World Premiere of TRIO LOS MACHOS by Josefina Lopez Plays Now thru 7/8

Casa 0101 Theater will present the World Premiere of "Trío Los Machos," with songs made famous by the singing group, Trío Los Panchos, at the new Casa 0101 Theater, 2102 E. First Street (at Louis Street), Boyle Heights, CA 90033 on Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 p.m. and Sundays at 5:00 p.m., tonight, June 8 – July 8, 2012.

"Trío Los Machos," written by Josefina López, is a comedic Latino 'Bromance' with music. The play is a love letter to Latino men and an homage to Lopez' father. The play explores the themes of music, aging and male camaraderie set against the backdrop of the Bracero guest worker program (1942 – 1964) between the United States and Mexico. The play tells the story of a Guitar Trio in the vein of Trío Los Panchos who met during the Bracero program. The play explores the 50-year friendship of its central characters, Lalo, Nacho and Paco.

Ten years ago in 2002 playwright and screenwriter Josefina López burst onto the international entertainment scene making headlines around the world for her award-winning film, "Real Women Have Curves," which won the Audience Award at Robert Redford's Sundance Film Festival. The debut of the film was also historic in that it was the first time the Sundance Film Festival presented awards in acting. The leading actresses in "Real Women Have Curves," America Ferrera ("Ugly Betty") and Lupe Ontiveros ("As Good As It Gets," "Selena"), were the recipients of those acting awards.

The play, "Real Women Have Curves," was written as an homage to López' mother and sister. López then subsequently co-wrote the award-winning screenplay of the same title, based on the play. Now, 10 years later, López has written a new play, "Trío Los Machos," as an homage to her father.

A Free Art Exhibit in The Jean Deleage Gallery at Casa 0101 Theater entitled, "Recollections From Yesterday and Today of Ex-Braceros," will be running in conjunction with the run of the play, "Trío Los Machos." The photography exhibit will include work of former "guest workers" who participated in the United States/Mexican government program granting temporary work contracts to Mexican laborers from 1942 – 1964. The Art Exhibit is sponsored by the Binacional Union of Ex-Braceros, 1942 – 1967. An Opening Reception for the Art Exhibit will be held on the evening of Thursday, June 7, 2012 from 6:30 – 9:30 p.m. Thereafter the Art Exhibit will be on display through the run of "Trío Los Machos," through July 8, 2012.

The cast of the World Premiere production Josefina López' "Trío Los Machos" will include: Miguel Santana (of Cudahy) as Lalo; Roberto Garza (of Arcadia) as Nacho; Henry Madrid (of Long Beach) as Paco; Gilbert Rodriguez (of Los Angeles) as Young Lalo; Josh Duron (of Alhambra) as Young Nacho; Adrian Quiñonez (of Los Angeles) as Young Paco; Claudia Duran (of Van Nuys) as Rosario; Rocio Mendoza (of Los Angeles) as Aurelia; Roberto Carlos (of Los Angeles) as Restaurant Owner; Larry Costales (of Lake Elsinore) as Rancher, Anglo Man and Auditioner #2; Jesus Martinez (of Los Angeles) as Dr. Medina; Andrea Santana (of Cudahy) as Anglo Woman and Auditioner #1; Antonio Perez (of Los Angeles) as Motel Employee and Estuardo Muñoz (of Los Angeles) as Young Lalo Stand In for the Saturday, July 7, 2012 performance only. Biographies of cast members will be available upon request.

The production team includes: Josefina López, Artistic Director, Playwright and Lyricist, Casa 0101 Theater; Emmanuel Deleage, Executive Director, Casa 0101 Theater; Edward Padilla, Director, Set Designer and Casting Director; Alma Catalan, Assistant Director; Danny Weinstein, Musical Director and Composer; Claudia Duran, Lyricist; Rafael O. Calderon, Producer; Andy Carrasco, Producer; Mercedes Floresislas, Producer; Carlos Brown, Costume Designer; Ramon Acosta, Sound Designer; Willy Donica, Lighting and Technical Designer; Nisha Joshi, Stage Manager; Garrett Hammond, Stunt Coordinator; Mark Kraus, Webmaster; Gabriela Lopez de Dennis, Soap Design Co., Graphic Designer; and Steve Moyer Public Relations, Press Representative.

