CASA 0101 Theater to Open 15th Season with World Premiere of New Comedy CLEAN START

Things get messy when a broke, down-on-her-luck Beverly Hills socialite is forced to move in with her Latina housekeeper in East Los Angeles. CASA 0101 Theater is proud to kick off the theater's 15th "Quinceañera" Anniversary Season with the World Premiere of a new comedy, CLEAN START, written by Kathy Fischer and Josefina López, directed by Kathy Fischer, and produced by Josefina López and Emmanuel Deleage.

The production will be presented on the theater's Main Stage located at 2102 East First Street (at St. Louis Street), Boyle Heights, CA 90033 on Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 p.m. and on Sundays at 5:00 p.m., January 23 - February 15, 2015. Preview performances will be given on Wednesday and Thursday, January 21 and 22, 2015 at 8:00 p.m.

The five-hander comedy stars Kim Chase (of Toluca Lake) as Beverly Hills socialite Parker Reed, Robert Jekabson (of Culver City) as all round hunky, handyman Vladimir, Ingrid Oliu (of Glassell Park) as Latina housekeeper Rosario Rodriguez, Marina Gonzalez Palmier (of Hollywood) as family matriarch Doña Maria Rodriguez and Maria Russell (of Studio City) as Rosario's voluptuous unemployed sister, Bianca Rodriguez.

CLEAN START is a comedic play centering around Parker Reed, a down-on-her-luck Beverly Hills socialite, and Rosario Martinez, her Latina maid who lives in a small, two bedroom house in East Los Angeles. When Reed loses everything due to a result of her husband's illegal dealings running a ponzi scheme, she is forced to move in with Rosario and her superstitious mother and immature sister. The resulting tensions question whether the women, from such divergent backgrounds, can resolve their differences and make a clean start with their lives.

Josefina López, Co-Writer and Producer of the production and Founding Artistic Director of CASA 0101 Theater said, "I am so happy to kick off our 15th 'Quinceañera' Season with a new comedy exploring the loyalty and affection between two women from seemingly opposite worlds and life experiences, who make a go at living together. As a tribute to CASA 0101 Theater's 15th Anniversary my co-writer and I, Kathy Fischer, have included a Quinceañera story line in the play. Kathy and I first met at UCLA's School of Film, Theater and Television where we both earned our MFA degrees in screenwriting. CLEAN START is the first project we have worked on together as co-writers, and this play marks Kathy's debut as a director."

Kathy Fischer, Co-Writer and Director of the production said, "Our play had its genesis when the recession was in full swing and the mortgage crisis was pushing people out of their homes. It was a time when people involved with Bernie Madoff lost their fortunes overnight, and Bernie's wife, Ruth, was blacklisted from every spa, five-star restaurant and country club around the world. Or so we imagined. Even the rich were learning to dial back on spending and trying to stretch every dollar. Josefina joked, 'Now everyone has to learn to live like a Mexican.' Hence, the premise for our play evolved: What if a Beverly Hills socialite lost all her money due to her husband's illegal dealings, and her friends turned their backs on her, so she had no place to go except to the home of her loyal housekeeper who lives in East Los Angeles? Enter CLEAN START."

Other productions and events, beside CLEAN START, to be presented during CASA 0101 Theater's 15th "Quinceañera" Anniversary Season include: Chicanos, Cholas & Chisme (March 6 - April 12); the World Premiere An L.A. Story written by Emmanuel Deleage and Lorenzo Alfredo, directed by Emmanuel Deleage (May 1 - June 7); the 12th Annual Reel Rasquache Art & Film Festival produced by John Ramirez (May 15 - 17); the musical Little Red, with Book by Anthony Aguilar and Ocar Basulto and Music by Grammy Award-winning band Quetzal, directed by Edward Padilla (June 26 - August 2); the play Placas written by Paul Flores starring Culture Clash's Ric Salinas (August 14 - September 13); the World Premiere of the play, Drunk Girl written by Josefina López, directed by Claudia Duran (September 25 - October 18); and the musical Eastside Heartbeats written by Tom Waldman and directed by Corky Dominguez (November 6 - December 20). The repertoire is subject to change and revision.

CASA 0101 Theater's sponsors include: The California Endowment, the Los Angeles County Arts Commission and The Herb Alpert Foundation.

The play's Production Team includes: Josefina López (of Silver Lake), Artistic Director, CASA 0101 Theater, Co-Writer, Producer; Kathy Fischer (of Highland Park), Co-Writer, Director and Sound Designer; Emmanuel Deleage (of Silver Lake), Executive Director, CASA 0101 Theater, Producer; Suzanne Linares (of Highland Park), Co-Producer; Edward Padilla (of Boyle Heights) Board President, CASA 0101 Theater, Casting Director; Rees Pugh (of Highland Park), Set Designer; Sohail e. Najafi (of Culver City), Lighting Designer; Vincent Sanchez (of Commerce), Sound Programmer; Celina Surniak (of Studio City), Stage Manager; Dandi Dewey (Echo Park), Wardrobe and Props; Chris Clary (of New York City), Key Artwork Graphic Designer; Sylvia Cortes (of Los Angeles), Outreach/Social Media; Mark Kraus (of Los Angeles), Webmaster; Ed Krieger (of La Crescenta), Production Photographer and Steve Moyer Public Relations (of Los Angeles), Press Representative.

Discounted Preview Performances will be presented on Wednesday and Thursday, January 21 and 22, 2015 at 8:00 p.m. for $10.00 per person. Opening Night is Friday, January 23, 2015 at 8:00 p.m. The play will be presented for a four-week run on Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 p.m. and Sundays at 5:00 p.m. from January 23 - February 15, 2015 at CASA 0101 Theater, 2012 East First Street (at St. Louis Street across the street from the Hollenbeck Police Station), Boyle Heights, CA 90033.

Tickets during the four-week run are $20 per person for General Admission; $17 per person for Students and Seniors; and $15 per person for Boyle Heights residents. Discounts for Groups of 10 or more will be available at $15 per person. This show is recommended for all audiences. Advance reservations are highly recommended.

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.

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