JULIANNE ARGYROS STAGE / DECEMBER 7 - 23, 2007

David Emmes Martin Benson PRODUCING ARTISTIC DIRECTOR ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

presents LA POSADA MAGICA´

written and directed by Octavio Solis music by Marcos Loya

Christopher Acebo Shigeru Yaji Lonnie Rafael Alcaraz Marcos Loya SCENIC DESIGN COSTUME DESIGN LIGHTING DESIGN MUSICAL DIRECTOR

Linda Kostalik David Leavenworth Jamie A. Tucker* CHOREOGRAPHER PRODUCTION MANAGER STAGE MANAGER

Pam and Jim Muzzy HONORARY PRODUCERS CORPORATE PRODUCER

The Lila Wallace-Reader’s Digest Fund has provided major support for the commissioning, workshop and production of La Posada Mágica through its New Works for Young Audiences Program.

La Posada Mágica • SOUTH COAST REPERTORY P1 CAST OF CHARACTERS (In order of appearance)

Horacio ...... Miguel Najera* Eli/Bones/Lauro ...... David DeSantos* Gracie ...... Gloria Garayua* Mom/Mariluz ...... Erica Ortega* Papi/Jose Cruz ...... Danny Bolero* Refugio/Buzzard ...... Sol Castillo* Consuelo/Widow ...... Denise Blasor* Caridad/Widow ...... Teresa Velarde* Musicians/Ensemble ...... Marcos Loya, Lorenzo Martinez*

SETTING Christmas Eve. The present.

LENGTH Approximately two hours, including one 15-minute intermission.

PRODUCTION STAFF Casting Director ...... Joanne DeNaut Production Assistant ...... Kristin Calhoun Costume Design Assistant ...... Merilee Ford Assistant to the Lighting Designer ...... Kelly Smith Stage Management Intern ...... Leia Crawford Dresser ...... Ryan Chin Additional Costume Staff ...... Catherine Esera Deck Crew ...... Mark Johnson

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Las Amigas de la Cultura, Sylvia Krenzien, Teri Rocco and Alice Rumbaugh for the special exhibit in the Julianne Argyros lobby.

Cellular phones, beepers and watch alarms should be turned off or set to non-audible mode during the performance. Please refrain from unwrapping candy or making other noises that may disturb surrounding patrons.

The use of cameras and recorders in the theatre is prohibited. Smoking is not permitted anywhere in the theatre.

* Member of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.

Official Airline

P2 SOUTH COAST REPERTORY • La Posada Mágica T h e Gift of Grace

hen I was commissioned to write a family had just settled on that name for my protagonist. How Christmas play for South Coast Repert o r y, I could she have known? She hadn’t read the play, nor Whad no idea there would be deep synchronici- had I spoken of it to her. And yet here now, our ties with my own life. I simply thought I would write daughter was not only coming another play for another theatre and that would be into our house, she was that. But while my talented collaborators (director filling our play. It José Cruz González and composer Marcos Loya) and I seemed fitting. toiled away on our first draft of Po s a d a at the Sun- Gracie was born dance Theatre Lab in Utah, I received a call from my on September 24, wife Jeanne that she was pregnant with our daughter, 1994, and the play it- and that changed everything. self was delivered The play suddenly revealed to me the essential three months later. universal sanctity of life, the glowing sense of hope and love that babies al- ways suggest for the world. But the confluence of this play with my wife’s news also trans- formed the holiday of Christmas for me. The adoration bestowed on the infant Jesus spoke more deeply and directly to my

new status as a fa- Gracie has been played by four actresses since its pre- miere in 1994: Ruth Livier (1994), left; Crissy Guerrero ther. The Nativity be- (1995-1998), top; and Tiffany Ellen Solano (1999-2006), came a metaphor for with Mauricio Mendoza as Papi and Crissy Guerrero as the profound responsi- Mom in 2002; and Gloria Garayua this season (2007). bility we all owe to the fragile innocent children we We brought her for one of the first performances, and dare to bring into this brutal world. to this day, I can’t help but feel that the wide brown Later that spring, as I continued to write Posada eyes of the infant Graciela have shone their grace on and Jeanne pored over all the books of baby names, La Posada Mágica. she told me that she wanted to name our baby girl Gra- –Octavio Solis ciela, or Gracie, for short. This stunned me because I

La Posada Mágica • SOUTH COAST REPERTORY P3 T h e Historical Procession of Las Posadas he familiar story of Joseph and Mary’s long-ago search for Tlodgings is related every year at Christmas- time in churches and homes the world over. But in many Latin coun- tries, it actually comes to life again each December, reenacted for nine con- secutive nights in the fes- tive ritual of Las Posadas, which means inns, or l o d g i n g s . The idea of com- memorating the Holy Family’s journey to Beth- lehem can be traced to St. Ignatius Loyola, in the 16th Century. He sug- The 2004 cast of La Posada Mágica featured from left: Crissy Guerrero, Mauricio Men- gested a Christmas nove- doza, Denise Blasor, Sol Castillo, Carla Jimenez, Tiffany Ellen Solano, Miguel Najera, na, special prayers to be Kevin Sifuentes, Lorenzo Martinez and Marcos Loya. said on nine successive days. In 1850, St. John of the Cross made a religious cians. Singing or chanting special p o s a d a songs, they pageant out of the proceedings, and seven years later all walk slowly along, each person carrying a lighted the nine-day remembrance was introduced to the Indi- candle. When the procession reaches the house cho- ans in Mexico by Spanish missionaries. sen for that evening, it divides into two groups, one Solemn and deeply religious in feeling at first, the representing the holy pilgrims, the other the innkeep- observances soon became imbued with a spirit of fun e r s . and, eventually, left the church and began to be cele- The pilgrims line up behind the angel and the brated in people’s homes. The p o s a d a s have become children bearing the figures of the Holy Family, and community affairs with friends, relatives and neighbors they file through the house until they arrive at a closed sharing in the festivities and visiting a different house door, behind which the innkeepers have stationed each evening. themselves. The pilgrims knock on the door and call The p o s a d a begins with a procession that sets off out in song, asking for shelter. A chorus of voices on as soon as it gets dark. Often a child dressed as an the other side asks: “Who knocks at my door so late in angel goes first, followed by two more children carrying the night?” figures of Mary and Joseph on a small litter adorned The pilgrims respond. “In the name of Heaven I with twigs. After more boys and girls come the lead fig- beg you for lodging—my beloved wife can no longer ures, then come the grown-ups and last of all the musi- travel, and she is weary.” But the response is a stony,

