In This Program

• About the Show
• A Welcome from the Artistic Director
• Themes and Content Guidance
• Cast and Creative
• BIPOC Superhero Project
• The Good Human Cycle
• SCT Partners
• Engagement Opportunity
• Print Edition
• More About Seattle Children’s Theatre

About the Show

Seattle Children’s Theatre is grateful to our community and those who made this production of I’ll Be Your Superhero possible.

2026–27 Season Sponsors:

4Culture
The Shubert Foundation

2026–27 Supporting Season Sponsors:

ArtsFund
Microsoft

Show Sponsors: 

The Sheri and Les Biller Family Foundation
The BIPOC Superhero Project

I’ll Be Your Superhero

OCT 15 – NOV 1, 2026

Written by José Casas 
Directed by Dámaso Rodríguez

CAST

John John Jaime José Hernández*
Xavier David Pedraza
Understudy John John Adrian Cerrato
Understudy Xavier Simon Quintero-Sallee 

CREATIVE

Playwright JOSÉ CASAS
Director DÁMASO RODRÍGUEZ
Assistant Director, Dramaturg & Youth Cast Supervisor ANA MARÍA CAMPOY
Scenic & Video Design ARNOLD BUESO
Assistant Video Designer AHREN BUHMANN
Costume Design DANIELLE NIEVES
Lighting Design BLANCA FORZÁN
Sound Design ROBERTSON WITMER
Stage Manager ELIZABETH STASIO
Assistant Stage Manager ANNABELLE IREDALE

SCT RUN CREW

Charge Stage Carpenter KYLE WILLMORE
Stage Operations Swing MERYL CARSON
Charge Electrician DANNY HERTER
Lead Electrician RICHARD KLEM
Electricians HOLLAND JOHNSON & KRISPY PERRONI
Charge Sound Engineer JOE SWARTZ
Lead Sound Engineer KYLE THOMPSON
Charge Wardrobe Supervisor AMANDA NORMAN
Lead Dresser KATY MORRISON
Video Programmer AHREN BUHMANN

Welcome to the second production of our 2026–2027 Season, a season connected by the theme Home.

I am thrilled to introduce you to I’ll Be Your Superhero by José Casas, Seattle Children’s Theatre’s 128th World Premiere and a new story created as part of The Good Human Cycle. This initiative is our commitment to uplifting playwrights and stories that explore what it means to be a good human being in today’s world.

Superheroes are often defined by their strength, their extraordinary abilities, and their power to save the day. But José’s beautiful story invites us to consider another kind of superhero: the person who loves us, protects us, listens to us, and simply shows up.

At the heart of this play is the relationship between an adult and a young person. Through their passion for superheroes, their imagination and creativity, they find a way to connect, become vulnerable, and discover something new about one another. In a world that can often ask us to move faster and do more, I hope this story reminds us of the power of simply being together.

Perhaps home is not only where we live. Perhaps home is found in the people with whom we feel safe enough to imagine, to laugh, to be ourselves, and to grow. And perhaps becoming a hero begins with how we show up for the people closest to us.

It is my sincere hope this production creates an opportunity for you to spend time with one another, and to listen, imagine, discuss, and connect. That is the kind of community I believe theatre can create.

Our journey through Home continues. Later this season, we will welcome you back to the familiar world of Chicka Chicka Boom Boom: The Holiday Show, our 129th World Premiere. Inspired by the beloved book, it will fill our theatre with holiday celebration and togetherness that will make you feel at home.

Thank you for being here, for believing in new stories, and for making Seattle Children’s Theatre a place where we can come together.

Wherever you call home, I invite you to find a little of it here,

Johamy Morales 
Artistic Director 

Themes and Content Guidance

Mental Health As explained in, I’ll Be Your Superhero, mental health is just as important as your physical health. The same way you should not feel ashamed about going to the doctor when you feel sick, there is no shame in going to the doctor for your mental health – even the strongest superheroes can get sad. Being open, vulnerable, and honest about our mental health does not make us weaker; it makes us stronger.

Emotions & Vulnerability In I’ll Be Your Superhero, the characters experience a wide variety of emotions, some more difficult and complex than others. Through watching the play, audiences learn that difficult emotions are not something that is entirely unique to us as individuals but an experience that is more common than we think. Having these feelings does not make us small or alone, it makes us human. When we have the courage to be vulnerable and open about what we are feeling, we become stronger and more connected to the people around us.

Superheroes & Heroism Through much of the play, Xavier and John John navigate what it means to be a superhero. Connected by their mutual struggles with mental health, the two realize that showing up for one another can be an act of heroism, too. They discover that being a superhero is more than having fancy powers. It can be many things: honesty, vulnerability, standing up for what you believe in, advocating for others, being confident, and showing compassion. Together, Xavier and John John create a place of belonging, and on the way, find how they can be superheroes for one another.

