201016_MCC_Gargola_Header_v01

by OMAR VÉLEZ MELÉNDEZ
directed by CRISTINA ANGELES

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¡GÁRGOLA!
A new play from playwright OMAR VÉLEZ MELÉNDEZ
and director CRISTINA ANGELES

AN MCC VIRTUAL EVENT | UN EVENTO VIRTUAL DE MCC
NOW AVAILABLE TO STREAM THRU 12/13 ONLY| AHORA DISPONIBLE EN STREAMING

The event was performed in English and featured a talkback with the creative team following the reading | Este evento se presentó en inglés e incluye un conversatorio con el equipo creativo al concluir la lectura

Deep in the dark corners of the Puerto Rican countryside, the townspeople of Barceloneta are witnessing something paranormal. Is it real? Of course it is…But…is it? | En los rincones más oscuros del campo puertorriqueño, los habitantes de Barceloneta están presenciando algo paranormal. ¿Será real? Por supuesto que sí… Pero… ¿Lo es?

#GARGOLAMCC #GARGOLA

This virtual event is a part of MCC’s LIVELAB series. We began our life at MCC almost 35 years ago with the One-Act Festival, so as we embark on another beginning – MCC Virtual Events – we wanted to pay homage to our roots, by hosting a series of One-Act play readings. Act readings will be between 25 – 45 minutes in length and will be read and live-streamed.

STREAM NOW THRU 12/13 ONLY

RUN TIME: 25 MINUTES, PLUS A 15 MINUTE TALKBACK

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This production is available for FREE for subscribers and available to rent for 24 hours

PLEASE NOTE
The performance is captioned in English and Spanish | La producción incluye subtítulos en inglés y español

JOIN US FOR A PANEL DISCUSSION ON THE CASTING OF ¡GÁRGOLA!
WED, NOV 18 | 6:00 PM ET
STREAMED FREE ON THE MCC YOUTUBE CHANNEL

The panel discussion, ¡GÁRGOLA!: CASTING THE STORY, continues MCC’s tradition of provoking conversation.

¡GÁRGOLA! playwright OMAR VÉLEZ MELÉNDEZ and director CRISTINA ANGELES discuss the importance of authentically casting the production with an all Puerto Rican cast. They are joined by cast member CRISTINA SOLER and MODESTO ‘FLAKO’ JIMENEZ of the Oje Group, who will share their experiences as storytellers and creators. The discussion will be moderated by JOSUÉ Hernandez.

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PANELISTS

OMAR VÉLEZ MELÉNDEZ

Playwright

OMAR VÉLEZ MELÉNDEZ

Playwright

Omar Vélez Meléndez is a playwright born and raised in Puerto Rico. Their playwriting debut took place at the 2016 UPR Student Theatre Festival with The Natives Fight for Their Cave: Part 2. They are a member of Playgroup at Ars Nova and a 2020-2021 Playwrights Realm Writing Fellow. Their work has also been developed at The Lark, Teatro SEA, Pregones/PRTT, The Latinx Playwrights Circle and Fresh Ground Pepper. Other plays include We Built Our Homes Near Kingdoms of Animals and Magic (The Lark’s Playwright’s Week, 2019 Rita & Burton Goldberg Playwriting Prize), Notes on Killing Seven Oversight, Management and EconomicStability Board Members and Lajasarriba. Playwriting MFA: Hunter College

CRISTINA ANGELES

Director

CRISTINA ANGELES

Director

Cristina Angeles is an Afrolatina director, writer, and theater maker whose mission is to create empathy and conversation by directing new plays, musicals, and socially conscious adaptations of classics that place women of color at the forefront.
Today, Cristina is the Founding Artistic Director of Checkmark Productions,
an NYC based company dedicated to artists of color and the telling of their stories, an Associate Artist at Roundabout Theatre Company, and a Drama League Directing Fellow. Previously, she has participated in the Roundabout Directing Fellowship, the Williamstown Directing Corps, the SDCF Observership Program, and as an assistant director on and off-Broadway.
Select credits include DREAM HOU$E by Eliana Pipes (2019 Leah Ryan Prize, 2019 O’Neill Finalist,) directed by Cristina at Ars Nova’s ANT Fest, and TONI, a digital series inspired by the life of Marie Antoinette written and created by Cristina. More at www.cristinaangeles.com

