José D. Alvarez Announces Workshop Performances of XOXO, LORD BYRON

"XoXo, Lord Byron", an historical comedy inspired by the controversial personal life of famed poet Lord Byron, will premiere at the New York Theater Winter Festival, November 2022

Filmmaker and playwright José D. Alvarez, known for the queer 'instant cult classic' (Billboard) film Killer Unicorn, will lead XoXo, Lord Byron, a historical comedy inspired by letters and journal entries from the controversial 19th-century poet.

The play will run for three performances November 14th at 6 pm, November 18th at 9 pm, and November 20th at 3:30 pm ET at the New York Theater Festival, Theater Latea, 107 Suffolk St, New York, NY. The show runs for 90 minutes. More information and tickets available at the New York Theater Festival website here.

Colombian director Lalis Solorzano will direct this two-act play which begins with a series of conversations between Byron and his faithful valet, Bill Fletcher, while they pack for their self-exile to Greece. As the night progresses and their discussions get more heated, the sadomasochistic nature of their role-playing relationship is exposed.

The play features a cast of 3 performers with playwright José Alvarez leading as Lord Byron, Clare Clermont as Lady Caroline Lamb (Byron's real-life troublemaking mistress), and Jenna Hochammer as (the fictional) Ianthe.

Known for his contentious and risqué poems, as well as for his scandalous sexual escapades-- which includes dressing his female maids as boys, and an extramarital affair with his half-sister, Augusta-- the stageplay explores Lord Byron's different private and public personas and how they intersect, contradict, and feed off of one another.

To stay connected and join the XoXo, Lord Byron journey to the New York Theater Festival stage, follow on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

For more information, contact Nico Hughes at xolordbyronplay@gmail.com.

Creative Team Bios

José Alvarez has spoken about his Lord Byron research at The British Association for Romantic Studies Biannual Conference, sponsored by the Byron Society, and at the Experimental Humanities Symposium at NYU. Credits include the upcoming anthology series S&M Records, and feature films Killer Unicorn (Creator, under Lionsgate) and Guys at Parties Like It (Producer).

Lalis Solorzano is a BFA Stage Management graduate from the University of Miami. He has been Nilo Cruz's resident Assistant Director for over 10 years. Credits include AD for Misi Art Production Company's "The Most Amazing Story Ever Sung" at Lincoln Center, Stage Manager for the opening and closing shows at the Olympic South American Games, and ASM for Girls Vs Boys at the Arsht Center. He also produced and directed the first official season of RENT in Colombia through his theater company CITRINO TEATRO.

To post a comment, you must register and login.