CHAVEZ RAVINE: IN 9 INNINGS Premieres On Center Theatre Group's Digital Stage This Month

Powerhouse L.A.-based Latino/Chicano performance trio and recent members of the CTG Creative Collective, Culture Clash explore Los Angeles' heritage and history in "Chavez Ravine: In 9 Innings," a new episodic adaptation of their play "Chavez Ravine."

Created for Center Theatre Group's Digital Stage and sponsored by Bank of America, "Chavez Ravine: In 9 Innings" premieres October 8 and will be available on demand through December 6, 2021 at www.ctgla.org/ChavezRavineIn9Innings. The price for the series of nine episodes is $20.

Originally commissioned by Center Theatre Group and premiered at the Mark Taper Forum in 2003, "Chavez Ravine" explored the transformation of a growing city and a small, tightly knit neighborhood and cherished barrio initially slated to be an affordable housing project. However, after years of city-wide scandals, the land lay dormant and eventually became the site of Dodger Stadium. For "Chavez Ravine: In 9 Innings," selected scenes and allegories are curated into nine episodes filmed at the Kirk Douglas Theatre and on location around Los Angeles incorporating music and featuring archival films, period photos, interviews and new performances by Culture Clash members Richard Montoya, Ric Salinas and Herbert Siguenza. The cast also includes Gabriela Maldonado and Sabina Zúñiga Varela, along with musicians Vaneza Calderon, Randy Rodarte and Scott Rodarte. This digital and cinematic adaptation "Chavez Ravine: In 9 Innings" is written and performed by Culture Clash and co-curated by Culture Clash and longtime creative Lisa Peterson, who directed the play's premiere and subsequent revival at the Kirk Douglas Theatre in 2015. The film features new compositions by Sundance composer Gingger Shankar and Aztec instrumental specialist Martin Espino, and new songs from Daniel Valdez and Nancy Sanchez.

Longtime Culture Clash associate Pablo Prietto is the editor of "Chavez Ravine: In 9 Innings" and the teleplay was adapted by Clasher Richard Montoya. The creative team of the film "Chavez Ravine: In 9 Innings" also includes production coordinator Marcedés Clanton and assistant production coordinator Maggie Swing. Center Theatre Group's Associate Artistic Directors on this project are Lindsay Allbaugh and Tyrone Davis.

Since 1984 Culture Clash has been creating adventurous works for the national stage. Born in an art gallery in the heart of the Mission District of San Francisco that no longer exists, the performance trio knows about adversity and the need to evolve and find new ways to reach new audiences especially in these pandemic times. Returning to explore their landmark works with Center Theatre Group has been a lifeline and caps a long creative relationship that has produced important plays for and about Los Angeles. Other commissioned and produced works for Center Theatre Group include "Water & Power," "Bordertown Now," "American Night," "Palestine, New Mexico," "Carpa Clash" and a revival of "Chavez Ravine" at the Kirk Douglas Theatre. The troupe has also created new works for La Jolla Playhouse, Pasadena Playhouse, The Huntington, Arena Stage, Yale Repertory Theatre, Berkeley Repertory Theatre and The Oregon Shakespeare Festival.

Other films from Culture Clash as members of Culture Clash include: "Water & Power," "Playing with Fire: The Art of Carlos Almaraz" (Netflix) and "The Other Barrio." Culture Clash members have appeared in and consulted on films such as "Coco" and "Nacho Libre." New works include "Suicide on Telegraph" for Berkeley Repertory Theatre.

The CTG Creative Collective, a dozen inspiring, innovative and highly collaborative artists, came together to seize upon an unprecedented moment, as theatres across the world sat dark and took the opportunity to challenge the basic tenets of theatre and the long held theatrical traditions that both build and bind the art form. These artists helped Center Theatre Group discover what theatre could be during a global crisis and are helping shape the contours of the theatrical landscape of the future. Made possible by a $200,000 grant from an anonymous donor, the CTG Creative Collective included Luis Alfaro, Culture Clash (Richard Montoya, Ric Salinas and Herbert Siguenza), Elephant Room (Steve Cuiffo, Trey Lyford and Geoff Sobelle), Lars Jan, Daniel Alexander Jones, Miwa Matreyek, Dominique Morisseau and Kristina Wong. Formed in June of 2020, the collective worked together until May of 2021

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