JOSUÉ HERNANDEZ

Moderator

JOSUÉ HERNANDEZ

Moderator

Josué Hernández is an actor and proud Boricua. He holds a BA in Drama from the University of Puerto Rico. Some theater credits include La Carreta, Spring Awakening, The Giver, A Wrinkle In Time, The Alchemist, Orphans & Rabbit Hole. TV credits include Telemundo’s Demasiada Tita & Wapa TV’s Factor Mujer. He was a member of the touring music group Código Late, endorsed by the Ricky Martin Foundation. In addition to performing in Puerto Rico and Mexico, he has worked in Marketing & Audience Services for organizations like New York Theatre Workshop and currently MCC Theater in NYC.

MODESTO FLAKO JIMENEZ

Oje Group

MODESTO FLAKO JIMENEZ

Oje Group

Modesto Flako Jimenez is a Bushwick-raised artist and educator. 2015 HOLA Best Ensemble Award Winner. ATI Best Actor Award Winner 2016. HOLA Outstanding Solo Performer 2017, 2016 Princess Grace Honorarium in Theater, and NY Timesand Wall Street Journal profiled. He has taught theater/poetry in NYC Public Schools for ten years. He has toured internationally and appeared on TEDxBushwick, EARLY SHAKER SPIRITUALS (Wooster Group), Richard Maxwell’s SAMARA (Soho Rep.), Kaneza Schaal’s JACK &. (BAM) and Victor Morales ESPERENTO (Sundance). In 2018 he became the first Dominican-American Lead Artist in The Public Theater’s UTR Festival for ¡OYE! FOR MY DEAR BROOKLYN.

CRISTINA SOLER

Actor

CRISTINA SOLER

Actor

University of Puerto Rico, Drama Dept. graduate.  M.A. from N.Y.U. Has acted in soap operas and important plays such as “La Verdadera Historia de Pedro Navaja”. Presented in P.R., Dominican Republic and twice invited to NY. as part of Joseph Papp’s theatre Festival. In 1989 she began her career in TV comedy with “Sunshine’s Café”, channel 4. She worked with this group on television as part of the fixed cast of a weekly comedy program until approximately 2008, being “El Condominio” one of these. She received the Quixote Award for Best Comedy Actress for “De Noche con Sunshine”.
In 1990 she received the “Critics Choice Award” for the best theatre actress for “Ariano”, a production presented in P.R. and Colombia. “A View From the Bridge”, “Los Soles Truncos”, “David’s Mother”, “The Norman Conquests”, “Noises Off”, “August: Osage County”, “Fabuloso”, “The House of Blue Leaves”, “Verano, Verano”, “Steel Magnolias”, “Construyendo a Verónica”, “Romeo & Juliet” (Coda 21), “The Dixie Swim Club”, “Sylvia”, “The Odd Couple”, “Cancún”, “El Insólito Caso de Miss Piña Colada”, “Venecia”, and “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime” are some of her most recent productions, in addition to working with groups such as Lipit and Teatro Breve on several occasions.
She directed “Luv” in 2012, and received the award for best direction at the Third Love Festival for “And the Little Dog Laughed”.
In 2002 she wrote “Hasta Aquí Llegamos”, nominated for best book.
Wrote and directed authorized, (by the author), adaptation of “When I was Puerto Rican” by Esmeralda Santiago (2016-2019).
Wrote and directed sketches for “Locas de Atar” (2010-2012), and in 2011-2012 she was part of “Rayos y Centellas”, a group of political-musical satire.
She has participated in various films, such as “Stranded” (Lifetime) and “Princess Protection Program” (Disney). In National Cinema, “La Guagua Aérea”, “Dios los Cría II”, “Las Vacas con Gafas”, “Vivimos para esa noche”, and “Yerbabuena”. “Picando Adelante” and “Mixtape”are in post-production.
In 2019 she participated in a 4-episode Spanish series produced by Bambú. “En el Corredor de la Muerte” starring Miguel Angel Silvestre which was filmed in Panama and Spain.

