The Draw #19: Valerie Hernandez

A running series for the TAPAS blog. I wrote down names on little slips of paper, the names of everyone currently in the TAPAS Facebook group and Discord server and will be drawing one name every so often to write about them and their history with the group.

Today we're looking at Valerie Hernandez! If I recall correctly, I first met her as the costume designer for Is He Dead?, a production where a lot of good things got started, it's been mentioned a few times in this series. She's been costume designer on many productions I've seen, and been onstage in many others. Never seen her do both at the same time. That'd probably be too much to work on all at once.

I found out later she runs her own theatre group, Square Peg Group Troupe, with many other QCT friends I knew being members. It was Valerie who initially suggested the Wolfmeyers for the roles they played in Better Yet?, which earned both her and Square Peg itself special thanks credits in the production, as Adrienne was also a member. That's Valerie's only TAPAS credit to date, but that's because we haven't finished much stuff.

In 2020, she played a big hand in spreading the word about Keys & Kingdoms auditions. And in 2021, we worked together on QCT's production of Beauty and the Beast -- she played the Wardrobe. Because... she's usually wardrobe. I just got that.

She's helped with fundraisers and other promotions, from her own experience fundraising for Square Peg, and has generally helped keep me going during the many occasions I've felt like giving up on this whole enterprise, helping me sort things out and figure out how to manage myself.

Valerie with Mekia, working on costumes for 2024's Shakespeare in Love.