Everybody loves American Night!

Audiences and reviewers are loving American Night, and we know you will too!

"American Night has landed in Portland, appropriately at Milagro Theatre, the city’s center for Latino performance and culture, and it’s been worth the wait...A hard-to-resist charm bubbles along the shifting surface of this alt-history. Join this thing called America, it seems to urge Juan José. Just know what it is you’re joining." — Oregon Arts Watch

“This is a strange and wonderful piece, taking us on a journey through our history” — Dennis Sparks
 
 "Directed by Elizabeth Huffman (Oedipus el Rey), American Night’s dizzying character changes are handled with deftness and zeal by an impressive ensemble cast." — The Portland Monthly

“American Night is an intriguingly optimistic play, one that takes the country’s toughest blows, gathers its counterbalancing stengths, and emerges stronger.” — Oregon Arts Watch
 
“Hey Portland[er]s. Check out this riot of humor and galore at Milagro! They empty the entire prop room for this! Stellar” — Jordan McCann

“This was an amazing show -- funny and profound at the same time. Love the Zinn's People's History references. The ensemble players are geniuses at assuming different characters (changing gender, ethnicity, age) within seconds! May you enjoy a fabulous run of this beautiful work of art!” — Sherri Vacarella

“See this if you can. Really.” — Susan McKee Reese

“Incredible, hilarious, absolutely crammed with historic and comedic references...not to be missed!” — Charles K. Johnson

Join us this weekend and experience this wild odyssey. There are only 8 performances left; the show must close on May 23rd! Get your tickets by calling 503-236-7253 or online!

American Night is "exceptional!" - Review excerpts

The following highlights have been taken from the review Home is Where the Heart is on Dennis Sparks: All Things Performing Arts:

"This is a strange and wonderful piece, taking us on a journey through our history...

The story is told with nine actors playing a variety of roles, as well as a voice over by Adrienne Flagg, and they are quite amazing...

[T]he purpose of the play is not so much to answer questions for Juan but to have us ask questions of ourselves about the issues presented.

[Director Elizabeth] Huffman is absolutely amazing with what she can do with a small space, an epic story and a very talented array of actors... the set/lighting (Megan Wilkerson) and terrific video backdrops (Lawrence Siulagi) are a real plus to the production, keeping us apprised of where we are in time and space.  And the costumes (Sara Ludeman) are extraordinary, giving us a rapid-fire look and a huge array of characters.

The ensemble is exceptional, one of the best I’ve seen! And [Ozvaldo] Gonzalez stands out as the focal point. He underplays the character perfectly, so that you can empathize with him and identify with his plight. I’ve reviewed many of the actors in this show before and it’s to their credit that they have stretched themselves in roles that I haven’t seen them explore before.

An actor/theatre is, first and foremost, a storyteller, and all that is really needed is an author’s words, an actor/creator’s talent and an audience’s imagination.  All the rest, although perhaps, pleasant to look at, is just window-dressing. [Milagro] is one of the best at exploring those possibilities."

- Dennis Sparks

American Night: the Ballad of Juan José returns this Thursday May 7 at 7:30 and continues playing through May 23. Get tickets or sign up to usher today!

Who remembers Storefront Theatre?

José does!

Our fearless leader and founder will be speaking this weekend as part of a panel discussion on the history of theater in Portland. The Oregon Historical Society will be presenting, as part of their Second Sunday series, “Glimpses of Portland Theater History.”

The discussion will be moderated by the influential arts critic Bob Hicks (formerly of The Oregonian and current Performance and Visual Arts writer for Oregon Artswatch), and the panel will include Don Horn (Executive Director and founder of triangle productions) and Julianne R. Johnson-Weiss (actor with over thirty years’ experience performing throughout Oregon and Washington). The talk is tied to the upcoming show by triangle productions, "Storefront Actors' Review", which brings back some of the original and outrageous work of the legendary Storefront Theatre, a irreverent and daring company that led the way in visually striking and boundary-stretching creativity in Portland throughout the 70's and 80's.


Glimpses of Portland Theater History
Presented in partnership with triangle productions
Sunday, April 12 at 2 PM
Oregon Historical Society
1200 SW Park
Free and open to the public

A look back as we await the arrival of "American Night"

While JTC's dark satire The Ministry of Special Cases plays at Milagro, rehearsals are under way for the next and last production in our 31st Season, American Night: the Ballad of Juan José, under the direction of the award winning director of Oedipus el Rey (2012), Elizabeth Huffman.