Among the songs popularized the Trío Los Panchos to be incorporated in the play, "Trío Los Machos," courtesy of music publishers, Peer International Corporation, are: "Amorcito Corazon," "El Reloj," "Parece Que Va A Llover," "Perfidia," "Piensa En Mi," "Quizas, Quizas, Quizas," "Sabor A Mi," "Sin Ti," "Solamente Una Vez," "Amaneci en Tus Brazos" and "Tu Recuerdo Y Yo." Two original songs will be presented in this new play also. They are: "Corrido del Bracero" ("The Song of the Braceros") with Music by Danny Weinstein and Lyrics by Josefina López and "Un Viejo Como Tu" ("An Old Man Like You") with Music by Danny Weinstein and Lyrics by Claudia Duran.

Josefina López (Artistic Director, Casa 0101 Theater; Playwright and Lyricist, "Trío Los Machos;" Screenwriter) is best known for authoring the play and co-authoring the film "Real Women Have Curves," a coming-of-age story about Ana, a first-generation Chicana torn between pursuing her college ambitions, a personal goal and securing employment, which is a family expectation. Along the way, Ana confronts a host of cultural assumptions about beauty, marriage and a woman's role in society. Although "Real Women Have Curves" is Lopez' most recognized work, it is only one of many literary and artistic works she has created since her artistic career began at 17. Born in San Luis Potosi, Mexico in 1969, Josefina López was five-years-old when she and her family immigrated to the United States and settled in the East Los Angeles neighborhood of Boyle Heights. López was undocumented for 13 years before she received Amnesty in 1987 and eventually became a U.S. Citizen in 1995.

López has been an activist and has been doing public speaking for over 20 years and has lectured on various topics including Chicano Theater, Women's History Issues and Minority representation in Cinema at over 200 universities such as Yale, Darmouth, and USC. She also has a magazine column called "Ask A Wise Latina" in the "Brooklyn and Boyle Newspaper." She has been the subject of countless television and radio interviews in which she has passionately discussed immigration issues and other controversial subjects concerning women and minorities.

López is the recipient of a number of other awards and accolades, including a formal recognition from U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer's 7th Annual "Women Making History" banquet in 1998; and a screenwriting fellowship from the California Arts Council in 2001. She and "Real Women Have Curves" film co-author George LaVoo won the Humanitas Prize for Screenwriting in 2002, The Gabriel Garcia Marquez Award from Los Angeles Mayor James K. Hahn in 2003, and the Artist-in-ResidenCy Grant from the National Endowment for the Arts/Theatre Communications Group for 2007.

Even though she is best known for the success of "Real Women Have Curves," López has had more than 80 productions of her plays throughout the United States. In addition, she also paints, writes poetry, performs, designs, is a mother of two boys and resides in Silver Lake, CA. She is the Founder and Artistic Director of CASA 0101 Theater in Boyle Heights, CA. At CASA 0101 her commitment is to teach screenwriting and playwriting and nurture a new generation of Latino artists. López is actively working to create an Artist District in Boyle Heights where theater, arts and music can flourish and create opportunities for the many talented artists who reside in Boyle Heights or grew up in Boyle Heights and want to return to contribute.

López is developing the musical version of "Real Women Have Curves" for Broadway. Her first novel titled "Hungry Woman in Paris" came out in 2009. She wrote a play to protest SB1070 titled "Detained in the Desert," which won her many awards and she is turning into a film. She is working on numerous writing projects for the stage, screen and for print. To learn more about Josefina López, please visit www.josefinalopez.co, www.hungrywomaninparis.com and www.casa0101.org.

Edward Padilla (Director, Set Designer and Casting Director, "Trío Los Machos") is President of Casa 0101 Theater and former Artistic Director for Casa 0101 (2006 - 2009). He is an actor, director, producer and owner of LaloPad, entertainment casting and consulting company, launched in 2011. As an actor, he has performed extensively throughout the United States with numerous theater groups including Bilingual Foundation of the Arts, Grupo de Teatro Sinergia, Ethical Arts Company, The Blank Theatre Company, La Jolla Playhouse, and more.

