The performance crew headRush combines popular theatre and spoken word comedy to create a unique rush of psycho-político satire that ignites critical dialogue and social action. Made up of Oakland CA-based writers/performers/educators, headRush makes complex issues accessible and relevant to diverse audiences through dramatic multi-media storytelling and interactive workshops.

Rosa González, Luis (Xago) Juarez, and Lakin Valdez are headrush and each brings their own unique experiences to the group - as educators, as actors, as artists, as writers.

Since their debut in 2003, headRush has maintained a strong performance record, bringing hard-hitting, original productions to schools, universities, conferences, cultural centers, theatres and public spaces throughout California and beyond.

The group creates multilingual, intercultural performances that audiences can relate to regardless of ethnic background by interweaving physical theatre and innovative sound and visual design.  They creatively re-appropriate elements of spoken word, rap, opera, pop music, slapstick, Mexican folk ballads, commercial jingles, puppetry, and Brechtian-style agit-prop to illuminate the absurdities of our global reality. 

Recognized for their contributions to the genre by local theatres and arts centers, in 2006 they were awarded the prestigious three-month Artist in Residency fellowship at Montalvo Arts to create new work.  In addition to their own creative work, they conducted a six-week master class at a local high school.  Impressed with the success of their youth program, Montalvo Arts commissioned the group to curate and direct a multi-arts summer camp at the facility in 2007.  

headRush continues to engage in school-based residencies throughout California and tour their work (performances and workshops) to theatres, high schools, colleges and universities at the national level.