Past Projects

EAT IT (2026)

“At a surreal dinner where food, beauty, and wealth are served on a plate, a group of four women become trapped in a cycle of overconsumption until one woman decides to break free.”

An official submission for Eric Andre’s #filmscoresforblarf . Ku’uipo was the writer/EP/food stylist for this project.

Cast, Crew & Info

CAST

  • Honey Girl - Angel Elaine Gonzales

  • Darling - Laurel Wong

  • Love - Vanessa Fitzpatrick

  • Sweetheart - Teresa Ascencio

CREW

  • Rachel Rio - EP/Writer/Prod Design

  • Carla Grace Fajardo - EP/Director/Wardrobe Styling

  • Laeli Huynh Gordon - Co-Producer/1st Assistant Director

  • Tariq Stone - EP/Director of Photography

  • Lynette Esparza - 2nd Assistant Director

  • Eowyn salvador - Script Supervisor

  • Nova Ingram - Production Assistant

  • Zach Goldberg - 1st Assistant Camera

  • Ian Robbeloth - Camera Op / 2nd 2nd AC

  • Xiarel (Z) - 2nd Assistant Camera / BTS

  • Eze Opara - Camera PA

  • John Ortiz - Gaffer

  • Phil Elleston - Key Grip

  • Max O’Connor - Best Electric

  • Kevin Kodama - Grip

  • Ariam Michael - Grip

  • Jonny Hayes - Grip

  • Yasmine Anastasia - Art Director

  • Rachel Rio - Food Stylist

  • Makaio “Bubba”Jimenez-Diolanto - Art/Food Styling PA

  • Mark Ryan Jimenez-Diolanto - Art/Food Styling PA

  • Nalini Kumar - Art PA

  • Geffen Dagai - Hair and Makeup Artist

  • Jules Roberts-Hansen - Hair and Makeup Artist

  • Sofia Dorrance - Wardrobe PA

  • Mikey Soleta - Boom Operator

  • Julia Li - Sound Mixer

  • Raphael Mallari - DIT/Editor

  • Min Thu Ta - Colorist

  • Eric Andre and Stone Throw Records - Score

The writer’s mental.

Queer as Fuck and Bindlestiff Studio present: Resistance and Rebellion (2025)

A short play anthology that celebrates queer acts of defiance, big and small, personal and political. In a time of rising erasure and isolation, this show is a reminder that our stories - queer, brown, loud, tender - deserve to take up space. Ku'uipo played Ash in "Date Night", Tess in "Tahanan" & Shadow Entity #3 in "Cursebreaker.

Date Night cast picture taken by @femme.fwd . Showing Seul Ki, Jaylyn Abergas & Rachel Rio
Tahanan cast picture taken by @femme.fed . Showing Nick Wong, Ben Yuen, Jaylyn Abergas, Rachel Rio & Solitaire M.
Scene in Tahanan by @shuazam_. Showing Solitaire M., Rachel Rio & Jaylyn Abergas.
Scene of Date Night taken by @shuazam_ . Showing Seul Ki, Jaylyn Abergas & Rachel Rio

Cast, Crew & Info

Date Night written by Jeanie Ngo & directed by Enedina Ramos Padilla

An ace couple books a gastronomic tasting date night, unaware it is an over-the-top erotic journey.

  • Seul Ki as Erin

  • Rachel Rio as Ash

  • Jaylyn Abergas as Lara

Tahanan written by Joce Ampon-Solis & directed by Emmanuel Romero

A group of regulars find themselves at their favorite queer cafe questioning the motives of a gay man that chooses a side they never expected. A trans woman figures out how to move forward with the help of her peers.

  • Solitaire M as JJ

  • Ben Yuen as Bobbee

  • Jaylyn Abergas as Sonja

  • Rachel Rio as Tess

  • Nick Wong as Fred

"Sequoia" - A Thesis Short by Hazel Merrell (2025)

"Sequoia tells the story of an immortal woman and her reincarnating firefighter girlfriend as they grapple with the latter's career and the fears that stirs up. The film uses surreal flashbacks to the couple's previous lifetimes in a void space with multicolored lighting to explore their past and how it influences their perspectives." - @jasmine.x.lavendar

Sequoia Stills
Sequoia Cast and Crew taken by Emily Beagley
Sequoia BST Photos taken by Emily Beagley

Acted in Sequoia, - a Thesis Short by Hazel Merrell. Ku'uipo played Natalie.

