Stages Repertory Theatre Presents ALMA EN VENTA (SOUL ON SALE)

Stages Repertory Theatre presents the regional premiere of Houston native Philip Boehm's play Alma en venta (Soul on Sale), running January 24 - February 11, 2018. Boehm, who wrote and directed the production, is the Artistic Director of Upstream Theatre in St. Louis, MO, and previously collaborated with Stages to bring the US Premiere of De Kus (The Kiss) to Houston in 2016. Alma en venta, a story about the commodification of Latino art and culture, is presented in conjunction with Stages' first annual Latina/o theater festival, Sin Muros, a free event featuring the world premiere of Josh Innocencio's Purple Eyes, play readings from notable writers Bernardo Cubría, Tanya Saracho and Mando Alvarado, workshops, poetry readings, and more, taking place February 1-4.

In Alma en venta, successful painter Arcadio Rogers Rodríguez finds himself struggling for inspiration as the deadline for his next show approaches. Through a series of magical-realist, darkly humorous encounters with his art dealer, an angry girlfriend, his mother's ghost, and a devilish muse, Arcadio explores the nature of his identity as a Mexican-American artist and the cost he has to pay to save a soul.

"Alma en venta has long been on my list of "must-do" plays," Stages Artistic Director Kenn McLaughlin said. "It captures the irony of art as a commodity, along with the personal struggle of an artist determined to create while answering the expectations of his audience and investors. The play asks us: 'What truth is lost when an artist becomes a commercial success? Can a painter truly paint his "soul" onto a canvas if that canvas is for sale?'"

Stages' Associate Artistic Director Josh Morrison stars alongside Stages veteran Luis Galindo (The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity, Marie Antoinette, The Book of Maggie, Wittenberg) and Briana Resa, who is making her Stages debut. Noted composer Anthony Barilla, who recently created the original music for Stages' production of The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, serves as both the Sound Designer and as a live musician during the performance. While the majority of the play is in English, Boehm, an award-winning literary translator, incorporates Spanish dialogue within the script as a way to connect the audience with the setting.

"I was especially drawn to the play's form; the story is offered in an abstracted narrative designed to evoke the mysteries of the creative process; the interconnectedness between life, art, inspiration and creative chaos," McLaughlin said. "It is a surreal meditation on how art is made and at what price for both artist and audience."

Performance times are Wednesday - Thursday at 7:30pm, Friday at 8:00pm, Saturday at 2:30pm and 8:00pm, and Sunday at 2:30pm.

Regular tickets start at $25 with savings for groups of 6 or more To purchase, call the Stages Box Office at 713.527.0123 or reserve online at www.stagestheatre.com

ABOUT STAGES REPERTORY THEATRE

Founded in 1978, Stages is a professional Equity theatre that produces new work, presents established work in new ways, nurtures and develops talent, and cultivates and strengthens relationships with Houston audiences. Characterized by courage, generosity, ingenuity and intimacy, Stages works to advance theatre and enliven community to make a more vibrant Houston.

Stages presents a broad scope of plays and musicals in an intimate setting, generating critical acclaim and creating powerful connections between plays and people. The third-largest theatre in Houston and the sixth-largest in Texas, Stages performs year-round, one of only a handful of Texas theatres that offers year-round employment for creative professionals. On average, Stages produces 12 productions per year totaling more than 375 performances and reaching 65,000+ patrons. Almost all of Stages' shows are rehearsed and constructed on-site in Houston, brought to life by an exceptional community of locally-based artists and craftspeople along with occasional guest directors, actors and designers from around the world.

For more than a decade Stages has made a strong investment in nurturing emerging artists and craftspeople who have now become field leaders and working professionals. Stages' learning opportunities include performance and production internship programs for college students and conservatory-style training for middle and high school students.

Through this robust scope of activities Stages encourages conversation about important ideas, provides insight into other cultures and viewpoints, and helps develop each new generation of artists, audiences and citizens. For more information visit www.stagestheatre.com.

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