P4 SOUTH COAST REPERTORY • La Posada Mágica Sometimes there are separate parties for different age groups—one for teenagers and another for the younger chil- dren. In Mexico City, especially, so many p o s a d a s are held that active partygoers can manage to attend four or five in one evening… and the festivities often go on until dawn. Over time, p o s a d a s have been tailored by their respective communities, so that a re- markable variety of p o s a d a styles can be found throughout Mexico and the Southwestern United S t a t e s .

hardhearted refusal. “This is no inn. Go away!” After repeated requests for shel- ter, the pilgrims explain who they are and that Mary will soon give birth to the Son of God. The innkeepers relent and welcome the exhausted travelers: “Enter, Holy pilgrims. Come into our humble dwelling and into our hearts. The night is one of joy, for here beneath our roof we shelter the Mother of God.” Everyone enters the room and kneels in prayer, after which the party moves out to the patio for fireworks and fun. Small baskets of sweets, called c o l a - c i o n e s , are offered along with sandwich- es, cookies and a fruited punch. And then it’s time for the most exciting mo- ment of all, the breaking of the fancifully decorated candy and nut-filled piñata.

Denise Blasor, Carla Jimenez, Crissy Guerrero and Mauricio Mendoza, above and Marcos Loya and Lorenzo Martinez, at right.

La Posada Mágica • SOUTH COAST REPERTORY P5 T h e Magic of the Celebration The Christmas Candle Po i n s e t t i a s

“It begins with one simple candle— favorite flower for the p o s a d a celebration is the so full of golden light” poinsettia, with its beautiful red star shape. The – La Posada Mágica Alegend of the poinsettia relates the story of a girl named Maria and her little brother Pablo. They were fter Gracie reluctantly joins her church’s p o s a d a , very poor but always looked forward to the Christmas she sets about trying to extinguish not only the festival each year, when a large Nativity scene was set Acandle that has been lit in her honor, but all up in the village church and the days leading up to those that represent the other members of her group. Christmas were filled with p o s a d a s . But the two chil- With each flame she blows out, another character dis- dren were saddened because they had no money to appears until Gracie is left lost and alone. buy presents. They especially wished to give some- The tradition of candles at Christmastime began thing to the church, but they had nothing. in medieval Europe, where a very large Christmas can- One Christmas Eve, Maria and Pablo set out for dle was burned until the Twelfth Night in remem- church to attend Midnight Mass. On their way they brance of the arrival of the Wise Men to Bethlehem. In picked some weeds growing along the roadside to pre- Victorian times, candles represented good will toward sent as their gift to the church. They were mercilessly those less fortunate. They were placed in windows teased by the other children when they arrived with from December 25 to January 6 to wel- their humble offering, but Maria and Pablo knew they come any passersby need- had given everything they had. As they ing shelter and food. began to place the weeds around the Nativi- Some people believe ty scene, the green top leaves turned into that flames from burning bright red petals. Soon the manger was sur- candles frighten away evil rounded by the bright red, star-shaped flow- spirits during the darkest ers and everyone in the church believed days of the year. In Nor- they were witnessing a true Christmas mira- way, candles that burn out cle. Since that day, these beautiful flowers on Christmas Eve are that bloom during the Christmas season thought to bring bad luck have been known as Flores de Noche Buena for the family. Another or “Flowers of the Holy Night.” ancient tradition suggests N o c h e b u e n a , the Mexican name of that placing a candle in the flower English-speakers call poinsettia, the window symbolically was discovered in Taxco and the valleys sur- lights the way of the Holy rounding Cuernavaca. Known by the Aztecs Family as it provides a in their native Nahuatl language as c u e t l a x o- welcome for friends, chitl, it is believed that they brought the neighbors and holiday plant from the tropical climate of Cuernava- guests. ca to their Aztec highlands for cultivation in