CREATIVE TEAM

OMAR VÉLEZ MELÉNDEZ

Playwright

OMAR VÉLEZ MELÉNDEZ

Playwright

Omar Vélez Meléndez is a playwright born and raised in Puerto Rico. Their playwriting debut took place at the 2016 UPR Student Theatre Festival with The Natives Fight for Their Cave: Part 2. They are a member of Playgroup at Ars Nova and a 2020-2021 Playwrights Realm Writing Fellow. Their work has also been developed at The Lark, Teatro SEA, Pregones/PRTT, The Latinx Playwrights Circle and Fresh Ground Pepper. Other plays include We Built Our Homes Near Kingdoms of Animals and Magic (The Lark’s Playwright’s Week, 2019 Rita & Burton Goldberg Playwriting Prize), Notes on Killing Seven Oversight, Management and EconomicStability Board Members and Lajasarriba. Playwriting MFA: Hunter College

CRISTINA ANGELES

Director

CRISTINA ANGELES

Director

Cristina Angeles is an Afrolatina director, writer, and theater maker whose mission is to create empathy and conversation by directing new plays, musicals, and socially conscious adaptations of classics that place women of color at the forefront.
Today, Cristina is the Founding Artistic Director of Checkmark Productions,
an NYC based company dedicated to artists of color and the telling of their stories, an Associate Artist at Roundabout Theatre Company, and a Drama League Directing Fellow. Previously, she has participated in the Roundabout Directing Fellowship, the Williamstown Directing Corps, the SDCF Observership Program, and as an assistant director on and off-Broadway.
Select credits include DREAM HOU$E by Eliana Pipes (2019 Leah Ryan Prize, 2019 O’Neill Finalist,) directed by Cristina at Ars Nova’s ANT Fest, and TONI, a digital series inspired by the life of Marie Antoinette written and created by Cristina. More at www.cristinaangeles.com

CAST

ANDRÉS LÓPEZ ALICEA

Arcadio

ANDRÉS LÓPEZ ALICEA

Arcadio

Andrés López-Alicea is a Puerto Rican director, actor, and teaching artist based in New York. MFA Directing/The New School. BA Architecture and Drama. His acting has been seen at, Teatro Círculo, The New School for Drama, Latea Theatre and The Tank. He is an active actor at Teatro 220 improv company and Story Pirates.

www.andreslopezalicea.com

WILLIE DENTON

Santiago

WILLIE DENTON

Santiago

Puertorrican Actor. A thirty years career where he had performed Classics, Drama, Comedy  and Musical Theater having the opportunity to visit United States, Italy, Portugal, Japan, Venezuela and Colombia.

Many memorable theater productions to remember…  La Vida es Sueno, Avatar, Pedro y El Capitan, La Carreta, Dona Barbara, Othello, Euridice, Razas, Equus, Christ Last Temptation,       DC-7:  Roberto Clemente’s Story,    Wrinkle in Time, Water by the Spoonful among many others.

His movie debut was with the character of Ben in Under Suspicion directed by Stephen Hopkins; starring Gene Hackman and Morgan Freeman.  In 2015 was honored with the leading character of         Pedro Knight on the TV series CELIA about the life of legendary Cuban Singer Celia Cruz.

MARICELIS GALANES

LISA

MARICELIS GALANES

LISA

Maricelis Galanes is a bicoastal actor and singer-songwriter from Puerto Rico. She holds an MFA in Acting from the Actors Studio Drama School at Pace University, where she trained in the Stanislavski Method. Maricelis previously graduated from Syracuse University with a bachelor’s degrees in both Drama and Psychology. Her most recent TV credit was in ABC’s The Baker and the Beauty. Additionally, Maricelis loves writing her own original music, which is available on Apple Music, Spotify and YouTube. She is proud to be a finalist at The Actors Studio, a member of SAG-AFTRA and managed by Brillstein Entertainment Partners.