Family As seen in, I’ll Be Your Superhero, family can mean a variety of things. While related, Xavier and John John begin the play almost like strangers, but through honesty, love, and a desire to understand, they redefine the “traditional” image of a family. By watching the show, audiences learn that families are not always predetermined but built with the people who choose to love, listen, and understand you.

Content Guidance

This production includes conversations about mental health, PTSD, difficult emotions, and changes in family caregiving, including a child being separated from a loving parent while she receives mental health care, and a young man stepping into the role of caregiver for the sake of his nephew’s wellbeing.

Cast and Creative

THE CREATIVE TEAM

José Casas (Playwright) he/him– is a playwright and an Assistant Professor and Head of Bachelor of Theatre Arts and the Playwriting Minor Programs in the Department of Theatre and Drama. His plays, la ofrenda and somebody’s children received both the Bonderman National Playwriting for Youth Award (2005, 2009) and the AATE Distinguished Play Award (2007, 2010). His published work includes la ofrenda, 14, somebody’s children, Desvelado, El Perdidio, Mariposa/Butterfly (co-written with Sandy Asher), and Palabras del Cielo: An Exploration of Latina/o Theatre for Young Audiences which was awarded the 2019 AATE Distinguished Book Award.

Dámaso Rodríguez (Director) he/him/él – is a director of new and classic plays. He is in his fourth season as Artistic Director of Seattle Rep. He previously served as Artistic Director of Portland’s Artists Rep, Associate Artistic Director of Pasadena Playhouse, and co-founder of Los Angeles’ Furious Theatre. Credits include Actors Theatre of Louisville, American Conservatory Theater, Intiman Theatre, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Pasadena Playhouse, South Coast Rep, and The Old Globe. Awards: LA Drama Critics Circle, Back Stage, and NAACP. Member: The Drama League Directors Council and Stage Directors and Choreographers Society. Upcoming: Peter Pan Goes Wrong and Amadeus at Seattle Rep.

Ana María Campoy (Assistant Director, Dramaturg, & Youth Cast Supervisor) she/ella – is a Chicana theatre artist, educator, and activist. Theatre work: The Kennedy Center, The 5th Avenue Theatre, Chicago Children’s Theatre, Lexington Children’s Theatre, Seattle Rep, Seattle Children’s Theatre, and OSF’s FUERTE. Cherished roles include the Mask Maker in SCT’s Luchadora! and Catherine in a bilingual adaptation of David Auburn’s Proof, which she co-translated alongside director Arlene Martínez-Vásquez. She has developed and directed half a dozen bilingual Shakespeare adaptions (Seattle Shakespeare Company, New Mexico Shakespeare Festival). Outside the arts, she organizes with WashMasks Mutual Aid, focusing on farmworker justice (@washmasks). Love to Jesse and Luna. Para mi Papá y Tío Francisco.

Arnold Bueso (Scenic & Video Design) he/him – a Honduran born designer, has created scenery, costumes, lighting, projections, and performance media both nationally and overseas for theater and industries like opera, museum exhibits, fashion, art installation, immersive theater, and film. On Broadway, he assisted on Curtains and Young Frankenstein, and he has collaborated with Off-Broadway companies like The Brooklyn Ballet, StudioEIS, Izquierdo Studios, FringeNYC, Soho Rep, 2ndStage, Fashion Week, Performa, and many others. Regional work includes design residencies for various companies in SoFla, UT, OH, and CA. Internationally, his work has traveled to Prague, Warsaw, the UK, Puerto Rico, and the U.A.E. For 17 years, he has taught design and technology courses in NYC, South Florida, and CA and is currently professor of design at CSU Los Angeles. You may view his work at www.arnoldbueso.com.

Danielle Nieves (Costume Design) she/her – is honored to be back with the amazing artists at Seattle Children’s Theatre. Her work has been seen previously at SCT (Hula Hoopin’ Queen, Chicka Chicka Boom Boom: The Musical, The Pigeon Gets A Big Holiday Extravaganza), The 5th Avenue Theatre, Seattle Rep, The Old Globe, Dallas Theater Center, Goodman Theatre, TUTS, St. Louis Shakespeare Festival, Union Arts Center, Village Theatre, Writers Theatre, South Coast Rep, Children’s Theatre Company, Taproot Theatre, Intiman Theatre, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, and Cleveland Playhouse.  Off-Broadway: Pity in History, No End of Blame, Gertrude The Cry, and Lovesong of the Electric Bear for PTP/NYC at the Atlantic Stage 2. Proud member of USA 829. www.daniellenieves.com

Blanca Forzán (Lighting Design) she/her – is a Mexican lighting and scenic designer, architect, and writer whose career spans theatre and the visual arts. She studied Architecture at Universidad del Valle de México and was an intern at the Banff Centre in Canada. For over two decades, she worked with Mexico’s National Institute of Fine Arts. Her work has been presented in Mexico, Spain, and the United States, including productions at Portland Playhouse, Artists Repertory Theatre, Third Rail, and GableStage. In 2023, she received the Carbonell Award for Best Lighting Design for El Huracán at GableStage in Miami.

