Photo Flash: Promethean Theatre Ensemble's 12th Season Opens with Jose Rivera's MARISOL

Promethean Theatre Ensemble's twelfth season will open in October with Jose Rivera's MARISOL - an absurdist comedy in which a young New York City woman of Puerto Rican descent finds herself immersed in a battle led by angels to save the universe from a senile and ineffectual God. Marisol Perez is a copy editor for a Manhattan publisher. Though she is a white-collar worker, she still chooses to live alone in the tough section of the Bronx where she grew up. The play opens with Marisol barely escaping a vicious attack on her subway trip back to the Bronx. Later that evening, Marisol's guardian angel pays a visit to tell her she can no longer serve as Marisol's protector because she has been called to join the revolution already in progress against an old and senile God who is dying and "taking the rest of the universe with him." The angel warns Marisol that she will face many threats over the coming days and advises her to be prepared to defend herself. Soon, Marisol is caught up in the Armageddon being fought on the streets of New York City.

MARISOL will be directed by Juan Castañeda, former artistic director of Chicago's UrbanTheater Company. Leading the cast will be Rosie Ramos, playing Marisol. She'll be joined by Jazzma Pryor as the Angel, Promethean Ensemble Member Megan DeLay (twins Isabelle and Sabine in Promethean's THE LIAR) as June, Mike Cherry (Jerry in City Lit's AT HOME AT THE ZOO) as Lenny, and Promethean Ensemble Member Jamie Bragg (Oscar Wilde in Promethean's GROSS INDECENCY) as Woman in Furs. Amanda Lopez is understudying the role of Marisol and Clarissa Gasiciel is understudying Woman in Furs.

The production team will include ensemble member Jeremiah Barr (scenic design), Uriel Gomez (costume design), Liz Cooper (lighting design), Sarah Espinoza (sound design), Arielle Valene (properties design), ensemble member Brendan Hutt (violence design), Hazel Marie Flowers-McCabe will be stage manager and Danielle Malenock will be assistant director.

Marisol premiered at the Humana Festival of New Plays in 1992. It was produced in New York City off-Broadway by the New York Public Theatre the following year in a staging directed by Michael Greif (RENT, GREY GARDENS, WAR PAINT) that won the 1993 Obie award for playwriting. Rivera has since written some thirty plays, including REFERENCES TO SALVADOR DALI MAKE ME HOT and BOLEROS FOR THE DISENCHANTED.

Director Juan Castañeda says, "I'm a huge fan of Rivera's work. I've directed or assistant directed six of his plays and I'm thrilled to be directing MARISOL in its 25th Anniversary year. The play reflects the anxiety of the time in which it was written, but it's equally resonant for us today in these divisive times. I think Rivera is telling us that while we have to push back against oppression, we should seek to achieve unity with the "other side" and not simply try to achieve victory over those with whom we disagree. We also have to work on self-healing in this shattered world. Rivera's magical realism helps me understand the world today better than a realistic 'kitchen sink' drama would."

Promethean's MARISOL will be performed on Raven Theatre's intimate West Stage, and will open on Friday, October 27 at 8 pm, following previews from Friday, October 20 - Friday, October 27. More information is available at www.prometheantheatre.org. For box office inquiries, contact boxoffice@prometheantheatre.org

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