widespread recognition and support from celebrated Hollywood actors, including Annette Bening, Justina Machado, William H. Macy, and more.
As a Fulbright scholar, Elisa spent almost two years in residence at the Instituto Humboldt in Colombia, where she was mentored by the late Academy Award-winning actress Olympia Dukakis. Her work has been recognized by The Los Angeles Times, which named her a Latino "power player" in Hollywood.
Elisa's latest project, Nuestro Planeta, is a screen and stage project that aims to bring sustainability education to Latine peoples from the entire diaspora through theatre and film. The project has received support from the Fulbright Colombia, the MAP Fund, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the California Arts Council.
As an actress, Elisa has appeared in numerous films and television shows, including GIRLFIGHT, which won the Grand Jury Prize for Best Film at The Sundance Film Festival, and Netflix's Christmas With You, which reached number one worldwide. She has also performed at major theaters around the U.S., including The Roundabout Theatre Company in New York.
Elisa is currently pursuing her PhD in Sustainability and Education at Prescott College, where she received her M.F.A. in Social & Environmental Arts Practice. She divides her time between Hollywood and Bogotá, Colombia, where she founded Teatro Héroe, a theatre company that uses theatre as a tool to educate children, youth, and adults in all communities in Colombia about economic, political, cultural, social, and socio-environmental issues.
Elisa's numerous awards and honors include the Pfaelzer Award, the Theatre Communications Group Leadership U Grant, and the Fulbright Colombia research and development funding. She has also been part of the prestigious NEXUS Cohort at New York Stage and Film and has received support from celebrated Hollywood actors, including Annette Bening, Justina Machado, William H. Macy, and more.
Elisa's stage directing credits include the critically acclaimed LUZMI, NOTHING, NOTHING, and TROY, a modern retelling of THE TROJAN WOMEN about women and homelessness in Los Angeles. She has also directed numerous productions for HERO Theatre, including the critically acclaimed LUZMI and NOTHING.
