Marco Antonio Rodriguez Wins Repertorio Español's MetLife Nuestras Voces National Playwriting Competition

Repertorio Español announces the winners of the 2012 MetLife Nuestras Voces (Our Voices) National Playwriting Competition. The competition was established in 2000 by MetLife Foundation and Repertorio Español to discover extraordinary Latino plays and bring them to the attention of the American theater community as well as provide the opportunity to the general public to witness these works.

"Although progress has been made when it comes to artistic programming at American cultural institutions, the Latino community is still hugely underserved. Institutions such as Repertorio Español along with competitions like MetLife Nuestras Voces give voice and hope to playwrights that would like to ensure that up and coming generations of Latinos are able to experience relevant theatrical experiences in their native language. As a Latino writer, winning MetLife Nuestras Voces allows me the opportunity to continue to nurture my artistic endeavors." - Marco Antonio Rodríguez, Winner 2012

"Winning the MetLife Nuestras Voces competition led to many beautiful and career-advancing events: having the privilege of seeing one of my plays on stage with an award-winning production and the opportunity of seeing my play 'Wild in Wichita' published. I am so happy to have been given the opportunity to add my voice to the rich tapestry that forms MetLife Nuestras Voces" -Lina Gallegos, Winner 2009

"The MetLife Nuestras Voces Competition has been a part of The Foundation's award program for cultural excellence for 14 years. We are very proud of our partnership with Repertorio Español and to know that our support has had a defining impact on their efforts to develop new works by talented Latino playwrights as well as their artistic endeavors. Increasing opportunities for people from all backgrounds to participate in the arts is a key emphasis for MetLife Foundation, making our support of the competition a natural continuation of our commitment to access and community engagement." -Dennis White, President & CEO, MetLife Foundation

Over the course of 14 years, the MetLife Nuestras Voces Competition has been responsible for 13 original productions, garnered 16 ACE & HOLA Awards, given 58 cash awards, presented dozens of staged readings, and produced a professional DVD of Silvia González's "Boxcar." Most recently, with the support of MetLife Foundation, Repertorio Español and NoPassport Press published two bilingual anthologies of five winning plays emerging from the competition.

WINNERS OF THE 2012 COMPETITION:

1st Place: (Award: $3,000)
BARCELÓ CON HIELO by Marco Antonio Rodríguez from Dallas, TX and New York, NY
The play tells the story of Nino Antonio Cruz, a Dominican from el Cibao living in New York City. In the course of one night, Nino must confront his own mortality and the dark secrets that have plagued his family for generations which are intrinsically tied to the island's political history.

2nd Place (Award: $2,000)
BASILICA by Mando Alvarado from Los Angeles, CA

3rd Place (Award: $1,000)
I PUT THE FEAR OF MEXICO IN 'EM by Matthew Paul Olmos from Brooklyn, NY

Runners - Up (Award: $500 each)
AMERICAN TRIAGE by Marisela Treviño Orta from San Francisco, CA
EXCLUSIVA by Agustín Meléndez Eyraud from Los Angeles, CA

The Award Ceremony will take place on Monday, May 20, 2013 before the premiere of Vincent Toro's "21" (Winning play of the 2011 Competition) at Repertorio Español located at 138 East 27th Street New York, NY 10016 (between Lexington and Third Avenues). The premiere will be followed by a reception in honor of the competition's 13th Anniversary and the launch of the anthology.

More information about the competition is available at www.repertorio.org/metlife