07/01/2010

Repertorio Español announces the winners of the Van Lier Directing Fellowship.

Four young directors were chosen through a competitive process and will each direct two professional productions, one of their own choosing and one chosen in concert with the Theatre, during the 2010 and 2011 seasons. The directors will take advantage of Repertorio’s technical resources and will work along Repertorio’s staff and Company of Actors. The first production will have its premiere on Friday, July 9, 2010 at Repertorio’s Gramercy Arts Theatre.

The Van Lier Directing Fellowship, now on its 3rd edition, is sponsored by The New York Community Trust. The Fellowship is designed to give emerging Hispanic directors living in New York City an opportunity to mount a professional theater production at Repertorio Español. Past recipients include José Zayas, Jerry Ruiz, Alfredo Galván, Isabel Ramos and Ximena Garnica.

WINNERS OF THE 2010 VAN LIER DIRECTING FELLOWSHIP
-ALONG WITH INFORMATION ABOUT THEIR FIRST PROJECT-

*Andrés Zambrano will direct “El Público” by Federico García Lorca
Andrés Zambrano was born in Cuenca, Ecuador. He holds a BA in Theater and Literature from Bard College. Zambrano was part of an after-school program sponsored by “The New York Times Neediest Cases Fund”, and was featured in an article written by Kari Haskell for this prestigious newspaper in 2002. He has directed several shows; some of those include "Cosér y cantar" (To Sing and to Sow) by Dolores Prida, "The Love of Don Perlimplín" and "Yerma" by Federico García Lorca.

-About “El Público”
“El público” is García Lorca’s most intimate and risky play where his clever vision of life is evinced on every scene. A frustrated love story tries to survive society’s hostile rejection as the truth is revealed right in front of the audiences’ (El Público) eyes. As the play ends, Lorca invites us to think about the way we treat each other. García Lorca himself stated about ‘El público’ that “in this impossible play lies my true purpose.”

Performances:
Friday, July 9 – 8pm
Sunday, July 11 - 6:30pm
Thursday July 15 – 7pm
Saturday July 17 – 3pm
Show’s Web Page: www.repertorio.org/elpublico


*Julián Mesri will direct “La estupidez” by Rafael Spregelburd
Julián J. Mesri is a New York based Argentinean-American director, writer and sound designer. As a child he first began acting in plays by his mother, Susana Cook, performing at such venues as P.S. 122 and WOW Cafe. Later, he became the head sound designer for her company. In college he premiered many original works and also directed a site-specific performance of “King Lear” featuring live video. He graduated Williams College with a B.A. in Philosophy having studied under Mark C. Taylor and was privileged to work with theatre figures like Tina Shepard and Carson Kreitzer. He was part of a unique exchange program with the Market Theatre in Johannesburg. Since graduating Williams he has continued working in theatre, most recently directing and producing his play “The King in Exile” at The Tank Theater in New York City. His work has also recently been read at Dixon Place and New York Theatre Workshop. He is a company member and sound designer with International WOW: Reconstruction (Ohio Theater) and Auto Da Fe (Baruch Center). He has also shown his own work and design at FringeNYC, PERFORMA ’10 and the LES Festival.

-About “La estupidez”
On the outskirts of Vegas an innocent scientist protects a deadly secret from the tabloids, while salesmen spies try to sell a vanishing painting. Meanwhile a trio of romantic, corrupt buddy-cops clash with white-trash gamblers and an out of work actor whose mysterious sister just might hold the keys to it all. Quentin Tarantino meets Kurt Vonnegut in this epic odyssey of all things noble and all things stupid.

Performances:
Thursday, July 29 – 7pm
Friday July 30 – 8pm
Friday, August 6 – 8pm
Sunday, August 8 – 6:30pm
Show’s Web Page: www.repertorio.org/laestupidez

*Gamaliel Valle Rosa will direct “La niña que moría a cada rato”, by José Luis Arce
Gamaliel Valle Rosa was born in Arecibo, Puerto Rico, but was raised in Camuy. He received his BA in Theatre/Drama from the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus where his thesis “Improvisation or The Shepherd’s Chameleon” by Eugène Ionesco was produced at the Caguas Theatre Festival in 2007. In 2004 he founded the theatre group Señora Caracola (Mrs. Sand Shell), where he directed his first works: “Yo viendo,…nosotros viendo” (2005) and “(T)-habitan-(t)” (2006). He received the first prize in playwriting from Puerto Rico’s Institute of Culture 2008 for his play “Queishd&Dilit,” which was performed the same year as part of the Puerto Rico’s Theatre Festival. He is continuing his studies at The New School for Drama in the Directing Graduate Program.

