Learn to be Latina
[tabs]
[tab title=”Show Info”]
SHOW SUMMARY
LEARN TO BE LATINA
November 11-December 18, 2011
By Enrique Urueta
Hanan is a beautiful and promising pop star, but her Lebanese heritage is a stumbling block. Rather than scrap her career, the record label decides to exploit her slightly Latina looks and package her as the next J.Lo. Anxious for stardom, Hanán surrenders to Latina Boot Camp. Be prepared to see every sacred cow slaughtered in this outrageous satire about fame, ethnicity and pop culture.
[/tab]
[tab title=”About the Writer”]
Enrique Urueta (Playwright) Enrique Urueta’s plays include The Johnson Administration, The Danger of Bleeding Brown, Learn To Be Latina, and Forever Never Comes. His plays have been developed or produced by The Queer Cultural Center, Playwrights Foundation, Atlantic Theater Company, Lark Play Development Center, Impact Theatre, Golden Thread Productions, Crowded Fire Theater Company, and Stray Cat Theatre with forthcoming productions by Mixed Blood Theatre and The Lobster Theater Project. He has received a Theatre Bay Area CASH grant, a Theatre Bay Area New Works Fund award for Forever Never Comes and was selected by Sir David Hare as a runner-up for the 2009 Yale Drama Series prize for The Danger of Bleeding Brown. Learn To Be Latina received Aurora Theatre Company’s Global Age Project award, won the inaugural Great Gay Play contest sponsored by Pride Films & Plays, and was named Best Ensemble Comedy of 2010 by the SF Weekly, which also named him Best Up-And-Coming Playwright of 2010. Southern Theatre Magazine identified him as one of “40 Groundbreaking Playwrights” who are “changing the U.S. theatre.” He is a proud member of NoPassport, an on-line collective of theatre artists who advocate for cross-cultural theatrical exchange, with an emphasis on US Latina/o and Latin American theatre. Most recently he received a Jerome Fellowship for 2011-12 from The Playwrights’ Center of Minneapolis. He holds a BA in Theatre from The College of William & Mary and a MFA in Playwriting from Brown.
[/tab]
[tab title=”Cast”]
FAEREN ADAMS: (Mary O’Malley, Elena, Calcetina): Faeren is excited to be making her Diversionary debut. A San Diego native, she has been doing theatre for many years. Favorite roles include Puck in A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Miracosta College), Candy in Unidentified Human Remains… (Garr Productions, NYC), Esperanza in If the Shoe Fits (Coronado Playhouse), Juanita(u/s, performed)in Come Back to the Five & Dime…(6th & Penn), Gianna in A Roman Holiday (Coronado Playhouse).
AMANDA COOLEY DAVIS (Jill): At Diversionary Theatre: The Long Christmas Ride Home, Side Man (with BANG! Productions). Selected San Diego Credits: Killer Joe (Compass Theatre), Crimes of the Heart (Scripps Ranch Theatre), Expecting Isabel (Moxie Theatre), Trojan Women (ion theatre), A Christmas Carol (Cygnet Theatre), Terra Nova (Inukshuk Productions), The Deception (La Jolla Playhouse),The Children’s Hour, Some Girls, Cooperstown (Carlsbad Playreaders), The Bear (Tonic Productions). Teaching artist for The Old Globe, Playwrights Project, North Coast Repertory Theatre, The Bishop’s School. MFA in acting from Brooklyn College. Love to Mark, Louie, Nate. Thrilled to be back at Diversionary!
TAMARA DHIA (Hanan) is a by-product of being raised in many different geographical locations. Born in Baghdad, Iraq and raised in Nashville, TN she has lived in multiple cities including Las Vegas, Ann Arbor, Washington DC, New York City and currently Los Angeles. While New York will always have her heart, she appreciates that her somewhat vagabond lifestyle has helped her become adaptable to the characters she embodies on stage and screen. Her ethnically ambiguous appearance has allowed her to play a variety of characters. Best known for her lead role in the award-winning film Santa Claus in Baghdad, her face has also been seen in commercials for MTV, Nintendo and Pizza Hut. Tamara most recently wrapped on the feature film The Party is Over with Kathy Baker.
