Theater major Zoë Rios shares her love for the arts

Despite the many obstacles she had to overcome, LBCC student Zoë Rios continues to share her passion for the arts through her works in acting and directing the upcoming play “¿De Dónde?.”

Zoë Ríos was a senior at Fountain Valley High when she knew that she wanted to become an actor. 

“I thought it would be a disservice to myself if I did not pursue [acting],” said the 20-year-old theater major. 

Born in Newport Beach and raised in Fountain Valley, Ríos was extremely active as a child and participated in many activities including dance and soccer. 

When she was in middle school, Ríos became heavily involved with musical theater which fueled her passion for performance art.  “That was my jam,” said Ríos.

She was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, a disorder that amplifies painful sensations throughout the body and her joints began to inflame and become sore. 

“I have had four knee surgeries in high school and I had back surgery a year and a half ago,” said Ríos. 

Doctors have contributed her aggressive dance style in her youth to be a factor to her back injury.  

It was due to health issues that Ríos decided to primarily focus on dramatic acting rather than the rigors of musical theater. 

“I want to see where my health takes me and so far, it has taken me to dramatic acting,” said Ríos.

Ríos has gathered support and strength from her family and gets her primary artistic influence from her father, Roger Ríos. 

“My dad immersed me in art,” said Ríos. “We went to so many museums, concerts and theater shows, especially when I got interested in the craft.”

Mr. Ríos is a published poet and guitarist for The Mosleys, a popular local band in the 90s. 

“Everything that Zoë does is on her own. She is driven and it is inspiring,” said Mr. Ríos.

Mr. Ríos is now an instructor at Downey High School where he teaches English and coaches the wrestling team. 

Mr. Ríos has encouraged his daughter to follow her own path in life, even if her job outside of college is not theater-related.

“If you have to wait tables, then fuck it, that’s what you do,” said the English teacher. 

Zoë’s ambition and passion has been seen on campus in her performances in “Macbeth,” “The Crucible” and “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” and as the assistant director for the play, “¿De Dónde?.”   

Performance Arts Department Chair Anthony Carreiro and director of “¿De Dónde?” considers Ríos a real asset to the production in her role as assistant director. 

“She is very calm and kind, but also very focused and is not afraid to take the role of a leader,” said Carreiro.

Professor Carreiro also describes the pressure of directing actors in her age group. 

 “It’s a tricky thing to work with your peers when you have to step-up and critique their performance, but Zoë’s got it.”

Ellen Arroyo, nursing major and actor in “¿De Dónde?,” reiterated director Carreiro.

“Her input is excellent because not only does she see [professor Carreiro’s] side but she also sees the students’ side of the performance as well,” said Arroyo.

“¿De Dónde?” is written by Mary Gallagher and examines the trial and tribulations of undocumented immigrants as they try and escape oppression in Latina America, only to fight hostility on the U.S. Border. 

“This definitely is a story that needs to be told,” Ríos said, “I really hope that this play encourages the audience to keep questioning our standards on how we treat people. It should make you uncomfortable because it’s wrong.”  

Unfortunately, “¿De Dónde?,” has been postponed due to the abundance of caution in response to the Coronavirus Disease.  

With the LBCC campuses being closed through the summer 2020 semester, Ríos would like to have the show rescheduled to open. 

“I believe a lot of us are still in the mindset of the show must go on, and we will fight for the show to reopen,” said Ríos.

Ríos has been practicing self-isolation and has been accustomed to the lifestyle due to her many surgeries in the past.

She has been practicing yoga and reading monologues to keep busy, however, being away from friends and family has been the most difficult experience, but she reminds herself that this situation is only temporary.