P6 SOUTH COAST REPERTORY • La Posada Mágica special nurseries. by women from bark collected by men in the Prized for the spring) was used as an offering to curative proper- the gods and a tribute ties of the milk to the Aztec that dripped from the leaves, stems and flowers when cut, the plant also pro- duced pigment from the red leaves used to dye cotton fibers. The poinsettia plant was brought from Mexico to America by Dr. Joel Roberto Poinsett (1770-1851), who e m p e r o r , served as U.S. ambassador to Mexico following that M o c t e z u m a country’s independence from Spain. Poinsett fell in love II. On certain holidays, it with the n o c h e b u e n a plant when he first saw it adorning decorated the idols in temples the churches of Taxco in 1823. He sent specimens back and palaces, and priests embodying the to the States to decorate his mansion in South Carolina gods and the cosmos wore elaborate costumes of one Christmas, and upon his return home several years colored paper. Cutouts of dark paper were made to later, he was astonished to find the entire town of represent evil spirits, while white paper represented Charleston growing the festive red flower. good spirits and was used by healers and witches in their rituals. Color schemes selected for papel picado are fre- Papel Pi c a d o quently linked with specific festivities. Sky blue or pink and white are commonly chosen for celebrations aper cutting has been a folk art ever since paper in honor of the Virgin Mary, yellow and white for pa- was invented in 105 A.D. by Ts’ai Lun, an official in tron saints. Vibrant pink, orange and purple are the Pthe court of Ho Ti, emperor of Cathay. The hum- key tones employed for o f r e n d a s (offerings) associat- ble nature of its origins and the anonymity of its prac- ed with El Día de los Muertos, or the Day of the Dead. tice has caused paper cutting to be ignored as an art Shades of purple are also widely used at Easter. The form, though artists, artisans and collectors are becom- colors of the Mexican flag—red, white and green—are ing increasingly aware of this valuable folk heritage. set aside for venerating the nation’s patroness, La Vir- In Mexico, the technique is called papel picado, gen de Guadalupe, as well as for commemorating In- which means “pierced paper.” After the Spanish Con- dependence Day, September 16. Rainbow hues are quest of Mexico, papel de China (tissue paper) was in- appropriate for Christmas and non-religious troduced and became the material of choice for Chris- festivities. tian holiday decorations. Paperwork was apparently Cut from colored tis- among the imports that poured in from the Orient via sue paper (or the annual Pacific treasure fleet that traveled between the Far East and Acapulco, laden with such exotic goods as silver, ivory, spices and porce- lain. Once the craft arrived in Mexico, it became

plastic) to simulate lace, papel picado can be seen today hanging from Day of the Dead altars and deco- rating graves during November. Also during Christ- mas, papel picado decorates indoor and outdoor fes- tivities in Mexico. the basis for many important and widespread folk art forms. Visit the online Playgoer’s Guide to La Posada Mágica In Mexico, the art of paper-cutting goes at www.scr.org to read more about these and other back to pre-Columbian times, when bark paper (made Mexican holiday traditions.

La Posada Mágica • SOUTH COAST REPERTORY P7 Sing Along with the Posada ‘Vamos A Pie’ ‘We go on foot’ Vamos a pie caminando We go on foot Caminando, caminando Walking, walking Una posada Buscando Searching for a posada Buscando para El. Searching for Him

Velas prendidas alumbran Burning candles shine on La noche más santa de Dios God’s holiest night Este camino termina This path ends En oración. With a prayer Vamos con fe caminando We walk along in faith Caminando, caminando Walking, walking The angels know when Los angeles saben cuando They know when He will arrive Saben cuando llegará. To the most beautiful posada A la posada más linda Filled with light and love Llena de luz y amor On this night we will see En esta noche veremos The savior Al Redentor. We go on foot Vamos a pie caminando Walking, walking Caminando, caminando Searching for a posada Una posada buscando Searching, searching Buscando buscando. ‘Este Canto Mio’ ‘My Song’ Este canto mío canto con pasión I sing my song with passion Por el Niño Dios quien es mi salvación For baby Jesus, my salvation Si mi voz al cielo no alcanza If my voice won’t reach heaven Es porque le falta esperanza It is because it lacks hope Gloria gloria gloria al Señor Glory, glory, glory to the Lord Eschuchame y hazme el favor Listen to me, do me a favor Quiero ver el Rey de la humanidad I want to see the King of humanity En la Noche Buena de la Navidad. On Christmas’ holy night I feel pleasure in my heart Mucho gusto siento en mi corazón Every time I sing, holy is my song Cada vez que canto, santa es mi canción The moment is near Ya se acerca el momento de The birth of a new faith El Nacimiento de la Nueva Fe. Glory, glory, glory to the Lord Gloria gloria gloria al Señor Listen to me, do me a favor Eschuchame y hazme el favor I want to see the King of humanity Quiero ver el Rey de la humanidad On Christmas’ holy night En la Noche Buena de la Navidad. Words by Octavio Solis; music by Marcos Loya Translation by Santiago Uceda