OLIVIA ESPINOSA (Blanca): Olivia is happy to be returning to Diversionary Theatre where she had the pleasure of working on The Breakup Notebook in 2007. Most recently, Olivia played the bilingual role of Mari in The Jumpitz, a children’s entertainment group who in 2010, performed for hundreds of military families stationed in Europe. Other credits include Luis Valdez’ Earthquake Sun (San Diego Rep), Escanaba in Da Moonlight (Cygnet) and Switch (Playwrights Project). Olivia would like to thank her family and friends for their continued support.
DANGERFIELD G. MOORE (Bill) Dangerfield is new to the San Diego area and is happy to be involved with Diversionary. He was previously seen as Gaveston in their recent production of Edward II and as Enrico in the Coronado Playhouse production of A Roman Holiday. He has extensive credits in stage and film. He received his Bachelor’s in drama from the University of Pittsburgh. He hopes to add to productions in and around San Diego, and pursue an MFA in Theater.
STEVE SMITH (Will): holds a BA in theatre from the Florida State University. Steve was last seen at Diversionary in Edward II. Other fun challenges have included Vladimir in Waiting for Godot, Pablo Picasso in Picasso at the Lapin Agile, Guildenstern in Rosencrantz and Guildenstern…, Macduff in Macbeth, James Leeds in Children of a Lesser God, and Hamlet in Hamlet.
[/tab][/tab]
[/tab]
[/tab]
[/tab]
[tab title=”Press Release”]
PRESS RELEASE
CONTACTS
Gigi Cantin, Press & Audience Engagement
or John Alexander, Executive Director
619.220.6830
gcantin@diversionary.org, jalexander@diversionary.org
Learn To Be Latina, Southern California premiere
of satiric romantic comedy next at Diversionary
San Diego, CA “ Groundbreaking playwright Enrique Urueta’s Learn To Be Latina is an uproarious romantic comedy that uses humor to explore issues of gender, race and identity, popular culture and fame. Performances begin November 11, 2011.
Learn To Be Latina follows Hanan, a beautiful and promising pop star, whose Lebanese heritage is seen by record executives as a stumbling block. Rather than scrap her career, the record label decides to exploit her slightly Latina looks and package her as the next J.Lo. Anxious for stardom, Hanan surrenders to Latina Boot Camp.
Inspired by screwball comedies and musicals of the 1930s and 40s, Learn To Be Latina is a multi-media dance infused laugh riot about a young woman’s quest to make the big-time and come to terms with her sexuality and ethnic identity. Bitingly satirical and decidedly politically incorrect, Latina skewers every popularly held sacred cow with gusto. In other words, this production contains offensive language and subject matter that not may be suitable for the faint of heart. But is completely appropriate for those willing to laugh at themselves and familiar stereotypes.
Playwright Enrique Urueta’s plays include The Johnson Administration, The Danger of Bleeding Brown, Learn To Be Latina, and Forever Never Comes. He has received a Theatre Bay Area CASH grant, a Theatre Bay Area New Works Fund award for Forever Never Comes and was selected by Sir David Hare as a runner-up for the 2009 Yale Drama Series prize for The Danger of Bleeding Brown. Learn To Be Latina received Aurora Theatre Company’s Global Age Project award, won the inaugural Great Gay Play contest sponsored by Pride Films & Plays, and was named Best Ensemble Comedy of 2010 by the SF Weekly, which also named him Best Up-And-Coming Playwright of 2010. Southern Theatre Magazine identified him as one of “40 Groundbreaking Playwrights” who are “changing the U.S. theatre.” He is a proud member of NoPassport, an on-line collective of theatre artists who advocate for cross-cultural theatrical exchange, with an emphasis on US Latina/o and Latin American theatre. Most recently he received a Jerome Fellowship for 2011-12 from The Playwrights’ Center of Minneapolis. He holds a BA in Theatre from The College of William & Mary and a MFA in Playwriting from Brown.
