About

The Brisk Festival believes in the magic and power that theater can bring to human beings. That’s why we like to celebrate our love of the stage with wonderful and talented artists who want to share their stories with our audiences.

We offer a unique opportunity for large audiences to enjoy a great number of short plays in the span of a few weeks in a wonderful theatrical environment. Our superb list of short plays in competition are chosen after a long selection process that encourages a variety of stories and artists.

Theater allows us to connect with each other and awakens our senses and emotions. The Brisk Festival is driven by a dedicated, professional and motivated team charged with choosing a unique selection of short plays and a wonderful group of generous artists. Full Emotions, a multi-awarded production company with more than 12 years of experience in producing films, television and theater, proudly offers the Brisk Festival to give our audiences a marvelous and memorable stage experience.

“The Brisk’s Sustainability Program”
Performing arts are a reflection of our changing society, create community and have the power to change the world. Short stories multiply emotions and feelings. Sustainability meets The Brisk Festival.
• A transformational journey that begins long before the curtain goes up and ends long after it has come down.
• Finding new ways to innovate through sustainability, inclusivity, and digital transformation.
• Small changes that go a long way in knocking down the barriers.
• It starts with The Pledge.
Come join us at the free Brisk Festival ‘s sustainability workshop that will be held on August 20th 2023 at 4:15pm at the Morgan-Wixson theatre in Santa Monica, CA.

Our Festival Director and Brisk Festival Founder and Executive Producer, Christian Rodrigo, has been in the Entertainment Industry for the last 20 years. Christian Rodrigo is a Spanish actor and filmmaker, based in Los Angeles, with a background as a producer and director. He is a member of SAG-AFTRA, as well as the Actors Studio (Directors’ Unit & Play Development Unit), and the Cinema Academy of Catalonia.

He has worked as an actor in several films, TV shows, theater plays, music videos and commercials. He has, also, hosted several events and tv programs. As a producer, he also has an extensive career. He founded in Barcelona, Spain, his production company, Full Emotions SL, in 2007, and then, in 2019, in LA, CA, Full Emotions Inc. With his production companies, he has produced several films some of them awarded internationally such as Wings or My Invisible Friend, commercials, music videos or TV Shows such as LA Confidential (that he also directed for Non Stop People). In 2013 he also founded his Acting Studio in Los Angeles, coaching actors from all over the world.

He is affiliated with The Actors’ Gang (actor and teacher), a Los Angeles theater company of which Tim Robbins is the artistic director. His first big project on stage was in 2004 as the Assistant Director of John Malkovich for the play Hysteria produced in Barcelona and Madrid. Additionally, he has a diverse and extensive experience as a Host, Photographer, Camera Operator, Director and Editor. He has directed other theater festivals too in the past.

Creatively applying his MBA from ESADE/ Emory, Christian has fused his business and artistic background and distinguished himself as a serious, dynamic filmmaker in films, music videos, commercials, television programs, theater and documentaries.

Christian and his team are very careful about giving a pleasant and superb experience to all of the participants and the audience members that come to support the Festival, and he is very thankful to be a part of the Festival.

Marycarmen Portillo García is a Mexican actress, dancer, and producer based in Los Angeles, and co-founder of Colibri Dreams Productions. A graduate of Stella Adler Art of Acting Studio, Marycarmen has a rich background in bilingual theater, film, and dance. Her work integrates movement-based storytelling, often focusing on human experiences that provoke emotional resonance and reflection. She has toured in Los Angeles, New York (Off-Broadway), Ventura, and Mexico City with various productions. Her creative work has garnered multiple nominations, including recognition from the SPLASH Awards, Hollywood Fringe, LABRFF, the LA Holly Films Festival, and the Broadway World Los Angeles Awards.

In addition to her artistic work, Marycarmen is also an experienced stage manager, with over four years of involvement in the International Contemporary Dance Festival of Mexico City (FIDCDMX). She has managed multiple international dance companies, coordinated performances, and ensured smooth operations for high-paced, live performances. Her expertise spans across various creative roles: on stage, behind the scenes, in front of the camera and in production.

Through Colibri Dreams Productions, she is currently producing and touring projects throughout Southern California. Marycarmen continues to create new work as both an actor and dancer for film and theater, while expanding her presence behind the scenes. She thrives as a multidisciplinary artist, involved in every aspect of the creative process.

Carlos Mata is a multitalented creative professional with experience in acting, modeling, photography, theater production, and technical direction. With a strong foundation in both theater and film, Carlos brings a versatile and collaborative approach to every project, combining artistic sensitivity with technical knowledge and strong organizational skills.

He has worked across dynamic creative environments, with experience in cameras, computers, production equipment, customer service, and education. His ability to communicate clearly, lead teams, and adapt quickly makes him a valuable presence both onstage and behind the scenes.

Carlos served as the Technical Director for Shrek the Musical at the Glorya Kaufman Performing Arts Center, produced by AAK, and began his role as Technical Director for the Brisk Festival in 2025. His passion for the performing arts continues to guide his work as he supports productions with professionalism, creativity, and dedication.

Fashion designer, costume designer, art director, creative writer and illustrator. Active since 2006, Vanessa is the cofounder of Nuvula, an independent, creative arts fashion brand and costume design atelier. Since its inception in 2007, Nuvula has focused on originality, on responsible manufacturing, and on environmental sustainability, including the rejection of any animal-based products. Vanessa has participated in a number of independent film projects, theater productions, music videos, commercials and large magazine editorials as a designer and art director, with various awards and magazine articles recognizing Nuvula’s designs and contributions to the industry. Their work has been featured in over 20 editorial spreads and has graced the covers of more than 5 fashion magazines. With an unusual professional background as a marine biologist, she focuses most of her artwork around the environment, with a particular interest on the ocean and the plastic crisis enveloping it.

