Jillian Juliet Sainz is a performer born and raised in San Antonio, Texas inspired by the influences of Mom’s radio, i.e. Selena, Mariah Carey, Sade, and Madonna. From the second she was selected to sing the national anthem on the morning announcements in second grade, she knew she wanted to sing for the rest of her life. She became an adamant worker towards her development in her school choir and theatre programs, eventually performing in productions like Cinderella, West Side Story, and leading as Laurey in Oklahoma!.

Raised in a Texan suburb, it was through theatre that she was exposed to the grand amounts of culture she was surrounded by in her city of San Antonio. After getting cast in her first community theatre production, In The Heights, she was thrust into the boisterous and affectionate, welcoming arms of her Hispanic culture. She was also introduced to a warm theatre community she would still call her “familia” in years to come. This led her down a path of many shows (her favorite role of them all being the inspiring Gloria Estefan in “On Your Feet”) which later developed into her regional theatre debut at San Antonio Broadway Theatre. Then on, Jillian has continued on her theatrical journey, feeding her curiosity and desire for endless growth and learning. She has developed so much as an artist through storytelling from the eyes of optimistic but troubled Mimi Marquez in RENT to connecting with theatre-loving patrons as a Z Lounge Performer at the ZACH Theatre in Austin, TX. Enriched by the school of life and the gifts of opportunity, she looks ahead towards the future with an open mind and heart, eager at what stories and connections the world has to offer next. She particularly hopes to see herself in more projects highlighting queer experiences or uplifting Latina women’s voices. When not performing, she can be found reading a self-help book, chatting with her beloved mother, or laughing really hard at jokes that weren’t that funny. Or switching up her curl routine for literally the 300th time.