The play was written as a commission from Oregon Shakespeare Festival by Richard Montoya, and had its premiere in 2010. Montoya is part of the 30 year old comedy troupe Culture Clash, which is known for their exploration of provocative social issues and perspectives (as implied by their name). Currently performing the troupe's latest work "Muse and Morros" in Boston, Montoya and another CC member, Ric Salinas were recently interviewed by NPR about their history, plays and hilarious responses to "post-colonial trauma."

The report also features a short clip from Culture Clash's eponymous 90's era TV show with a typically irreverent take on immigration. While by all accounts their satire has grown and matured as the troupe's stagecraft became more formalized, today we look back and share this brief glimpse of the laughs to come.

Check out the video below and join us for American Night: the Ballad of Juan José playing at Milagro April 30 to May 23, 2015.

The talented minds behind Dreamscape

The time is nearly here for the Portland premiere of professor and playwright Rickerby Hinds' Dreamscape!

We have seen videos, read interviews from newspapers around the country a well as local press (El Hispanic News & Portland Monthly) and reviews from other cities and reached by the contagious passion that the Honduran-born Hinds and his group put into their hip-hop theatre production performing for the first time in Portland on Sep. 19th and 20th during La Luna Nueva!

Today we invite you to meet the talent behind this powerful performance.

Rickerby Hinds, Writer/Director

One of the most influential individuals to come into the theater world in a generation, Rickerby Hinds has the unique ability to challenge conventional notions of the stage while remaining respectful of its long history and traditions.

Possessing an MFA in play writing from UCLA’s School of Theater, Film and Television where he was twice awarded the Audrey Skirball-Kenis (ASK) Award for best play, Hinds’ visionary creations span the gamut of human emotions and experiences. In addition to his mission to open up the theater to a diversity of voices and experiences, Hinds is driven to bring the theater to new audiences.  Hinds is currently a full Professor of playwriting in the Department of Theater at the University of California, Riverside and the founder and artistic director of the Califest Hip Hop TheaterFestival. 

Rhaechyl I. Walker, Myeisha

Rhaechyl Walker  is an entertainer. She began auditioning for musicals at the age of 7, and has been performing ever since. She is an alumna of University of California, Riverside where she received a B.A. in English and a B.F.A in Theater. Being able to perform allows me to do what I have always dreamed of, being a part of an Artistic expression that contributes truth and love through a progressive state of mind. 

@rhaechyl @rhaeynavy

John “Faahz” Merchant, Coroner /911 Operator / Officer Garland /  Guy at the club

John “Faahz” Merchant, a 26-year-old California native, hails from the city of Pomona where he earned the nickname Faahz (short for “Moufaahza” inspired by Disney’s Lion King) because of his deep, baritone voice. The son of a pastor, John was raised in the church where the seeds of his passion for music were planted and where he learned to play his first instrument, the drums. He has performed on many stages ranging from poetry lounges to hip hop shows.

Carrie Mikuls, Choreographer

California native, Carrie Mikuls is a graduate of the University of California, Riverside with her BA in Dance. During her time at UCR she received the Chancellor’s Performance Award in Dance in 2007 for her work in choreography and dance as well as the Undergraduate Research Grant in 2009 for her research in choreography entitled “Experimental Art.” Carrie has worked on various television projects, including MTV’s Nick Cannon Presents Wild’n Out Season 2 and MTV’s Nick Cannon’s music video Dime Piece. 

Read El Hispanic News' exclusive interview and profile of Hinds here!

Read the Portland Monthly interview with Hinds.

Only two performances of Dreamscape this weekend at Milagro!
Get your tickets today by calling 503-2367253 or visiting www.milagro.org

Critics laughed all night at "My Fair Latina"

The rumors started last week, immediately after pre-previews, and have now become roaring raves. The final production of Milagro's 30th Season, "Learn To Be Latina", just opened this past weekend and it has been giving audiences lots to gasp, laugh, talk, and especially think about... and they're loving it!

