June 2013
1 post
May 2013
2 posts
UrbanTheater Company turns eight and announces 8th season to feature two Midwest Premiere’s
Ivan Vega
ivanvega@urbantheaterchicago.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
UrbanTheater Company turns eight and announces 8th season to feature two Midwest Premiere’s: Candido Tirado’s First Class directed by Juan Castañeda and Desi Moreno-Penson’s Devil Land directed by Ivan Vega
Chicago, IL, (May 23, 2012) — UrbanTheater Company (UTC), under the leadership of Executive Director Ivan Vega, announces its 8th anniversary and 2013/2014 season. The company turns eight on May 25th. Its 8th season will feature the Midwest Premieres of Candido Tirado’s play, First Class directed, by Juan Castañeda, featuring Ivan Vega and Hank Hilbert. Second up, will be Desi Moreno-Penson’s Devil Land, chosen from UTC’s R.A.W. (Real. Aggressive. Writing.) Series, which will be directed by Executive Director Ivan Vega.
Executive Director Ivan Vega said, “I’m proud to bring two Midwest Premieres, by two Puerto Rican playwrights to the culturally vibrant community of Humboldt Park. Our productions will thrive once again at Batey Urbano’s intimate storefront, where ‘Brainpeople’ by José Rivera was last produced. We have entered into an ongoing partnership with Batey Urbano, which will continue to make our work easily accessible to the community where UTC originated. Our priority this season will be excellent story telling by placing an even greater emphasis on direction and acting.
“Candido Tirado is someone I have wanted to work with ever since seeing his musical, Celia,co-written by Carmen Rivera and his critically acclaimed Fish Men at the Goodman Theatre. First Class is an earlier work that introduced Tirado to the world, and we are thrilled to be reviving it here at UrbanTheater.
“Desi Moreno-Penson’s dark and haunting play ‘Devil Land’ was a chosen after being performed in a staged reading in our 1st annual R.A.W. (Real. Aggressive. Writing.) Series. Our goal with this series is to become acquainted with exciting new playwrights from around the country and to choose a play that will be produced in our upcoming season.”
The 2013/14 UrbanTheater Company Season:
First Class
By Candido Tirado
Directed by Juan Castañeda
Featuring Ivan Vega and Hank Hilbert
Run Dates: Sep. 16, 2013 – Oct. 23, 2013
“Set on a bench in a traffic island in New York, gang territory, we meet two brothers. Apache: set on fighting to protect what’s there’s and Speedy: ready to leave it all behind. As tensions between the two grow, self discoveries lead them to understand that their chances of survival is reliant on one another. But will it be enough? ”
Devil Land
By Desi Moreno-Penson
Directed by Ivan Vega
Run Dates: Spring 2014
“A childless Latino couple kidnaps a young girl in order to build their own family…but the little girl has ideas of her own, and when her imaginary friend, The Grinch, comes to life to help her, the hapless couple ends up getting far more than they bargained for! A dark and gothic fairytale for the contemporary world. ”
About UrbanTheater Company:
From its inception, UrbanTheater Company (UTC) has produced, promoted and performed plays of under-represented playwrights of color, allowing theatre to thrive in communities appreciative of cultural inclusion and accessibility. UrbanTheater Company is committed to the creation and exploration of urban-inspired works that convey, illuminate and empathize with the human experience.
Celebrating its 8th Season, the Joseph Jefferson recommended and award-winning company has featured a myriad of critically acclaimed Chicago directors including Ron OJ Parson, Cecilie Keenan, Joel Moorman, Marti Lyons and Richard Perez. With 9 Midwest Premieres and one World Premiere, UTC has provided tremendous opportunities for actors of color to perform in professional productions.
UTC, the professional theater in partnership with Batey Urbano, is located at 2620 W. Division St. in Chicago’s Humboldt Park neighborhood. You can reach the UTC Box Office at 312-239-8783, or visit UTCs website at www.UrbanTheaterChicago.org.
For additional information on UTC, visit: www.facebook.com/UrbanTheateror www.twitter.com/UrbanTheater.
###
Photos by Anthony Aicardi
April 2013
1 post
Creating commUNITY
Our goal with our partnership with Batey Urbano is to continue to make theater easily accessible in Humboldt Park, while creating commUNITY. Theater that is bold, risk taking, yet relevant, and sparks discussion. Last night was a perfect example of why we do what we do. A powerful and moving play by Desi Moreno-Penson with a diverse audience, which was followed by a very engaging post-show discussion. It was R.A.W.!
If you missed our first reading of “In Da Boogie Down” by Mel Nieves and “Devil Land” by Desi Moreno-Penson, be sure not to miss “Puto” by Ricardo A. Bracho on May 6th at 7pm! Thank you for your passion and for your support.
(Photo of last nights reading coming soon!)
March 2013
1 post
February 2013
2 posts
CONTACT: Ivan Vega
ivanvega@urbantheaterchicago.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
URBANTHEATER COMPANY PRESENTS
R.A.W. (REAL AGGRESSIVE WRITING) SERIES
COMMUNITY CONEXIÓN
Chicago, February 27, 2013 – UrbanTheater Company (UTC) presents R.A.W. (Real. Aggressive. Writing.) series, a staged reading community conexión initiative at Batey Urbano in Humboldt Park. UTC ensemble members will direct all three staged readings. The staged reading will be performed March 4, April 1 & May 6 at 7pm. Suggested donation is $5. To make a reservation email reservations@urbantheaterchicago.org or visit: www.UrbanTheaterChicago.org.
[Audition] UrbanTheater Company's RAW (Real.Aggressive.Writing) Series
UrbanTheater Company (UTC) hosts auditions for Reading Series comprised of three new full-length works presented once a month at Batey Urbano in Humboldt Park. These works deal with a wide range of themes from: urban life, LGBT relationships, love, violence, socio politics, religion and friendship.
Audition Date: Sunday, February 10th (12pm-3pm) and Monday, February 11th (6pm-9pm)
Audition Location: Batey Urbano 2620 W. Division Street (Division & Rockwell)
January 2013
1 post
You Musn't Quit
When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,
When the road you’re trudging seems all uphill,
When the funds are low and the debts are high
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit,
Rest! If you must-but never quit.
Life is queer, with its twists and turns,
As every one of us sometimes learns,
And many a failure turns about
When he might of won if he’d stuck it out;
Stick to your task, though the pace seems slows-
You may succeed with one more blow.
Success is failure turned inside out-
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt-
And you may never can tell how close you are,
It may be near when it seems afar;
So stick to the fight when you’re hardest hit-
It’s when things seem worse that YOU MUSN’T QUIT.
-Aon.
December 2012
1 post
July 2012
2 posts
“Life takes on meaning when you become motivated, set goals and charge after them in an unstoppable manner.”
—Les Brown
“Our lives are not determined by what happens to us but by how we react to what happens, not by what life brings to us, but by the attitude we bring to life. A positive attitude causes a chain reaction of positive thoughts, events, and outcomes. It is a catalyst, a spark that creates extraordinary results.”
—Anon
May 2012
1 post
April 2012
11 posts
Play
