The man with the American dream: An interview with Ozvaldo Gonzalez

Actor Ozvaldo González returns to the Milagro stage in the title role of American Night: the Ballad of Juan José, in a performance that "underplays the character perfectly, so that you can empathize with him and identify with his plight" (Dennis Sparks).

With opening weekend under his belt, González had a moment to answer some questions from Marketing Assistant Vicente Guzman-Orozco about the play, his role and the production in general:

Vicente Guzman-Orozco: How would you describe the play and your role?

Ozvaldo González: The play is a fantastical journey through moments in American History that highlight some unsung heroes of our past and shed light on the insecurities many new Americans face when going through the process of becoming citizens in this country.  My role is that of an honest, good hearted human being who wants nothing more than to provide for his family in a way that keeps them safe and allows them to be contributors to society.

VGO: In which ways do you identify (or don't) with Juan José?

OG: As a first generation Mexican immigrant who helped his parents study for their citizenship tests during my teenage years, there is a lot about me that identifies with Juan Jose.  Many of the identity issues that he faces and his interest in living out the American dream only to find out reality is not exactly as the history books might indicate are experiences I can relate to very directly.  Even though I did not leave my family to make a life in Mexico, I know many people who have done this and their experience is very present in my mind.

VGO: What has been the most challenging part of this production?
 

OG: The role that Video, Sound, Lighting, and Costumes play in this production is large and impacted our rehearsal process greatly.  It is clear that with the increasing use of technology in theater productions, thinking of the technical components as part of the cast is an important step in harnessing the power of these 'characters' during the creative process.   A lot can be accomplished to enhance the audience experience using new technologies, but the way in which new technologies might impact the creative process need to be better understood.

VGO: What's the most rewarding part of working on the show for you?

OG: The talented people that surround me are an inspiration to me.  From the Playwright and Director, to the Cast and Technical Crew; everyone is dedicated to telling this important story in a way that shows its relevance to today and delivering it in an entertaining manner.

Don't miss this outrageous and irreverent roller coaster through US History. Get your tickets to American Night or volunteer to usher before the show closes on May 23!

A few words with a Culture Clasher

Photo courtesy LA Theatre Works
via The Hollywood Reporter

Richard Montoya, author of our upcoming, season-closing show American Night: the Ballad of Juan José, has become known for satirizing aspects of society, especially as founding member of the comedy troupe Culture Clash. Recently, Marketing Assistant Vicente Guzman-Orozco had the chance to ask him some questions about the show and Portland:

Vicente Guzman-Orozco: What are some of the stronger reactions you have encountered throughout your history creating provocative works?

Richard Montoya: We've performed in hard core red country - Tea Party land - we love it - its exciting, but we will not be bullied in the theater. The problem with the far right is that they are so thin skinned - we laugh at ourselves - the other side of the aisle does not do that so well - I see Obama laugh all the time - I never see Rush or O'Reilly laugh - Jon Stewart: a laugher! Our politics and satire have always worked best when there is a laugh or an emotion connected to it; it serves to make human, in this case, Juan José -  in this fashion we take back the town hall where not the loudest voice is heard but maybe the funniest or most sincere.

VGO: There have been attempts recently to embrace revisionist history (Arizona, Colorado, Oklahoma, Georgia, Nebraska, North Carolina, Tennessee and Texas) that became national news. In your view, why is that happening now?

RM: If you take slavery out of the history books we are doomed to repeat it - some might argue that the I-5 corridor from Seattle to Portland is a human trafficking zone - and it might be - we may be closer to repeating history that we thought - and remove history? 

A very scary thing - Culture Clash plays were banned in Arizona - we felt very close to another part of history where books were burned - history is our greatest too for not repeating dark chapters of our past.

VGO: What has changed since the 2010 premiere at OSF?

RM: Since 2010 there have been 2 high school versions, which kick major butt; shows in La Jolla, Denver, LA, Oakland, Yale Rep and a live cast recording! I've learned a lot - keeping it fresh - the headlines on race and class are moving fast; we need to keep pace - Emmett Till is there as a warning - a reminder that Ferguson and Washington State are keeping us from moving forward as a united nation.

   

VGO: Do you have any thoughts or predictions on American Night being performed in what’s often referred as the “whitest big city in the country”?

RM: I really want Juan José to brush up against the Portlandia hipsters - in LA and San Francisco's Mission district the hipsters have pushed everybody out  - so while there might be an upscale Latin fusion eatery there are no Mexican families any more - no artists!!  

It becomes a cultural tourism - where we sample something but not the real thing ...

I was impressed with Portland because I met so many people that had actually helped build the city - all the little pubs and cafes and bookstores were owned and operated by, yeah some white kids, maybe hipster. But I met multi-cultural people in the mix but mostly people that deeply cared and helped make Portland one of the most interesting cities and destinations in the country - that's different than a kid with a CBGB t-shirt on pissing on your mother's lawn who never walked a foot in the Bowery of NYC where CBGB was or cares that the 'hood he's urinating on was home to Chicano families as well as the likes of Upton Sinclair! All true in my neighborhood of Echo park in LA - I felt there was a measure of respect in Portland. 

From that we can build and tell our story of immigrants then go have a pint at the pub and head bang a bit!

Don't miss Richard Montoya's thought- and laughter-provoking show, which will have its Portland premiere this May 1 (preview April 30). Join us for a post-show conversation with the playwright on May 2nd, and maybe join him for a pint afterwards!

"Opción Múltiple" and its author coming to Milagro!

Milagro is ramping up for its next production, Opción Múltiple, a dark comedy taking a light-hearted look at mental health issues. The play, originally written in 1999 for 5 young Mexican actresses of the author's acquaintance, has since been performed all over Latin America and, two years ago, in Spain. In preparation for the opening and the playwright's upcoming visit to Portland, Marketing Assistant Vicente Guzmán-Orozco, who is also part of the cast, had the chance to ask the playwright some questions about this hilarious script. Read the interview in the original Spanish here.


Vicente Guzmán-Orozco: Is Opción Múltiple different (and not just in originality) to other plays and adaptations you have given the world’s audiences? How did its beginnings affect the subsequent productions?

Luis Mario Moncada Gil: I can say that the rest of my plays don’t have much to do with Opción Múltiple; I have always worked mainly in in the field of experimental theatre, playing with structure, hybridizing genres, creating narrative adaptations, incorporating multimedia, etc. Opción Múltiple is a play I wrote after a great failure; all I wanted was to have fun and forget the heaviness of earlier works. However, audience response to the play was such that it certainly has forced me to keep it in mind every time I take up a new project. It’s a little deceptive, since many times people request plays thinking of something similar to Opción Múltiple, and it is very difficult for me to repeat a model, I need to do different things. I have not written another comedy like it, but I have become more conscious of character construction and the audience's reaction. 

VGO: Each play is for its author like a child that is born, often with no control over its future. What surprises has Opción Múltiple brought with it since its first performance?

LMMG: I am surprised by the way the play has been produced all over Mexico and other countries, especially because I initially did not have high expectations for it. Two years ago it was staged in Spain with an exclusively-male cast, and they say it works quite well. It is produced often by university and community theatres. All in all, my greatest surprise has been seeing an American TV series handling the exact same premises: the incredible part was that the main character (some years older) had the same alter egos and the troubling situations that they put her in were very similar. For a moment I became angry and even thought about suing, but once some time had passed I reached the conclusion (or so I want to see it to keep my ego in check) that some ideas just float in the ether. What is certain is that the series ended abruptly and it did not reach the denouement that it hinted at; if the child alter ego had uncovered the memory that generated the trauma, I surely would have called my attorney, … but now we will never know.

VGO: What kind of response has there been from the professional mental health community?

LMMG: Although the play was never intended to be an exhaustive portrayal of a mental issue, it has been generally well received by the specialists in the field; there have been post-performance talks and the most amusing thing is that – regardless of the mental health issues – people always feel a natural inclination for one or another of the personalities.

VGO: You mention in your blog that the idea has risen to turn the play into a sitcom. Do you still have that idea in mind and/or has there been development in that direction?

LMMG: There was, some time ago, talk of the actor and producer Eugenio Derbez creating a sitcom based on it, which never materialized. I feel that the elements to carry it out are there (I have mentioned the American series that uses similar premises) but I am not one to revolve for long around only one project, and instead need to work on new things, so I have not followed up; truth be told, television in Mexico is very stagnant and does not seek out new content.

VGO: How do you feel to see your plays so well received overseas?