The critics also have been won over by this brilliant farce, astutely compared to the beloved classic "My Fair Lady", in turn based on GB Shaw's "Pygmalion". Shaw is known for his "stimulating satire often being infused with a singular poetic beauty", which may or may not be said of LTBL's pop songs and racy language chosen by playwright Enrique Urueta. Portland critics had some choice words (and praise) of their own.

From Willamette Week:  
"The play has earned widespread praise for hilariously puncturing racial and gender stereotypes—and for tossing in some bomb-ass dance sequences. Milagro Theatre has assembled a powerhouse cast that includes Nicole Accuardi, Matthew Kerrigan and Olga Sanchez."

And in the opinion of The Oregonian:
"Set in a multimedia, ironic, post-Obama world, the MTV-influenced 'Learn to be Latina' is an upside-down theatrical grandchild of 'My Fair Lady.' Currently in production at the Milagro Theatre, it unflinchingly negotiates issues of ethnicity, sexuality and identity, and it appears to be on the cutting edge of what the theater of tomorrow will look like.

Playwright Enrique Urueta ... with director Antonio Sonera, has produced a rowdy, irreverent, splendid work. Uber-diva [and Milagro Artistic Director] Olga Sanchez’s performance is charged with stage presence and charisma. Sanchez’s fans will be surprised and delighted to see this powerful dramatic actress in a comic role. Kelly Godell brings both humor and pathos to Jill, a Mary-wannabe who trails her role model around.The creative team behind this performance plays with layers of style. The offices of FAD are made fashionably bleak by set designer Mark Haack. The dancers (Lauren Mitchell, Sarah DeGrave, Louise Chambers, and Cari Spinnler, with choreography by Chip Sherman that folds perfectly into the madness of the play) sport outfits that are part MTV, part 1920s bathing beauty contest, and look great doing it, thanks to costumer Emily Powell Wright."

The play also features "the obvious abilities of Michelle Escobar as Blanca, the zany Orion Bradshaw and the absurdly talented Matthew Kerrigan."

Hit the links for the full reviews, and get your tickets today to the hilarious and irreverent lesson of "Learn to Be Latina", playing at Milagro through May 31!

The Raves for Ardiente Paciencia are In, Part 1 (Review)

The following is an excerpt from The poet in twilight: Neruda before the fall, by Bob Hicks. (Click the link for the full review.)

"Words are central to Ardiente Paciencia, which has just opened at Milagro Theatre, and which revolves around the great Chilean poet Pablo Neruda, in the latter years of his life but mostly before the 1973 right-wing coup d’état by Augusto Pinochet and his troops. That other, earlier, September 11 atrocity overthrew Salvador Allende’s elected Socialist government, with which the longtime Communist Neruda had been allied, and inaugurated decades of repression in a nation that had been a comparative beacon of democracy in South America.

But for most of Ardiente Paciencia (which translates as burning, or ardent, patience), politics lingers mostly in the background of what is a sweet and funny personal tale. It’s almost sunny, like one of those English-widows-escaping-to-Italy movie comedies, though less contrived, and eventually far more deeply shaded. Milagro’s production, directed with nuance and nicely shaped swiftness by Olga Sanchez, is really quite lovely: I recommend it. Especially during its first act it’s basically a sweet love story. Things grow darker, of course, after intermission.

Casting is impeccable. Enrique E. Andrade is bemused and wryly plodding and both funny and solidly rooted as the poet Neruda, puttering about his oceanside home in the little town of Isla Negra, south of Santiago. He is by this point world-famous, the pride of his town, referred to by the honorific of Don Pablo. Mario (Javier J. Mendoza) is the local postman, son of a fisherman, who likely wouldn’t have a job if Neruda weren’t inundated with so much mail. Mario learns about metaphor from the poet, and goes to him with his love-life problems, which consist mainly of a palpitating crush on Beatriz, (Siumara Samayoa), the beautiful daughter of the local innkeeper, Doña Rosa (Sofia May-Cuxim), who views Mario and his pretty words like a fox making hay in her henhouse. “If you confuse poetry with politics you’ll be pregnant in no time!” she shouts at Beatriz. The four stars are simpatico, playing off of one another easily and attractively, and together they make the audience fall just a little bit in love with them.