P8 SOUTH COAST REPERTORY • La Posada Mágica A rtist Biographies

DE N I S E BL A S O R * DA N N Y BO L E R O * Consuelo/Widow Papi/Jose Cruz

returns to SCR for her twelfth is very happy to return to SCR, appearance in La Posada Mági- following his award winning per- c a . This year she traveled to formance as Cesar Chavez in Ed Chile and to New York to per- Begley’s Cesar and Ruben form in the indie film Love Sim- which ran for three months at p l e directed by Mark Von Stern- the NOHO Arts Center. A grad- berg. She also recreated her role of Amina at New uate of the American Center for Music Theater, he York City’s Stella Adler Theatre in the production of recently completed work on the indie short G r a v e- Los Muertos by Timothy McNeil, with Mark Ruffalo. yard Shift, due out early next year. His theatrical Los Muertos, was first presented last year at Elephant credits span from Broadway to regional, as well as Theatre under the direction of David Fofi. She ap- touring the world from Vietnam to Venice as a Pro- peared in E l e c t r i c i d a d by Luis Alfaro, directed by Lisa duction Singer for Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines. Peterson at Mark Taper Forum and Ten Tiny Love Broadway: Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor S t o r i e s by Rodrigo Garcia. She has performed at Los D r e a m c o a t starring Michael Damian, first National Angeles Theatre Center (LATC) as the Bride in B l o o d tour with Sam Harris (cast album). R e g i o n a l : M a n W e d d i n g , directed by Margarita Galban, as Yerma in of La Mancha (tour) with Robert Goulet, B a r k a t Y e r m a and as Martirio in The House of Bernarda Coast Playhouse, The Fantasticks (El Gallo) at Ari- A l b a with Carmen Zapata. She played Jenny in T h e zona Theater Company, S e l e n a (Abraham) at Doolit- Threepenny Opera, directed by Angelina Reaux, and tle Theater, L a l o at Mark Taper Forum, World Goes was part of Ron Sossi’s Odyssey Theatre Ensemble R o u n d at Rubicon (Robbie Nomination), P a l o m a a t adaptation of F a u s t. She was Artistic Director of Los Casa De Sousa, Pacific Overtures (Manjiro), M y s t e r y Angeles Diversified Theater Company, where she of Edwin Drood (John Jasper, Inland Empire Award), performed and adapted The Three Sisters, designed Beggars Holiday with the late, great Carl Anderson, and appeared in the Ovation Award-nominated pro- and Guido in N i n e and Che in E v i t a, both of which duction of He Who Gets Slapped with Bud Cort and he received the Los Angeles D r a m a - L o g u e A w a r d . performed and produced the original musical pro- Film and television credits include The Hitcher, 2007 duction of C a d e r a s . Other stage credits include (DVD), “The Mullets” (recurring), “Beverly Hills, leading roles in the world premieres of The House of 90210,” “Ally McBeal,” “Los Alvarez” (pilot) and “Mal- the Spirits at LATC; Cervantes’ I n t e r l u d e s at Stages, colm in the Middle.” As always, his performance is directed by Florinel Fatulescu; Made in Lanus, di- dedicated to the angels on his shoulder. rected by Lillian Garrett at The Old Globe; and A c - c e l e r a n d o by Lisa Loomer. She played Juana in T h e SO L CA S T I L L O * False Chronicle of Juana La Loca at Festival Cer- Refugio/Buzzard vantino in Mexico and has performed in Europe and Puerto Rico. Film credits include The D i s a p p e a r - returns to SCR for his seventh ance of Garcia Lorca with Andy Garcia; U n i v e r s ’ l, season in La Posada Mágica. directed by Ana Nicholas; Noriega: God’s Favorite He was also seen at SCR in the with Bob Hoskins, directed by Roger Spottiswoode world premiere of The Hollow and Happy Feet with Robin Williams. Lands, the Theatre for Young Audiences productions of T h e Adventures of Pør Quinly and Sideways Stories from

La Posada Mágica • SOUTH COAST REPERTORY P9 Wayside School, the Pacific Playwrights Festival at the Periwinkle National Theatre; Romeo and Juli- workshops of Sea of Tranquility and References to e t at the Bloomsburg Theatre; Winnie the Po o h f o r Salvador Dalí Make Me Hot, the Educational Tour- Westco Productions; A Ve r y Old Man with Enor- ing production of Bad Water Blues and the reading mous Wi n g s at the Kirk Douglas Theatre; i l l u m i N A- of The BFG. At San Diego Repertory Theatre he ap- T I O N at Mark Taper Fo r um; La Ro n d e at Riant The- peared in Zoot Suit, The Imaginary Invalid and B a r - atre; I n b e t w e e n / Pe a c e m a k e r at George Street Play- rio Hollywood. Other theatre credits include the na- h o u s e ; Purim Day at Lamb’s Theatre; The Odd Cou- tional tour of Veteranos: A Tribute, West Side Story, p l e at Shadow Lawn Summer Stage; Damn Ya n k e e s Bye Bye Birdie and Talking to Yellow Roses. M r . at Paul Robeson Theatre; The Secret Gard e n at Fo r t Castillo was seen in Showtime’s “Resurrection Blvd.” Salem Theater; and The Skriker at Kennedy Center and Valor Production’s Who’s James Cagney? H e Stage. Film and television credits include H e n r y also recently wrote a screenplay that will be shot by Poole is Here, Fun with Dick and Jane, S t e p f o rd Valor Productions in February 2008. Mr. Castillo Wives, House of D, “Grey’s Anatomy,” “The Apos- dedicates his performance to his lovely wife, terrific tles,” “Cold Case,” “3 lbs.,” “Strong Medicine,” daughter, and gives his thanks to them and the audi- “NYPD Blue,” “Six Feet Under,” “J o e y ” and “The ence. Mr. Castillo is a proud member of Actors’ Eq- S h i e l d . ” u i t y . MA R C O S LO YA DAV I D DESA N T O S * Composer/Musical Director/ Eli/Bones/Lauro Ensemble

