Artists Rep Presents THE HOMBRES By Tony Meneses Next Month

Artists Repertory Theatre (ART) begins its 40th season on stage with The Hombres by Tony Meneses, a funny exploration into masculinity and the intimacy of male relationships. Performances run Sept. 10 through Oct. 9.

"I'm very excited that we're kicking off our 40th season with The Hombres," said Interim Artistic Director Luan Schooler. "It's a quintessentially ART project brimming with intimacy, honesty, and humor. Although specifically about the challenges Latino men may face in friendships, this tender, thorny comedy will resonate for anyone who has felt like the clumsy third wheel in a friendship, or wanted to make a new friend but hasn't known how."

Set in New Jersey, The Hombres tells the story of how 5 men come to learn about each other, and the surprising bonds they create. Hector, Beto, and Pedro are drawn to the yoga studio, initially by voyeuristically watching women in classes from their construction site next door. Gradually, their curiosity draws them in, one by one, to private, after-hours classes with the gay Latino instructor, Julián, whose sexual orientation challenges their machismo and sense of self. And there is the affable yoga student Miles whose wife is pregnant and needs a new friend to help him navigate the changes in his life. The Hombres is a laugh out loud, fresh, nuanced look at the complexity of male friendships through the lens of the machismo culture.

"I'm thrilled to be working on this beautifully thought-provoking and funny play by Meneses," said Director, Reena Dutt. "Its delicate approach to male relationships is much-needed in this climate where expressing oneself has been diminished to a screen and vulnerability has become triggering." Dutt shares that, "The Hombres gives us a glimpse into the lives of five men, each struggling with their own life challenges that are not easily visible to the public eye. In this play, we get to be introspective using multiple cultural lenses from the American diaspora - and there couldn't be a better place for the story to be explored than Artists Rep's stage."

The Hombres and upcoming Artists Rep (ART) 2022-23 productions are produced in residence at the Armory (Portland Center Stage). "We must thank Marissa Wolf, and the entire Portland Center Stage team for hosting ART at PCS while we are out of our theatrical home located at 1515 SW Morrison.," said J.S. May, Executive Director of Artists Repertory Theatre.

Featured in the cast and returning to the ART stage is Jimmy Garcia (An Octoroon and A Civil War Christmas) and Drammy award-winning Tyler Caffall (House and Garden). ART welcomes Portland artists and newcomers to our stage, Jonathan Hernandez, Phillip Ray Guevara, and Demetri Tostado.

The Hombres is supported by the National Endowment for the Arts and John Ragno.

Season sponsors include The James F. and Marion L. Miller Foundation, Ronni Lacroute, The Shubert Foundation, The Robert and Mercedes Eichholz Foundation, RACC - The Regional Arts and Cultural Council, Oregon Arts Commission/NEA/State of Oregon/Business Oregon, Joseph E. Weston Public Foundation/OCF and Arts Consulting Group.

The Hombres production continues ART's new accessible pricing structure: All single tickets are available on a sliding scale starting at $10 for preview or $20 for regular shows. Single tickets go on sale 6 weeks before the first preview.

ABOUT THE PLAY

Set in New Jersey, The Hombres offers a delicate, funny exploration of masculinity and intimacy of male friendships. Three Latino construction workers are drawn to the yoga studio, initially by voyeuristically watching women in classes from their job site next door. Gradually, their curiosity draws them in, one by one, to private, after-hours classes with the gay instructor whose sexual orientation challenges their machismo and sense of self. A laugh out loud, fresh, nuanced look at the complexity of male friendships through the lens of the machismo culture.

ABOUT THE PLAYWRIGHT

Tony Meneses (he/him) was born in Guadalajara, Mexico, and raised in Albuquerque and Dallas. His plays include Guadalupe in the Guest Room and The Women of Padilla, which both had world premieres at Two River Theatre. He's an alum of the Soho Rep Writer/Director Lab, Ars Nova Play Group, The Sundance Institute Playwrights Retreat at Ucross, Playwrights Realm Writing Fellowship, Youngblood, and has been previously developed at the LARK Playwrights' Week and the Berkeley Rep Ground Floor. He's a two-time recipient of the Kennedy Center Latinx Playwriting Award, is published by Dramatists Play Service, and is currently under commission from the Denver Center and Two River Theatre. MFA: Iowa Playwrights Workshop. BA: The University of Texas at Austin. He is currently in the Lila Acheson Wallace Playwrights Program at the Juilliard School.

ABOUT THE DIRECTOR

Reena Dutt (she/her) Reena Dutt is a 2021-22 Drama League New York Directing Fellow, Lincoln Center Directors Lab Member, a 2019 Co-producer for Director's Lab West and a seasoned film producer with films that have been seen at Sundance, LAFF, Portland International Film Festival, and AmPav at Cannes, to name a few. As a Director | Los Angeles: This is Not a True Story (Artists at Play TBA 2021), The Sitayana (Or how to make an exit) (East West Players, TBA 2021) Antigone, Presented by the Girls of St. Catherine's (Sacred Fools), Defenders (Pandelia's Yellow Canary Company | Theatre Planners), Rise & Shine: I thought I was white (Bad Hindu Productions), Katy and Jennifer (Fierce Backbone), Waitless (Fierce Backbone). Associate/Assistant Directing: Hannah and the Dread Gazebo (Fountain Theatre dir. Jennifer Chang), The Untranslatable Secrets of Nikki Corona (The Geffen Playhouse dir. Jo Bonney), The Limitations of Genetic Technology (Off-Chance Productions dir. David Watkins Jr.). Film/TV: Good Trouble (Disney|FreeForm, Shadow), Too Many Bodies (Director), Three Puffs of Gold (Director), Snapshot! (Director). As an actor Reena has been seen alongside Patricia Arquette, Ty Burrell, Henry Winkler and Stockard Channing on ABC, CBS, NBC and in the independent film scene.

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