Now would be a good time to mention that the entire performance is spoken in Spanish, which some people will view as a distraction but I see as a strength. Supertitles are screened above the stage, not too wordy or literal but just enough to let English speakers keep a solid sense of what’s going on: the narrative never gets lost. And it’s good to hear a script that’s tied so intimately to a poet’s words spoken in the poet’s native language. We hear the inflections and rhythms that are the heartbeat of the poetry as it was written, and feel the telltale body movements that go with the spoken language. All four actors happen to have been born in Mexico, and although they speak English well, their performances gain a wonderful ease by being delivered in their native Spanish. My own Spanish is less than rudimentary; I pick up nothing more than a floating phrase here and there. But the music of the language comes through fluently, and its specificity would be lost in translation.

The production in the little Milagro space is simple and creative and quite effective. Jen Lamastra’s scenic design neatly combines the black rocks that give Isla Negra its name with an arch that suggests Neruda’s library and a corner that can become the kitchen of Doña Rosa’s inn. Costumes by Marychris Mass are period-perfect and neatly tailored; Ricardo Cárdenas’ music and Rory Stitt’s sound design are fluid; Kaye Blankenship’s lighting is nuanced; dance instructor Ingrid Fuentes has done her job well. Everything comes together with smooth simplicity. Ardiente Paciencia was adapted loosely for the Italian movie Il Postino, which kept the basics of the story but moved the action to Italy. I like having it set in Chile, because this seems such a quintessentially Chilean story. And it makes the darkening presence of Pinochet and his fellow rightists all the more palpable."

Critics and audiences show their love for Ardiente Paciencia

The poetry and romance of Ardiente Paciencia are conquering the hearts of critics and audiences alike!

Bob Hicks, of the leading local blog Oregon Arts Watch had this to say: 

Milagro’s production, directed with nuance and nicely shaped swiftness by Olga Sanchez, is really quite lovely: I recommend it... The four stars are simpatico, playing off of one another easily and attractively, and together they make the audience fall just a little bit in love with them.

Long-time Milagro patron David Larsen, sent in this comment after opening night:

Ardiente Paciencia is both humorous and poignant. The acting was superb and the production richly deserved the standing ovation it received. The use of super-titles makes it very easy for non Spanish speakers to follow the nuances of the dialogue and they do not detract in any way from the beauty of this production. 

After watching the first matinee on Sunday Feb. 16, Judith Pearson had this message for and about Milagro:

To all actors, director, and support staff at Milagro: Gracias y Thank You for presenting such a provocative, emotional, creative play ... Ardiente Paciencia! Neruda came alive on stage! Thanks to your production of this play, I learned so much about Neruda's role not only as poet but as a folk and political hero of the Chilean people during the tumultuous '60s when Allende was democratically elected by the people only to be deposed later by U.S. interests which allowed Pinochet to come to military power over Chile and its people. Thanks for telling the story.
I may see it again...it was that great!
Milagro is truly a gift to the Portland community in its mission to raise awareness of American cultures south of the U.S. and Canada.

Let yourself be swept up by the poetry and romance of Ardiente Paciencia and see why it has captivated their hearts before it closes on March 8. Get your tickets today!

Reviews and reactions on the tales of the Coyote

The first review of Cuéntame Coyote began circulating today in the Willamette Week, and if you have yet to read it or see the play, the following are some great recommendations to come to this funny and heart-breaking production:

In the Willamette Week review, Savannah Wassermann writes

"The show- it's bilingual but easy to follow for non-Spanish speakers- is only an hour, but the simplistic story line can make feel longer...Maria (Alida Holguín Gunn) has a passion that's mesmerizing... A simple backdrop of desert scenery, minimal props and modest costumes keep the focus on the straightforward and intermittently funny story." 

Some patrons send us great comments by e-mail:

"Coyote was wonderful!!"

- Catherine Evleshin, long-time Milagro artist and suscriber

"I saw the play on Saturday and I loved it."

- Educator and Milagro patron

"The performance was outstanding."

- Educator and Milagro patron

"La obra me hizo llorar y me quede impactada por la historia"

- Cristina Palacios, Milagro patron

and on Facebook, Frank Delgado of local writers' collective Los Porteños described it thus:

"Reality in the raw."

If you haven't done so, you can still get your tickets at http://bit.ly/1ly8CZm
Only 7 shows left!


*Help us to do what we do better! follow the link and fill out our winter survey, and you can win tickets to any of our 2014-2015 season productions!

