In Celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month!
NATIVE GARDENS
By Karen Zacarias
Directed by Natalie Payan

ON OUR STAGE SEPTEMBER 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 27, OCTOBER 2, 3, 4, 2026
Friday and Saturday evenings at 8:00 PM | Sundays at 2:00 PM
Good Fences Make Great Comedies!
A backyard property dispute turns into an all-out war of wits, weeds, and shifting walls in Karen Zacarías’s hit comedy, Native Gardens. When high-powered attorney Pablo and his brilliant, pregnant wife Tania buy a historic fixer-upper in a prestigious Washington, D.C. neighborhood, they expect the American Dream. Instead, they get Frank and Virginia—the established, garden-obsessed neighbors next door. Initial pleasantries instantly dissolve when a routine property survey reveals the old chain-link fence is two feet off, cutting right through Frank’s award-winning English garden. What starts as a minor border dispute quickly spirals into a hilarious, high-stakes battle over culture, class, entitlement, and taste.
Can these two generations find common ground, or will they tear the whole neighborhood apart at the roots?
What the Critics Are Saying:
“A breath of comic fresh air… a biting, perceptive, and ultimately hopeful sendup.” – DC Theatre Scene
“A bright, colorful respite in a time of darkness… [with] a steady supply of smart laughs.” – The Hartford Courant / Connecticut Critics Circle
“A production that you want to see for all the fun, and for all the meaning, too.” – The Public’s Radio
Don’t throw shade—grab your tickets today for the funniest turf war in theater history!
WHO’S WHO IN THE CAST

Krystal Rosa (Tanya)
Krystal (she/her/ella) is excited to make her SCTC debut! Her theatre credits include Extreme Home Makeover at Theatre Exile, Las Mujeres at Power Street Theatre, No Good Things Dwell in the Flesh at Yocum Institute and many more. Her film credits include The Longest Goodbye as the lead character Mia, Julie’s Confession, and Strange Love. When Krystal isn’t acting you can find her dancing salsa at Love Park, finding a good book to read and spending time with loved ones. Gracias a mi familia y mis amigos por animarme siempre!

Jonathan Moreno (Pablo)
Some dreams never leave us. Mine began in Colombia, where, in my childhood, I discovered the transformative power of acting. What started as an inherent passion became a lifelong calling; a way to create new worlds, tell meaningful stories and give voice to emotions that words alone could never express.
Every role I take is a tribute to the child who dared to dream without limits. Acting is my way of honoring that younger version of myself and proving that dreams are meant to be pursued with courage, discipline, and heart. As I turn a lifelong passion into a professional career, I bring dedication, life experience, and a deep respect for the craft. I have trained at the Walnut Street Theatre, studying script analysis, character development, theater, and film acting. My training has strengthened my commitment to truthful storytelling and emotionally authentic performances.
I am drawn to characters who reveal the complexity of the human experience; their contradictions, their fears, their hopes, and the moments that define them. I approach each role with curiosity and compassion, searching for the small, honest details that make a character feel real. Through acting, I continue to explore the stories that connect us, challenge us, and remind us of our shared humanity.

Donne Petito (Virginia)
Donne is delighted to be back in the mid-Atlantic area working with this fabulous company after a few years in Florida. An alum of Chicago’s Goodman School of Drama, she has appeared in countless shows in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, including as Linda Loman in Death of a Salesman, Queen Gertrude in Hamlet, Sister Aloysius in Doubt, Sonia in Vanya & Sonia & Masha & Spike, Rosemary in Picnic, and Maude in Bakersfield Mist, and won an NJACT award for best supporting actress as the Widow Quin in Playboy of the Western World. More recently, in the Tampa area, she appeared as Ouiser in Steel Magnolias, Helen Hubbard in Murder on the Orient Express, and Deirdre in The Humans.

James Gavin (Frank)
James is thrilled to be making his SCTC debut. Selected credits include: Off Broadway: Theatre at St. Clement’s, Trial on the Potomac with Rich Little; The Actor’s Temple, Chasing Jack; The Player’s Theatre, And Then There Were None; Cullum Theatre, Julius Caesar. Regional: PS21(Chatham, NY), The Trip to Bountiful; Yellow Bicycle Theater (Philadelphia), Ashes, Ashes; An Enemy of the People. Love to Sandy and our girls. Learn more at: jamescgavin.com.

Caren Bermudez (Ensemble)
Caren received her B.A. in theatre from The University of Maryland. Some of her credits include, She Kills Monsters (The Ritz), Midsummer Night’s Dream (Indecorous Theatre Productions), The Last Days of Judas Iscariot (Stagecrafters), and Real Women Have Curves (Allen’s Lane Arts Center). She is excited to work with South Camden Theatre Company for the first time!

Jennifer Spencer-Worthington (Ensemble)
Jennifer is thrilled to be making her South Camden Theatre Company debut! Most recently, she appeared as Miriam in The Prince of Egypt with Conshohocken Theater in the Parks. After two years as a performer at the Franklin Institute (2024–2026), Jennifer launched her crochet business, Little Fish Faith.
Jennifer loves creating theater for young audiences and has performed with Philly Sensory Theatre in Magical Adventures: A Sensory Play (Summer) and Jump Spin Move (Alula). She has also toured locally with the National Theatre for Children in Kilowatt Kitchen (Lorraine Quiche) and nationally with Enchantment Theatre Company in Peter Rabbit Tales (Tommy Brock). Additional credits include Ruby Bridges (Tessie Provost) with Revival Productions. Jennifer earned her B.A. in Musical Theatre and Directing from Lycoming College. She also studied abroad at the Moscow Art Theatre School in Moscow, Russia. She is grateful to be part of this production and thanks you for supporting live theatre!

