Maria Zarrillo (they/them) is an Arts Manager with a background in producing, stage management, advocacy, and research. Maria has worked with a variety of companies and communities in these capacities both locally and nationally. 

Maria is the Managing Director of Rumble, working alongside Artistic Director Jivesh Parasram, while maintaining a freelance career. Rumble is a non-profit, charitable arts & culture organization that creates, presents, and produces contemporary performance. Working in a decentralized collective model, Rumble prioritizes projects and initiatives that utilize art to expand collective imagination, collaboration, and build a deeper understanding of relationality and community.

Maria is a graduate of Studio 58’s production program, the University of Winnipeg with a major in Theatre & Film and a minor in Human Rights, and holds a Master of Arts in Justice Studies from Royal Roads University. Inspired by several scholars such as José Esteban Muñoz, Jack Halberstam, and Lee Edelman, Maria’s thesis titled Queer Utopian Theory for Transformative Change in Theatre Organizations looks to the concept of queer utopia to address inequities within the theatre sector, with a focus on the role of theatre organizations.