Karina Pal Montaño-Bowers
is a 20 year veteran of the stage and interdisciplinary artist out of Houston, Texas. Since 2007, she has acted in more than 16 productions with the Catastrophic…a few of them virtual! In 2020, she wrote and performed in The Choosy Maiden . Her original adaptation of a Filipino myth was presented as part of Catastrophic’s “The Drama Squad.”
Her short film, A STORY FROM MY LOLO had a showing at the McNay Museum in San Antonio as part of a group exhibit from the Filipinx Artists of Houston and the 2021 Texas Biennial. The self narrated and illustrated tale is a retelling of one her grandfather’s many stories, filtered through her own memories and immigrant experiences in the South.
Karina’s also has numerous screen credits including the political thriller, LONE STAR DECEPTION (TriCoast Worldwide), now out on IMDbTV and Tubi as well as the feature length comedy, THE PIZZA JOINT, available through Prime Video. You can also catch Karina in the horror short LOOSE ENDS, directed by Shrader Thomas and Edward Else’s psychological suspense drama, POSTAL (Ricornel Productions).
Other recent projects include collaborations with fellow Filipinx artists Matthew Curran and Cybil Seans. Karina voices the role of Ate Dalisay in Curran’s supernatural podcast PROJECT GNOSIS and portrays a modern Filipino mom in Cybil Saenz’s short film URBAN TRADE.
When not acting, Karina enjoys merriment with family and friends, dancing, traveling and cuddling with her cat, TC.
Catastrophic credits: Marie and Bruce, The Pine, Fleaven, American Falls, Our Late Night, Spirits To Enforce and numerous Tamarie Cooper shows. Other stage credits: Infernal Bridegroom Productions: Symphony of Rats, The Hotel Play, Tamalalias 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10. Unhinged Productions: Salome (staged reading). Mildred’s Umbrella: A Murder of Crows. Slump: Electric Lipstick. Nova Arts Project: Joy Luck Club. Express Children’s Theatre: Mulan. Theatre Illuminata: Thirst (director), The Necklace (director/original adaptation), Wilhelm Reich in Hell (co-director/choreography), and Shakespeare: Love & Wrath (director). In 2010, she received a Houston Arts Alliance Individual Artist Grant with which she created her original piece, The Amazing Living Theatre. In addition to the stage, Karina works actively in commercials and independent films. She has a Bachelors in Theatre from Lamar University and is represented by Pastorini-Bosby Talent.