Corrido Calavera: Come see "one of the funniest plays to hit Portland" (REVIEW)

If you still have not seen our raucous Dia de Muertos original production, check out what the critics are saying, and get your tickets today! There are only two weekends left; don't forget about the Sunday matinees!

"As the 18th installment in Milagro Theatre’s annual Day of the Dead series, the original production Corrido Calavera must live up to a long history of outrageous and poignant theater. Chilling, though, this isn’t. As the lights fade in, four skeletons whispering and pushing around two coffins is about as scary as Corrido Calavera gets. The coffins open, bearing a confused Manuel (Enrique E. Andrade) and Amanda (Tricia Castañeda-Gonzales), who demand answers. “The two of you have passed on to the other side,” the leader of the skeletons explains to the couple, but Amanda is in disbelief. “You mean we’re in Mexico?”

It’s the first of many near-perfect one-liners, which, though much denser in act one, ensure that  Corrido Calavera is one of the funniest plays to hit Portland this season. If the laughs tend to be early in the performance, the message hits home in the finale. Manuel and Amanda, who struggled in their marriage while still alive, must battle the ominous and omnipresent D. Inc.—and its CEO/mascot, Muerte Mouse, dressed and acting like an Adbusters  parody of Mickey.

The ending is wholesome and happy—isn’t it always in D. films?—but the skeletons, especially the Southern drawling Mariel Sierra and the bombastic Nelda Reyes, make you laugh till you’re dead."

- Mitch Lillie, Willamette Week

Corrido Calavera: Lose the Fear and laugh with Los Muertitos

Corrido Calavera, Milagro's rambunctious production celebrating Day of the Dead and los muertitos, had an amazing opening weekend with sold-out performances and delighted audiences. Portland Monthly Magazine was there and graciously reviewed the show.

See below what their writer had to say, and click on her name to read her full review!

"Rather than losing us in Halloween’s ocean of consumerism, Corrido Calavera melds spirituality and humor to remove our masks so that we consider the love and the sacrifices we make navigating this world everyday—and possibly the one beyond." - Ally Bordas

Buy your tickets today for Corrido Calavera!

Corrido Calavera: Sights, Sounds and Sundays

Español abajo

Opening night of Corrido Calavera is almost upon us, with only tonight's official Preview before the official beginning of Milagro's beloved yearly celebration of Dia de los Muertos. Faith Cathcart (The Oregonian) spent some time getting some insights to the process (and show!) with director Lakin Valdez and the cast and crew. Take a peek and listen below!

And if you're not among the lucky ticket-holders for tonight and Friday's show (and reception by La Bonita), sold-out a while ago, you can still be among the first to see the play at the matinee this Sunday. Buy tickets today!

CORRIDO CALAVERA: SONIDO Y COLORIDO
El estreno de Corrido Calavera ya está casi aquí, con solo la pre-presentación de esta noche antes del comienzo oficial de la tan querida celebración de Día de Muertos montada por Milagro. Faith Cathcart (The Oregonian) pasó a visitar al director Lakin Valdez, su elenco y personal técnico, y nos brinda un vistazo al proceso (y un anticipo del espectáculo!) en el video de abajo.
Si Ud. no está entre los afortunados con boletos para las presentaciones de esta noche y la de mañana (agotados hace ya días), puede aun estar entre los primeros en ver la obra en la matiné del domingo a las 2pm. ¡Compre sus boletos hoy!

Corrido Calavera: the Director speaks

There's no stopping this wild ride! 

Corrido Calavera, Milagro's original bilingual production marking the 2013 Day of the Dead celebration, is almost ready for its October 18th opening! Make sure to get tickets early, as this popular production is always a crowd pleaser and this year is no different. Lakin Valdez, scion of El Teatro Campesino, directs this irreverent but important production. 

Yvonne Rivero (El Hispanic News) quotes Valdez: “This is an ofrenda [a votive offering] for Day of the Dead and is part of the Miracle Theatre’s annual cycle,” Valdez says, “a tradition that is unique because they create a play from nada, a play that not only celebrates the ancestors and departed relatives and friends, but a celebration of life in itself.”

Read more about the production on El Hispanic News' website, and get your tickets for Corrido Calavera today!

Dance for a Dollar - first reviews

After one week of performances, Dance for a Dollar is already getting great reviews from audiences and the media.