BEATRIZ MIRANDA

Elena

BEATRIZ MIRANDA

Elena

Beatriz Miranda is a Puerto Rican actress and an American Conservatory Theater’s Masters of Fine Arts program alumni. While pursuing a double BA in Psychology and Theater at the University of Puerto Rico, she was a member of Teatro Rodante Universitario and has performed as an improviser and stand up comedian. Recent roles include Erin in The Tallest
Man in the World, Roberta in Danny and
the Deep Blue Sea, Mary in ACT’s A Christmas
Carol, Ashley in Clickshare and Queen Marie Therese in Lynn Nottage’s Las Meninas.

SOPHIA RAMOS

Doña Eladia

SOPHIA RAMOS

Doña Eladia

Sophia Ramos began as a rock singer for the 90’s NYC hard rock outfit Sophia’s Toy signed to Epic/Sony Records. Sophia went on to collaborate and perform with artists Joey Ramone, Rod Stewart, Paul Simon, Big Brother & The Holding Company, Soundgarden and Metallica. Some of her theater work includes Robert Schenkkan’s musical The Twelve at Signature Theater, Arizona Theater Company’s production of Love, Janis, Berkeley Rep and The Public Theatre production of Party People, Macbeth 2017 at STC and Top Girls Huntington Theatre Co.

CRISTINA SOLER

Doña Rosa

CRISTINA SOLER

Doña Rosa

University of Puerto Rico, Drama Dept. graduate.  M.A. from N.Y.U. Has acted in soap operas and important plays such as “La Verdadera Historia de Pedro Navaja”. Presented in P.R., Dominican Republic and twice invited to NY. as part of Joseph Papp’s theatre Festival. In 1989 she began her career in TV comedy with “Sunshine’s Café”, channel 4. She worked with this group on television as part of the fixed cast of a weekly comedy program until approximately 2008, being “El Condominio” one of these. She received the Quixote Award for Best Comedy Actress for “De Noche con Sunshine”.
In 1990 she received the “Critics Choice Award” for the best theatre actress for “Ariano”, a production presented in P.R. and Colombia. “A View From the Bridge”, “Los Soles Truncos”, “David’s Mother”, “The Norman Conquests”, “Noises Off”, “August: Osage County”, “Fabuloso”, “The House of Blue Leaves”, “Verano, Verano”, “Steel Magnolias”, “Construyendo a Verónica”, “Romeo & Juliet” (Coda 21), “The Dixie Swim Club”, “Sylvia”, “The Odd Couple”, “Cancún”, “El Insólito Caso de Miss Piña Colada”, “Venecia”, and “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime” are some of her most recent productions, in addition to working with groups such as Lipit and Teatro Breve on several occasions.
She directed “Luv” in 2012, and received the award for best direction at the Third Love Festival for “And the Little Dog Laughed”.
In 2002 she wrote “Hasta Aquí Llegamos”, nominated for best book.
Wrote and directed authorized, (by the author), adaptation of “When I was Puerto Rican” by Esmeralda Santiago (2016-2019).
Wrote and directed sketches for “Locas de Atar” (2010-2012), and in 2011-2012 she was part of “Rayos y Centellas”, a group of political-musical satire.
She has participated in various films, such as “Stranded” (Lifetime) and “Princess Protection Program” (Disney). In National Cinema, “La Guagua Aérea”, “Dios los Cría II”, “Las Vacas con Gafas”, “Vivimos para esa noche”, and “Yerbabuena”. “Picando Adelante” and “Mixtape”are in post-production.
In 2019 she participated in a 4-episode Spanish series produced by Bambú. “En el Corredor de la Muerte” starring Miguel Angel Silvestre which was filmed in Panama and Spain.

DESIGNERS

Scenic Design- DEILIS CURIEL

Sound Design- GERMÁN MARTINEZ

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