Alyssa Vera Ramos

Alyssa Vera Ramos is a theater maker and teaching artist in Chicago with an emphasis on social practice. She is devoted to feminist, sexuality education, and anti-sexual violence work. In addition to The Scarlet “S", her Director and Lead Developer credits include Generation Sex (Teatro Luna, Chicago Fringe Festival 2013); Woman on Fire (Teatro Luna, Reading Series); The Good, The Bad and The Everleigh'd (White Elephant, Great Fires Festival); Marisel Vera’s The Liberation of Carmela Lopez; The Fem(inist) Piece; Spectrum Slam: A Spoken Word Production; and The Living Wage Campaign Presents: NU Stands Right HERE (Northwestern University).

As an actor, she has performed with First Floor Theater, Adventure Stage Chicago, and Abraham Werewolf, among others. Alyssa currently teaches creative sexual health, conflict resolution and media literacy at the Illinois Caucus for Adolescent Health with the FYI Performance Cadre, where she also performs in participatory plays Project US and Can I Hit it?. She leads the Scenarios USA Youth Media Corps in Chicago, and also teaches collaborative skills and ensemble-created theatre for Auditorium Theatre, American Theater Company, Urban Gateways, and Northlight Theatre, among others. Alyssa was an Individual Artist Grant recipient from the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs & Special Events (DCASE) for The Scarlet “S”. She has been featured as “Inspiring Young Latina of the Week” in Latina Magazine and is a member of the Planned Parenthood Illinois Action Team. She holds a Bachelor's Degree in Theatre from Northwestern University and graduated from the Sexual Health Certificate Program at the University of Michigan. 

A primary collaborator on The Scarlet “S,” Cathy Muskett is also a writer, performer and youth worker based in Chicago, focused on the intersections of psychological identity in gender, class, and sexuality status. She has penned numerous poems and short stories in addition to her collaborative writing in devised theatre ensembles. Theatrical writing and performance credits include: Ophelia Swims, Hills Like Dillo Elephants, and The Good, The Bad and The Everleigh'd) (White Elephant); NU Stands Right HERE: The Activist Performance Project (Living Wage Campaign, Northwestern University); and The Fem(inist) Piece (Northwestern University). Cathy is the writer and co-director of Impudent Strumpet!, a feminist Shakespeare mash-up where the heroines turn out stronger in the end. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in English and Psychology from Northwestern University. She has worked as a psychiatric rehabilitation worker for young people at Thresholds Mothers Project, and at the Trilogy Drop-in Center for Chicago-area people with severe mental illness. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in English and Psychology from Northwestern University.