Marty Hughley from The Oregonian writes "For folks far from their birthplace, striving to create new lives in a new country, what’s better than a dose of familiar music and dance to cure the homesickness?" and continues with "Dance for a Dollar.... tells the stories of several Latino immigrants facing loneliness and alienation as they adjust to the United States"

After joining us for the preview, Mitch Lillie from the Willamette Week comments,"Most of the men, like Gabriel (an ever-energetic Carlos Alexis Cruz), are sending money back to Mexico to support their families, or, like the Orthodox Jew Jacobo (Orion Bradshaw), simply want to dance without the trappings of social protocol," adding, "Dance for a Dollar is successful as a meditation on the romantic effects of migration. Mexican ranchera singer Vicente Fernández wails this sentiment beautifully over the Las Palmas PA in his classic “Volver Volver”: “I know how to lose/I want to go back, go back, go back.”

On Facebook, Gino Reye Borges, writes, "The talent in this play should put Latin Actors on the regional and national view. Casting Directors for Grimm and Portlandia please notice actress Veronika Núñez, she's an actor's actor. Pure talent." Also on Facebook, actress Sofía Tlamatiliztli May-Cuxim writes, "Extraordinarily moving! Well done, all. The dances are lively and full of pain. The stories are sad and hopeful. This is an emotive, poignant and melancholy journey"

See for yourself! Dance for a Dollar continues with performaces through May 25. For info/tickets: call: 503-236-7253 or www.milagro.org

Nurys Herrera's On Camera Interview with Univision

The lovely and enchanting Nurys Herrera graced Milagro's floor today for an On Camera Interview with Univision's Multimedia Journalists, Delia Hernández and Enrique Caizero

Don't miss her and the rest of the cast at Dance for a Dollar, May 2-25.

Welcome Marketing Director Julieth Maya Buri!

As Tim Krause continues his next journey in life, we welcome our new Marketing
Director Julieth Maya Buri to the Milagro Theatre.

In this interview, Marketing Assistant Stefanus Gunawan has a delightful chat with Marketing Director Julieth Maya Buri about her hometown in Medellín, Colombia, Marketing experience, new role in Milagro Theatre, and future plans.

Abajo de la entrevista inglés, se pueda encontrarla en español.

Welcome Julieth Maya Buri to Milagro.

You have a wonderful name that is written differently.  Can you tell us how it is said correctly?

Well, you can tell that is written differently because it has an H at the end, but in my country this is a common spelling.  Julieth with H or without it sounds the same.  I’m Hispanic and in Spanish the letter H has no sound.  I have never noticed any difference before until I moved to the states.

Where are you from?

I’m from Colombia.  I was born and raised in Medellín, Colombia, the second larger city in the country. When the Andes pass through Colombia, they form other three smaller chains which we call cordilleras; Medellín is located in one of the many valleys formed by them.  In Medellín, as far as your eyes can see, you will encounter mountains.  It’s beautiful.

While living in Medellín, can you tell us a little bit about your time there and your experience in Marketing?

In Colombia, I graduated in Business Administration and Marketing with a focus in advertising.  I have always felt an affinity with the arts.  I believe I chose marketing as my profession because it’s a fusion of organizing, strategic thinking, art and innovation.  I've been working in Marketing for about 10 years now.  I have worked in sales, public relations, advertising, event management, and much more, so I think my experiences are well rounded.  On the other hand, I have always been passionate about theater.  I studied acting when I was 14 years old and was in and out of acting classes for about 10 years.  At one time in my life, while working and studying, I decided that if I wanted to be good at something, relative to my artistic interests, I should focus more in one.  Back then I sang in a choir, painted and attended acting workshops.  Because I chose to focus in one discipline, I stopped acting and devoted my time to painting and drawing.

 

Why did you move to Portland?

Because I’m brave!  Haha.  A few years ago in Colombia, I met the man who I love, while he was on vacation.  We were in a long distance relationship for a couple of years until I finally moved here.  It has been over 3 years, and we are still happily married.

What do you like about Portland?

Portland is a pretty city which helps with my home sickness.  I like how easy it is to change the view of this city: one hour drive and you are in the mountains, two hours’ drive and there is the ocean.  Although both rain and obscurity are difficult, the latter is worst.  Then again, Portland is a quiet city, and eventually you learn how to love that and incorporate it in your own life.

