Alina Collins Maldonado
I am a multi-disciplinary artist, born in DC and raised most of my life in Alexandria, Virginia. Which makes me "from the DMV" a term people either love or love to hate. I am dedicated to telling authentic stories that invite audiences to step beyond the traditional fourth wall, transforming spectators into active participants in the worlds I create (that doesn't always mean you have to get up out your seat, whew.) Through my work, I aim to cultivate spaces where communities can heal, connect, and deepen their understanding of one another.
Interviewing and documenting personal narratives are central to my practice. I approach each story with care and respect, preserving the speaker’s language and experiences with consent, and amplifying voices that might otherwise go unheard. This research often informs my original works, including my one-woman shows What to Expect When You’re La Virgen, developed during my 2022 Clarice Smith Artist-in-Residence, and No Salgas Con El Pelo Mojado, created as a 2021 NextLOOK Artist. In 2023, I received The WhereWithal Research Grant to further explore intergenerational mother-daughter relationships across diverse races and ethnicities.
I am passionate about pushing the boundaries of how audiences experience storytelling. My goal is to create immersive, empathetic, and challenging spaces where people feel seen, understood, and also curious to explore more. Hopefully leaving with new insight or motivation to engage more deeply with themselves and their communities.
What To Expect When You're La Virgen
Written and performed by Alina Collins Maldonado
Maria wakes on her birthday, December 12th, to discover she is the new Virgen de Guadalupe. She immediately questions whether she is cut out for the job after receiving overwhelming prayers from Latina mothers and daughters. How can she help them understand their worth when she begins questioning her own? This one-woman show continues Collins Maldonado's previous work, No Salgas Con El Pelo Mojado, inspired by actual interviews and workshops with Latina women over the last two years. Transforming into each interviewee, the piece will examine identity, cultural expectations, and traditions passed down through generations.
This one-woman show was developed during the 2022 Artist Residency at The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center.
Staged reading at The Kogod Theater, October 9th, 2022.
Directed by Yesenia Iglesias
Projection design by Nitsan Scharf
Storytelling Consultant, Jasmine Coles
Music by Elena Lacayo
Stage Directions read by Nat Corvoisier
Board operator, Evan Thanicatt
NO SALGAS CON EL PELO MOJADO
created and performed by Alina Collins Maldonado
Through a series of actual interviews centering the relationship between Latina mothers and their daughters, No Salgas Con El Pelo Mojado offers a bilingual, intimate portrayal of the Latina experience as seen through its matriarchs. Bringing the words to life of multiple interviewees, this filmed theater piece explores the unanswered questions of identity and cultural expectations passed down through generations. Featuring musical performances by Sharalys Silva and Elena Lacayo. Storytelling Consultant, Jasmine Eileen Coles. Costume and Set Design by Moyenda Kulemeka. Cinematography and Editing by Terry Hunt.
NextLOOK 2021
In partnership with Joe's Movement Emporium and The Clarice, NextLOOK supports the development of new music, plays, dance and other experiences by regionally-based performing artists.