made his SCR debut last season is an accomplished musician in Hamlet and recently appeared and composer and a master of in the Theatre for Young Audi- acoustic guitar. He is also ences production of The BFG adept on requinto, jarr a n a , (Big Friendly Giant). Theatre c u a t r o , 12-string, mandolin, credits include Anna in the electric guitar and various indigenous folk instru- Tropics at TheatreWorks; King Lear and L i l i o m a t ments. Curr e n t l y, he is a Visiting Artist and Adjunct Kansas City Repertory Theatre; King Lear, The Tem- I n s t r uctor at California State University, Dominguez pest and The Merchant of Venice at California Shake- Hills. He teaches a Multicultural Pe rf o r ming Art s speare Festival; Hamlet at Ojai Shakespeare Festival; course and a course on Chicana/o Latina/o music. Dracula at Allied Artists; So It Is! If So it Seems to You R e c e n t l y, he scored Looking Back, Severo Pe r e z ’ and Twelfth Night at A Noise Within; The Threepenny d o c u m e n t a r y on renowned visual artist Carm e n O p e r a and A Midsummer Night’s Dream at The- Lomas Garza. In 1996 he composed the score for atricum Botanicum; and Romeo and Juliet and T h e the “American Playhouse” film adaptation of To m a s Taming of the Shrew at The Pasadena Shakespeare Rivera’s a n d the earth did not swallow him (y no Company. Film and television credits include D e l t a se lo trago la tierr a). Mr. Loya’s debut CD, Love is Farce and Face Value; roles on “Ugly Betty,” “CSI,” the Re a s o n, garnered an Independent Contempo- “House,” “CSI: Miami,” “Crossing Jordan,” Seven Days r a r y Jazz Album of the Year nomination. His music “American Family”; and recurring roles on “General is featured in the films Deep Cover, The Wa t e r - Hospital” and “Spyder Games.” Mr. DeSantos is dance, A Million to Juan, Old Gringo, Vibes, Stand thrilled to be part of the company for the 2008 season and Deliver, Born in East LA, Hold Me, Kiss Me, of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Thrill Me and Kiss Me a Killer (for which he re- ceived a nomination for the Independent Spirit GL O R I A GA R AY U A * Award) as well as Director Robert Rodriguez’ O n c e Gracie Upon a Time in Mexico. He scored and/or com- posed music for several plays, including the Los An- is making her SCR debut. The- geles Theatre Center productions of La Vi c t i m a , atre credits include Two Sisters August 29 (D r a m a - L o g u e Award, Best Original and a Pi a n o at The Old Globe; Music) and Stone We d d i n g (Los Angeles Drama Crit- Threepenny Opera, The Te m - ics Circle Award nomination). His television work p e s t and M e d e a at CW Post The- includes the musical scores for the PBS productions atre Company; Halfway There “Dreams of Flying,” “Elders,” “Between Fr i e n d s ”

P 1 0 SOUTH COAST REPERTORY • La Posada Mágica and “Los Pinateros.” His music can be heard in the Lucha Villa, Lola Beltran and Miguel Aceves Meija. “Mangas” episode of the PBS series “Foto Novela” He perf o r med with the UCLA Mariachi under the di- for which he also composed the theme. He serv e d rection of Nati Cano of Los Comperos, and in the as musical director for Univision’s long-running “El Universal film Who Will Sing the Songs s t a rring Fr e d- Show de Paul Rodriguez,” the Buenavista/Disney dy Fender and Vikki Carr. He perf o r med and “Navidad en las Americas” special, the ABC special recorded with Los Pe r ros del Pueblo Nuevo and Tr i o “Latin Nights” and NBC’s “Vida Awards.” Mr. Loya Los Cinco with Marcos Loya, Mundo Armijo and Ra y has perf o r med and/or toured with a variety of per- Islas. The group perf o r med Dia de Los Muert o s f o r mers including Placido Domingo, Linda Ronstadt and La Vi r gen del Te p e y a c by Luis Valdez at the (with the Houston Symphony Orchestra), Celia Japan Theatre, the opening ceremony of Luis C r uz, Tito Puente, Lalo Guerrero, Chick Corea, Valdez’ B a n d i d o at Mark Taper Fo r um and with Cul- Chaka Khan, Hugh Masekela, Phillip Bailey, Stephen ture Clash in La Carpa at Mark Taper Fo r um. He Stills, Vicki Carr, Luis Enrique and Jose Fe l i c i a n o . toured with The Four Brown Hats theatre produc- With Madonna, he appeared in the video “La Isla tion of Veteranos: A Legacy of Va l o r between 2002 Bonita.” He can be seen perf o r ming solo, with his and 2004. This year he perf o r med for the troops in acoustic ensemble Trio Los Cinco, or with the Mar- Iraq and Afghanistan with Los Tex Maniacs, a Te x a s cos Loya Latin Jazz Band. He dedicates his perf o r- based band. He perf o r med through these countries mance to his mother, Bertha Loya, and the memory for nine different military bases. It was a life chang- of his father, Arthur Loya, whose courage and love ing experience to remember forever. remain a constant source of inspiration. MI G U E L NA J E R A * LO R E N Z O MA RT I N E Z Horacio Musician/Ensemble is a veteran actor and award- was raised with the rich, cultur- winning filmmaker who return s ally diverse music of Los Ange- for his seventh year as Horacio. les and has traveled and per- During the past 30 years, he f o r med throughout the South- has honed his craft as an actor. west. He represented Chicano Recent credits include “The music in Paris with Lalo Guer- Shield,” “CSI,” “24,” “Lincoln Heights” and “A l i a s ” rero and Flaco Jimenez. His education includes among many others. In recent years, he has devot- Music Theory and Instrumental Studies at Cerr i t o s ed his passion to creating socially relevant docu- College and UCLA’s Ethno musicology program with mentaries and shorts. His Dancing on the Edge emphasis in Mariachi music. His vast musical expe- d o c u m e n t a r y went on to win the Outstanding Doc- rience includes Tex-Mex, conjuntos, orq u e s t a s t y l e s , u m e n t a r y Award at the 2005 IMAGeNation Aborigi- mariachi, zydeco, jump blues, jazz, jarocho, huaste- nal Film and Video Festival in Canada. This film co, nueva cancion, trio romantico, early Californ i a also screened to excellent reviews at the 2007 Na- and Chicano movimiento music. Other groups Mr. tional Association of Broadcasting (NAB) Show in M a r tinez has perf o r med with include Herm a n o s Las Vegas where two of his films were selected to Baca and Lil Joe y La Familia. He was part of the p a r ticipate at the event’s first Content Village. It Mariachi concert Las Tres Voces de Oro, backing was the only film screened multiple times to accom-

