La Jolla Announces John Leguizamo Musical KISS MY AZTEC! And More For 2019/2020 Season
By: A.A. Cristi Nov. 27, 2018
La Jolla Playhouse has announcesd four productions for its 2019/2020 season, including the world premieres of Put Your House in Order by Ike Holter, directed by Lili-Anne Brown, and The Luckiest, byMelissa Ross, directed by former Playhouse Associate Artistic Director Jaime Castañeda, developed as part of the Playhouse's 2018 DNA New Work Series.
The season will also include the Berkeley Repertory Theatre production of Kiss My Aztec!, book by John Leguizamo (Playhouse's Latin History for Morons) and Tony Taccone, music by Benjamin Velez, lyrics by David Kamp, Benjamin Velez and John Leguizamo, directed byTony Taccone, based on a screenplay by John Leguizamo and Stephen Chbosky; and Cambodian Rock Band, by UC San Diego MFA graduate Lauren Yee, featuring songs by the acclaimed Cambodian-American bandDengue Fever, directed by Chay Yew.
Two additional productions and run dates for the 2019/2020 season will be announced shortly. Tickets are currently available only through a subscription purchase at LaJollaPlayhouse.org or by calling (858) 550-1010.
"The 2019/2020 season showcases four riveting new pieces that represent a multitude of vibrant and vigorous voices, all of which examine - in vastly different ways - how ordinary people attempt to persevere under extraordinary circumstances," noted Artistic Director Christopher Ashley. "John Leguizamo and Tony Taccone's new musical takes us back to the 16th century in a savagely funny and deeply-irreverent piece about the Aztec resistance to the Spanish conquistadores; rising Chicago playwright Ike Holter's Put Your House in Order is a witty, suspenseful cross between a romantic comedy and apocalyptic thriller; Melissa Ross's The Luckiest - developed during our 2018 DNA New Work Series - paints a moving picture of a young woman attempting to re-take control of her life in the face of a serious illness; and UC San Diego MFA alumna Lauren Yee's Cambodian Rock Band is a redemptive and rocking story of a father and daughter finding each other amidst decades-old secrets."
About the 2019/2020 Season
Put Your House in Order
By Ike Holter
Directed by Lili-Anne Brown
Caroline and Rolan's first date ends up at Caroline's home in an upscale Chicago suburb. But when the city around them begins exhibiting signs that something is terribly wrong, they have to learn to trust each other to stand a chance against the horrors outside her backyard gate. Equal parts romantic comedy and old-school thriller, this new play from one of Chicago's hottest playwrights explores new beginnings at the end of the world.
The Luckiest
By Melissa Ross
Directed by Jaime Castañeda
Lissette is a vibrant and fiercely independent young woman. But when a sudden diagnosis shatters her world into pieces, she finds herself at odds with her mother and her best friend, who each come bearing strong opinions wrapped in good intentions. With an overwhelming amount of choices to make in a very short amount of time, Lissette is forced to navigate between the two while unflinchingly forging her own path for her future. Developed during the Playhouse's 2018 DNA New Work Series, this tender, funny and keenly-observed play explores the uncertain and sometimes heartbreaking territory of how we choose to take ownership of our lives.
The Berkeley Repertory Theatre Production of
Kiss My Aztec!
Book by John Leguizamo and Tony Taccone
Music by Benjamin Velez
Lyrics by David Kamp, Benjamin Velez and John Leguizamo
Based on a screenplay written by John Leguizamo and Stephen Chbosky
Directed by Tony Taccone
When the Spanish set their sights on Mesoamerica and its riches, they will destroy anyone and anything that keeps them from conquering and claiming it all for themselves. But the Aztecs are like, "Hell, no!" This fresh, irreverent and outrageous satire could only spring forth from the insanely hilarious mind of John Leguizamo, last seen at the Playhouse in his acclaimed one-man show Latin History for Morons. Featuring a fusion of bolero, hip hop, merengue and rap, Kiss My Aztec! celebrates, elevates and commemorates Latinx culture in an uproarious new musical.
Cambodian Rock Band
By Lauren Yee
Featuring songs by Dengue Fever
Directed by Chay Yew
A "fierce, gorgeous and heartwarming" (Los Angeles Times) play/rock concert, Cambodian Rock Band thrusts us into the life of a young woman trying to piece together her family history 30 years after her father fled Cambodia. Featuring a cast that performs a mix of contemporary Dengue Fever hits and classic Cambodian oldies, playwright and UC San Diego MFA alumna Lauren Yee brings to vivid life the Cambodian rock scene of the '60s and '70s, a movement cut short by the Khmer Rouge's brutal attempt to erase the music (and musicians) once and for all. This is a story about survivors, the resilient bond of family and the enduring power of music.
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