-About “La niña que moría a cada rato”
In a rural-jungle world, where the jaguar’s legend is still alive, appears the unusual case of a girl who dies and revives constantly. Her parents, not knowing how to deal with their daughter’s phenomenon, turn to the church in search of an answer. The priest does not find a solution and also fails to calm the opinions on the extraordinary case.

Performances:
Friday, September 3 - 8 pm
Sunday, September 5 - 6:30 pm
Thursday, September 9 - 7 pm
Sunday, September 12 - 6:30 pm

Show’s Web Page: www.repertorio.org/lanina

*Javierantonio González will direct his play original play titled “Las minutas de Martí”
Javier holds and MFA in Directing from Columbia University. He directs, writes and teaches theatre in New York. While in college, he directed “La edad de la ciruela,” which had a significant impact on PR’s theatre community due to the clandestine nature of the event. Only thirty-five people were allowed each night into the performance, which took place in a condemned theatre. He is the artistic director of Caborca, a company geared towards the productions of his own plays. His work has been presented at Classic Stage Company (CSC), The Living Theater, Dance New Amsterdam, Pregones, Teatro IATI, The Chernuchin Theatre, Uncle Ming’s, The West End Theatre, The Kraine and the Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning. His play, “Barceloneta, at Night” was chosen to represent Puerto Rico in the CASA America Festival in London in September, 2008 and was part of Teatro IATI’s Performing Arts Marathon 2009. He is the author of seven original plays and adaptations and the designer of the Theatre Curriculum at DY Preparatory School in the Bronx. He is a member of the Emerging Writers Group at the Public Theater and an Associate Artist at CSC.

-About “Las minutas de Martí”
Las minutas de Martí (Martí’s Notes) is a family portrait of the sons and daughters of the Puerto Rican left. Set in a slightly distorted version of today’s Puerto Rico, the play follows the Del Valle household, where for the last ten years the father has been missing, the mother hasn’t been outside and Martí hasn’t spoken. The play begins when Martí’s sister starts dating a businessman who looks, talks and behaves just like their father.

Performances:
Thursday, September 23 – 7pm
Friday, September 24 – 8pm
Friday, October 1 – 8pm
Sunday, October 3 – 6:30pm
Show’s Web Page: www.repertorio.org/minutas

ABOUT THE NEW YORK COMMUNITY TRUST
Since 1924, The New York Community Trust has been the community foundation of New York City, helping charitable individuals, families, and businesses to improve the quality of life for all the area’s residents through an aggregate of 2,000 funds. The Trust is dedicated to meeting the changing needs of children, youth, and families; aid in community development; improve the environment; promote health; assist people with special needs; and support education, arts, and human justice. The Trust is governed by a 12-member Distribution Committee composed of community leaders appointed by a variety of civic institutions. Its staff is recognized for its experience in grantmaking, financial administration, and donor service. Divisions are located on Long Island and in Westchester. In 2009, The Trust made grants of $127 million from assets of $1.8 billion (unaudited).

Press Portal with high resolution photos: www.repertorio.org/vanlierpress

TICKETS AND RESERVATIONS:
Ticket prices are $10 & $20 and may be reserved online: www.repertorio.org; by phone 212-225-9999 or in person at Repertorio Español located on 138 East 27th Street New York, NY 10016 between Lexington and Third Avenues (Sun-Thurs 9am-7pm, Fri-Sat 9am-9pm).

ABOUT REPERTORIO ESPAÑOL:
Repertorio Español, now on its 42nd season, was founded in 1968 to present the best of Latin American, Spanish and Hispanic-American theatre in distinctive, quality productions, and to bring theatre to a broad audience in New York City and across the country, including seniors, students and Hispanics of all national backgrounds. The organization has been awarded Drama Desk, OBIE and New York State Governor's Awards.