Inside One of the Good Ones: A Conversation with Natascia Díaz

I had the opportunity to see One of the Good Ones at KC Rep, a dramedy that blends sharp humor with thoughtful conversations about identity, culture, and generational differences. The play centers on a tense and revealing family gathering, where difficult questions about belonging, heritage, and what it means to be American slowly surface through moments of laughter and vulnerability.

After seeing the show, I also had the chance to speak with Natascia Díaz, who plays Ilana, a mother navigating a complicated evening with family and friends. During our conversation, she shared how she prepares for emotionally complex roles, what it’s like working within such a collaborative ensemble, and what audiences might not immediately realize about the play. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Alexandria Mondaine: When asked how she steps into a character who may be very different from herself, Díaz described how she uses music as a gateway into a character’s emotional life.

Natascia Diaz: For me there are some tricks or tools I use. Music is paramount. I generally make a playlist for every character I play because music immediately gets me into that emotional space.

Mondaine: She explained that each role requires its own emotional atmosphere, and music helps her find that starting point.

Diaz: Music puts me there. Sometimes images do too. If I’m playing a very tragic character, I surround myself with images that capture that emotional world.

Mondaine: She recalled one particularly intense role where she transformed her entire dressing room into a kind of emotional cocoon.

Diaz: I actually plastered my entire dressing room with images that captured the character’s sadness and turmoil. I left only a tiny square so I could see the mirror to do my makeup. It became like a cocoon for the character.

Mondaine: For One of the Good Ones, however, the approach was slightly different because of the play’s structure and tone.

Diaz: This piece is really an ensemble ride. Our director calls it a dramedy, which I think is accurate because we laugh a lot, but there are also very emotional moments. It’s ninety minutes straight and almost all of us are on stage for most of it, so for me it’s really about finding a launching pad of energy at the beginning.

Mondaine: Because of the pace and structure, Díaz said stamina became one of the biggest challenges.

Diaz: I haven’t done a play in a while, and the stamina it takes is different. The emotional stamina and intellectual stamina are intense. But actors are like athletes. We train for the race we’re running.

Mondaine: She described one moment in the play that requires a particularly quick emotional shift.

Diaz: At one point we’re laughing hysterically, and then I have to cry almost instantly. That kind of sharp turn is challenging. My husband actually helped me with it. He noticed a line in the script where my character says, ‘Well, we’re going to save a fortune on the wedding… we weren’t invited.’ He pointed out that the emotional turn starts right there. Now every time I reach that moment, I start making that shift internally.

Mondaine: Beyond the technical challenges, Díaz spoke warmly about the collaborative environment created by the production’s director (Laura Alcala Baker).

Diaz: Our director, Laura, is just a light. The way she leads the room is with generosity. She allows people to express ideas, to be insecure about things, to need things. A director really sets the tone for the entire process.

Mondaine: Diaz also praised the cast, noting that working alongside actors who are fully present makes the process especially rewarding.

Diaz: I feel like I’m on stage with people just like me, people who are present and flexible and willing to explore different moments in the performance. When you trust each other like that, the work becomes joyful.

Mondaine: When asked what audiences might not realize while watching the show, Díaz reflected on the larger themes the play is tackling.

Diaz: What the playwright is doing here is bigger than just the story. It’s trying to carve out a space for these truths to be heard and to question what it means to be American.

Mondaine: She described theater itself as a powerful space for reflection and dialogue.

Diaz: It’s a strange but beautiful thing. We sit in a dark room and give our attention to a pretend situation, but it allows us to think about real issues in a new way.

Mondaine: Throughout the play, Ilana works as a mediator among the characters, often trying to keep the peace while navigating her own insecurities. Díaz reflected on the advice her character might offer the audience.

Diaz: Don’t assume. Always aim for the best outcome and find the road to come together.

Mondaine: For Díaz, one of the most relatable aspects of Ilana’s story is her role as a mother navigating generational differences.

Diaz: She’s a mom trying to understand her child, who suddenly seems like a completely different person. That generational gap is something many people recognize.

Mondaine: She noted that the play captures how communication styles and perspectives shift between generations.

Diaz: The playwright does a beautiful job showing how different generations think and speak. Sometimes it really does feel like you’re speaking completely different languages.

Mondaine: Ultimately, Díaz believes the play resonates because it highlights both the humor and the tension that come from those differences.

Diaz: It shows the validity and the problems in both perspectives, and I think audiences really enjoy seeing that.”

Through its humor, honesty, and layered performances, One of the Good Ones invites audiences to look closely at the ways identity, family, and culture intersect, and how understanding often begins with simply listening.

Once again, I want to thank TeenTix KC for this incredible opportunity to see the show and speak with Natascia Díaz. If you are a teen interested in theater, I highly recommend getting a free TeenTix KC pass so you can experience productions like this for yourself.