Playwright Profile

Carlos-Zenen Trujillo

Our Utopia

April 29 and 30, 2023
Developmental workshop

Playwright Bio

Play Details

Carlos-Zenen Trujillo

Grew up in: A mix between Bejucal, Cuba; Ontario, California; and the Portland Metro

Currently residing: Hillsboro, Oregon

Creative beginnings: I vividly remember tertulias on my front porch growing up. The whole family and whoever happened to be passing by would sit on our rocking chairs, stool, the floor, etc., and just spend the night telling stories. My obsession with storytelling comes from my family. The way they would build off each other, subvert their narratives, and constantly compete to see who could be the funniest, the most engaging. It's those memories I go back to when I need to get over writer's block or come up with a new idea.

What nurtured or supported your playwriting the most: I've been very lucky to have a strong community of actors, directors, and artists as friends and colleagues. I can always count on the support of my friends, and I try to keep in contact as much as I can. (Even if that just means sending them TikToks at 5 am.)

Writing process: Pretty chaotic. When it's time to write, it will pour out. The tricky part is finding those moments where it's time to write.

The inspiration for your play: The State of Oregon. Our Town. The 2020 Election. The desire to escape it all and buy a farm in the woods.

Favorite moment or line: Aurora's ending monologue.

Hope for audience takeaways: Empathy. Joy. Fear. Obsession.

What you are looking forward to with the play’s development at ANPF: I have no expectations other than change. I'm pretty certain the play the audience will see will be pretty different from the current draft (at the time of writing this).