What do you love to do if you are not working, e.g., hobbies?

I’m a social person.  I like to spend time with my friends and my husband.  I also enjoy drawing and painting.  Sometimes, I alternate painting with a good book or cooking.

How do you feel now since becoming the new Marketing Director here in Milagro Theatre?

I’m very excited.  I think I still have a lot to learn, but gradually everything will become clearer.  Tim, the Marketing Director I am replacing, was super organized and clear, so that made the training process and transition smoother.  I am so honored to replace Tim’s seat and to be working at Milagro.  Our next season, my first official season, will be the 30^th year for Milagro; this is a really important season to celebrate, and I’m looking forward to it.

Speaking of being the new Marketing Director, what would you like to achieve in Milagro Theatre?

I want for everyone here in Oregon and Washington to know about Milagro.  For over 30 years we have celebrated the Latino arts and culture.  This has been an important achievement gained through years of hard work.  I want to continue celebrating and embracing the Latino Arts and Culture.  I want it so that when one thinks of Latino Arts and Culture, ones thinks of Milagro Theatre.  

Any last words to the public?

Come and see Guapa who is ready to make a goal for you from March 22 until April 13.

Guapa's first review!

(left to right) Tristan Nieto, Crystal Ann Muñoz, Michelle Escobar,
 Sofía May-Cuxim and Pablo Saldaña. Photo by Russell J. Young  

Guapa's national rolling world premiere opened last weekend and is already getting great respond from  audiences and the media.  The review from The Oregonian highlights the talent of both the director and the actors in this drama by Caridad Svich with "...a narrative premise out of a TV movie of the week: a small-town talent burns to get to the big city for a long-shot competition, in this case, a street football tournament in  Dallas"

But come and see it for yourself! Guapa --- presented in English-- will run until April 13

In the news: The Oregonian preview GUAPA

Did you see today's A&E of The Oregonian newspaper? Don't miss Marty Hughley's preview of Guapa — opening tomorrow March 22 —. Pick up a copy today or read online 

Olga at KBOO

Olga Sanchez, director of Guapa —our next play opening this Thursday, Mach 21nd— at Stage and Studio with Dmae Roberts. For more information about Guapa, call 503 236 7253, or visit www.milagro.org. Photo by Dmae Roberts

Reviews of "La Celestina"

Have you been curious about our new Spanish-language production of La Celestina? Well, the buzz has been great, and here we share some reviews and audience comments ...

First up, Portland Stage Reviews writes, "A good cast and adaptation here make for a strong production, a piece that may have been the Spanish forerunner to a Shakespeare classic and one of the first tragicomic pieces to succeed in that style as well as depict frankly the common human approach to love instead of a courtly, chivalric ideal. And all of it en español. There’s a lot to recommend this complex cultural adaptation at Miracle Theatre Group/Teatro Milagro, so do go see for yourself."

After praising the work of Milagro favorite CarlosAlexis Cruz, a journalist at the PSU Vanguard added, "Bibiana Lorenzo Johnston is outstanding as the anciently decrepit yet masterfully shrewd Celestina, while Nurys Herrera and Juan Antonio Martinez are hilariously naughty as the two servants whose greed and lust for one another is their ultimate downfall. They are well-suited for their roles as the young lovers Rafael Miguel and Siumara Samayoa, and are delightful to watch.

"Ultimately, the beauty of La Celestina comes from the way in which it tells a story that is relevant to any time period. The issues that the characters in this play deal with—love, greed and honesty—are as true today as they were when Rojas wrote the original novel."

Over on Goldstar.com, a patron write, "It's great to see an all act in Spanish (w.supertitles). I highly recommend this show as it was interesting to know it was during the Shakespeare era. ... Really like this theatre as it was my first time here."


And on Facebook, Jason Trombley commented, "Saw the play last Saturday night with friends. Great storyline; very energetic cast. In sum, great performance."


Also on Facebook, Patricio LaWis wrote, "Quiero felicitar a todos y cada uno de la puesta en escena La Celestina ... Excelente trabajo.. ... Muchas Felicidades!"

See for yourself! La Celestina continues for two more weekends, through March 2. For info/tickets: call 503-236-7253 or www.milagro.org (see link in right-hand sidebar).