Reviews and accolades of former work...the NEWS page for the latest!

For all of you word nerds out there, The Good Words Podcast is aimed towards kids, but appeals to anyone who loves language. Check out the latest episode by creator Lynn Hickernell,  in which I make a little guest voice over appearance: 

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hiatus-gwp-earpetizer/id1390655167?i=1000451751412

SPRING/SUMMER:

South Coast Repertory's 2019 Pacific Playwright's Festival; Whitelisted by Chisa Hutchinson directed by Sarah Rasmussen.

Classic Sundays at Antaeus Company; Christopher Fry adaptation of The Lark directed by Gigi Bermingham.

Look for me on television in the latest Commercial for ROSS.

WINTER:

 NewSCRipt at South Coast Repertory; Eureka Day, by Jonathan Spector directed by Jennifer Chambers

  READING at Antaeus Theatre Company of EIGHT NIGHTS, by Jennifer Maisel directed by Emily Chase

RECENT WORK:Staged Reading of Origin Story by Nathan Alan Davis at South Coast Rep for the New SCRipts Reading Series.    https://www.scr.org/plays/newscripts-reading-series    

__Multiple readings of new pieces, most notably, I recently had the chance to break out my comedy chops as Princess Charlotte, eldest daughter of King George III in Carolyn Kras' The Subject, a staged reading directed by Emily Chase for  Antaeus Theatre Company.  

__Lena in Black Super Hero Magic Mama

a new play by Inda Craig-Galvan

directed by Jennifer Chang

for The USC New Works Festival at Pasadena Playhouse

--Iola in Anacostia Street Lions

a new play by Tearrance Arvelle Chisholm

directed by Michael John Garces

for South Coast Rep's 20th Annual Pacific Playwrights Festival!

****

Currently appearing in National spots for Subaru and General Electric.

****

Check out this article in American Theatre Magazine about Hedda Gabler and partner casting at Antaeus Theatre Company:

http://www.americantheatre.org/2016/10/28/antaeuss-partner-casting-two-for-one-one-for-all/

Recently appeared on: 

"Kwana Martinez is a captivating combination of glowing innocence and steely resolve."

--THE LA TIMES

 **** 

 Currently appearing in National spots for Subaru and General Electric.

**** 

 2015: STAGE SCENE LA WINNER --ENSEMBLE CAST PERFORMANCE,  DRAMA, LARGER THEATRE

WORLD PREMIERE of Pulitzer Prize Finalist Rajiv Joseph's Mr. Wolf, directed by David Emmes, at the South Coast Repertory Theatre: 

--Stage Scene LA

"Providing distinctly contrasting portraits of mothers who've experienced loss, both Auberjonois and Martinez provide exemplary performances."

--Broadway World

"Martinez's Julie is heartbreakingly fragile..."

--Orange County Register

@The New Works Festival at the Pasadena Playhouse: played a scientist who experiments with husband's genetic make up in Tyler Pendgraft's Sentience.

2014:

NOVEMBER:

READING of Joe Turner's Come and Gone  at the Rubicon Theatre

AND

BOOKED and wrapped Corporate voice-over gig

OCTOBER: GE commercial now running Nationally! Click here to see it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfmQvc6tB1o

SEPTEMBER:

BOOKED and shot the role of Gina in the short film "Blame It On Rio"

AND

BOOKED and shot the role of Christine in the short film "Aftermath"

AND

my latest commercial  is running online! Click here to see it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfmQvc6tB1o

AUGUST: Final two weeks and closing of Oedipus! Reviews to be posted.

JUNE/JULY: OPENED The Curse of Oedipus

AND

Shot another National commercial

MAY: BOOKED the role of a pediatric nurse in commercial

AND

Rehearsed for Oedipus.

APRIL: BOOKED the role of Antigone in The Curse of Oedipus at Antaeus Company.

MARCH: BOOKED the workshop of Marsha Norman's new play,

Special Report: The War on Women. Worked with Norman (Pulitzer winning playwright of 'Night Mother) and Lear DeBessonet (director at the Public Theatre in NYC);produced by Theatre for Humans, and performed at the Panasonic Theatre Lab.

AND

Shot National Commercial

FEBRUARY: BOOKED National Commercial

 A few pre-2014 links:

*ING Direct commercial
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=geExFBLcl2s

*Informed Consent  www.youtube.com/watch 

*Spanish speaking commercial spec : www.youtube.com/watch

*HBO short film "Art Heist" part of the online award nominated CUBE project

A few stage reviews...  

*Crime and Punishment @ Ensemble Theatre of Santa Barbara

"Kwana Martinez powerfully portrays Sonia, the prostitute who has invested her real love on faith."--The Santa Barbara Independent "All three actors are terrific under Jonathan Fox's direction...Ms. Martinez vacillates between metaphor and individual character with aplomb."--Santa Barbara New-Press

*Sonia Flew @ San Jose Repertory "In Cuba, under the Castro regime, Pilar (the sublime Kwana Martinez) bristles at having to bow and scrape to the local party honcho. Martinez is formidable as Pilar, fear and desperation written on her face, even as she tries for a gracious smile." --The San Jose Mercury

*Merry Wives of Windsor @ Denver Center

"It's hard to imagine what (director) David Ivers could have done to make this weightless screwball comedy any more entertaining. ...Though this is Shakespeare's sole play centered on finding love in the middle ages, it's also got a pair of adorable young lovers (Mat Hostetler and Kwana Martinez), and it's no surprise they are able to outwit their disapproving parents."

--The Denver Post

*String of Pearls @ North Coast Repertory

"Kwana Martinez moves deftly from a present day 74 to her earlier self at 39. Her age shifts are so complete that we can sense the age shift even before a line of dialog or a change of costume."

--News Blaze.com