Robertson Witmer (Sound Design) – Rob’s previous shows at SCT include Red Riding Hood, The Best Summer Ever!, Black Beauty, The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, and three productions of Go, Dog. Go! Other recent credits include: Fancy Dancer (Seattle Rep); Hamlet (Union Arts Center); Peril in the Alps (Laguna Playhouse); and Kevin Kling: Unraveled (Merrimack Repertory Theatre). His sound designs have also been heard at Seattle Opera, Village Theatre, and Spectrum Dance Theater. Rob plays with several bands, including “Awesome” and the Toucans steel drum band. Rob is a member of United Scenic Artists 829 and the Theatrical Sound Designers and Composers Association.   

Elizabeth Stasio (Stage Manager) she/her – is a Seattle-local stage manager and theatre artist who grew up attending shows at SCT. She is so pleased to return for this show. Previous SCT credits include The Lamp Is The Moon, Carmela Full of Wishes, Luchadora, The Snow Queen, and Robin Hood. Other stage management and backstage credits include work with Seattle Rep (As You Like It, The Winter’s Tale, Mr. Dickens and His Carol, The Tempest), ACT (Shrew, The Lehman Trilogy, POTUS), Seattle Shakespeare Company (Drum & Colours, Twelfth Night the Musical), 5th Avenue Theatre (Afterwords), 14/48 Projects, and others.

Annabelle Iredale (Assistant Stage Manager) she/her – is a stage manager, actor, and theatre collaborator from Rhode Island. She recently completed a year-long apprenticeship at Seattle Rep and is thrilled to be making her SCT stage management debut! She is a graduate of Middlebury College with a BA in Theatre (acting) and one in Neuroscience. Her stage management experience includes Seattle Rep, Trinity Repertory Company, Adirondack Theatre Festival, The Gamm Theatre, and Burbage Theatre Company. She is thrilled to be a part of this incredible team!

THE CAST

Jaime José Hernández* (John John) he/him – is making his Seattle Children’s Theatre: Debut. Off Broadway: The Public Theater: The Other Americans w/John Leguizamo. Regional: The Huntington: Oedipus El Rey, John Proctor is The Villain. Commonwealth Shakespeare: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Much Ado About Nothing. Gloucester Stage/Teatro Chelsea: The Hombres. Lyric Stage: Fabulation. Gamm Theatre: Sweat. Dorset Theatre Festival: Native Gardens. B Street Theatre: Nosotros La Gente. TV: Power Book II: Ghost (STARZ), S.W.A.T (CBS) Jaime is a founding member of Teatro Chelsea. Repped by Entertainment Lab. jaimejosehernandez.com @jaimejose.hernandez

David Pedraza (Xavier) he/him – is a twelve-year-old actor from Redmond, Washington, and a seventh grader at The Overlake School. He is thrilled to be making his professional debut with Seattle Children’s Theatre in the world premiere of I’ll Be Your Superhero, after joining the company’s workshop of the play last spring. David is Colombian American and speaks Spanish and English, with Mandarin in progress. When he is not rehearsing, he can be found on a horse, a tennis court, or a sailboat. He is grateful to his family for driving him everywhere.

Adrian Cerrato (Understudy, John John) he/him – is thrilled to be returning to SCT where we was previously seen as Big Brother in Carmela Full of Wishes. Additionally over the summer he was seen as Cominius in Coriolanus with Greenstage. His other favorite rolls include Capulet with an educational touring show of Romeo y Julieta with Seattle Shakespeare (now part of Union Arts), Dad in Knuffle Bunny at SecondStory Repertory Theatre, and Arcani in The Dreaming Tree with Last Leaf Productions. Adrian received his BA in Drama from the University of Washington.

Simon Quintero-Sallee (Understudy Xavier) he/him – is so excited to be sharing his SCT debut with you! He recently moved to Seattle after finishing college for Performance at Central Washington University in June 2025, and feels so lucky to have been given the opportunity to help craft this beautiful show from its workshop with SCT in April 2026. Some of Simon’s most notable roles include Iggy in Drowned Cats, Somebody in Everybody, and Lux in Cambio. Simon would like to thank his chef, Aaron, for teaching him how important community can be and for showing him that anyone truly can be a superhero.

