​McCall Cadenas is a multidisciplinary director & writer.

 

Raised in East Los Angeles, her work explores memory, identity, family, migration, and the ways larger social forces shape intimate human lives. Drawing from theatrical, cinematic, and operatic traditions, she develops original projects that blend image, music, performance, and text to create emotionally resonant experiences.

She is particularly interested in work that exists at the intersection of disciplines while remaining grounded in human connection, cultural memory, and contemporary social realities. As both a director and project generator, she develops original works in close collaboration with artists across multiple fields, creating

projects that move fluidly between film, opera, theater, and performance.

 

Cadenas has collaborated with organizations including Long Beach Opera, Latino Theater Company, and LA Opera. Her work has been supported by the California Arts Council and the Eastside Arts Initiative, where she is a two-time grant recipient. She recently completed the Opera Directing Seminar at The Juilliard School under the mentorship of Stephen Wadsworth.

 

Her recent short film, Petals on Whittier Blvd, shot on 16mm film, examines the impact of immigration detention on  family and community.

 

Cadenas is drawn to work that asks difficult questions, bridges artistic forms, and deepens our understanding of one another.

 

For collaborations, directing inquiries, or project development, please visit the contact page.