Open Fist presents rare revival ofJosé
Rivera’s Obie–winning Marisol
LOS ANGELES (July 30, 2026) — Open Fist Theatre Company presents a rare revival of Marisol, the Obie-winning work by Puerto Rican playwright José Rivera. Directed by Open Fist associate artistic director Amanda Weier, the production runs September 12 through October 24 at Atwater Village Theatre, with low-priced preview performances September 10 and 11.
A dreamlike blend of magical realism, Theatre of the Absurd and Rivera’s powerfully poetic language, Marisol is a darkly funny, apocalyptic fable about survival, faith and hope. After her guardian angel abandons her to join the celestial battle against a senile God, Bronx resident Marisol Pérez must navigate a terrifying, unraveling world on her own while struggling to preserve her humanity.
“Marisol feels astonishingly relevant,” says Weier. “Though Rivera wrote the play in the pre-millennium ’90s, during that period of profound uncertainty, it asks questions that resonate just as powerfully today: As temperatures rise both literally and figuratively, are we as a species doomed? Can a broken society find its way back after everything falls apart? Rivera never loses his sense of humor, even in the darkest moments, and that balance of absurdity and compassion is what makes the play so compelling. Ultimately, Marisol is about discovering hope on the other side of rock-bottom devastation. The imagery in Rivera’s writing is breathtaking; it reminds me of a Chagall painting, or a Banksy.”
Born in Puerto Rico in 1955, Rivera moved with his family to New York City at the age of four. Among his best-known plays are Cloud Tectonics and References to Salvador Dalí Make Me Hot, which earned him a second Obie Award. He became the first Puerto Rican writer to receive an Academy Award nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay for The Motorcycle Diaries. Rivera has cited Colombian novelist Gabriel García Márquez, whom he met while both were at the Sundance Institute, as one of his most significant artistic influences and mentors.
Jade Santana, recently seen at Open Fist in Amerika and Brownstone, stars as Marisol opposite Taylor Scott as the Guardian Angel. The cast also features Barbara Lee Bragg, Hutchins Foster, Matthew Goodrich, Carmella Jenkins, Mara Michelle, Chima Rok, Jack Sharpe and Grace Soens.
The creative team includes scenic designer Brad Bentz, lighting designer Matt Richter, sound designer Christopher Moscatiello, costume designer Mylette Nora, props designers Bruce Dickinson and Anna Kraus and choreographer Yusuf Nasir. Saskia Young serves as associate producer, and John Dimitri is the production stage manager.
Open Fist Theatre Company is a collective, self-producing artistic enterprise in which every aspect of the organization is operated by its artist members under the leadership of artistic director Martha Demson.
Performances run September 12 through October 24, with performances Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 4 p.m. (no performance Saturday, October 3). An additional performance will be held Monday, Oct. 5 at 8 p.m. Preview performances are Thursday, Sept. 10 and Friday, Sept. 11 at 8 p.m. Tickets range from $26 to $40.
Atwater Village Theatre is located at 3269 Casitas Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90039. Free parking is available in the ATX (Atwater Crossing) parking lot one block south of the theater. For tickets and more information, visit openfist.org
Details for Calendar Listings
Marisol
WHAT:
Open Fist Theatre Company presents a rare revival of Marisol, a darkly funny, apocalyptic fable about survival, faith and hope by Puerto Rican playwright José Rivera. As a cosmic civil war erupts between God and the angels, New York City descends into chaos. After her guardian angel abandons her to join the celestial battle against a senile God, Bronx resident Marisol Pérez must navigate a terrifying, unraveling world on her own while struggling to preserve her humanity.
WHO:
• Written by José Rivera
• Directed by Amanda Weier
• Starring Barbara Lee Bragg, Hutchins Foster, Matthew Goodrich, Carmella Jenkins, Mara Michelle, Chima Rok, Jade Santana, Taylor Scott, Jack Sharpe, Grace Soens
• Presented by Open Fist Theatre Company, Martha Demson, artistic director,
WHEN:
Sept. 10–Oct. 24
Previews:
• Thursday, Sept. 10 at 8 p.m.
• Friday, Sept. 11 at 8 p.m.
Performances:
• Fridays at 8 p.m.
• Saturdays at 8 p.m. (no performance Oct. 3)
• Sundays at 4 p.m.
• Monday at 8 p.m.: Oct. 5 ONLY
WHERE:
Atwater Village Theatre
3269 Casitas Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90039
• FREE parking in the ATX (Atwater Crossing) lot one block south of the theater.
TICKETS:
$26-$40
HOW:
www.openfist.org
(323) 882-6912
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