LEARN TO BE LATINA Opens at Mixed Blood Theatre, 4/20-5/13

The politics of ethnic and sexual identity take center stage in comic playwright Enrique Urueta's LEARN TO BE LATINA, winner of the first national Great Gay Play Contest. Mercilessly off-color, the show offers a comedic take on cultural appropriation-and what makes a pop culture star.  

 

In this blistering, outrageous comedy directed by Mark Valdez, the aspiring Hanan (Jamie Elvey in her Mixed Blood debut) is hot, but FAD Records thinks she's unmarketable because she's Lebanese. But if the budding diva can learn to think, sound and act like the next J.Lo, FAD reasons she can "keep the West and forget the rest." Desperate for fame, Hanan surrenders her ethnic identity for Latin pop stardom in this satirical rags-to-riches allegory. Replete with a dominatrix ethnic consultant (Aditi Kapil), a scene-stealing bilingual hand puppet and wild song and dance numbers, Learn To Be Latina is ultimately a coming out tale with heart.

 

Artistic Director Jack Reuler asserts that "racial politics, biting comedy and salacious sexuality have graced Mixed Blood's stage since Neighbors opened the season in September, showcasing the theatre's mission and talent. Enrique's worldview, sense of humor and in-your-face storytelling matches perfectly with this season, this theatre and my own fun-loving flair."

 

Learn To Be Latina reunites some of the stars from last year's Mixed Blood production of Avenue Q:  Bonni Allen (Jill), Brian Skellenger (Will) and Seth Tucker (Bill) as a trio of hackneyed record executives.  Hope Cervantes returns to play Blanca, the record company's office manager and Hanan's love interest, and George Keller (Mixed Blood's touring According to Coyote) plays Elena, the hard-nosed talk show host.  

 

Joining director Mark Valdez on the creative team are Wrara Plesoiu (set), Jeffrey Bleam (costumes), Karin Olson (lights), C Andrew Mayer (sound) and Brently Davis (properties).

 

A preview of Learn To Be Latina will be held Thursday, April 19 at 7:30 p.m.; the show opens Friday, April 20 at 7:30 p.m. and continues through Sunday, May 13. Performances are Wednesdays-Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. with 3:00 p.m. matinees on Sundays. Access Night, with ASL interpreting and audio description, is Thursday, May 3 at 7:30 p.m. All performances will be captioned in English with projected supertitles.  An Industry Night, with an insider talk-back following the show, will be on Monday, May 7 at 7:30 pm.  All performances are in the Alan Page Auditorium at Mixed Blood's historic firehouse theatre at 1501 S. 4th St., Minneapolis.  After every performance, Mixed Blood offers a FREE FOR(U)M, where audience members and staff hold post-show conversations.  At the SUNDAY SALONS (following each Sunday matinee), panels of specialists lead the discussion.

 

Learn To Be Latina features "Radical Hospitality," Mixed Blood's no-cost admission for all mainstage plays. There are two ways to attend a performance: 1) First come, first served no-cost admission: Mixed Blood holds a significant number of seats for no-cost admission on a first come, first served basis for each performance. To access these seats, audience members register online at www.mixedblood.com or in the lobby (lobby opens two hours prior to the show).  2) Guaranteed admission: Audience members can guarantee entry for an individual performance by paying a $15 fee online at www.mixedblood.com or by calling the box office at (612) 338-6131. Seating begins 30 minutes before show time and there are no assigned seats for either first come, first served or guaranteed admissions.