LMMG: Well, I would not claim that my plays are performed everywhere or that they have great success; I should instead confess it is the exception. As I mentioned, I move within a more experimental environment, my plays are not exactly repertory material, nor are they able to be staged by just any group; rather they concern language experimentation or circumstantial subjects, such as the play I wrote about the Facebook phenomenon in 2009. It is true that I have written works for companies abroad, most recently for The Royal Shakespeare Company (A soldier in every son), a saga about the power struggle in pre-Hispanic Mexico based on Shakespeare’s history plays, but in general I work mostly domestically, not thinking about the international reach of my plays. When it happens, such as in this case, I consider it a huge gift that I receive from my profession.

Follow the story of the production right here on our blog, on our Facebook page, and get your tickets to Opción Múltiple today!

"Opción Múltiple" y su autor ¡en camino a Milagro!

Milagro se prepara para su siguiente producción, Opción Múltiple, una comedia oscura con una divertida mirada a una condición mental. La obra, escrita originalmente en 1999 para cinco jóvenes actrices mexicanas conocidas por el autor, ha tenido exitosas presentaciones en toda Latinoamérica, y hace dos años, en España. Al acercarse el estreno y la visita del autor, el asistente de mercadeo, Vicente Guzmán Orozco, quien también es parte del elenco, tomó la oportunidad de hacerle unas preguntas al dramaturgo sobre su hilarante libreto. Puede leer la entrevista en su traducción al inglés aquí. 


Vicente Guzman Orozco: ¿Es Opción Múltiple distinta (y no solo en originalidad) a otras obras y adaptaciones que Ud. le ha otorgado al público mundial? ¿Cómo ha impactado su génesis en los montajes consiguientes?

Luis Mario Moncada Gil: Puedo decir que el resto de mis obras no tienen mucho que ver con Opción múltiple; yo siempre me he movido más en el ámbito del teatro experimental, juegos de estructura, hibridación de géneros, teatro narrado, multimedia, etc. Opción múltiple es una obra que escribí luego de un gran fracaso; lo único que quería era divertirme y olvidar la densidad de trabajos anteriores. Sin embargo, fue tal la reacción del público ante la obra que ciertamente me ha obligado a tomarla en cuenta cada vez que asumo un nuevo proyecto. Es un poco engañoso porque muchas veces me piden obras pensando en algo similar a Opción múltiple, y me cuesta mucho trabajo repetir un modelo, yo necesito hacer cosas distintas. Nunca he vuelto a escribir una comedia así, pero sí me he vuelto más consciente de la construcción de personajes y de la recepción del público.

VGO: Cada obra es para el artista como un hijo que engendra, muchas veces sin control de su futuro. ¿Cuáles han sido las sorpresas en la trayectoria de Opción Múltiple desde su estreno?

LMMG:Me sorprende la forma en que la obra se ha reproducido en todo el país y en otras naciones, sobre todo porque inicialmente no tenía yo muchas expectativas puestas en ella. Hace dos años se montó en España con un elenco exclusivamente masculino, y dicen que funcionaba muy bien. Con frecuencia se interpreta en universidades y en teatro amateur. Con todo, mi mayor sorpresa ha sido ver una serie de televisión norteamericana que manejaba exactamente las mismas premisas: lo increíble es que la protagonista (unos años mayor) tenía los mismos alter-egos y los problemas en que la metían eran muy similares. Por un momento me enojé y hasta pensé en demandar, pero pasado el tiempo llegué a la conclusión (así prefiero pensarlo para que no me gane el ego) que hay situaciones que flotan en el ambiente. Lo cierto es que la serie terminó abruptamente y nunca llegó al desenlace que se veía venir: si resultare que el alter-ego infantil hubiese destapado el recuerdo que originó el trauma, seguramente hubiese llamado a mi abogado..., pero eso nunca lo sabremos.

 VGO: ¿Qué tipo de reacciones ha habido de los profesionales de la salud mental?

LMMG:A pesar de que la obra no pretendía ser muy exhaustiva en la exposición de un problema mental, en general ha sido muy valorada por especialistas; se han hecho conversaciones posteriores a algunas funciones y lo más divertido ha sido que –más allá de salud mental o no– la gente siempre siente inclinación natural por alguna de las personalidades.

VGO: Ha mencionado en su blog que ha existido la idea de adaptar la obra a una comedia televisiva (sitcom). ¿Continúa Ud. con tal visión y/o qué tipo de desarrollo ha habido?

