To kick off the new year a family friendly musical fantasy set in the fictional Middle Eastern city of Agrabah will come to life on the Main Stage of CASA 0101 Theater in Boyle Heights, CA as a beloved Disney princess finds true love with a commoner boy with a magic carpet in a land inhabited with a bigger than life Genie, royal translators and trouble makers, and fast-talking comedic bilingual animal sidekicks!
CASA 0101 Theater, Josefina López, Artistic Director and
Emmanuel Deleage, Producer,
Edward Padilla, Producer, and TNH Productions, Rigo Tejeda, Artistic Director, Abel Alvarado, Associate Artistic Director, Felipe Agredano, Producer and Conrado Terrazas, Producer, in association with Councilmember
Gilbert A. Cedillo, City of Los Angeles, 1st District, present the West Coast Premiere of the musical, Disney's Aladdin, Dual Language Edition/Edición De Lenguaje Dual with Book by
Jim Luigs and José Cruz González, Music by
Alan Menken, Lyrics by
Howard Ashman and
Tim Rice, Music Adapted, Arranged and Orchestrated by
Bryan Louiselle, directed by Rigo Tejeda, based on the 1992 Disney Academy Award-winning film Aladdin and Lyric Translations by Walterio Pezqueira, musically directed by Caroline Benzon and choreographed by Tania Possick.
Ken Cerniglia, Dramaturg and Literary Manager for
Disney Theatrical Productions said, "Our dramaturgical mission for Aladdin Dual Language Edition/Edición De Lenguaje Dual was to weave two languages into the plot while making sure that both English-speaking and Spanish-speaking audiences could follow the story. We hewed closely to the text and structure of Disney's Aladdin JR., adapted for the stage by
Bryan Louiselle and
Jim Luigs, but amplified the show with a new back-story." Disney's Aladdin Jr. recently closed its successful run at Disney's California Adventure.
The production will be presented on CASA 0101 Theater's Main Stage, 2102 East First Street (at St. Louis Street directly across the street from the Hollenbeck Police Station), Boyle Heights, CA 90033. A Pay-What-You-Can Preview performance will be presented on Thursday, January 12, 2017 at 8:00 p.m. The musical will be presented for a Six-Week Run from January 13 (Press Opening Night) - February 19, 2017 on Fridays at 8:00 p.m.; Saturdays at 2:00 p.m., 5:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.; and Sundays at 1:00 p.m., 4:00 p.m., and 7:00 p.m.
In Disney's Aladdin Dual Language Edition/Edición De Lenguaje Dual everyone in the fictional city of Agrabah used to be able to speak two languages. The show is based on the Arab-style folktale "Aladdin and the Magic Lamp" from One Thousand and One Nights; the musical includes iconic songs like "A Whole New World" and "Friend Like Me." When the evil Jafar, the Sultan's Grand Vizier, first finds a Genie's magic lamp one day, he wishes to divide Agrabah by language so that the people of the palace speak one language and the people in the streets speak another (hence, Spanish and English respectively). However, Jafar speaks both languages, giving him more power. Before making another wish, Jafar, annoyed with his pet parrot, Iago, throws the lamp out the window, and while doing so, he spills some magic "fluency" dust on Iago. The lamp's dust also enables two other animals, Princess Jazmín's pet tiger, Rajah, and Aladdin's pet monkey, Abu, to also speak human languages. To help the audience follow this class conflict adventure, Royal Translators serve as narrators and facilitate official state communication, while the multi-lingual animals translate more intimate conversations. As the story starts Princess Jazmín is running away from the palace, unwilling to be betrothed to yet another snobbish suitor. Aladdin, a street rat, and Princess Jazmín become friends and fall in love, but Jafer has Aladdin apprehended. Later Aladdin befriends at Magic Carpet, as well as a Genie who makes his wishes come true.
Rigo Tejeda, the Artistic Director and Founder of TNH Productions said, "Our cast of 23 actors, with the help of the Royal Translators and feisty bi-lingual animals, will make this dual-language musical very accessible and family friendly for all who see it. The goal of our technical team of artists is to make this a highly energized production, that is both visually and aurally stimulating, as well as highly entertaining."
