2nd Annual Latino Playwrights Festival in NYC

The team of Latino producers (LatinoWorld/MundoLatino, Inc., Cynalex Productions and Caicedo Productions)behind Songs From Coconut Hill gear up for the 2nd Annual New Works/Latino Voices playwrights festival starting March 19th and running through March 30th at New York Citys Kraine Theater (85 East 4th Street, NYC).

New York, NY -- On the heels of a remarkably successful debut last year, the team of Latino producers behind Songs From Coconut Hill gear up for the 2nd Annual New Works/Latino Voices playwrights festival starting March 19th and running through March 30th at New York Citys Kraine Theater (85 East 4th Street, NYC).

SONGS is the brainchild of New York theaters new familia: the triumverate of production companies Cynalex Productions and LatinoWorld/MundoLatino, Inc. and Caicedo Productions. With each production company having achieved new independent successes - Cynalex fresh from debuting its first feature film, Rhythm of the Saints", in the Dramatic Competition at the 2003 Sundance Film Festival; LatinoWorld/ MundoLatino, Inc., having produced Dirty Laundry"for the Midtown International Theater Festival; and Caicedo in preproduction with the feature film, Hector Lavoe"; the collaboration remains a heartfelt focus for the trio.

After last years festival successfully debuted a slew of new works to sold out audiences, the producing team is excited to announce this years line up of new works by emerging Latino writers:
Kicking off the second year of the festival is X&Y Stories", a unique ensemble effort which brings together a group of established latino talent writing new stories that comment on Latino sexuality. Dramaturged and Directed by veteran playwright and director Candido Tirado, playwrights include: Obie-Winner Carmen Rivera; award-winning writer of plays, musicals and operas, Migdalia Cruz; renowned writer/director Michael Garces; award-winning playwright Edwin Sanchez; actor/ writer/producer and co-founder of Sisters On Stage, Janis Astor del Valle; writer/producer and co-founder of Cynalex Productions, Cyn Cañel Rossi; and writer/director and co-founder of LatinoWorld/MundoLatino, Inc., Jesse Mojica. Says director Candido Tirado, X & Y takes a sizzling look at everything you wanted to know about Latino sexuality, but were afraid to ask".

In addition, the festival programmers are presenting new works by female playwrights featuring stories that explore female empowerment. Converse Sneakers", written and performed by Philadelphia-based playwrights Julia Lopez and Magda Martinez and directed by Vashti Dubois, is about the trials and tribulations of being a Puerto Rican girl on the NYC subway. Stakes Is High", written and performed by PattyDukes and directed by Gamal Chasten, a member of the critically acclaimed poetry group Universes, tackles the issues of the hip-hop generation in the prison industrial complex. Rum & Coke" written and performed by Carmen Pelaez is about a Cuban American woman on a journey to find her Cuban roots and the interesting people she encounters on this search. A Night To Forget", a story of recovery after abuse, is authored by Belange Rodriguez and Jaime Velez and directed by Peter Shaughnessy. Playwright Nancy Nevárez, whose last play, Blind Alley," was seen on the mainstage at the Puerto Rican Travelling Theater, unveils a new play entitled Puerto Rico, I Will Always Love You". Directed by Jason Madera, the play explores machismo and national pride in response to the sexual assualts during the 2000 Puerto Rican Day Parade. Puerto Rico..." was recently one of the winners in The Repertorio Españols Nuestras Voces Playwrighting Competition.

Songs From Coconut Hill opens on March 19th and runs through March 30th at The Kraine Theater located at 85 East 4th Street, (212)777-6088. Tickets are $15 and reservations available through 212.561.0201. Festival passes are also available for $50. For information on the festival performance schedule, please visit www.mundoslatinos.com or www.cynalexproductions.com

Festival Performance Schedule

" X & Y Stories"
Written by, Migdalia Cruz, Michael Garces, Jesse Mojica, Carmen Rivera, Cyn Cañel Rossi, Edwin Sanchez, Candido Tirado, Janis Astor del Valle
Dramaturged & Directed by Candido Tirado
Performance Dates: 3/19 @ 7:30 pm / 3/22 @ 7:30 pm / 3/26 @ 7:30 pm / 3/30 @ 7:30 pm

Converse Sneakers" Written & Performed by Julia Lopez & Magda Martinez
Directed by Vashti Dubois
Performance Dates: 3/27 @ 7:30 pm & 3/30 @ 5:00 pm

A Night To Forget" Written by Belange Rodriguez & Jaime Velez
Directed by Peter Shaughnessy
Performance Dates: 3/21 @ 7:30 pm & 3/23 @ 7:30 pm

Puerto Rico, I Will Always Love You" Written by Nancy Nevárez
Directed by Jason Madera
Performance Dates: 3/20 @ 7:30 pm & 3/29 @ 7:30 pm

Stakes Is High" Written & Performed by Pattydukes
Directed by Gamal ChastenRum & Coke" Written and performed by Carmen Pelaez
*Performance Dates: 3/23 @ 5:00 pm & 3/28 @ 7:30 pm
*These 2 One-woman shows will be performed concurrently