Queer Girl Theatre Project

Erin Maxwell, Founder & Artistic Director

Erin graduated from the University of California, Riverside with a BA in Theatre in 2004. After moving to San Francisco, Erin found a niche in the theatre community painting sets, box office managing, acting and directing. She has worn many colorful hats in Queer Girl Theatre Project including producer, actor, director, dancing zombie, mosaic instructor & filmmaker. In each new project she has found joy working collaboratively with such thoughtful & creative artists. Queer Girl Theatre Project seeks to tell queer stories, inspire and illuminate life, humor and the pursuit of happiness!

Erin is the Director of Operations at Robert Friedman Presents, a San Francisco based performing arts company.  She is also the production manager at  42nd Street Moon Theatre in San Francisco, where she can usually be found backstage!

Jennifer Jigour, Founder & South Bay Artistic Director

Set designer, scenic artist, and make-up artist for theatre and film across the Bay Area including Theatre Rhinoceros, Renegade Theatre Experiment, and Children’s Musical Theatre of San Jose.  She is currently living in San Francisco  as an Artist and Filmmaker. Her latest films are Twisted Lipstick and Love is Free, both films premiered in San Francisco  at the Garage Theatre in 2008. She is also an active member of Queer Girl Theatre Project and is in the process of completing her first graphic novel due in June.

Sage, Founding Contributing Artist

Jamie Cotton aka Sage is a freelance writer and performance artist. Jamie received a degree in Theology from Saint Mary’s of Notre Dame University.  She has lived in France, Israel, and Japan.  She has appeared in two full-length movies, several shorts, numerous Japanese television shows, as well as, in many print publications both locally and abroad.  In 2001 she toured with Caryn Horwitz’s Production of the lesbian comedy Girl Meets Girl in which she played the character of Annie.  Currently Jamie is creating and performing with the Queer Girl Theatre Project.

Rose Miller, Graphic Designer & Artist 

Rose graduated from Whitman College in 2004 where she fully explored the meaning of interdisciplinary while completing a B.A. in Politics and Environmental studies--exploring diverse subjects such as the Western film, nature writing, biology, and cultural and political theory. Since moving to San Francisco in 2006, she has been involved in the spoken word scene, performing at K'vetch, the Queer Open Mic at the 3 Dollar Bill Café, Femina Potens, and at other cafes and bookstores around the city.

Cynthia Brinkman, Secretary & Artist

Cynthia has been acting on bay area stages for over 4 years now.  She started performing improv shows in the east bay with Pan Theater and her credits include working with Impact Theatre, Brava, and Intersection for the Arts.  As are most working artists, she lives under the hyphenated expression of success coach - actress.  She loves working with QGTP and playing the part that everybody loves to hate!

 Rolla Selbak, Filmmaker, DJ, Contributing Artist

Rolla Selbak is an Arab-American filmmaker.  Growing up in the U.A.E, she moved to the US after the first Gulf War and pursued a Computer Science degree at Portland State University.  During this time, she wrote her first full-feature script, “Making Maya”, which won entry into numerous national festivals, including "Dances With Films" (2004), and has been screened at college classes & discussion forums along the West Coast.  Rolla is currently working on her next project and second feature-film "Three Veils”.  The film follows the intertwined stories of three Muslim women living in the U.S.  The main character is a Muslim Lesbian.  For more go to www.threeveilsmovie.com.

Melanie Salazar Case, Contributing Artist

Melanie Salazar Case (a.k.a. Melanie Case) is a Colombian-American actor, comedian, writer, theater director, filmmaker, producer, and teacher.  A longtime company member of Killing My Lobster, Melanie originated the role of Pam in the award-winning world premiere production of the play Hunter Gatherers, by Peter Sinn Nachtrieb.   Melanie plays Natalie in the indie feature film The Snake, featuring Margaret Cho.  The Snake premiered at SXSW on March 13, 2009.

 
Shaunna Vella, Choreographer

Shaunna graduated Magne Cum Laude from St. Mary’s College where she double majored in Dance and Psychology. She was the recipient of the Louis LeFevre Award for the Performing Arts in 2003. She continues to dance for local dance companies such as Liss Fain Dance, Deborah Slater Dance Theater, Paufve Dance, Project Agora, Dance Ceres, and Davolos Dance Company. Her choreography has been seen at ODC Theater, Dance Mission Theater, and The Ashby Stage.

Trashcanpoet,  Contributing Artist

Miles Gabriel Burke (aka Trashcanpoet) is an Oakland-based slam poet, writer and spoken word artist. He was first published at 17 and co-founded the alt/hip-hop group RUUDE in Atlanta before moving to the Bay Area, where he now holds high rankings in the local slam scene and has performed with Fella-Fem, Artists Against Rape, and other local groups. In addition to performing, he is currently working on a novel.