GROWING UP GONZALES to Begin Open-Ended Run Off-Broadway This Month

"Growing Up Gonzales," written and directed by Felix Rojas, performed by Andres" Chulisi" Rodriguez, opens Off-Broadway June 24th at The Actors Temple Theater, 339 W. 47th Street New York NY 10036.

Felix Rojas is a former member of the historic Family Repertory Theater. Andres "Chulisi" Rodriguez is a gravelly-voiced comedian, playwright and Solo Performance Artist. The play is a bittersweet comedy of two brothers growing up in the Bronx, whose coming of age is marked by the untimely death of their father. One actor plays both parts. The play is filled with the hearty characters, flavors and textures of The Bronx in the 70's and displays a very witty understanding of life.

Johnny and Cisco are two brothers six years apart in age and miles apart in sensibility. Johnny, the rough and rugged older brother who spent most of his life trying to toughen Cisco up finds himself drowning in a pool of guilt, emotionally claiming responsibility for Cisco's death. Cisco, the needy, innocent free spirit with a flair for the outrageous, shares his unusual wit and wisdom with Johnny about days past through a set of diaries he leaves behind. The result is a warm, affectionate and hilarious love letter from one brother to another.

Growing Up Gonzales opened in January 2012 at The Janhus Playhouse on the east side of Manhattan. The show was scheduled for a four-week run that quickly turned into an 8-month phenomenon. Rojas states "people just kept coming". Some of those who "kept coming" where theater lovers like Wendy Madden, Harry Belefonte and Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor just to name a few. After Janhus the show ran for six weeks at The Poet's Den Theater starring Luis Antonio Ramos from the STARZ hit show Power, a four month run at Teatro Sea in the lower east side followed and more recently at The Medicine Show Theater for a fifteen performance showcase.

Andres "Chulisi" Rodriguez isan HOLA award winning and AUDELCO nominated actor, self published author of his book "Slips, Trips and Falls" a collection of personal essays and poetry, a performance poet and facilitator to acting and writing workshops. His one-man show "I'm Just Saying" sold out The National Black Theater this September and he performed it again on stage Feb 2016 at The Puerto Rican Traveling Theater. He was nominated for a people's choice award for solo performer and an H.O.L.A award in 2016. He just performed his new one-man show Welcome To The Ghetto in October 2016 to a sold out crowd at Mott Haven Bar and grill. Brooklyn born and raised he now resides in Harlem and is a facilitator to Full Circle Ensemble, a group of writers from the Bronx.

Rojas returned to show business after a sixteen-year hiatus. Written works for the stageinclude: Hotel Presidential, From The Mind Of Cheo, Mandance, Joy's Chaos, The NIL, Growing Up Gonzales and El Conde Y La Condesa. Works for the screen - On The Downlow, A Place For Us, Perfect Vision, Cielito Lindo and award winning independent film Papi's Promise. Felix is a prolific content creator with several films and pilots for television in development.

Growing Up Gonzales is Executive Produced by Michael and Sandra Lang (I Like It Like That), Linda Garcia, Maria Barreto, John Oconnor and Maria Torres (Zoot Suit LA, On Your Feet Broadway).

Growing Up Gonzales will play The Actors Temple Theater, 339 West 47 Ave., Saturdays beginning June 24th. Doors open at 7:30. Showtime 8pm. General admission $45. Premium seating $60. Tickets available through TELECHARGE @ www.growingupgonzales.com.

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