On this episode, David and Joey chat with the newly appointed Co-Artistic Directors of Teatro Vista in Chicago, Lorena Diaz and Wendy Mateo, about shared leadership, how joy can be your currency, and their incredible 20+ year relationship.

Lorena Diaz, a "Made in Chicago" hybrid of Peruvian Indigenous descent and American Latino swagger, has bounced between Chicago's theater and comedy scenes for 15 years. She is familiar to Teatro Vista audiences for portraying Carolina in the company's acclaimed 2018 world premiere The Madres by Stephanie Alison Walker. She subsequently co-directed Teatro Vista's 2019 premiere of Walker's sequel, The Abuelas. Her many other collaborations include work with Jo Cattell and Steppenwolf 1700 (Tumbao, a live radio play), iO Chicago (People in the City), Mike Oquendo Productions, Goodman, Playground Theatre and The Second City. She is most commonly known for her work over six seasons as the snarky Nurse Doris on Dick Wolf's Chicago Med, Fire and PD franchise.

Wendy Mateo is a Chicago-based comedian, actor, writer, director and filmmaker. Mateo has been seen throughout the city's stages including Lookingglass Theatre, where she is an artistic associate, Steppenwolf 1700, and Playground Theater. Her directing credits include the 2018 play Not for Sale 2.0 by Guadalis Del Carmen at UrbanTheater Company. On TV she performs in shows like NBC's Chicago PD, as guest star Chicago Med, and as "Ronnie" in Station Eleven on HBO. Aside from her focus on expanding representation in media, Mateo is also an equity, diversity, and inclusion consultant and facilitator with the Nova Collective and her own consulting company, Ina Consulting.

Connect with Lorena (she/her)

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This episode was mixed and edited by Iris Zacarías (she/they)

https://www.iriszdesigns.com/

https://www.instagram.com/irismarcelina/