Repertorio Español Joins 2019 Worldpride Celebration With The Premiere Of SMILEY

"SMILEY" will debut on Friday, June 14th, 2019 at Repertorio Español, located at 138 East 27th St. in Manhattan, New York.

The comedy is written by Guillem Clua and directed by Ismanuel Rodríguez. The cast includes Rafa Sánchez, Omar Nieves, and Edmi de Jesús.

APRIL 2019 - NEW YORK, NY - Repertorio Español is proud to announce the premiere of "SMILEY". After a very successful run in Spain, South America, Europe, Puerto Rico, and most recently at the renowned LGBTQ festival in New York City, "Fuerza Fest," presented by the Hispanic Federation, this comedy will now grace the stage of the emblematic theater on 27th street to celebrate LOVE and the 2019 WorldPride in NYC.

In Puerto Rico, the production of SMILEY was honored with awards for best production, direction, lighting design, costume, and scenery at the "Festival del Tercer Amor". The comedy was also granted Best Direction and Production on Tour by ATI for the performance in New York at FuerzaFest.

The comedy, which brilliantly presents how two opposite people can fall in love in the most natural way despite all the odds, will have a run of 7 performances in the month of June. With this debut, Repertorio Español reaffirms its commitment to the varied and ever-changing audience that has supported it for over 50 years.

ABOUT THE PLAY

A Japanese legend says that when two people are destined to be together, an invisible red thread tied to the little finger of the hand binds them from the day they are born. Alex and Bruno, make a strange couple, whose only commonality is that they are men and that they have fallen in love. Their differences seem insurmountable, and their antagonistic personalities, whether they like it or not, are united by that red thread, however often they are bound to break it.

Performed in Spanish with English supertitles.

OPENING NIGHT:

Friday, June 14, 2019, 8:00 PM

PERFORMANCES:

Saturday, June 15, 2019, 8:00 PM

Sunday, June 16, 2019, 3:00 PM

Saturday, June 22, 2019, 8:00 PM

Sunday, June 23, 2019, 3:00 PM

Friday, June 28, 2019, 8:00 PM

Saturday, June 29, 2019, 8:00 PM

GUILLEN CLUA - PLAYWRIGHT

Guillem Clua is a playwright from Barcelona, Spain. He is considered one of the most innovative voices in the Spanish theater scene and part of a new generation of playwrights born in the seventies who are transforming the Catalan stage with their plays. Critics have described his work as multidisciplinary, eclectic, and very much concerned with narrative structure and plot. Storytelling is at the heart of his style, which combines elements of comedy, thriller and melodrama, a vibrant rhythm, and the unabashed influence of other media, such as television and cinema.

ISMANUEL RODRÍGUEZ - DIRECTOR

Born and raised in Puerto Rico, he studied a Bachelor of Arts in Drama (Theater Direction) from University of Kent at Canterbury. He also studied a Masters in Performing Arts from the University Rey Juan Carlos in Madrid. At the age of 7, he works at Sunshine s Café (WAPA TV). He was part of several movies since he was a child, such as Los Cuentos de Abelardo by Luis Molina. His first play was On Golden Pond, directed by Gilberto Valenzuela for Tablado Puertorriqueño. In Spain, he worked as Assistant Director in Divinas Palabras, directed by José Piris. He also assisted in the direction of Chekhov in the Garden, by the official company M. Chekhov for the Círculo de Bellas Artes de Madrid. He is a founding member of Tantai Teatro PR, company with more than 11 years of trajectory, with which he directs some of his biggest hits: Agua a Cucharadas by Quiara Alegría Hudes (Puerto Rico and Festival ENCUENTRO in Los Angeles), Ingenio (Wit) by Margaret Edson, the immersive experience Construyendo a Verónica, 8 mujeres sospechosas, Pegados: un musical diferente, Elvira and Jouvet, Paris años 40, among others. He also directs La Cueva de Salamanca, winner of the Young New Creators contest in Madrid, and several shows and concerts in Puerto Rico for artists like Lissette, Yolandita and Silverio Pérez.

TICKETS AND GENERAL INFORMATION

By phone: 1-212.225.9999 | Online: repertorio.nyc

In person: 138 East 27th Street, New York, NY 10016

(Between Lexington and Third Avenues. Subway: # 6 to 23rd Street, W or R to 28th Street)

Monday 8:00am-6pm | Tuesday - Friday 8am-8pm|Saturday 10am-8pm | Sunday 10am-7:00pm

Discounts available for seniors, military and students with valid identification.

ABOUT REPERTORIO ESPAÑOL

Founded in 1968 by stage director René Buch and the late producer Gilberto Zaldívar, and joined by Robert Weber Federico in 1971, who now serves as Executive Producer, REPERTORIO has presented an unparalleled body of theater that promotes and divulges the rich heritage of Hispanic theater. Spanish masters like Calderón, Lope De Vega and García Lorca, renowned playwrights from Latin America and the growing body of American writers who capture the Latino experience in the U.S.-from Portland, LA, NYC, Washington DC, Texas, Washington Heights, Denver and Chicago-- are all at home in REPERTORIO's programming. As well, the company has presented acclaimed translations of plays by Edward Albee, Shakespeare, Tennessee Williams, Gian Carlo Menotti, and Noel Coward.

The Company presents a rotating repertory of 13 different plays, musicals and dance concerts in over 300 performances every year. Its productions are seen by over 50,000 people annually at its home, the historic Gramercy Arts Theatre and on tour. Every year, approximately 20,000 students are introduced to the heritage of Spanish language theatre through its education program, ¡DIGNIDAD!