THE LAST DAYS OF JUDAS ISCARIOT
By Stephen Adly Guirgis
PRODUCTION PHOTOS
📸-Zach Smith
CAST:
Satan - Rio Rasch
Gloria/Mother Teresa - Ana Escalante Pasillas
Judge - Kayla Dobbs
Caiaphas the Elder/Saint Matthew - Gabriell A. Leza
Loretta/Mary Magdalene/Sister Glenna - Cordelia Leigh
Pontius Pilate/Uncle Pino - Donald “Avi” Stewart
Bailiff/Simon the Zealot - Ángel Miguel López
Sigmund Freud/Saint Thomas/Soldier 1 - Sam Sutton
Jesus of Nazareth - Frederick G. Carodine III
Judas Iscariot - Jahsiah Auguste
Saint Monica/Soldier 3 - Brittany Ann Evans
Henrietta Iscariot - Shyteek
Butch Honeywell - Francis Price
Fabiana Aziza Cunningham - Beth Ellen Miles
Yusef El-Fayoumy - Paul Sohm
Matthias of Galilee/Saint Peter/Soldier 2 - Elijah Hammond
CREATIVE/PRODUCTION TEAM:
Director - Tramaine Raphael Gray
Scenic Designer - N. Aje Soberekon
Assistant Scenic Designer - Arushi Kejariwal
Costume Designer - Raven Skye O’Donnell
Assistant Costume Designer - Kaiqi Zhang
Lighting Designer - Lauren Dixon
Assistant Lighting Designer - Kyle Elchinger
Sound Designer - Rebecca Kessin
Assistant Sound Designer - Amelia Anello
Video Designer - Zelia ZZ Tan
Assistant Video Designer - Hera Kang
Technical Director - Christine Liu
Production Manager - Jeffrey Teeter
Associate Production Manager - Vlad Tuaev
Stage Manager - Mia Condon
Assistant Stage Manager - Morgan McDonald
Tech Assistant Stage Manager- Ruiqi Tong
Producer - Grisis Yu
Associate Producer - Keely Cobb
Graphic Designer - Ryan Mesidor
BTS OF BECOMING
Photography: @ch.al.hi
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Forever grateful for this experience. We shot Becoming in early November. Can’t believe we’re in post production. Couldn’t tag everyone but big shoutout to everyone involved on this journey. Each and every one of you all helped bring my vision to life. It takes a village. Thank you to year 2021. You were a beast but I’m claiming with faith that 2022 will be a year of becoming.
all love forever and always,
T
IS GOD IS- MFA3 THESIS PRODUCTION (SPRING 2026)
In the words of Racine, “we ain’t nothin but the hand of God doin Her bidding.” And in my context, the bidding is doing the work. The REAL WORK to grow as an artist/human with the first priority being to feed da soul.
When I was doing my research on thee Aleshea Harris, I found an interview where she talks about her addiction to storytelling. I smiled so deeply, my dimples could burst while watching her proclamation of this. I felt very kindred to these words, because I too am addicted to telling and shaping stories. The high I get from dreaming of new worlds. The adrenaline I get from rehearsals with actors. The thrill I get from the collaboration with the team. The warmth I feel inside when people are curious/critical about my art. While I am still processing this experience; I can truly say that choosing IS GOD IS by thee Aleshea Harris for my thesis production has been the most rewarding decision during my time in grad school. It gifted me the opportunity to explore, experiment and evolve. It gave me, the theatre director another chance to find synergy with me, the filmmaker. It challenged my romance for innovation, while trying to uphold my rigor for dramaturgy. In the words of Mona, “what does it do?”
I must give a HUGE SHOUTOUT to my actors, da best players any coach could ask for! Thank you for rising to the occasion, for hustling with a play on wheels, and trusting my process. Our motto was: “We got people to kill, things to burn, and new dreams to uncover!” Lastly, MAJOR THANK YOU to everyone apart of my IS GOD IS village! Both creative and production, we created ANCIENT magic for the past, present and future of CalArts.
NEXT UP….GRADUATION! Which happens to be MAY 15TH! The same day that the feature film, IS GOD IS, Written&Directed by thee Aleshea Harris herself hits the THEATERS! God sure does work in mysterious ways, and Her timing is always divine.
ONWARD&upward,
Tramaine Raphael Gray
IS GOD IS- OPENING NIGHT
02/12/2026
been in daLAB mentally/physically/spiritually. &thankful for everyone who has supported and challenged throughout da process. been working&exploring this play and them words of thee Aleshea Harris since Fall2023. so it’s been a long time coming to get to this point. more to say, more to come, BUT in meantime come see da show! Come see my players!