Celeste M. Rodriguez (Ensemble)
Celeste is a local contemporary artist from Camden who received her BA in painting from Rutgers University-Camden, is overjoyed to make her official acting debut at South Camden Theatre Company in Native Gardens! Celeste has deep roots in the space from middle school drama club and frequently attends nearly every production as a dedicated patron. While she has previously helped behind the scenes, including SCTC’s Who’s Holiday!, this production marks her first time stepping into the spotlight. Her interest in theatre intensified during drama classes at the Rowan University CHAMP program, where she performed a monologue from “The Spoon River Anthology” and pulled double duty as both an assistant director and actress for a film class music video. Her most recent on-camera work includes a featured role in the Authentic Minds music video Dreams Come True, two Rutgers University Biodesign project commercials showcased at MoMA and the Parsons School of Design, and as a personified symbol of Puerto Rico in a self-directed short film Who Are We Without Protest currently on view at the Delaware Contemporary Museum. She is incredibly grateful to the director and cast for making her debut an unforgettable experience. She is grateful for SCTC, to the director and cast for making her debut an unforgettable experience, and extends her deepest love and thanks to her family and friends. (For Connie )
Melody G. Moore – Production Manager
She/Her
Melody is a Philadelphia-based stage manager, production manager, and theater maker. For over 20 years in Key West, Florida, she and her husband Bob co-founded and ran TheatreXP, one of the region’s leading companies. Having worked in nearly every theatrical discipline—from acting to set design—Melody now collaborates with several local companies, including South Camden Theatre Company (God of Carnage, A Good Farmer, Hollywood, Nebraska, How The Light Gets In). Most recently, she served as the Stage/Production Manager for a summer run of 1776 The Musical! with local youth.
August Fen Deluca – Stage Manager
Meet the Director and the Playwright

Natalie Payan – Director
Natalie is thrilled to return to South Camden Theatre Company after her role as Carla in A Good Farmer last season. Her vibrant theatre career has taken her from Off-Broadway to the Galápagos Islands, encompassing her work as a multifaceted artist. She was honored with the 2023 National Women’s Theatre Festival Outstanding Performer Award, and her costume design work has earned an ariZoni Award nomination and recognition as a KCACTF finalist. Local directing credits include Boleros for the Disenchanted and The Thanksgiving Play at PCS Theater, with The Spitfire Grill coming to Eastern University next spring. Natalie is passionate about creating theatre opportunities for Latiné artists and is a proud member of the Philly Latiné Theatre Alliance (@philatinetheatre). A special shout-out to her partner, Floyd, whose full-hearted support fuels her artistic journey.

Karen Zacarias – Playwright
Karen’s award-winning plays include the sold-out/extended comedy THE BOOK CLUB PLAY, the sold-out world premiere drama JUST LIKE US (adapted from the book by Helen Thorpe), the Steinberg –citation award play LEGACY OF LIGHT, the Francesca Primus Award winning play MARIELA IN THE DESERT, the Helen Hayes Award winning play THE SINS OF SOR JUANA, the adaptation of Julia Alvarez’s HOW THE GARCIA GIRLS LOST THEIR ACCENTS. Her TYA musicals with composer Debbie Wicks la Puma include JANE OF THE JUNGLE, EINSTEIN IS A DUMMY, LOOKING FOR ROBERTO CLEMENTE, CINDERELLA EATS RICE AND BEANS, FERDINAND THE BULL, and FRIDA LIBRE. Her musical CHASING GEORGE WASHINGTON premiered at The Kennedy Center for Performing Arts and went on a National Tour. Her script was then adapted into a book by Scholastic with a foreword by First Lady Michelle Obama.
Meet the Creative Team for this production
Hunter Mountz – Lighting Designer
He/Him
Hunter is a Philadelphia-based theatre and dance lighting designer whose previous design credits include The Lightning Thief (Triple Threat Theatre Company), Who’s Holiday, The Toxic Avenger – The Musical, and God of Carnage (South Camden Theatre Company) Into the Woods, The Laramie Project, Bedroom Farce (Salem State University) Disney’s The Little Mermaid, Mamma Mia! , The SpongeBob Musical (Panthers-on-Parade) Dare to Dream, and When Worlds Collide (SSU Repertory Dance Theatre). Hunter also received the Excellence in Lightning Design award from the 2021 Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival.
Marcus Dominguez – Sound Designer
Marcus is an audio engineer, sound designer, and owner of Black Gaff Media in Wilmington, Delaware, where he provides sound design, production management, and live entertainment solutions for theaters, nonprofits, and events throughout the Mid-Atlantic. In addition to his work in live production, Marcus is an audiobook narrator and voice actor with experience producing long-form narration and commercial voice-over projects. His passion lies in using sound to support compelling storytelling, whether on stage, behind the console, or in the recording booth.
– Costume Designer
She/Her
L
Pam Staley – Props
She/Her
Pam is delighted to work in theatre with her friend Dawn Varava at SCTC. Her past experiences included managing props and all things backstage for Dawn during many of her school productions. She has been jumping in to help SCTC be the best we can be for all of our shows.
Robert Bingaman – Scenic Design
He/Him
Robert is so thankful for all the support he receives from the creative staff and the South Camden Theatre Company board of directors, as well as you, our patrons. He is SCTC’s board president, and he also wears many other hats. Out of the 65 sets he has created here on our stage, his favorite sets include The Brothers Size, By The Water, The Toxic Avenger, Exorcism (A Play In One Act), The Legend of Georgia McBride, and so many more. He knows that he couldn’t do any of this work without the incredible support of so many volunteers. Thanks to each of them for bringing theatre magic to our stage. Love to his husband, Steve!
Funding has been made possible in part by the Camden County Cultural & Heritage Commission at Camden County College through the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts.