CASA 0101 Theater Will Present BROWN & OUT V

After a hugely successful sold out run last year, CASA 0101 Theater is proud to present the fifth season of BROWN & OUT FEST, A Festival of 11 World Premiere Short Plays and One Original Short Transgender Film Celebrating the LBGTQ LatinXperience.

This groundbreaking Festival coincides with the 50th Anniversary of the Stonewall Riots in New York City, which ushered in the beginning of the Gay Rights Movement, the 50th Anniversary of the passing of Gay Icon Judy Garland and the celebration of the National LGBTQ Pride Month. Performances will be presented at CASA 0101 Theater, 2102 East First Street (at St. Louis Street), Boyle Heights, CA Thursdays - Sundays, from June 7 - July 7, 2019.

The themes of BROWN & OUT V delve into the politics, socio-economics, religious oppression and indigenous roots of the unique, but often oppressed, LGBTQ community.

Founding Artistic Director of CASA 0101 Theater, Josefina López said, "I first wrote my first gay-themed play, Food For The Dead, back in 1988, a satirical story of sexual liberation about a woman who is saying goodbye to her macho husband. The play was initially presented at Luis Valdez's El Teatro Campesino in San Juan Bautista, CA in 1988, and was later presented at Little CASA, our original home, here in Boyle Heights, CA in October 2003. When I began teaching a playwriting class in January of 2008, there were two young gay Latino men in that class who told me about the double lives they led by day as hardworking immigrant sons, and by night, when they would go out to gay clubs, since their families weren't openly accepting of their homosexual lifestyles. It was at that point, I realized there was a need for me to provide these young men with a comfortable space to be who they were, and to celebrate their authentic selves without shame as gay Latino men."

Lopez continued, "We presented our first BROWN & OUT Play Festival at Little CASA in September 2011. At that time, the 10-minute original short plays were created in writing classes I was leading. Now, years later, with our 5th Anniversary of BROWN & OUT, plays are selected for production at the conclusion of a collective writing workshop. Since 2008, LGBTQ themed plays and playwrights have graced our stages at Little CASA and CASA 0101 Theater. Over 80 Latinx LGBTQ short plays, one-acts plays and full-length plays have appeared either in our BROWN & OUT Play Festivals or as fully mounted productions at our theaters, some of which have gone on to further fame and recognition outside of Boyle Heights at the New York International Fringe Festival and at the Dublin Fringe Festival. It's really personally fulfilling to me to provide opportunities and a space for all human beings to be who they truly are, living their own authentic lives, while at the same time expressing their inner creativity freely."

Emmanuel Deleage, Executive Director of CASA 0101 Theater said, "BROWN & OUT V, comes on the heels our highly successful BROWN & OUT IV last year, which included writer Richard Villegas, who wrote the treatment for the hit television show, Vida, and writer Gilbert Salazar who just completed a full-length play, Angelito, which originally premiered as a 10-minute play in last year's Festival. Our BROWN & OUT Play Festival is proving to us that our audiences are hungry to see queer narratives on stage, which solidifies CASA 0101 Theater commitment to serving the LGBTQ community."

BROWN & OUT V features the work of 12 writers, played by an ensemble of 11 actors, helmed by seven directors, two assistant directors and a bevy of designers and production personnel. The BROWN & OUT Play Festival's mission is to present plays written by Latinx LGBTQ storytellers representing the diverse, ever-evolving culture, community and queer experiences.

This year's BROWN & OUT V Play Festival is Executive Produced by Playwrights, Abel Alvarado, Patricia Zamorano and Matthew Ramos. Other Producers and Playwrights of BROWN & OUT V include: Felipe Agredano, Felipe Valladolid Chavez, Martin Olivera Carrillo, Giovanni Navarro, Daniel Muñoz, Ruben Mendive, Conrado TerrazasCross and Devon Torres.

The ensemble cast includes actors who self identify as Transsexual, Two-Spirit, Cis-Gender Gay and Bisexuals. Actors starring in BROWN & OUT V include: Arash Aiinehsazian (of Eagle Rock), Karina Contreras (of Arcadia), Carlos Reyes Hailey (of Koreatown), Shen Heckel (of Koreatown), Giovanni Navarro (of East Los Angeles), Gabriella Rafiele (of Studio City), Jesus Tedeo Rodriguez (of Inglewood), Teddy Rodríguez (of East Hollywood), Bri Symone (of North Hollywood), Devan Torres (of Boyle Heights) and Stevie Vallejo (of West Hollywood). Actresses in the Transgender community and members of the TransLatin@ Coalition will star in a new short film, including: Lady Diana (Diana Feliz Oliva), Bamby Salcedo (Founder of the Los Angeles-based TransLatin@ Coalition), Maria Roman and Laura Figueroa.