La Posada Mágica • SOUTH COAST REPERTORY P 1 1 modate the high box-office demand. Najera’s film, grams for the past nine years. Film and television Phillip’s Story, is a documentary dealing with a Na- credits include Pa n i c , “The Division,” “Strong tive American teenager stricken with HIV/AIDS. Medicine,” “Air America,” “Babylon 5,” “The Pre- This tragic and inspiring film is used by the Associa- t e n d e r ” and “Chicago Hope.” Most recently, she was tion of American Indian Physicians as an educating seen at the Cannes and LALIFF film festivals in A tool and shown on reservations across the nation. Day at the Theatre produced by Valor productions. He wrote and directed L i b e r t a d , a short that screened to critical acclaim at WGBH Boston as part TE R E S A VE L A R D E * of their Latino film series. DreamWorks also Caridad/Widow screened this film as part of their in house film se- ries. Current projects include Mayor of Arv i n, a r e t u r ns to La Posada Mágica, feature film he co-wrote with Yareli Arizmendi and where she originated the roles Sergio Arau (A Day Without a Mexican); Black Elk, of Mom and Mariluz. She also a documentary about his teachings and their rele- appeared in SC R’ s Man of the vance to the 21st century as told by Black Elk’s de- F l e s h and participated in many scendants. He is the Executive Producer and Direc- of SC R’s Hispanic Playwrights tor of the 2008 Oscar Night America Los Angeles, an Project readings. Ms. Velarde understudied the role Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences sanc- of Eponine in Les Miserables at the Shubert Theatre tioned charity event in Los Angeles. Najera is the in Los Angeles. Some of her other theatrical credits President of Americua Films—a company that pro- include leading roles in Latins Anonymous at San duces and develops stories that are part of the Diego Repertory Theatre; B.C. Historia, produced by American fabric but until now have virtually been the Bilingual Foundation of the Arts at the Los Ange- invisible. He is co-founder of the newly form e d les Theatre Center; the award-winning A Piece of My “Labor of Love Film Project Fund,” a non-profit or- H e a r t at International City Theatre; and multiple ganization that raises funds to create human inter- roles in Happy Birt h d a y, Angel, an anti-gang play est and social changing documentaries and short s . produced by SC R . Some of her starring television He is also the founder of Ce Acatl Productions, an credits include “General Hospital,” “Hotel Malibu,” independent film production company. Najera has “Days of Our Lives,” “Down the Shore,” “Sunset an MFA in Film, Theatre and Television Directing Beach,” “Empty Nest,” “Beverly Hills, 90210,” “The from the California Institute of the Arts, received Bad Land,” “Brother’s Keeper,” “Malcolm in the Mid- his BA in Drama from San Francisco State University dle” and “The Practice.” Ms. Velarde has also ap- and attended the American Conserv a t o r y Theater in peared in films including The Addict, Choose Me, The San Fr a n c i s c o . People Under the Stairs and Outbreak. She has lead- ing roles in My Indian Summer, a CBS After School ER I C A ORT E G A * Special and Mi Casa Es Su Casa, an award-winning Mom/Mariluz film produced by AFI. She is also a licensed therapist who works with adolescents and adults. She has two appeared at SCR previously in handsome sons, Justin and Lucas, and has been mar- S c r a p p e r s and staged readings ried to drummer David Page for 22 years. She wishes of La Posada Mágica and T h e to thank her family and friends and wishes everyone Old Matador. Theatre credits a blessed holiday season. Feliz Navidad! include The Three Sisters a t LATC; People Like Me at Play- PLAYWRIGHT, DIRECTOR wrights’ Arena; He Who Gets Slapped at Hudson & DESIGNERS Theatre; A Midsummer Night’s Dream and A To u c h of the Po e t with the Latino Classical Repert o r y; T h i s OC TAV I O SO L I S (P l a y w r i g h t / D i r e c t o r ) is a playwright La n d at the California Youth Theatre; The Old Mata- and director living in San Francisco. His works Man d o r at Arizona Theatre Company; The House of of the Flesh, Prospect, El Paso Blue, Santos & Santos, B e r n a rda Alba, Cross in the Mirr o r and Fu e n t e o v e- El Otro, Dreamlandia, Bethlehem, Gibraltar, The j u n a at the Bilingual Foundation of the Arts; as well Seven Visions of Encarn a c i o n and The Ballad of as touring productions with Will & Co. and Blue Pancho and Lucy have been mounted at theatres na- Palm. In addition, Ms. Ortega has been a member tionwide. Shiner, his collaborative project with Erik of Kaiser Pe rmanente’s Educational Theatre Pro- Ehn, was mounted by Undermain Theatre in Dallas.

P 1 2 SOUTH COAST REPERTORY • La Posada Mágica His most recent project is M a r fa Lights, a new play recently A Little Night Music, My Wandering Boy, written for West Texas State A&M in Canyon, Te x a s . The Fu r ther Adventures of Hedda Gabler, Habeas Solis has received an NEA Playwriting Fellowship, two Corpus a n d Cyrano de Berg e r a c. His other recent playwriting grants from The Kennedy Center, the Will work has been seen at Lincoln Center Theater, Ya l e Glickman Playwright Award, the 1998 TCG/NEA The- R e p e r t o r y Theatre, Oregon Shakespeare Fe s t i v a l , atre Artists in Residence Grant, the 1998 McKnight C o r nerstone Theater Company and San Jose Reper- Fellowship grant from The Playwrights’ Center in t o r y Theatre, as well as at Nashville Ballet. He is Minneapolis and the 2000-2001 National Theatre the recipient of numerous awards and recogni- Artists Residency Grant. His new play Lydia opens at tions, including six Los Angeles Drama Critics Cir- the Denver Center Theatre Company in January 2008 cle Awards and a Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle and June in a Box opens at Intersection for the Arts Award, as well as an Emmy Award nomination for in March. Solis is a member of the Dramatists Guild, Cathy Rigby’s Peter Pa n . Mr. Yaji is a member of an alumnus of New Dramatists and a SCR Associate the United Scenic Artists Local 829 and the UC Artist. I r vine Drama Department faculty.

