Repertorio Español Presents PROBATION, 7/12-9/27

REPERTORIO ESPAÑOL has announced the New York production of Yoshvani Medina's PROBATION. PROBATION will begin on Thursday, July 12 (7pm) at Repertorio Español's Gramercy Arts Theater (138 East 27th Street, btw. Lex. & 3rd). PROBATION plays through September 27, 2012. The play will be directed by the playwright and its cast includes Hannia Guillén as Yenny, Alfonso Rey as Pancho & Sandor Juan as Freddy. Probation is the first production at Repertorio to be presented in Spanish with subtitles via Repertorio's new in-seat Simultext Captioning System. Tickets are on sale now.

Probation is a timely story about compromising moral values for the sake of getting rich quick. A Cuban man keeps his promise to bring a friend's son to the United States. After the young immigrant gets a real taste of hard labor, he decides to accept a job offer as a director of a medical clinic conscious of the job's dubious nature. He begins to enjoy the benefits of quick earned cash, but his world is turned upside down when he is arrested by the FBI accusing him of Medicaid fraud. After being released on probation, he realizes that he must make a difficult decision, whether to stay in the country and face prosecution or return to his former life in Cuba. Generational, political, and moral differences collide in this modern day drama.

The production features scenic design by Jorge Noa and Pedro Balmaseda, costume design by Robert Federico, and lighting design by Robert Federico. Zulema Clares is the sound designer and Fernando Then is the stage manager.

Tickets for "Probation" start at $27 and may be reserved online at www.repertorio.org/probation; by phone, calling 1-212-225-9999 or in person at Repertorio Español's Gramercy Arts Theatre located at 138 East 27th Street in Manhattan, New York between Lexington and Third Avenues (9am-7pm Sun-Thurs | 10am-9pm Sat-Sun). Special offer if reserved before July 15th, 2012: Buy one ticket at the regular price and get the second ticket for only $5 courtesy of MetLife Foundation.

YOSHVANI MEDINA (playwright & director ) (1967-) is a playwright, director and theater professor born in Pinar del Río, Cuba. He holds a degree from the Dramatic Arts Conservatory in Paris, France. Medina has won awards including Puerto Rico's Literature Biennial Award (2000) for his play "Suicídame" (Suicide Me); the Francophone Award of the Caribbean (2004) for "Merde"; and the Casa de Teatro International Theater Award in the Dominican Republic (2007) for "La cláusula" (The Clause.) Mr. Medina wrote "Circuit fermé" in 2001 as part of a fellowship at La Chartreuse de Villeneuve-Lez-Avignon in France. The play premiered at the Escena Nacional of Fort-de-France and toured to the world renowned Cartoucherie de Vincennes in Paris. He was included in "Next," an anthology of European Contemporary Theatre produced by the International Theater Festival of Sibiu, Romania, along with playwrights such as Jean-Luc Lagarce.

Mr. Medina has lectured in dramaturgy, direction and acting at the Avignon Dramatic Arts Conservatory, the University of Antilles-Guyane, the University of Miami and the Florida International University. His direction credits include Cervantes' "Don Quijote," Shakespeare's "Romeo & Juliet," Pirandello's "Each In His Own Way," Marivaux's "The Game of Love and Chance," Pinter's "The Lover" and Handke's "Public Insult." His play "Sinfonía en Do mayor (y La menor)" was presented in Miami and at the International Theater Festival in Mérida, México in 2001. Mr. Medina is Artistic Director and Founder of the newly inaugurated ArtSpoken Performing Arts Center.

HANNIA GUILLÉN (Yenny) engaged in an acting career at Miami Dade College. There she performed in several plays including "Falsa Alarma" (False Alarm) by Virgilio Piñera and Jean Anouilh's "The Traveler." She garnered attention from casting directors Lori Wyman and Ellen Jacoby, who helped cast Hannia in her first SAG motion picture, "Mysterious"; the show "Burn Notice"; and as a series regular in The Los Angeles based CBS/NBC soap, "Passions" respectively. Before relocating to Los Angeles, she starred in Federico García Lorca's "Yerma" at the Hispanic Theater Festival of Miami. In 2008 Hannia would return to Miami to star in the U.S premiere of Anton Arrufat's "La repetición" (The Repetition) directed by Pulitzer Prize Winner Nilo Cruz and presented at the Actor's Playhouse. She returned to Los Angeles and was soon cast as Conan O'Brien's damsel in distress in his "Tonight Show" sketch comedy. Hannia was introduced to Bobby Moresco by Nilo Cruz and is currently enrolled at his workshop "The Actor's Gym." Her credits with Repertorio include "The Color of Desire," "Doña Flor & Her Two Husbands," and "Probation."

ALFONSO REY (Pancho) studied at Venezuela's Taller Nacional de Teatro and began his acting career with the Rajatabla Theatre Company. His theatre credits in Venezuela include "Macbeth," "The Kitchen," "The Kiss of the Spider Woman," "Oliverio," "Look at My New House" and "Black Mud." Previous credits with Repertorio Español include "Life is a Dream," "Chronicle of a Death Foretold" and "No Better Friend, No Worse Enemy."

SANDOR JUAN (Freddy) began acting at age fifteen in the series "De Padres a Hijos" (From Parent to Child) which aired on Telemundo. Mr. Juan made his film debut appearing alongside Marisa Tomei in "The Perez Family," a film directed by Mira Nair. In 2001 he enrolled at New World School of the Arts where he studied modern American theater and the Hagen technique. Mr. Juan also trained at "The Actor's Gym" under the guidance of Bobby Moresco. Other credits include the TV shows "Burn Notice" and "The Tonight Show" with Conan O'Brien. Mr. Juan's theatre credits include "Matacumbe," Jean Anouilh's "The Traveller Without Luggage," and Nilo Cruz's 'The Color of Desire." "Probation" marks his debut at Repertorio Español.

The MetLife 'Nuestras Voces' National Latino Plays Competition began 12 years ago thanks to the generosity of MetLife Foundation. The Competition's goal is to identify and develop the work of talented playwrights and highlight the Hispanic experience in the United States. Echoing Repertorio Español's original mission, these plays represent a cross section of nationalities and explores subjects and themes important to the Latino community. MetLife Foundation was established by MetLife to carry on its longstanding tradition of corporate contributions and community involvement. Recognizing the vital role the arts play in building communities, the Foundation contributes to arts by focusing on creating opportunities for young people and reaching broader audiences through inclusive and accessible programming.

Repertorio Español (René Buch, Artistic Director; Robert Federico, Executive Director; José Antonio Cruz, Executive Director) now on its 44th season, was founded in 1968 by Executive Producer, the late Gilberto Zaldívar and Artistic Director René Buch to present the best of Latin American, Spanish and Hispanic-American theatre in distinctive, quality productions, and to bring theatre to a broad audience in New York City and across the country, including seniors, students and Hispanics of all national backgrounds. The organization has been awarded Drama Desk, OBIE and New York State Governor's Awards.

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