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Cast and Crew:

  • Natalie Reiner-Bertolucci - Alexandra

  • Rachel Rio - Natalie

  • Hazel Georgene Merrell - Director, Writer

  • Kaylynn Barley - Producer

  • Morgan Hamilton-Lee - Producer

  • Jeff & Jenni Merrell - Executive Producer

  • Mike & Terri Ward - Executive Producer

  • Kirk & Nancy McDowell - Executive Producer

  • Patricia Scott Muse - Executive Producer

  • Trevor & Coleen Stewart - Executive Producer

  • Leonardo Navarro - Executive Producer

  • Trey Garcia - Executive Producer

  • Sophie Salvadori-Roam - 1st Assistant Director

  • Precious Bautista - 1st Assistant Director

  • Éowyn Salvador - Script Supervisor

  • Emily Murphy - Production Designer

  • Brooke Beeson - Director of Photography

  • Ryan Tam - 1st Assistant Camera

  • Thea Krusinksi - 2nd Assistance Camera​​​

  • Gilad Meiri - Gaffer

  • ​Joe Zeitouny - Best Electric

  • Nikolas Welchel - Grip

  • Hailey Lindstrom - Grip

  • Eve Grahn - Grip

  • Kirsten Moyer - Grip

  • Brynn Casto - Grip

  • Alonzo Rodriguez-Spencer - Grip

  • Samson Lothschutz - Grip

  • Ivan Sauharda - Grip

  • Ninny Xiong - Sound Recordist

  • Shawn Harrigan - Boom Operator

  • Carla Grace Fajardo - Hair and Makeup

  • Abby Holman - Special Effects Makeup

  • Morgan Ekasala - Production Assistants

  • Mac Hughes - Production Assistants

  • Ellie Katz - Production Assistants

  • Emily Beagley - Behind the Scenes Photographer

  • Hazel Merrell - Editor & Colorist

  • Cheyanne Bachmeyer - Dialogue Editor

  • Nicholas Soriano Smith - Sound Effects Editor

  • Jingru Wang - Composer

Misce-En-Scene Showcase (2022): Untitled (Scene 1) Stage Reading

set up of Untitled.
Mise-En-Scene poster created by J Salazar and Sarina Temple
Cast during the staged performance. Not pictured, Emma Hoang-Rio

A staged reading on Untitled., an original scene written by Ku'uipo Rio. This event was curated by Sarina Temple which invited SFSU students/artists to showcase their work at SFSU.

Untitled. Cast:

  • ​Ku'uipo Rio - Raz, Playwright, Director

  • Leanne Mae Lonto - Winny/Winchester

  • Izabella Garcia - Bridget

  • Calvin Jacob Cruz - Gus

  • Ruby Basurto - Tye

  • Emma Hoang-Rio - Therapist/Stage Directions

Greenhouse Festival 2022: I Want to Hold Hands with the Sun

Greenhouse 2022: Six of the hottest emerging playwrights in the Bay Area -- students Nathanael Mitchell, Ku'uipo Rio, Dean Engle, Connor Wentworth, Megan Chenot and Hasti Jofari -- present staged readings of their new work. Made possible in part through the generosity of the Sam Mazza Foundation."

San Francisco State University, School of Theater and Dance.

I Want to Hold Hands with the Sun Cast:

  • ​Ku'uipo Rio - Playwright

  • Terry Boero - Director

  • Sarahi Arellano - Stage Manager

  • Lily Eiselt - Florence

  • Jessica Nagel - Kulani

  • Joshua Graves - Narrator/Josh


New Works: I Want to Hold Hands with the Sun (15 min)

"New Works presents two nights of theatre by SF State Theatre Playwrights. Adventure with our playwrights into the creative process and be a part of their journey. Each night’s staged readings range from friendship, outer space, self-discovery and fortitude. Join us as our playwrights emerge from their sequestered 18 months into the light of a new world."

San Francisco State University, School of Theater and Dance.

I Want to Hold Hands with the Sun Cast:

  • ​Ku'uipo Rio - Playwright/Director

  • Lily Eiselt - Florence

  • Kaiulani Schelstrate - Kulani

  • Steven Acuna - Josh

  • Willow Weibel - Narrator

2020 - 2021 Springstowne Wildcat Wresting Promo

A collaboration done with alumni Mark Jimenez-Diolanto and Precious Bautista with the "Hall of Fame Team Mom" Rochelle Jimenez-Diolanto for the Springstown Wildcat Wrestling team.

Solano Community College's "Deathtrap" by Ira Levin Directed by Trey Reeves

Participated in Solano Community College's online production of Ira Levin's Deathtrap, which was directed by Trey Reeves. Ku'uipo played Clifford Anderson.