All Love,
COACH T
currently still processing yesterday, but o v e r j o y e d that t h e e ALESHEA HARRIS came to talk with the team of IS GOD IS at CalArts. As I said to her last night; her play, her mind and her authenticity will have an everlasting impact on my artistic&educational EVOLUTION. &I am FOREVER GRATEFUL.
With that being said, MARK YOUR CALENDARS to come see o u r SHOW on FEBRUARY 12th-14th & 17th-20th! This is my LAST DANCE at CalArts, while I prepare to close this chapter of GRAD SCHOOL.
SOOOOOOOOOyouDON’TwannaM I S S I T!
Tickets coming s o o n…
ALL LOVE,
T
From the Princess Grace Foundation festivities 2 another development reading of SOMEWHERE BETWEEN at New York Theatre Workshop. A TIME WAS HAD! Shoutout 2 all my community I saw while in the city. &MAJORshoutout 2 the Princess Grace family and my Class of 2025 Winners&Honoraria. What a joy it is 2 be seen, what a privilege 2 dream and what a beauty 2 live with abandon.
All Love,
Tramaine Raphael Gray
John Gore Theater Honor, Princess Grace Awards 2025
THIRD YEAR OF GRAD SCHOOL,
YOU ARE N O W!
To think that yesterday was my last first day of graduate school. WHEW…I’m just thankful. Grateful. Present in the moment. Time is fleeting and she waits for no one. Here’s to one final year of discovery, taking risks, failing hard, and staying in the fight. The good fight. In a time, where the arts and education matter the most. Shoutout to all the directors, writers, filmmakers and creatives that continuously invigorate my practice. Both past and present, I honor you and look forward to adding to the artistic conversation.
Lastly, if you’re in the Los Angeles Area in February 2026; come see my final show at CalArts. I will be directing IS GOD IS by the legend herself, Aleshea Harris. And you don’t want to miss them
b u r n i n g t w i n s.
All Love,
Tramaine Raphael Gray
To receive the John Gore Theater Honor from the Princess Grace Foundation is not only a pivotal moment in my emerging career, but an omen to my dedication to the craft.
To my @calarts community, thank you for seeing me, believing in me and nominating me for this opportunity. To @paultazewell , thank you for being one of my champions. Since I received the inaugural Paul G. Tazewell Scholarship back at UNCSA, you’ve been such a beacon of light and inspiration for me. To all my collaborators; from the actors to the designers, thank you for building me. Growing me. Evolving me. Someone told me once, “…don’t over intellectualize life. trust that you know how to do, what you know how to do and DO IT!” I’m doing my best to remember those words, and continue to just focus on the work, the mission, and the people.
I’ll end with something I wrote in my application: “In my current momentum as a generative artist to receive this award right now would take my career to new heights, by not only expanding my community within the arts and supporting my upcoming creative projects;but signaling my emergence as a new directorial voice on the rise.”
All Love& O N W A R D,
Tramaine Raphael Gray
~Notes from Spain 25’~
While I’m still processing all that was/is/became of traveling across Spain…I had to hop on here to congratulate one of my best friend soulmates, my Viv on the completion of her Master’s Degree. I’m so honored to share these moments together. Grateful for this state of love, bonding…TRUST…r e a l friendship.
Shoutout to Vivian & Shayne for planning 2 weeks I’ll cherish deeply in my heart. Shoutout to my parents, especially my Pops who reminds me to expose myself to the world and saturate my perspective.
In the words of Galleria, “these pictures/videos are
(she actually says “this song is” IYKYK) dedicated to Barcelona where I found an angel around every corner. Thank you Barcelona, for teaching me that not everybody’s path is the same. But if you find people who will take the journey with you, they are your true amigas cheetahs.”
adiós por ahora mi amor,
T
SECOND YEAR OF GRAD SCHOOL COMPLETED!
As I reflect on this past year, I’m grateful to say I’ve evolved not only with the help of my educational resources, but through my professional endeavors. To be given the opportunity to shepherd a new play co-commissioned by New York Theatre Workshop and Geffen Playhouse alongside my sister/playwright; while staging my MFA2 Production, developing my new films and stretching my teaching capabilities has cemented that I’m exactly where I need to be. This current epoch in my creative oasis has gifted me the time to transform my directorial voice/vision in both my theatrical and cinematic practice. Never having to sever them but actually healing and connecting the parts of myself I thought I had to ignore/hide/destroy. I used to question if grad school is what I truly wanted, but God has solidified it’s what I needed. With all that being said…
I’m over the moon to finally announce that for my final year of grad school in the Spring Semester, I will be directing IS GOD IS by Aleshea Harris! And the show will go up in February 2026, blackHISTORYmonth. WHATaTIME2beA L I V E. MFA DIRECTING LOADING,
2 OUT 3 COMPLETE.
All Love,
Tramaine Raphael Gray