MARCOS LOYA (Composer/Musical Director) See biog- LO N N I E RA FA E L AL C A R A Z (Lighting Design) is an raphy on page P-11. Associate Professor at UC Irvine and a professional lighting designer. He has designed at various re- CH R I S T O P H E R AC E B O (Scenic Design) designed SC R’ s gional theatres, such as Berkeley Repert o r y The- world premiere productions of My Wandering Boy, atre, Sierra Repert o r y Theatre, Arena Stage, Laguna The Further Adventures of Hedda Gabler, The Beard Playhouse, Alabama Shakespeare Festival and Utah of Avon, Hold Please and California Scenarios; and S h a kes pearean Festival. In addition to his twelve the West Coast premiere of The Countess. R e c e n t seasons with La Posada Mágica, productions at productions include the world premieres of T h e SCR include Doubt, My Wandering Boy, The Prince Clean House at Yale Repertory and at Lincoln Center and the Pa u p e r, Blue Door, Man from Nebraska, Theater; Electricidad at The Goodman Theatre (and Bunnicula, The Hoboken Chicken Emerg e n c y, CTG); and Water and Power, Living Out and Chavez Play Strindberg, Dimly Perceived Threats to the R a v i n e for Center Theatre Group. Other regional System, Sidney Bechet Killed a Man (for which he design work includes productions for Guthrie The- received a D r a m a - L o g u e Award), B A F O, Later Life ater, Berkeley Repertory, La Jolla Playhouse, Oregon and Three Vi e w i n g s. He designed Culture Clash’s Shakespeare Festival, The Goodman Theatre, Denver The Bird s at both SCR and Berkeley Repert o r y, Center Theatre Company, The Children’s Theatre along with their national touring show, R a d i o Company in Minneapolis, Hartford Stage and Po rt- M a m b o . Recent design experience includes A land Center Stage, among others. He received his Holtville Night’s Dream, Wa r riors Don’t Cry, M FA in design at the University of California, San LETHE, I Ask You, Farewell to Manzanar and Wa k- Diego and is a past recipient of the NEA/TCG fellow- ing Up In Lost Hills with Cornerstone Theater ship for designers. He is the Associate Artistic Direc- C o m p a n y, where he is an associate artist; and Utah tor of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. S h a k espearean Festival’s 2006 summer season of shows: Hamlet, The Merry Wives of Wi n d s o r a n d SH I G E R U YA J I (Costume Design) has designed cos- Antony & Cleopatra. He was also a designer for tumes for over 50 SCR productions including most Universal Studios, Japan, where he designed the

La Posada Mágica • SOUTH COAST REPERTORY P 1 3 live shows Te r minator 2 in 3D, and Monster Make- PA M A N D JI M MU Z Z Y (H o n o r a r y Producers), up, the attractions Jurassic Park the Ride and one of SC R’s most enthusiastic couples, are Snoopy Studios, along with exterior architectural helping brighten the holidays for the second facades throughout the park. He is a member of year as underwriters of La Posada Mágica. the United Scenic Art i s t / I ATSE - Local 829. Strong supporters of adventurous theatre, the Muzzys have twice underwritten world pre- LI N D A KO S TA L I K (C h o r e o g r a p h e r ) is a retired mieres at South Coast Repert o r y, the 2005 Professor from the Theatre Arts and Dance production of Princess Marjorie and 2006’s D e p a r tment at Cal State Los Angeles. Her career as The Fu r ther Adventures of Hedda Gabler. d a n c e r, choreographer, and educator has spanned They are major donors to the Next Stage Cam- 44 years. She has choreographed numerous paign, Platinum Circle members and sub- productions for professional theatres such as scribers to both stages as well as the Theatre Playwrights Horizons, The Goodman Theatre, for Young Audiences series. That’s enthusi- I n t e r national City Theatre, Steve Allen and others. a s m ! Ms. Kostalik will be directing Grammy nominee Bobby Rodriguez in A Latin Jazz Christmas Show TA R G E T (Corporate Producer) has held out a and has recently worked on the musical revue T h e corporate hand to SCR once again by under- Tr i b u t e with Crissy Guerrero and Dave Fo l e y. She writing the holiday production La Po s a d a continues to explore creative work in videography M á g i c a . Target’s partnership with SCR and and design. As always, she is pleased to be back Orange County children goes back to 1986 with the SCR family. Happy Holidays! and includes underwriting of the Young Con- s e r v a t o r y Players, The Target Tour of original JA M I E TU C K E R * (Stage Manager) completed his plays to underserved schools, “A Dickens of A M FA in Dance, specializing in Stage Management, D a y ” holiday fundraiser, Festival Latino and at UCI in 1994. Since coming to SC R , Mr. Tu c ke r the Theatre Discovery Project. Two seasons has stage managed or assisted on over 28 shows in ago, the company made a generous grant to addition to seven seasons of La Posada Mágica. establish the “Target Family Pe r f o r mances” of Some of his favorites have been the world pre- selected Theatre for Young Audiences and La mieres of Richard Greenberg’s Three Days of Rain, Posada Mágica p e r f o r mances for families at The Violet Hour and A Naked Girl on the Appian significantly reduced prices. “At Target, we are Wa y; Rolin Jones’ The Intelligent Design of Jenny making a real difference every day through C h o w ; and Noah Haidle’s M r. Marm a l a d e. Other our community partnerships with organiza- favorites include Anna in the Tr o p i c s , A View from tions like SC R ,” said Laysha Ward, Vice Presi- the Bridge and H a m l e t . If you can’t find him in dent, Community Relations, Ta r g e t . “The Ta r- the theatre, he is likely to be on the diamond or get Family Pe r f o r mances give families a great riding his bike down PCH. Mr. Tu c ker is a proud o p p o r tunity to experience theatrical entert a i n- member of Actors Equity. ment at an affordable cost.” DAV I D EM M E S (Producing Artistic Director) is co- founder of SC R . He has received numerous

