 Bri Villanueva-Hardcastle, Soular, Madeline Wristen, Wade Pierson, and Claudio Laso in The Comeuppance. Photo Courtesy of Fresno City College. Hello...is this blog still on? It's been a while (almost seven years, but who's counting?) since our lil' blog was active, but when we heard some Fools- we're looking at you Claudio Laso, Madeline Wristen, Wade Pierson, and Toph Ortiz- in Fresno City College Theatre's latest production of The Comeuppance needed some help spreading the word about their show, we thought, "hey, we can help!" So, here we are, the first new post of our old blog...let's get into it. When The Comeuppance by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins premiered off-Broadway in 2023, it quickly drew critical acclaim and picked up five nominations at the Lucille Lortel Awards. The play centers on a group of former classmates who meet to pre-game before their 20th high school reunion, but they soon find that nostalgia has a way of opening old wounds and revealing complicated truths. The Fools caught up with Claudio Laso, who plays Emilio, to discuss the role, the production, and what audiences can expect from this sharp, deeply human play.  Claudio Laso in The Comeuppance. Photo Courtesy of Fresno City College. Q: For those who may not be familiar with the play, how would you describe The Comeuppance in your own words? A: The Comeuppance is a show about a group of friends who are pre-gaming before their 20th high school reunion. Throughout the show, the character of "Death" speaks through almost every character. They explain things the characters on stage aren't saying through monologues, while also giving life lessons and things for the audience to think about. It's the best kind of dramedy because it's a slice-of-life story. You are watching this one night in real time between these friends who have so much history together. Secrets are spilled, feelings are shared, and laughs are had! Q: What makes this story feel particularly relevant right now? A: What makes this show relevant now is the point of view of these characters. They are all millennials who discuss the hardships and traumatic events that their generation has experienced during their lifetime. While also discussing the meaning of life at times, how it feels to live in the state of the world during a time where they feel like they should be thriving, or at the very least, happy. It's relatable for anyone who feels like the world is falling apart around them because of forces that are out of their control. Q: The characters are all reconnecting before a 20th High School reunion. Who is the character Emilio, and how does he fit into this "Multi-Ethnic Reject Group"? A: Emilio is an artist on the rise, he currently lives in Berlin but is visiting his home town in the D.C.-adjacent precincts of Maryland while he awaits his exhibition debut at a New York biennial. He hasn't seen his friend group in person for fifteen years, aside from fellow M.E.R.G. member Simon. As the show goes on, he learns that he may not know his friends as well as he thought he did. Q: Is there any particular aspect of your character that you connect with? Any part of the character that you struggled to connect with? A: Oh man, I deeply resonate with Emilio. Although race is not specified in the script’s character description, I can’t help but feel that he is Latine like me. Aside from that, we wear the same masks. We hide our insecurities with a false facade of confidence, which can get dangerously close to being pompous. But unlike him, I’ve spent a lot of my adulthood trying to unlearn these coping mechanisms. He still has some work to do on how he copes. There are a couple of fun ways that we relate! We both have big friend groups that had a nickname throughout high school, who still talk and keep in touch. We are both artists and both used to have a strong passion for photography (we’re both out of practice). We even both dated someone in our friend group for a year and some change but continued to be friends after! It’s insane how alike we are. This role has been so rewarding because it felt like I knew who he was from the read-through. I hope I’m doing him justice.  Claudio Laso and Sean Torres in The Comeuppance. Photo Courtesy of Fresno City College. Q: The play centers on millennials reflecting on the lives they imagined versus the ones they ended up living. What conversations in the show stood out to you the most? A: There is a conversation about bottled-up feelings from their high school days and how those can fester or dissipate over the years, as well as how they informed their twenties. Like, should I have done this, should I have waited, should I have done what I wanted and not what was expected of me? This hit me in my heart because I just turned thirty this past summer, and I’ve been processing my twenties as well as my adolescence. Sometimes it's a little too easy to look back and think about all the different timelines you could’ve ended up on. But I’m coming to terms with the fact that you have to let those things go. It’s ok to think about it, but you can’t let them stay with you. Because then you’re not living in the present. Q: The characters are confronting adulthood, nostalgia, and the world they’re inheriting. What do you think audiences might see of themselves in these characters? A: I think audiences will see their insecurities on full display! Each character talks about their regrets or their frustrations with themselves or the world at least once. Audiences might also see their friends represented on stage. Their group dynamics, their shared inside jokes, even their shared messes. All of the characters and their friendships are deeply relatable. Q: Why do you think audiences in our community should come see The Comeuppance? A: Our community should see this show because this is the Multi Ethnic Reject Group from every school ever. These are the people you either knew or are! If you can’t relate to them on that level, then you will absolutely walk away touched by the death monologues. The character “Death” speaks directly to the audience in a way that is almost like a TED Talk. Q: What do you hope people are talking about on their way home after the show? A: I hope audience members spark conversations about what it means to be human, what it means to be a community member, and what it means to be there for people. “Death” will pose a question to the audience that I think everyone will sit with for a while. I know, I’m still looking for an answer to the final question. Q: Anything else you'd like to add? A: Last thing I’d like to say is that this cast, crew, and directing team have poured every ounce of themselves into this production. It’s almost a shame that we only have two weekends and that they are right on top of Rogue Fest and every other Spring production opening this month. But please, find somewhere in your schedule to fit in two and a half hours to experience a down-to-earth production that will touch your heart and leave you thinking about how you could be living a fuller life. The Comeuppance
written by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins | directed by Summer Session-Plevney Fresno City College March 6, 7, 13 & 14, 2026 at 7:30 PM March 8 & 14, 2026 at 2:00 PM Tickets: $14 General, $12 Student/Staff/Senior, $8 Group (10 or more)
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