Gilbert A. Cedillo, Councilmember, City of Los Angeles, 1st District, said, "Given the recent changes in Washington D.C., Aladdin Dual Language Edition, is timely in that its message that as in Agrabah, our country is better united than divided as everyone contributes to the vitality of its future."
The cast of 23 includes: Michael Torrenueva (of Costa Mesa) and
Daniel Martinez (of Highland Park) as Aladdin, a street rat; Valeria Maldonado (of Los Feliz) and Sarah Kennedy (of Long Beach) as Princess Jazmín; Lewis Powell III (of City Terrace) and Finley Polynice (of North Hollywood) as Genie, resident of the magical lamp;
Luis Marquez (of Hollywood) and Omar Mata (of Montebello) as Jafar, the Sultan's Grand Vizier; Evan Garcia (of Boyle Heights) as Razú, Captain de los Guardias; Jason David (of New York City) as Iago, Jafar's pet parrot; Henry Madrid (Long Beach) as Sultán; Sebast
Ian Gonzalez (of Boyle Heights) as Abu, Aladdin's pet monkey; Rosa Navarrette (of El Sereno) as Rajah, Jazmín's pet tiger; Danielle Espinoza (of Montebello) as Magic Carpet; Blanca Espinoza (of Alhambra) as Royal Translator; Shanara Sanders (of Little Tokyo) as Royal Translator;
Diana Castrillon (of Burbank) as Royal Translator; Jocelyn Sanchez (of Downey) as Ensemble; Andrew Cano (of Garden Grove) as Ensemble; Mariana Peterson (of Koreatown) as Ensemble; Andrea Somera (of Buena Park) as Ensemble; Jesse Maldonado (of Los Angeles) as Ensemble: and Alejandro Lechuga (of El Sereno) as Ensemble. Performance dates and times will soon be announced for actors double cast in several principal roles.
Production sponsors of the West Coast Premiere of Disney's Aladdin Dual Language Edition/Edición De Lenguaje Dual include: The office of Councilmember
Gilbert A. Cedillo, City of Los Angeles, 1st District; Councilmember José Huizar, City of Los Angeles, 14th District; Soledad Enrichment Action Inc. (SEA), El Centro Del Pueblo and Clear Channel Outdoor.
CASA 0101 Theater's sponsors include: The California Endowment, the Los Angeles County Arts Commission, The
Herb Alpert Foundation, The City of Los Angeles Cultural Affairs Department, Bloomberg Philanthropies and The Weingart Foundation.
The production team for the West Coast Premiere of the musical, Disney's Aladdin, Dual Language Edition/Edición De Lenguaje Dual will include: Josefina López (of Silverlake) Founding Artistic Director, CASA 0101 Theater; Rigo Tejeda (of Los Angeles) Director of the musical and Artistic Director and Founder, TNH Productions; Abel Alvarado (of Silverlake) Associate Artistic Director, TNH Productions and Costume Designer; Emmanuel Deleague (of Silverlake) Show Producer and Executive Director, CASA 0101 Theater;
Edward Padilla (of Boyle Heights) Show Producer, Casting Director and Board President, CASA 0101 Theater; Conrado Terrazas (of Echo Park) Show Producer and Chief Financial Officer for TNH Productions; Felipe Agredano (of Boyle Heights) Show Producer and Government Relations Director for TNH Productions; Cesar Holguin (of San Fernando Valley), Scenic Designer; Sohail j. Najafi (of Culver City) Lighting Designer and CASA 0101 Theater Technical Director; Alysha Bermudez (of Los Angeles)
Sound Designer; Caroline Benzon (of Los Angeles) Music Director; Tania Possick (of Los Angeles) Choreographer; Yee Eun Nam (of Miracle Mile) Projection Designer; Jerry A. Blackburn (of Porter Ranch) Stage Manager; Gilbert Valenzuela (of Los Angeles) Production Manager; Miguel Carachure (of Los Angeles) Sound Operator; George Villanueva (of Boyle Heights) Lighting Operator; Karlo Ishibashi (of East Los Angeles) Prop Master; Jules Bronola (of Los Angeles), Costume Assistant; Christina Crispy Carillo-Dono (of Los Angeles) Assistant Stage Manager Lupe Arrelanes (of Los Angeles) CASA 0101 Communication and Outreach Coordinator; Gabriela López de Dennis, Soap Studio Inc. (of Los Angeles), Key Artwork Design and Program; Luis Gaudi (of East Los Angeles) Production Photographer, and Steve Moyer Public Relations (of Los Angeles), Press Representative.
