Ezri Reyes

Ezri Reyes BA '22

Pronouns

she/he/they

Degree and Class Year

BA ’22

Hometown

San Jose, California

Major

Theatre (performance)

Extracurriculars

Kith and Kin, Copeland Resident Advisor, PAUSE Board, Improv Troupe, Platteau Manager

What three words would you use to describe L&C?

Small gay hill

What made you want to come to Lewis & Clark?

I originally came for the German program, but I stayed for the friends I met and passion I found in the arts community.

How did you decide on your major?

Two words: Sweeney Todd

Describe the arts-related highlight(s) of each of your years on campus.

  • First year: I made some of my closest friends in rehearsals for the musical Sweeney Todd, and was then encouraged to enroll in the devising class, which completely opened my eyes to a new world of live performance making.
  • Second year: I had my first experience choreographing for a large group in the Musical Theatre Workshop class with Sue McBerry, and got to sing Liza Minnelli’s iconic “Sara Lee,” where I kissed a bag of bread on stage while a chorus line danced around me.
  • Third year: I landed the role of the Emcee for our hybrid production of Cabaret, our first-ever musical done in two theatre spaces (in order to adhere to COVID capacity guidelines) and sung completely in plexiglass boxes … I was lucky enough to be in an ingeniously designed “cage” on wheels! It was wild.
  • Fourth year: Biggest highlight was absolutely a devised jukebox musical and joint creative thesis project with Victoria Winn BA ’22. This was my little dream baby that was better than I could have ever wished for. I am so grateful for all the collaboration, from the dancers, to the band, to the crew, and so many more artists and producers that touched this project.

What was your overall favorite arts-related class? Why?

My final poetry class with Professor Mary Szybist. It was the semester where the pandemic really affected me the most in terms of stress, paranoia, and isolation. Yet somehow, even on Zoom, the space my cohort created helped me get through the worst season of my life and allowed me to write freely.

What was your overall favorite non-arts-related class? Why?

Gender and Sexuality From a Global Perspective with Assistant Professor Kim Cameron-Domínguez. I had previously taken Intro to Cultural Anthropology with her and took this simply because I love Kim and needed to read more about feminism. I am always so humbled and grateful, leaving each class with so much new knowledge.

Where did you find community on campus?

I am quite blessed to find community in many different groups, but a big, big shoutout to all the queer brown kids here for giving me strength at this school.

What were some of your favorite arts experiences in the Portland arts scene?

I haven’t been able to leave campus much due to a mixture of having no free time, no transportation, and also COVID, but last summer I was a New Student Trip leader for the first-ever PDX Arts trip and I got to go on a street art walking tour, which was super sick.

What are your plans post-graduation? How did Lewis & Clark prepare you?

Step 1: Sleep for two weeks straight. Step 2: Return to PNC Music Company, the place where my love for playing live music first grew, to help lead summer musical theatre workshops for some kiddos! Step 3: Head back to Portland to be near my recent graduate friends and start devising an original musical together …

What would you say is the most important thing you learned at Lewis & Clark?

“Move at the speed of trust.” –adrienne maree brown

What are your career goals?

Oh god, I just want to make art with and for my best friends and family forever. I really hope to move forward and experiment, specifically with music and movement in live performance, and one day be in a company that will help produce original work, welcome artists of all disciplines, and support artists’ dreams to come true.