LMMG:Hubo hace tiempo pláticas para que el actor y productor Eugenio Derbez hiciera con ella un sitcom, sin embargo, nunca llegó a materializarse. A mí me parece que existen los elementos para llevarla a cabo (ya hablé de una serie norteamericana que utiliza premisas similares) pero soy poco dado a quedarme girando en un solo proyecto, más bien necesito hacer cosas nuevas, así que no le he dado seguimiento y, la verdad, en México la televisión está muy estancada y no busca nuevos contenidos.

VGO: ¿Cuál es su opinión al ver sus obras tan bien recibidas en el extranjero?

LMMG: Bueno, tampoco voy a decir que mis obras estén en todas partes y que tengan gran éxito, más bien debo confesar que es una excepción. Como dije, yo me muevo en un terreno más experimental, mis obras no son propiamente de repertorio, no son obras que puedan ser montadas por cualquier grupo; más bien responden a experimentos de lenguaje o temas coyunturales, como la obra que escribí sobre el fenómeno de Facebook en 2009. Es cierto que he escrito obras para compañías extranjeras, la más reciente fue para The Royal Shakespeare Company (A soldier in every son), una saga sobre la lucha por el poder en el México prehispánico basado en las obras históricas de Shakespeare, pero en general hago un trabajo más bien doméstico y no estoy pensando en la proyección internacional de mis obras. Cuando ocurre, como en este caso, lo tomo como un enorme regalo que me ha dado mi profesión.

Siga el proceso de la producción aquí en nuestro blog, en nuestra página de Facebook, y compre sus entradas hoy mismo para Opción Múltiple!

Corrido Calavera: The Colorful Dead (Interview)

Español abajo

By now you must have seen the beautiful painting selected as the artwork to promote Corrido Calavera, this year's original bilingual production guaranteed to be as whimsical and colorful as Brenda Bravo-Valentin's paintings. Recently Brenda spoke to volunteer Sofía Basto, who provided this interview and its translation. Read about Bravo-Valentin's vision, and buy your tickets for Corrido Calavera today!

Sofía Basto: Tell us a little about yourself. Who is Brenda Ruiz Bravo-Valentin and how did you discover the artist in you?

Brenda Bravo-Valentín: [Brenda] is now a happily married woman and mother, two experiences that have become my greatest treasures in life. My husband is an amazing piece of art, and together we have created an even more beautiful piece: my son. I am also a Purépecha (the indigenous people of northwest Michoacan, Mexico), which has always been a great source of artistic inspiration.

I discovered I was an artist accidentally, and painting has since become my “accidental” therapy. Throughout my childhood I loved drawing and coloring, but it wasn’t until high school that I was introduced to painting. One day a student asked for my help with an art project and I said yes. I had never taken an art class in my life, but I instantly fell in love with painting and decided to teach myself to do it well. I have been an autodidact ever since, but I still feel ignorant about the usage of certain materials and techniques. Painting just poured out of me naturally, but it is my trips to Mexico and my Purépecha cultural experiences that have greatly influenced my work.

SB: What do you want to communicate through your artwork? What do you want the audience to take from your exhibit at Milagro?

BBV: What I want to evoke in the audience is a sense of personal growth and love, two feelings that until this day I experience when I paint. I also want to communicate to the people that there is beauty in life’s saddest events. Even if at first some people only see the beauty in the flowers and skulls, I want them to see that there is a story that goes beyond the bright colors and that shows that what has hurt me in the past is the most beautiful in me, for without these experiences I would not be the person I am today.
There is also beauty in the Day of the Dead celebration. We commemorate the past, and the fact that it creates to new beginnings for us. It is a beautiful way to say “hello, goodbye, and I will always remember you!”

SB: Tell us how you create your pieces. Do you go with the moment, improvising as it goes, or do you have a method for visualizing an idea before actualizing it with materials?

BBV: My paintings always start with an idea and end up better than imagined when actualized on canvas. I only have a few ordinary steps that I follow: I think of the object of my inspiration, and then sketch it, which happens to be my least favorite part of the process. I often take risks, which is always a fun challenge. It feels nice sometimes to get out of your comfort zone.

SB: What inspires you? Why do you create what you create?

BBV: What inspires me the most is Mexican life and the colors surrounding the culture. I create what forms within me as I experience life, love, and being Purépecha. The colors I use come directly from the vibrancy of my hometown San Jerónimo Purenchecuaro, in the Mexican state of Michoacִán.

SB: Why do you think art is important personally and in a society?

BBV: Art is important to me personally because it keeps me sane. It is a therapy that allows me to purge through color. Art is an integral part of me.