A Pay-What-You-Can Preview will be held on Thursday, January 12, 2017 at 8:00 p.m. The musical will be presented for a Six-Week Run from January 13 (Press Opening Night) - February 19, 2017 on Fridays at 8:00 p.m.; Saturdays at 2:00 p.m., 5:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.; and Sundays at 1:00 p.m., 4:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.
Tickets during the Six-Week run are $30 per person for General Admission; $25 per person for Students and Seniors; and $20 per person for Boyle Heights residents with ID. This show is recommended for families. Advance reservations are highly encouraged. The running time of the show is 75 minutes without intermission.
Free Parking is available on several streets surrounding the theatre. Free Parking is also available on Fridays and Saturdays only at the Boyle Heights City Hall Parking Lot located at 2130 East First Street (at Chicago Street) by entering the lot from Chicago Street; the lot is closed on Sundays. For tickets, please call the CASA 0101 Theater Box Office at
323-263-7684, E-mail
tickets@casa0101.org, or buy online at
www.casa0101.org. Group Discounts are available by calling the Box Office. Like us on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/casa0101theater.
About The Director:
Rigo Tejeda (Director of the musical and Artistic Director and Founder, TNH Productions) began his career in the theatrical arts over 20 years ago. Raised and trained as a musician, his endeavors as a pianist and accompanist developed his love for music early on. Along with this came his introduction to amateur theatre and acting. His directorial debut came soon after as Music Director of his local church community. Starring in various community theatre productions, Tejeda delved into directing with his first theatrical production, Esperar, in 1994. Soon after, his self-taught skills, schooling and inclination for direction, landed several projects, including American Icon at Disneyland Resort, Un Triste Amanecer and Cats en Español. Being recognized for his passion and talent he was then asked to develop and teach workshops and classes in acting, pantomime, musical theatre and theatre 101 at Telacu, a program for inner-city students aspiring in the theatrical arts and higher education. With his strong accolades as a business owner, theatrical director and founder of a theatre company, he has become a well-recognized and respected artist in his own right. He is on the forefront of the Latino Theatre Movement in Los Angeles. Rigo Tejeda was the director of CASA 0101 and TNH Productions 2013 presentation of the Tony Award-winning musical In The Heights which received great critical acclaim, including a Critic's Choice in the Los Angeles Times and "Pick of the Week" in LA Weekly.
About CASA 0101 Theater:
CASA 0101, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, was founded by Josefina López, author of "Real Women Have Curves," in 2000 to fulfill her vision of bringing art and live theater programs to Boyle Heights. From its humble beginnings in a former bridal shop, CASA 0101 has established itself as a leading arts venue for Los Angeles' East Side, currently offering year round theatrical productions and classes in dramatic writing and acting for youth and adults. CASA 0101 is dedicated to providing vital arts, cultural, and educations programs in theatre, digital filmmaking, art and dance - to Boyle Heights, thereby nurturing the future storytellers of Los Angeles. CASA 0101 is named such, as casa means house or home in Spanish. 0's and 1's are the binary language computers use to operate. CASA 0101 was founded at the dawn of the digital age, when digital cameras started appearing and moviemaking became accessible to more people. Early on Josefina López taught a few digital video classes. Though the organization subsequently focused its energies on theatre and not digital filmmaking, the name stuck. 0 and 1 can also mean nothing and everything, Yin and Yang, male and female, and many more dual opposites. Through storytelling and theatre and other art forms, CASA 0101 is committed to exploring the world and oneself, the good and the bad, the light and the darkness of our world to the point where there are no borders and "0" and "1" are one.
About TNH Productions:
The mission of TNH Productions is to produce musical live theater that tells the stories by and for underserved audiences. The company strives to hire individuals onstage and backstage that reflect the diversity of our country. The company's production of In the Heights in 2012 and 2013 enjoyed many sold out performances and excellent reviews in La Opiníon, named "Pick of the Week" by LA Weekly, "Critic's Choice" in the Los Angeles Times and was featured on ABC's American Latino TV. In The Heights is composer-lyricist Lin-Manuel Miranda's first show. His latest show, Hamilton, currently on Broadway, received 11 Tony Awards.
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