Teatro Público de Cleveland blows the roof off with this Latino culture and modern music-infused take on Dickens’ classic Christmas tale
By Maya Malan-Gonzalez
Composition & Arrangements by Emiliano Valdez & Daniel Valdez
Directed by Holly Holsinger
Cleveland, OH – Cleveland Public Theatre (CPT) and Teatro Público de Cleveland (TPC) present the National New Play Network (NNPN) Rolling World Premiere of A Xmas Cuento Remix, by Maya Malan-Gonzalez, composition and arrangements by Emiliano Valdez and Daniel Valdez, directed by Holly Holsinger. The play will be performed in English with some Spanish by TPC ensemble members and will run December 5 – 21, 2019 in CPT’s James Levin Theatre.
About A Xmas Cuento Remix
¡Este no es el cuento navideño de la abuela! Teatro Público de Cleveland blows the roof off with this Latino culture and modern music-infused take on Dickens’ classic Christmas tale. Performed in English and Spanish.
In partnership with the National New Play Network (NNPN), A Xmas Cuento Remix is produced at Cleveland Public Theatre as part of a National New Play Network Rolling World Premiere. Other partnering theatres are Milagro Theatre (Portland) and 16th Street Theater (Chicago). For more information, please visit www.nnpn.org.
According to Teatro Público de Cleveland’s Leadership Committee (Chair – Mónica A. Cerpa Zúñiga, Vice Chair – Alisha M. Caraballo; Ernesto Luna Camargo, Letitia Lopez, Gilberto Peña, and Blanca Iris García Rivera Salva): “Teatro Público de Cleveland proudly celebrates six years since our official launch in 2013. We celebrate our diversity, our love and commitment to do theatre that is nurturing and aspirational, and we celebrate and are grateful to our community which has provided its continuous support since the company was created. This holiday season, we are presenting our first musical production, A Xmas Cuento Remix, and we couldn’t be more proud to be part of a National New Play Network Rolling World Premiere. We can’t wait to share this vibrant production with Cleveland; A Xmas Cuento Remix provides a fresh perspective on time-honored holiday traditions, combining strong female leads, modern music, and holiday cheer.”
About National New Play Network
National New Play Network (NNPN) is an alliance of professional theatres that collaborate in innovative ways to develop, produce, and extend the life of new plays. Founded in 1998, NNPN continues to revolutionize the new play landscape through the strength of its member theatres, collaborate efforts, and its nationally recognized programs and services for artists and organizations. For more information about NNPN, visit www.nnpn.org.
About NNPN Rolling World Premieres
NNPN’s flagship initiative, the Rolling World Premiere (RWP) Program, supports three or more theatres that choose to mount the same new play within a 12-month period, allowing the playwright to develop a new work with multiple creative teams in multiple communities. The playwright is part of the process, working on the script and making adjustments based on what is learned from each production. To learn more, visit: www.nnpn.org/programs/rolling-world-premieres.
About Teatro Público de Cleveland
In 2013, Cleveland Public Theatre launched Teatro Público de Cleveland, a local Latino theatre company, whose work reflects the artistic goals, interests, and ideals of its members. The purpose of this theatre ensemble is to share the rich diversity and perspectives of the Latino-Cleveland culture, and to fulfill CPT’s core mission.
Teatro Público de Cleveland inspires inter/intra cultural exchange through thought-provoking bilingual storytelling and performance that fosters social consciousness and builds community. TPC is committed to identifying, developing, celebrating, and inspiring Cleveland Latino artists to share their experiences, cultures, perspectives, and talents. Collaborating on the artistic continuum, Teatro Público de Cleveland welcomes amateur to experienced artists who share a common language regardless of cultural origin. Visit www.teatropublico.org to read more about the ensemble.
Cast and Crew of A Xmas Cuento Remix
The cast of A Xmas Cuento Remix includes Tania Benites, Angel Luis Centeno, Mónica A. Cerpa Zúñiga, Brett DiCello, Valerie A. Mathis, Christina Patterson, Gil Peña, Blanca Iris García Rivera Salva, Andrew Aaron Valdez*, Anthony “TonyFresh” Velez, Selena Awesome Vicarío, and Hillary Wheelock.
The production team includes Raymond Bobgan – Producer; Faye Hargate – Line Producer; Maria DiDonato – Music Director; Lilly Corona Moreno – Dramaturg & Assistant Director; Anthony “TonyFresh” Velez – Choreographer; Jesse Reagan Hernon – Stage Manager; Sylka Edmondson – Assistant Stage Manager; Aaron Benson* – Scenic Designer; Inda Blatch-Geib – Costume Designer; Richard B. Ingraham – Sound Designer; Jonathan Velez – Sound Operator; Jeremy Paul – Lighting Designer; and Musicians: Maria DiDonato (Piano), Tim Miller (Percussion), Joseph Rangel (Guitar), and Kevin Thompson (Bass).
