Mario Barrantes Espinoza (°1991) is a Costa Rican-Nicaraguan artist based in Brussels. He studied theatre and dance at the National University of Costa Rica before moving to Belgium, where he graduated from the Training Cycle (2016) and Research Studios (2018) at P.A.R.T.S. He has worked on shows by François Chaignaud, Théo Mercier, Benjamin Abel Meirhaeghe, Michiel Vandevelde and Eszter Salamon, and was guest artist with the bands Peaches and The Subs.

Mario Barrantes Espinoza is currently developing projects as an independent artist. His work interweaves performance, the (re)writing of texts and the use of vocals, with material from pop culture and mainstream media. His two graduation projects, [A SEQUENCE III] and Drift (I) – the latter in collaboration with Thomas Bîrzan – were selected for international festivals, including the dance platform Aerowaves (2019), which presents the most promising new work by up-and-coming dance artists in Europe. In 2020, the proposal for his debut work, El cantar del playo or… a song is a rose is a thorn (2022), was awarded the Roel Verniers prize by Het TheaterFestival for "creative ideas and new performing talent". In 2023, Mario curated the first edition of the Culo shaking night…til tears get dry in Kaaitheater, a hybrid event inspired by family festivities in Latin America where, accompanied by food, drinks, kitschy decor and music, the audience could meet artists whose work triggers stories of queerness and Latin American themes.

In the Atelier at Toneelhuis, he is working on a new show, Flesh can't can't not 'tis flesh h..., which will premiere at Kaaitheater on 27 April 2024.