Directors of BROWN & OUT V will include: Andrew Cervantes, Claudia Duran, Angela Moore, Benjamin (Benny) Perez, Diana Romo, Rigo Tejeda and Matthew Ramos. Assistant Directors will include: Cinnamon Rivera and Graciela Campos.

CASA 0101 Theater's sponsors include: The California Endowment, the Los Angeles County Arts Commission, The Herb Alpert Foundation, The City of Los Angeles Cultural Affairs Department and The Parsons Foundation.

Production Staff for BROWN & OUT V includes: Josefina López (Founding Artistic Director of CASA 0101 Theater and Founder of the BROWN & OUT Play Festival); Emmanuel Deleage (Executive Director, CASA 0101 Theater); Edward Padilla (Casting Director and Board President, CASA 0101 Theater); Abel Alvarado (Executive Producer and Costume Designer); Patricia Zamorano (Executive Producer and Playwright); Matthew Ramos (Executive Producer, Playwright and Director); César Carmona (Producer and Playwright); Felipe Agredano (Producer and Playwright); Felipe Valladolid Chavez (Producer and Playwright); Martín Olvera Carrillo (Producer and Playwright); Giovanni Navarro (Producer and Playwright); Daniel Muñoz (Producer and Playwright); Ruben Mendive (Producer and Playwright); Conrado TerrazasCross (Producer and Playwright); Devan Torres (Producer and Playwright); Andrew Cervantes (Director); Claudia Duran (Director); Angela Moore (Director), Benjamin (Benny) Perez (Director); Diana Romo (Director); Rigo Tejeda (Director); Cinnamon Rivera (Assistant Director); Graciela Campos (Assistant Director); Marco DeLeon (Set Designer); Kevin Eduardo Vazquez (Lighting Designer); Josh Cardenas (Sound Designer); Robert Feffer (Projection Designer); Angel Sierra (Prop Master); Vincent A. Sanchez (CASA 0101 Theater Technical Director); Jerry A. Blackburn (Production Stage Manager); Andrew Ortega (Stage Manager); Georgina Rios Escobar (Rehearsal Stage Manager); Angelique Enos (Production Assistant); Jimmy Centeno (CASA 0101 Theater Gallery Curator); Mark Kraus (CASA 0101 Theater Development Director); Anaith Indjeian (CASA 0101 Theater Administrator and Webmaster); Gabriela López de Dennis (Soap Studio Inc., Program Design); Ed Krieger (Production Photographer) and Steve Moyer Public Relations (Press Representative).

Performances will be presented for Five-Weeks, June 7 - July 7, 2019, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 pm., and Sundays at 4:00 pm. Tickets are $30 for General Admission; $25 for Seniors; and $20 for Boyle Heights residents and Students. In addition, 10% of tickets will be set aside at EACH performance for theatergoers to Pay-What-They-Can at the door; these tickets will be available on a first-come, first-served basis one hour prior to the show time for each performance. There are also $65 VIP tickets available, which include early seating in the theatre and a Swag Bag with original artwork for BROWN AND OUT FEST created by the artist Roque. Discounted Group Pricing for six or more guests are also available; please call the Box Office to inquire.

This show is not recommended for children. The show contains strong adult language and mature themes. Advance reservations are highly encouraged. There will be Talkback Discussions following Sunday Matinee performances with the Playwrights and Cast Members.

Free Parking is available on several streets surrounding the theatre. Free Parking is also available on Fridays and Saturdays only at the Boyle Heights City Hall Parking Lot located at 2130 East First Street (at Chicago Street) by entering the lot from Chicago Street; the lot is closed on Sundays. Metro Gold Line train stations are located on First Street in Boyle Heights at both Soto Street, and at Boyle Street (Mariachi Plaza), within a short walking distance to the theater. For tickets, please call the CASA 0101 Theater Box Office at 323-263-7684, E-mail tickets@casa0101.org, or buy online at www.casa0101.org or www.brownandoutfest.com.

Concurrently with the run of BROWN & OUT V, there will be an exhibition in the Jean Deleage Gallery, located in the lobby of CASA 0101 Theater, entitled: A Visual Exhibition Inspired by Ngugi Wa Thiog'o's Short Story: UPRIGHT REVOLUTION, OR WHY HUMANS WALK UPRIGHT, curated by Jimmy Centeno. The exhibit features 10 local and International Artists interpreting UPRIGHT REVOLUTION with paintings, sculptures, woodcuts, linocuts and other media. UPRIGHT REVOLUTION has been translated into 30 languages. Featured Artists include: Mario Avila, Nolan Fansler, Victor Garcia, Yolanda Gonzalez, Mario Hernandez, Pedro Rio Martinez, Ramon Ramirez, Laura V. Rodriguez, Ernesto Vazquez and Sandra Vista. The exhibit can be viewed prior to performances of the show, as well as Mondays through Saturdays, 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. All other times are by appointment only.