Like I mentioned before, I think art is important because it keeps some of us sane, but it also shows the importance of perspective by providing an experience of the world through another’s eyes.

Corrido Calavera: Los difuntos a todo color (Entrevista)

Para hoy, ya debe haber visto la imagen seleccionada para la publicidad de Corrido Calavera, la producción original bilingüe de Día de Muertos para este año, que será tan divertida y colorida como la pintura de Brenda Bravo-Valentin. Hace poco nuestra voluntaria Sofía Basto platicó con Brenda, y nos proporcionó esta entrevista y traduccion. Lea sobre la vision de Bravo-Valentin, y compre sus entradas para Corrido Calavera ¡hoy mismo!

Sofía Basto: Cuéntanos un poco sobre ti. ¿Quién es Brenda Ruiz Bravo-Valentín, y cómo descubriste tu vena artística?

Brenda Bravo-Valentin: [Brenda] está ahora felizmente casada y se ha convertido en madre, dos experiencias que son los más grandes tesoros de mi vida. Mi esposo es una obra de arte increíble, y juntos hemos creado una pieza aún más hermosa: nuestro hijo. También soy una mujer Purépecha, lo cual es gran fuente de inspiración artística para mí.

Descubrí mi vena artística accidentalmente, y desde ese entonces pintar se ha convertido en una forma casual de terapia. Cuando era niña me gustaba dibujar y colorear, pero no fue sino hasta la escuela secundaria que descubrí la pintura. Un día un estudiante me pidió el favor de que le ayudara con un proyecto artístico, y acepté. No había tomado una clase de arte en mi vida, pero inmediatamente me enamoré de la pintura y decidí enseñarme solita a pintar bien. Desde ese entonces he sido una autodidacta en la materia, pero aún me siento un poco ignorante en lo que se refiere al uso de ciertos materiales y técnicas. La pintura es algo que nace de mí, pero son mis viajes a México y mi cultura Puréchepa lo que más influencia mis obras de arte.

SB: ¿Qué quieres que comuniquen tus obras? ¿Qué quieres que la gente recuerde de tu exhibición en Milagro?

BBV: Lo que quiero inspirar en la gente es un sentido de crecimiento personal y amor, dos sentimientos que hasta el día de hoy me acompañan cuando pinto. También quiero comunicarle a la audiencia que existe algo bello en los momentos más tristes de la vida. Aunque en un principio algunas personas solo se concentren en la belleza de las flores y  calacas, quiero que perciban una historia más allá de los colores vivos que muestra que aquello que me ha lastimado en el pasado es lo más bello de mí, pues es lo que me ha convertido en todo lo que hoy soy.

También quiero mostrar la belleza que existe en la celebración del Día de Los Muertos, pues es así como celebramos el pasado, y cómo éste conlleva a nuevos puntos de partida. La celebración es una linda forma de decir "Hola, adiós, y siempre te recordaré".

SB: Cuéntanos cómo sucede tu proceso creativo. Te dejas llevar por el momento e improvisas, o tienes algún método para visualizar una idea antes de realizarla con los materiales?

Mis pinturas siempre comienzan con una idea y terminan mejor de lo que imaginé cuando son plasmadas en el lienzo. Sigo algunos pasos comunes como pensar en el objeto de mi inspiración, y después bosquejar todo lo pensado, lo cual es tal vez la parte que menos me gusta del proceso. También me gusta arriesgarme en la pintura, es un reto divertido que me hace sentir muy bien al sacarme de mi zona de confort.

SB: ¿Qué te inspira? ¿Por qué pintas lo que pintas?

BBV: Lo que más me inspira es la vida y los colores de México. Yo pinto lo que me nace, lo que representa mi vida, el amor, y el ser Purépecha. Los colores que utilizo vienen directamente de la vitalidad de mi pueblo San Jerónimo Purenchecuaro en el estado de Michoacán.

SB: ¿Por qué crees tú que el arte es importante en el ámbito personal, y en una sociedad?

BBV: El arte es importante para mí pues me mantiene cuerda. Es una terapia que me limpia por medio de los colores. El arte es una parte integral de mi vida.

Como lo mencioné antes, creo que el arte es importante para mantenernos a algunos cuerdos, pero también creo que su importancia en la sociedad radica en que saca a la luz el valor de  la perspectiva, al proporcionar la experiencia del mundo a través de los ojos del otro.

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!

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.