*2019/2020 Premiere Fellow
Ticket and Show Information
A Xmas Cuento Remix previews December 5. Press Night is Friday, December 6 and the show runs through December 21. Performances are Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays* at 7:00pm, and Sundays at 3:00pm. *The performance on Saturday, December 21 is at 3:00pm. Performances take place in CPT’s James Levin Theatre located at 6415 Detroit Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44102, in the heart of the Gordon Square Arts District.
Tickets are $15-35. Students/Seniors receive $5 off on Friday and Saturday nights. Preview, Thursdays, and Sundays are $15, the Saturday 12/21 performance is $15, Fridays and Saturdays are $35, and matinees are “Family Days” with $10 tickets for youth under 18.
PURCHASE TICKETS at www.cptonline.org or call the CPT Box Office at 216.631.2727 ext. 501. Group discounts are available—call the Box Office to inquire. (Reserve early! – CPT never charges any ticket fees, ever.)
The James Levin Theatre is ADA compliant, featuring a patron elevator and an all gender, wheelchair accessible restroom.
Every Friday is Free Beer Friday at CPT. Mingle with the artists after the show and discuss the performance in a lively, social atmosphere—your drinks are on CPT.
PRESS INQUIRIES: For interview requests, media coverage at the event, photographs, or any additional information, please contact Caitlin Lewins, CPT Director of Audience Engagement & Media Relations at clewins@cptonline.org or 216.631.2727 ext. 211.
BIOGRAPHIES OF KEY ARTISTS
MAYA MALAN-GONZALEZ (Playwright)
Maya Malan-Gonzalez is a multidisciplinary artist focused on performing, writing, and ensemble collaboration. She’s a lifelong member of Milagro Theatre in Portland, where she most recently performed in Wolf at the Door. Through her history with the company, Milagro commissioned her new play, A Xmas Cuento Remix. In addition, Maya is an ensemble member with Teatro Luna West, where she recently premiered The Times, in which she was a core developer and performer. Maya’s story “Down the Side of the Mountain” is featured in Teatro Luna’s Audible Original audiobook, Talking While Female and Other Dangerous Acts. Her online blog series “Learning With Maya” can be found at Teatrolunawest.org/blog. Maya is also a company member with Cara Mia Theatre, where she was last seen performing in Deferred Action and De Troya. Maya received her BFA in Acting from The Theatre School at DePaul University with a concentration in Latino Studies.
HOLLY HOLSINGER (Director)
Holly Holsinger has been a Cleveland theatre artist for over twenty years. Most recently, Holly toured to New Orleans and London with her solo show, Frankenstein’s Wake, which she co-created with Raymond Bobgan. Other original works include Ancestra and Insomnia: The Waking of Herselves, co-devised and performed at CPT. Holsinger’s work has been featured in Canadian Theatre Review, Theatre Journal, and in Lisa Wolford’s book Grotowski’s Objective Drama Research. She has performed throughout the United States, Canada, Romania, Belgium, and Brazil. Holly is an Associate Professor at Cleveland State University where she received a Distinguished Faculty Award, the University’s top honor for teaching. She received an MFA in Acting from the University of California, Irvine and is a certified Associate Teacher of Fitzmaurice Voicework.
MARIA DIDONATO (Music Director)
This is Maria’s first time music directing a show at Cleveland Public Theatre. She is fresh off of music directing Into the Woods at CSU where she has also worked on Violet, Avenue Q, Company, and Emotional Creature. Maria has also done musical direction for French Creek Theatre, The Academy for the Dramatic Arts, Huntington Playhouse, Brecksville Theatre, St. Mary’s Catholic School, and the Tri-C Performing Arts Camp. Maria is an adjunct theatre professor at CSU, a music theory professor at Tri-C, and gives voice/piano lessons through her own studio. Maria’s favorite performances include: opening for Common at the Wolstein Center, performing/recording with hip-hop violinist DBR, and singing for President Obama. She also enjoys performing with her band Hip to That all over Northeast Ohio. Maria has earned both a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education with a minor in Theatre and a Master of Music in Vocal Performance from Cleveland State University.
LILLY CORONA MORENO (Dramaturg / Assistant Director)
Lilly Corona Moreno joined Teatro Público de Cleveland in 2014. TPC Stage credits: Vuelo del Ocean (Pandemonium 2014), Mi Nombre Es (TCG 2015), White Rabbit Red Rabbit (2015), Yo Sueño of Home (Pandemonium 2015), Mariel’s List (Pandemonium 2016), Labio de Liebre (The Lip of the Hare) (2017), and ¡OBRAS EN EVOLUCIÓN! A Festival of New Play Readings (2017). Lilly was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio. She is married to Alejandro Moreno, one of the founding members of Teatro Público de Cleveland. They have two children, Cruz and Citlali Moreno. Currently, Lilly is a Spanish teacher in North Ridgeville, Ohio. She is the Director of Grupo Tepehuani Nelli, the Mexican folkloric dance group she founded in 1999. The group performs pre-Hispanic/Aztec dances and dances representing the different regions of Mexico. She has been dancing/performing since childhood. Lilly enjoys recording voice overs and is a former radio announcer for the show La Preferida at WCSB, 89.3 F.M.
Comments
Powered by Facebook Comments
