Rafael grew up in New WORLD Theatre (founded by Roberta Uno) and was mentored and instructed by artists such as Steven Sapp, Jamal Chasten, and Mildred Ruiz of Universes (Ameriville, Party People) Alice Tuan (Ajax, Batch) Jorge Ignacio Cortinas, Kwikstep and Rockafella, Sekou Sundiata, Rha Goddess, Constance Congdon, Gilbert McCauley.

Rafael designed a Bachelor's Degree of Independent Concentration in Acting and Directing for Theatre and Film with a minor in Photography.  While on domestic exchange at Cal State Los Angeles he met Tanya Kane-Parry who introduced him to physically avant garde theatre with a bold staging of Suzan-Lori Parks' The America Play (promo trailer here).

As an Acting Apprentice at Actors Theatre of Louisville Rafael worked closely with playwrights A. Rey Pamatmat, Kia Corthron, Rolin Jones, Michael Jon Garces, Naomi Iizuka and directors KJ Sanchez, Chay Yew, Ron OJ Parsons. 

In New York City Rafael became a member of New Perspectives Theatre company getting the chance to play Romeo, Horatio, and produce and direct his own playwriting.  Rafael became a hometown hero when his Dunkin Donuts commercial thrilled his friends and family (Massachusetts folks love their DD!).  Rafael worked as Marketing Designer and Photographer for The Barrow Group Theatre, and won the Best Film Award with nVision NYC in a contest to create original video content for Pearson Textbooks.   

Rafael attended the invite only Master Class Workshop for heightened text and rhetoric with the late great Robert Neff Williams of the Julliard school.  He was invited to Bali, Indonesia with Per Brahe, Aole T. Miller, and Akil Apollo Davis of Studio 5 for an intensive dance, mask, Michael Chekov conservatory and festival.  Rafael's Grandfather was delighted to see him as recurring co-star, Officer Thompson on One Life to Live.

Rafael was awarded a Master of Fine Arts in Acting from American Conservatory Theatre in San Francisco.  His Bay Area credits include work with Berkeley Rep, The Magic Theatre, Shotgun Players, Aurora Theatre Company, Theatreworks, Livermore Shakespeare Festival, California Shakespeare Festival, and of course American Conservatory Theatre.  Rafael's work with James Carpenter and Paul V. O'Connor in American Buffalo, directed by tony nominated Barbara Damashek, won them Best Production Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle Award, and nominated for Theatre Bay Area Best Ensemble Acting Award.

Other favorite productions include:  John in The Island by Athol Fugard, directed by Stephen Buescher. Watts in Chasing Mehserle by Chinaka Hodge, directed by Stephen Buescher.  Kent in Stick Fly directed by Tyee Tilghman.  Tom in The Glass Menagerie directed by Ryan Purcell.

Rafael has been involved in devised ensemble work with Campo Santo, Lisa Townsend, and is a member of Project 2050 Legacy, and is currently working as Writer/Director/Producer on Hashtag the show ( www.HashtagtheShow.com )

Films(imdb): The Man Who Feared dir. Jehnova Carlisle (Invaluable Mind Productinos) Me, You and the Road dir. Joshua Miller (C&I Studios), Best Laid Plans dir. Matt Landin (Messyhouse Moving Pictures), Othello in Othello the Web Series at www.ReadySetGoTheatre.com.