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Jose
Luis Valenzuela Directs Jimmy Smits
in "Anna in the Tropics"
L.A. Theatre Works Records Pulitzer Prize-Winning
Play for Radio Broadcast
Jose Luis Valenzuela is set to direct Jimmy Smits, who recreates his
Broadway role as Juan Julian, the "lector", when L.A. Theatre
Works records Nilo Cruz's Pulitzer Prize-winning Anna in the Tropics
for broadcast on its nationally-syndicated radio theater series, The
Play’s The Thing. Five public performances will be recorded
June 15 through 19 at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles.
Jose Luis Valenzuela is artistic director of the Latino Theatre Company
and a professor of Drama at UCLA. Internationally, Mr. Valenzuela
has directed Peer Gynt by Henrik Ibsen at the Norland Theatre in Norway;
Manuel Puig’s Kiss of The Spider Woman at the National Theatre
of Norway and has assisted his mentor Stein Winge with Hamlet, The
Glass Managerie, Barrabas, Pantagleize, Die Walkurie, The Inspector
General and The Wild Duck. His U.S. stage credits include Dementia
(Evelina Fernandez) (2002 GLAAD Award) and Luminarias (Evelina Fernandez)
for The Latino Theatre Company at The Los Angeles Theatre Center,
Journey to Cordoba, with music by Lee Holdrige and Richard Sparks,
for the Los Angeles Opera, Carpa Clash (Culture Clash) at The Mark
Taper Forum, Radio Mambo for the Miami Light Project, Bandido! (Luis
Valdez) at the Mark Taper Forum, Hijos at the Jorge Negrete Theatre,
La Victima (El Teatro de la Esperanza) LATC, The Promise (Jose Rivera),
Roosters (Milcha Sanchez-Scott) at LATC, Stone Wedding (Sanchez-Scott
in collaboration with Latino Theatre Lab) LATC, The Mission (Culture
Clash) LATC, A Bowl of Beings (Culture Clash) LATC, S.O.S. (Culture
Clash) Japan American Cultural Center (Latino Theatre Company) LATC,
A Burning Beach (Eduardo Machado) LATC, The La, La, La Awards (Latins
Anonymus) San Diego Repertory Theatre and The Last Angry Brown Hat
(Alfredo Ramos). He directed a workshop production of L.A. Carmen,
a musical adaptation of Bizet’s Carmen by the Latino Theatre
Company. Other credits include La Virgen de Guadalupe, Dios Inanztin
(Latino Theater Company) at Our Lady of The Angels Cathedral, La Virgen
del Tepeyac (Luis Valdez) at Saint Alphonsus Church and the Million
Dollar Theater; How Else Am 1 Supposed To Know I’m Still Alive?;
and Premeditation (Evelina Fernandez), for The Latino Theatre Company.
His film directing credits include the award-winning film Luminarias,
How Else Am I Supposed To Know I’m Still A live? for Universal’s
Hispanic Film Project, Una Vez Al Ano Para Toda Una Vida, La Redada
and A Bowl of Beings for PBS’ Great Performances. Mr. Valenzuela
was honored with the 2003 Hispanic Heritage Month Local Hero of the
Year Award sponsored by Union Bank and KCET, Los Angeles. This award
recognizes distinguished citizens for their contributions to improving
the quality of life throughout their respective communities. He is
currently in pre-production for the film adaptation of “Dementia.”
THE FACTS
WHAT:
Next in line to be preserved on CD by L.A. Theatre Works is Nilo Cruz’s
2003 Pulitzer Prize winner, Anna in the Tropics. This poignant and
poetic 2003 Pulitzer Prize-winning play captures 1929 Florida at a
time when cigars are still rolled by hand and “lectors”
are employed to educate and entertain the workers. The arrival of
a new lector (Jimmy Smits, recreating his Broadway role) is cause
for celebration, but when he reads aloud from Anna Karenina, he unwittingly
becomes a catalyst in the lives of his avid listeners, for whom Tolstoy,
the tropics and the American dream prove a volatile combination. All
performances are recorded to air on L. A Theatre Works’ nationally-syndicated
radio theater series, The Play’s The Thing, which broadcasts
weekly on public and satellite radio.
WHO:
Written by Nilo Cruz.
Featuring Jimmy Smits, Alma Martinez, Jonathan Nichols, Winston Rocha,
Onahoua Rodriguez, Adriana Sevan and Herbert Siguenza
Produced by Susan Albert Loewenberg
WHEN:
Wednesday, June 15 at 8:00 pm
Thursday, June 16 at 8:00 pm
Friday, June 17 at 8:00 pm
Sunday, June 19 at 4:00 pm & 7:30 pm
(There is no performance on Saturday, June 18.)
WHERE:
Skirball Cultural Center
2701 N. Sepulveda Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90049HOW:
L.A. Theatre Works Box Office - (310) 827-0889 or www.latw.org
TICKETS:
$20.00 to $45.00
Call for student prices.
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To Advertise in the Print Edition Click HERE
To Advertise in the Online Edition, Click HERE
Digital Cover
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