He was in "Matthew Modine Saves the Alpacas" at The Geffen Playhouse and "Luisa Fernanda" at The Ricardo Montálban Theatre and Million Dollar Theater. He was in the workshop productions of "Sister Act" at Pasadena Playhouse and "Zorro: The Musical" in Los Angeles, San Francisco and New York. Film credits include "Spider-Man 3," "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" and "Mr. Jones." A partial list of television credits includes a regular role as Javier on "Suburgatory," appearances on "SouthLAnd," "General Hospital," "Dirt," "The Shield," "Windfall," "Bones," "King of Queens," "Drew Carey Show," and as a regular on "Los Beltran."

He has been in numerous on-camera national television commercials, and has done voice work on campaigns for Red Bull, Jeep/Chrysler and Hotels.com, to name a few. He graduated with honors from the USC School of Theatre where he received his BA degree and the David Dukes Scholarship for Acting. He studied acting and Shakespeare at the British American Drama Academy at Oxford University.

He directed "Teatro Izcalli" at the San Diego Lyceum in Anthology (2009) and "Juan More Beer" (2008). Other stage directing credits include: "Soledad (When Soleda's Stream Birthed Her Amazon)" by Janine Salinas and "Split Second" by Dennis McIntyre at Casa 0101 Theater; and "Hands On Therapy" by Toby Campion at Secret Rose Theater; among others.

Producing credits include "Little Red," "El Verde" shows, "Hoop Girls," "When Nature Calls," and many more for Casa 0101 Theater. In 2001, Padilla received the Humanism Award from Children's Hospital Los Angeles for his work for the Department of Clinical Immunology and Allergy/Children's AIDS Center. He continues to teach and coach acting for youth and adults on a continuing volunteer basis at CASA 0101 Theater.

"Trío Los Machos" is a new work by Josefina López exploring the themes of music, aging and friendship set against the backdrop of the Bracero guest worker program (1942 – 1964) between the United States and Mexico.

In 1942 at the height of World War II, the United States imported tens of thousands of laborers from Mexico under a guest worker program known as the Bracero program, as millions of Americans were shipped overseas. The Bracero program has recently been in the news again as thousands of workers (in their 70's and 80's) have been attempting to collect the retirement deductions taken at the time.

"Trío Los Machos" is a story following three young migrant workers who sing in the barracks to entertain their fellow field hands. There they hone their talents and are eventually able to make a living as musicians and leave the dreaded fields. As they grow older and their abilities and health begin to deteriorate, they become increasingly dependent on one another. Their proud machismo, which in the past helped them survive hardship, becomes a barrier for them.

Based on the music of Trío Los Panchos, the play celebrates the magic of music while exploring a lesser-known chapter of United States History which has had a profound transformative impact on both sides of the border. Trío Los Panchos was an internationally famous Latin Pop Trio known for its boleros and romantic ballads. The original three members of Trío Los Panchos, Alfred Gil, Chucho Navarro and Hernando Aviles met in 1944. All three men sang and played their guitars as they performed. They appeared in approximately 50 films during the Golden Age of Mexican Cinema and began touring internationally in 1946. Their romantic and nostalgic boleros embodied like no other in this period in history, the hopes, passions, pain and beauty of the Mexican experience.

Author Josefina López arrived herself from Mexico at age five. Her father had been a "bracero" when he first came to the United States. As someone who was directly affected by this program, López went on to gain recognition for writing plays such as "Simply Maria" and "Real Women Have Curves." These works have given voice to the experience of Latinas, many of whom were the children of "braceros," caught between the world of their parents and that of their adopted country. "Trío Los Machos" is López' homage to her father and a story about the male experience of immigrating to the United States from Mexico.

Tickets for the play are $20 for General Admission, $17 for Students, Seniors and Groups of 10 or more, and $15 for Boyle Heights residents with identification. 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. Advance reservations are highly recommended. Theatre patrons can get a $2 discount by presenting their Metro Bus Cards at the Box Office when buying tickets. Metro bus stations are located on First Street in Boyle Heights at both Soto Street, and at Boyle Street (Mariachi Plaza), within a short walking distance to the theatre.

This production is sponsored in part by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors through the Los Angeles County Arts Commission, California Arts Council, www.ArtsWorks.org (the official blog of the National Endowment for the Arts), California ART LVR, The Southern California Gas Company, Rose Hills Memorial Parks & Mortuaries, East LA Community Corporation, Metro, Emmanuel Deleage and Los Angeles County Supervisor Gloria Molina.

To post a comment, you must register and login.