Company for Learn To Be Latina
Written by Enrique Urueta. Featuring Tamara Dhia, Faeren Adams, Amanda Cooley Davis, Olivia Espinosa, Dangerfield G. Moore, and Steve Smith. The Learn To Be Latina design and production team includes Jessica Bird (Associate Director), Matt Scott (Set), Michelle Caron (Lights), Raquel Barreto (Costumes), Kevin Anthenill (Sound), David Medina (Properties), Luke Olson (Projection Design), Anna Sarao (Choreographer) and Julie Daniels (Stage Manager).
Audience Extras
Diversionary’s Audience Extras programs provide the audience with the following value-added opportunities to socialize before and after performances. Attendance to these events is at no additional cost.
Fritz’s Lounge: Enjoy wine or a cocktail in the newly designed lobby Fritz’s Lounge! Come early and meet your friends, snack on delicious treats and check out the gallery and poster display. Lounge opens one hour prior to curtain.
Meet The Artists: Stay after the show and talk with one of the artists involved in creating the production in an interactive and thought provoking discussion of themes explored in the show. November 18, 20 and December 16.
Gal Pal Friday: Ladies! Enjoy a pre-show cocktail party and an entertaining night of theatre. Meet friends, bring a date or come as you are and be ready to mix and mingle. Ticket $20, includes hors d’oeuvres and cash bar. All are welcome to this event.
Sundown Sundays: Cap off the weekend with complimentary pizza and ½ price wine and cocktails before the Sunday evening regular performances.
About Diversionary
Diversionary Theatre develops new works and produces plays and musicals that explore the issues, characters and stories of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community in all its complexity and diversity. Founded in 1986, Diversionary has grown into a professional theatre company that nurtures LGBT artists in the development of new works of theatre. Through play commissions, readings and workshops, Diversionary regularly collaborates with other theatre and arts groups to present special events and co-productions, thus involving a wider arts community in our mission.
Previews are November 11-13 and 17-18. Opening Night is November 19 at 8pm. Performances run through December 18, 2011, at Diversionary Theatre 4545 Park Blvd. San Diego, CA 92116.
Tickets: Friday & Saturday – $33.00; Thursday & Sunday – $31.00;
Opening Night $45.00; Previews – $20
CALENDAR LISTING
WHAT: Diversionary Theatre presents Learn To Be Latina
Learn To Be Latina
By Enrique Urueta
WHERE: Diversionary Theatre
4545 Park Blvd. San Diego CA 92116
WHEN: November 13-December 18, 2011
Previews: November 13-18
Opens: November 19 at 8pm
Runs through December 18
TIME: Thursday-Saturday at 8pm,
Sundays 2pm and 7pm
Special Monday performances November 28 and December 5 at 8pm
PRICES:
Friday & Saturday $33.00
Thursday & Sunday $31.00
Opening Night $45.00
Previews $ 20.00
DISCOUNTS:
Students/Senior 60+/Military receive $4 off with valid ID.
Groups of 10-29 receive a $4 discount, and groups of 30+ receive an $8 discount.
PURCHASE:
For tickets or information, call the Diversionary box office at 619.220.0097 or visit www.diversionary.org .
The City of San Diego Commission for Arts and Culture provides major support for Diversionary Theatre.
[/tab]
[/tab]
[/tab][/tab]
[/tab]
[tab title=”Resource Links”]Diversionary Theatre Reaches Out – Gay San Diego
[/tab]
[tab title=”Reviews”]
REVIEWS
“Learn to Be Latina is vulgar, outrageous and funny.”
– SDGLN
“A Scathing, Crude Comedic Romp”
-GAY SAN DIEGO
[/tab]
[/tabs]