Day of the Dead Play CORRIDO CALAVERA to Begin 10/17 at El Centro Milagro

CORRIDO CALAVERA, A bilingual celebration of the Day of the Dead, conceived and directed by Lakin Valdez, will run Oct 17 - Nov. 10, 2013, with one preview this Thursday Oct, 17, 7:30 p.m Preview, and Friday Oct, 18 p.m set for opening night, with a post-reception event catered by La Bonita restaurant.

The show will run Thursdays at 7:30 p.m.; Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m.; and Sundays at 2 p.m. at El Centro Milagro, 525 SE Stark Street, Portland, Oregon 97214. Admission: $15 - $26; discounts for students, seniors, groups of 15+ and advance purchases. Tickets can be purchased from www.milagro.org or 503-236-7253.

SPECIAL EVENTS:

• Los Porteños writers group will present original stories and poetry written for the Day of the Dead prior to the matinee on Sunday, Nov. 3, beginning at 12 p.m. Free.

• An exhibit of Day of the Dead altars created by local Latino artists will be on display one hour prior to each performance in El Zócalo, a community space adjacent to the theatre lobby. Free.

• ASL interpretation Sunday, Oct. 27 (contact box office for seating)

ABOUT THE PLAY: Each year the dead are commemorated Portland's most renowned celebration of the Day of the Dead!. This year's show directed by Lakin Valdez of the legendary El Teatro Campesino, will delight in the style of classic obra calavera. Broad physical language, musicality, raunchy humor and bitter irony such as one might encounter during the Day of the Dead in Mexico, interweaves with a modern twist! Amanda and Juan, a fated couple, want to spice things up in their failing marriage they decide to go on a second honeymoon to a romantic B&B - but they should never have listened to their GPS-fail! Luckily, in the land of the dead, los muertitos really know how to live it up. Amanda and Juan's adventures have only just begun!. Join los muertitos as they wake up in a new reality and learn to let go of the crazy dreams of life!

ENSEMBLE (in alphabetical order):

Edwin Alvelo

Patty Alvitez

Enrique Andrade

Tricia Castañeda-Gonzales

Mariah Leewright

Daniel Moreno

Sarah Peters

Nelda Reyes

Mariel Sierra

PRODUCTION TEAM:

Lakin Valdez...........Director

Megan Wilkerson.....Set Design

Peter West.............Lighting Design

Alissa Warren..........Costume Design

Gerardo Calderon....Composer & Sound design

Nicki D'Amico.........Props

Caitlin Nolan...........Stage Manager

Estela Robinson......Prod Manager

Erick Lyness...Technical Director

Renee Surprenant....Scenic Design Asst

Bailey Sheldon...Wardrobe

Julie Rosequist.......Sound Operator

ABOUT THE DIRECTOR: Lakin Valdez is a director, writer and performing artist. Born and raised in the extended family of El Teatro Campesino, he served as the company's Associate Artistic Director from the years 2000 to 2005. He is currently the resident playwright/director of E.T.C. and primary deviser and director of headrusH in Oakland, CA. Since 2004, Lakin has written, directed and performed in more than a dozen plays, culminating in work that reflects the rich history and vibrant culture of the Latino/Chicano community. His body of work has been described as "Powerful" (L.A. Times), "Consummately engaging" (Variety), to "Hauntingly intense" (San Francisco Chronicle). He is the recipient of two NPN Creation Fund Awards, a Zellerbach Emerging Playwright Award and an NEA Access to Excellence Award for his generative work. His next directorial project is the dynastic Mayan dance drama "Rabinal Achi," which he will develop with Cutting Ball Theatre in 2014 -15.

For more than 29 years, Milagro has been dedicated to bringing the vibrancy of Latino theatre to the Northwest community. In addition to its national tours, Milagro provides a home for Spanish and Latin American arts and culture at El Centro Milagro, where it enriches the local community with a variety of community outreach projects and educational programs designed to share the diversity of Latino culture. For more information about Milagro, visit www.milagro.org or call 503-236-7253.

Pictured: Daniel Moreno, Patricia Alvitez, Mariel Sierra, Nelda Reyes, Edwin Alvelo & Sarah Peters in "Corrido Calavera" Milagro Theatre Group's world premiere of "Raíz", a bilingual celebration of Día de los muertos (Day of the Dead).

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