Ramon Valdez, LA & Mexico City Producer of the brisk festival, originally from Mexico, began his career as an actor in the telenovela “Las Grandes Aguas”. Without knowing that this project would become the beginning of a great career as an actor, participating on 25 telenovelas , 3 movies, 5 TV shows and more than 50 unitary programs.

Later he began his career as a producer and director of his first TV series, A2D3 falls, counting with first-rate actors such as Mario Zaragoza, Pedro Romo, Zuly Keith, among others. After this project, he opened his own production company in Los Angeles California, with which he has already been working on different projects. Then he produced four other TV shows and directed some of them Pamboleros, Los elegidos, Cryogenesis, and Limbo which entered into the pilot season 2013/2014 selection.

After that, he started to direct unitary programs about paranormal cases, and produced game programs such as Retofamosos, the Show of Lagrimita and Costel, and the Radio Awards Ceremony in 2014 that was broadcasted live nationally from the Nokia theater in Los Angeles.

These last years he’s been producing several TV commercials and music videos. It is also worth mentioning that he has a wide agenda and relationship with celebrities, and he is the Artistic Director of some TV programs from Estrella TV bringing guests to different shows improving the ratings of the network.

Right now he has an extensive list of TV shows and programs. He was also the producer of the first musical in Spanish produced in California, Burlesque the musical with Mrs. Olga Breeskin, in May 2015.

He is currently the content director of the TVC +Latino network in the city of Los Angeles California.

Zulma Latino is an actress and executive producer. She began her performance art career at the IDARTES Institute in the city of Bogota, Colombia with an emphasis on Folklore and the study of different indigenous communities. She has appeared in plays in the city of Los Angeles and has also done collaborations such as being a television host and radio host, and has also starred in music videos. Even to this day she works as a producer, manager, director of events, conferences, and congresses in the city of Bogota, Mexico, Peru, Los Angeles and Orange County.

Our Festival Sustainability Director, Luis Yanguas, has more than 20 years of multi-cultural multi-industry executive experience in Europe, Canada and U.S..
Spanish Applied Development Economics PhD and ESG specialist, based in L.A.
Optimist passioned sustainability advocate with an extensive background in international humanitarian and community service organizations.
Luis Yanguas is thankful to be part of the Festival and to join the team to support with all-things sustainability.”

Producer and Choreographer. Luli has produced and choreographed in France, Spain, United States, Argentina, Uruguay and Chile. Her credits include major works in musical theater. In Buenos Aires: Fenix Entertainment Group, Teatro Gran Rex, Teatro Opera, Teatro Tango Porteño, Teatro Maipo. In New York : Off Broadway’s ” Día y Noche” (by Labrynth Theater) “Infernal the Musical” ( The Flea), “Fuse, A backyard Stravaganza” (HHK Films), “Book of Job” (Theatre 315), National LGTBQ+Task Force and others. She is currently director of communications for PITCHBLACK IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCES ( New York) and Founder and Director of PRODUCCIONES FRANCAS. She is into the world of screendance creating her own dance films, many of which have been screened at international film festivals. You can find her latest dance film “Mascara” on Amazon Prime’s series DIF (Discover Indie Films). She is also the founder producer of NYBA DANCE FILM FEST.

Actor, musician, director, producer; he began his career in the field of music and later turned to the performing arts. He participated as an actor in independent circuit shows: “Critical Age” at La Gloria; the monologue “Reencuentro” at El Arenal and other spaces; “Epitafios Las Paces” at the Vera Vera Theater. He also directed and participated as a musician and performer in the multidisciplinary work “El Juego Se Terminó,” premiered at El Galpón de Guevara. More recently, he served as a composer and actor in the docu-fiction “Manos Vacías” and in the web series “Modo Zoom.” In 2022, he starred in the musical “Senza Fine” at the Gargantúa Theater. His audiovisual work “Tiempo” was the winner of the “Cultural Bridges” call from the Ministry of Culture of the City of Buenos Aires. “Fuera de Tiempo,” his most personal project, was selected to participate in “La Noche de la Música 2023.”

Producer and entrepreneur. He has been based in New York for 10 years, where he works in the Broadway musical theater circuit. With 15 years of experience in the entertainment industry, he has organized numerous events and international tours (Disney On Ice, Marvel Universe Live, Shawn Mendes, Blink 182, International Indian Film Awards, Kinky Boots, among others). He is the founder of FRANCAS PRODUCCIONES and currently serves as a Production Advisor at Cmax System Inc. and a partner at F2F Investments.

Sofi Esposito holds a Bachelor’s degree in HR, with over 10 years of experience in multinational companies in Argentina. Currently, her expertise is focused on Market Planning at Mercado Libre on a regional level.

Sofi is a curious and restless person, always seeking new challenges where she can learn something new. That’s why she recently joined the Brisk Festival team, aiming to contribute her bit to ensure the success of all the productions.

She believes in the transformative power of theater productions and the importance of the audience experiencing all the different emotions that each play proposes. Art is an expression of the human soul, and it’s vital that we all seek ways to connect with that part of our nature. Our proposal is a channel to do just that.

brisk festival – 3942 3rd Avenue, Los Angeles, CA, USA brisk@briskfestival.com – T: +1 310 889 4490

About

Christian Rodrigo

Marycarmen Portillo

Carlos Mata

Vanessa Victoria

Ramon Valdez

Zulma Latino

Luis Yanguas

Luli Brindisi

Ramiro Santos

Franco Castronuovo

Sofi Esposito