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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Press Contact: Lucy Pollak
[email protected] (818) 887-1499 (for media only)
Community college students perform award–winning ‘A Mexican Trilogy’
at The LATC as part of Latino Theater Company’s ‘IMPACT’ Initiative
LOS ANGELES (December 11, 2023) — Students from East Los Angeles College, Los Angeles Valley College and Los Angeles City College will come together to perform the complete, three-play A Mexican Trilogy: An American Story at The Los Angeles Theatre Center, with each college presenting one part of the award-winning trio by Evelina Fernandez as part of Latino Theater Company’s “IMPACT” community engagement initiative. José Luis Valenzuela, artistic director of the Latino Theater Company and an emeritus distinguished professor of theater at UCLA, directs the students in each of the three plays.
Travel with the Morales family through decades of the Mexican-American experience, from a remote mining town in Arizona during World War II in Faith; to the Phoenix family home during the Cuban Missile Crisis in Hope; and finally to Los Angeles in 2005, following the death of Pope John Paul II, in Charity. A Mexican Trilogy is the winner of the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle’s Ted Schmitt Award and was published by Samuel French in 2015.
Compelling, funny, peppered with song and flavored with a splash of magical realism, the trilogy touches on aspects of tradition, religion, labor issues, war and the clash between immigrants and their first and second generation American offspring. The three plays portray members of the Morales family over the course of 90 years and four generations. As the years fly by, we recognize the music of each era in classic songs ranging from the Andrews Sisters and Glenn Miller, to the Isley Brothers and Elvis, to Jimi Hendrix, all sung live by the cast.
Although the three plays are linked stylistically, thematically and by their characters, each also functions as a stand-alone work
Students from East Los Angeles College will perform Faith in Theater 3 at The Los Angeles Theatre Center on Thursday, Jan. 18 at 8 p.m. and Friday, Jan. 19 at 8 p.m., as well as on Saturday, Jan. 20 and Sunday, Jan. 21 when all three plays will perform back-to-back beginning at 2 p.m.
Students from Los Angeles Valley College will perform Hope in Theater 1 (Tom Bradley Theatre) at The Los Angeles Theatre Center on Thursdays, Jan. 18 and Jan. 25 at 8 p.m.; Fridays, Jan. 19 and Jan. 26 at 8 p.m.; Saturday, Jan. 27 at 8 p.m.; and Sunday, Jan. 28 at 4 p.m., as well as on Saturday, Jan. 20 and Sunday, Jan. 21 when all three plays will perform back-to-back beginning at 2 p.m.
Students from Los Angeles City College will perform Charity in Theater 2 (Lupe Ontiveros Cinema Center) at The Los Angeles Theatre Center on Thursdays, Jan. 18 and Jan. 25 at 8 p.m.; Fridays, Jan. 19 and Jan. 26 at 8 p.m.; Saturday, Jan. 27 at 8 p.m.; and Sunday, Jan. 28 at 4 p.m., as well as on Saturday, Jan. 20 and Sunday, Jan. 21 when all three plays will perform back-to-back beginning at 2 p.m.
Admission to all performances is Pay–What–You–Can, available in $5 increments from $10–$50, including on Saturday, Jan. 20 and Sunday, Jan. 21 when it will be possible to see all three plays consecutively for a single admission price.
Latino Theater Company’s “IMPACT” initiative was created to expand the company’s artistic reach to diverse audiences, and includes a partnership with all nine community colleges in the Los Angeles Community College District as well as with Pasadena City College, Mt. San Antonio College and Glendale City College, to provide students with access to shows, master classes and artist discussions. Through this partnership, the Latino Theater Company opens its doors to a well-deserving student body, engaging them with works that both reflect their life experience and empower them to be part of the artistic and social conversations in their communities.
The Los Angeles Theatre Center is located at 514 S. Spring St., Los Angeles, CA 90013. Parking is available for $8 with box office validation at Los Angeles Garage Associate Parking structure, 545 S. Main St., Los Angeles, CA 90013 (between 5th and 6th Streets, just behind the theater). Metered parking is available on streets surrounding the theater, or take the Metro: the nearest stop is Pershing Square (two blocks west of The LATC).
Click here to download high-resolution photos.
For more information, call 213-489-0994 or go to www.latinotheaterco.org.
Details for Calendar Listings
‘A Mexican Trilogy’
WHAT:
Students from East Los Angeles College, Los Angeles Valley College and Los Angeles City College will come together to perform the complete, three-play A Mexican Trilogy: An American Story at The Los Angeles Theatre Center, with each college presenting one part of the award-winning trio by Evelina Fernandez as part of Latino Theater Company’s “IMPACT” community engagement initiative. Travel with the Morales family through decades of the Mexican-American experience, from a remote mining town in Arizona during World War II in Faith, to the Phoenix family home during the Cuban Missile Crisis in Hope, and finally to Los Angeles in 2005, following the death of Pope John Paul II, in Charity.
WHO:
• Written by Evelina Fernández
• Directed by Jose Luis Valenzuela
• Featuring students from East Los Angeles College (Faith), Los Angeles Valley College (Hope); and Los Angeles City College (Charity)
• Produced by The Latino Theater Company as part of the company’s “IMPACT” community engagement initiative
WHEN:
January 18 – January 28, 2024:
Faith (East Los Angeles College in Theater 3 at The LATC):
• Thursday, Jan. 18 at 8 p.m.
• Friday, Jan. 19 at 8 p.m.
• On Saturday, Jan. 20 and Sunday, Jan. 21, it will be possible to see all three plays consecutively beginning at 2 p.m.
Hope (Los Angeles Valley College in Theater 1 (Tom Bradley Theatre) at The LATC):
• Thursdays at 8 p.m.: Jan. 18 and Jan. 25
• Fridays at 8 p.m.: Jan. 19 and Jan. 26
• Saturday at 8 p.m. Jan. 27
• Sunday at 4 p.m.: Jan. 28
• On Saturday, Jan. 20 and Sunday, Jan. 21, it will be possible to see all three plays consecutively beginning at 2 p.m.
• Charity (Los Angeles City College in Theater 2 (Lupe Ontiveros Cinema Center) at The LATC):
• Thursdays at 8 p.m.: Jan. 18 and Jan. 25
• Fridays at 8 p.m.: Jan. 19 and Jan. 26
• Saturday at 8 p.m. Jan. 27
• Sunday at 4 p.m.: Jan. 28
• On Saturday, Jan. 20 and Sunday, Jan. 21, it will be possible to see all three plays consecutively beginning at 2 p.m.
WHERE:
The Los Angeles Theatre Center
514 S. Spring Street
Los Angeles CA 90013
PARKING:
• $8 with box office validation at Los Angeles Garage Associate Parking structure, 545 S. Main St., Los Angeles, CA 90013 (between 5th and 6th Streets, just behind the theater)
• Metered parking available on streets surrounding the theater.
• Take the Metro: nearest stop is Pershing Square (two blocks west of The LATC)
TICKETS:
Pay–What–You–Can, available in $5 increments from $10–$50.
PHOTOS:
Click here to download high-resolution photos.
HOW:
www.latinotheaterco.org
(213) 489-0994
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