P 1 4 SOUTH COAST REPERTORY • La Posada Mágica awards for productions he has directed during his at Seattle Repert o r y Theatre and the Alley Theatre SCR career, including a Los Angeles Drama Critics in Houston. He has directed American classics Circle Award for the direction of George Bern a r d including Ah, Wi l d e r n e s s ! , A Streetcar Named S h a w ’s The Philanderer. He directed the world Desire, A Delicate Balance and A View from the premieres of Amy Freed’s Safe in Hell, The Beard B r i d g e . Benson has received the L A D C C of Avon and Freedomland, Thomas Babe’s G r e a t Distinguished Achievement in Directing awards an Day in the Morn i n g , Keith Reddin’s Rum and unparalleled seven times for the three Shaw Coke a n d But Not for Me and Neal Bell’s C o l d productions, John Millington Synge’s Playboy of S w e a t; the American premieres of Te r ry J o h n s o n ’ s the We s t e r n Wo r l d , Arthur Miller’s The Cru c i b l e , Unsuitable for Adults and Joe Penhall’s D u m b Sally Nemeth’s Holy Days and Wi t . He also S h o w ; the West Coast premieres of C.P. Ta y l o r ’ s directed the film version of Holy Days using the Good and Harry Kondoleon’s Christmas on Mars; original SCR cast. Along with Emmes, he accepted and the Southland premiere of Top Girls (at SC R SC R’s 1988 Tony Award for Outstanding Resident and the Westwood Playhouse). Other productions Professional Theatre and won the 1995 Theatre LA include the West Coast premieres of T h r e e Ovation Award for Lifetime Achievement. Benson Viewings by Jeffrey Hatcher, The Secret Rapture b y received his BA in Theatre from San Fr a n c i s c o David Hare and New England by Richard Nelson; State University. and A r c a d i a by Tom Stoppard, The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde, Ay c k b o u r n ’ s PA U L A TO M E I (Managing Director) is responsible Woman in Mind and You Never Can Tell b y for the overall administration of South Coast George Bernard Shaw, which he restaged for the R e p e r t o r y and has been Managing Director since Singapore Festival of Arts. He has served as a 1994. A member of the SCR staff since 1979, she theatre panelist and onsite evaluator for the has served in a number of administrative National Endowment for the Arts, on the capacities including Subscriptions Manager, Executive Committee of the League of Resident Business Manager and General Manager. She Theatres, and as a panelist for the California Art s s e r ved on the board of Theatre Communications Council. After attending Orange Coast College, he Group (TCG), the national service organization received his BA and MA from San Francisco State for theatre, from 1998-2006, and was its President U n i v e r s i t y, and his PhD in theatre and film from for four years. She has also served as Treasurer of U S C. TCG, Vice President of the League of Resident Theatres (LORT) and has been a member of the MA RT I N BE N S O N (A r tistic Director), co-founder L O R T Negotiating Committee for industry- w i d e of SCR with his colleague David Emmes, has union agreements. In addition, she represents directed nearly one third of the plays produced SCR at national conferences of TCG and LORT; has here. He has distinguished himself in the staging been a theatre panelist for the National of contemporary work, including Wi l l i a m Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and the Californ i a Nicholson’s The Retreat from Moscow, the world A r ts Council, and site visitor for the NEA; serv e d premiere of Horton Foote’s Getting Fr a n k i e on the Advisory Committee for the Art s M a r ried — and Aft e r w a r d s and the critically Administration Certificate Program at the acclaimed California premiere of Nicholson’s University of California, Irvine; and has been a S h a d o w l a n d s . He has won accolades for his guest lecturer in the graduate school of business direction of five major works by George Bern a r d at Stanford and the University of California, Irv i n e . S h a w, including the Los Angeles Drama Critics She recently joined the board of Arts Orange Circle (LADCC) Award-winners Major Barbara, C o u n t y, the county wide arts council. Ms. To m e i Misalliance and H e a r tbreak House. Among his graduated from the University of California, Irv i n e numerous world premieres is Margaret Edson’s with a degree in Economics and pursued an Pulitzer Prize-winning Wit, which he also directed additional course of study in theatre and dance.

The Actors and Stage Managers em- The Scenic, Costume, Lighting and The Director is a member of the So- ployed in this production are mem- Sound Designers in LORT theatres ciety of Stage Directors and Chore- bers of Actors’ Equity Association, the are represented by United Scenic ographers, Inc., an independent na- Union of Professional Actors and Artists Local USA-829, IATSE. tional labor union. Stage Managers in the United States.

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