BAAD Presents LOS NUTCRACKERS: A CHRISTMAS CARAJO 12/2-11

BAAD! The Bronx Academy of Arts and Dance proudly presents LOS NUTCRACKERS: A CHRISTMAS CARAJO, written by Charles Rice-González and directed by Jorge Merced. The play, returning to BAAD!'s stage for the seventh triumphant year, interweaves two holiday classics, The Nutcracker and A Christmas Carol, and creates a queer, Latino play about a gay couple who go on a psychedelic trip through their lives one Christmas Eve. The play will be presented on December 2, 3, 4,8, 9, 10 and 11 at 8pm at BAAD!, 841 Barretto Street in the Hunts Point section of the South Bronx. Tickets are $20 for shows on Wednesdays and Thursdays and $25 for shows on Fridays and Saturdays with discounts for seniors, groups and Bronx residents offered for all shows. For reservations call 718-842-5223 or visit www.BronxAcademyOfArtsAndDance.org. BAAD! can be reached by the #6 train to Hunts Point Avenue.

This gay, Latino comedic play centers around a couple, Carlos and Gabriel, who have been together for almost 15 years. Their arguing and fighting has reached the queer heavens from which comes a ghetto thug/diva spirit who guides them on a trip through their lives. They travel to the first time they met back in 1986 at a white party at the Palladium dancing to Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam to a catastrophic trip to City Center to see The Nutcracker, to a dinner party with Martha Stewart fanatics, and more.

The play also features a talented and sexy cast of Latino actors and this year will feature two sets of actors playing the lead roles of Carlos and Gabriel on alternating evenings. The first set will be Cisco Perez and Rob Vassilarakis and the second set will be Orlando Rios and Vidal Lopez. The cast also features Johnathan Cedano, Gabriel Morales and Yosvany Reyes. Returning this year, in a special role is the legendary Bronx drag diva Appolonia Cruz. Los Nutcrackers spent three years in development at BAAD!, then had its premiere production in 2004.

Charles Rice-Gonzalez has written several theatrical works including PINK JESUS, THE ARTIST and I JUST LOVE Andy Gibb . He received an MFA in Creative Writing from Goddard College and his debut novel called CHULITO about a 16 year old, Latino thug coming out as a gay kid and the colorful characters in his tough South Bronx neighborhood will be published in 2011.

Jorge Merced received 2 Best Direction awards (HOLA 2006 & New York ACE 2007) for the play Blanco/White written by Pablo Garcia Gamez. He's the Associate Artistic Director of the Bronx-based Pregones Theatre and directs its Asunción Playwrights Project, a national competition and reading series for Latino writers addressing issues of sexuality and queer identity. He's directed numerous productions since he joined Pregones in 1987 and is also an award-winning actor. His other distinctions include the Bronx Council on the Arts BRIO Artist Fellowship and the Puerto Rican Institute of New York's Distinguished Actor/Director Award.

Crowned "a funky and welcoming performance space" by The New York Times, BAAD! is a 70 seat workshop and performance space that presents cutting-edge and challenging works that are empowering to women, people of color and/or from the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. BAAD! is home to Arthur Aviles Typical Theatre and the Bronx Dance Coalition.