Seattle Children’s Theatre is a member of TYA/USA, the national center of the International Association of Theatre for Children and Young People.

SCT is a constituent of Theatre Communications Group (TCG), the national service organization for the nonprofit professional theatre.

SCT is a proud member of International Performing Arts for Youth (IPAY).

ACTORS’ EQUITY ASSOCIATION, founded in 1913, represents more than 45,000 actors and stage managers in the U.S. Equity negotiates wages and working conditions, providing a wide range of benefits, including health and pension plans. Equity seeks to foster the art of live theatre as an essential component of our society. www.actorsequity.org.

Lighting, sound, staging, property, scenery, scenic art, and costume work at Seattle Children’s Theatre is performed by employees represented by the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, Moving Picture Technicians, Artists, and Allied Crafts of the US and Canada, AFL-CIO, CLC.

Seattle Children’s Theatre works with the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society.

The designers at this theatre are represented by United Scenic Artists (Local USA 829) of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees.

* Indicates members of the Actors’ Equity Association

I’ll Be Your Superhero is one of 23 plays that are part of the BIPOC Superhero Project, an initiative dedicated to loudly and proudly telling amazing stories created by Theater for Young Audiences playwrights across the United States. The largest partnership in the history of the field, the plays explore issues with which youth communities of color encounter and struggle. The collaboration is about voicing the need for diversity, inclusiveness, representation, and equity in every space where Theatre for Young Audiences exists - moving beyond words and into authentic, honest, and real action. Learn more by visiting bipocsuperheroproject.com. 

I’ll Be Your Superhero is part of SCT’s Good Human Cycle, a play development initiative to commission, support, and produce original works for young audiences. Making “good humans” through the power of storytelling means uplifting individuals who are listeners, empathetic, curious, and creative. It is about cherishing those who advocate for others, and not only hold themselves accountable, but others as well. These new stories and playwrights are a mirror of that image. The initiative amplifies new voices and plays by diversifying the stories we tell and those who work to tell them. For over fifty years SCT has been a leader in the Theater for Young Audiences field and remains committed to nurturing good humans through the stories we tell on our stages, and in our classrooms.

Do you want to be a part of bringing new stories to life on the SCT stage? Our New Works Fund makes it possible to develop and produce new work with artistic integrity, freedom, and sustainability.

To learn more about supporting the New Works Fund, please contact Jen Lee, Chief Philanthropy Officer, at JenL@sct.org or visit www.sct.org/new-works.

SCT is proud to partner with fellow Seattle and Washington-based non-profit organizations to offer opportunities for engagement with the themes of our plays beyond the stage! We’re excited to share that NAMI Seattle will lead three partner workshops following performances of I’ll Be Your Superhero right here at SCT.

MORE ABOUT NAMI SEATTLE 
NAMI Seattle is a grass-roots organization in the Seattle area working specifically to fill the gaps in our local mental health system through peer-led education, referrals, and support. Originally established by Eleanor Owen as “Washington Advocates for the Mentally Ill” in 1978, they worked with other concerned groups across the country to launch a national advocacy and support organization: The National Alliance on Mental Illness, or NAMI. Today, NAMI is the largest grassroots mental health organization in the nation. Their peer-led presentations, classes, and support groups bridge the gap when medical models fail to meet our needs.

NAMI’S “In Our Own Voice” Workshops 

Dates:
October 16th, following the 6pm performance (in Studio B) 
October 17th, following the 2pm performance (in the West Rehearsal Hall) 
October 25th, following the 3pm performance (in Studio B)

Mental health conditions affect millions of people, yet stigma, misconceptions, and stereotypes continue to create barriers to understanding and support. NAMI In Our Own Voice is a powerful presentation program designed to challenge those barriers by bringing real stories and lived experiences to the forefront.

These inspiring presentations feature trained NAMI Seattle leaders who openly share their personal journeys of living with a mental health condition. Rather than focusing solely on symptoms or diagnoses, presenters offer an authentic perspective on what it means to navigate challenges, seek treatment, build resilience, and live meaningful, fulfilling lives.

What makes In Our Own Voice especially impactful is its ability to humanize a topic that is often misunderstood. Through honest storytelling and candid conversations, we hope you gain a deeper appreciation for the realities of mental health conditions and the importance of empathy, inclusion, and support. The presentation helps break down stereotypes by demonstrating that recovery is possible and that people with mental health conditions contribute and thrive in every part of society.

Learn more at sct.org/nami. 

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Experiencing the theatre is a group activity shared not only with the actors, but also with the people sitting around you. Your attention and participation help the actors perform better, and allows the rest of the audience to enjoy the show. We invite you to laugh when it is funny,

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