Releases | New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs

Fresno performs at National Hispanic Cultural Center February 28 through March 15

January 21st, 2020

(Albuquerque, New Mexico – The play Fresno, by acclaimed Latino author Augusto Federico Amador, opens at the National Hispanic Cultural Center’s Wells Fargo Auditorium Friday, Feb. 28 with a preview Thursday, Feb. 27 and runs through Sunday, March 15. Evening performances are Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m., with Sunday matinees at 2 p.m. Produced by Drita James Productions, Fresno is directed by Saranda Kalaveshi.

Haunted by his childhood UFO abduction, a long-estranged son, Ernie, returns home to his dying repressive father, the Old Vato and dangerous half-brother Paco to learn the truth about the mysterious disappearance of his beloved half-brother Angel.

Augusto Federico Amador was born and raised in the Silicon Valley, the son of an accomplished Peruvian jazz composer and an Austrian mother. His plays have been finalists for the Princess Grace Fellowship, Terrence McNally Award, BBC International Playwriting Competition, MetLife Nuestras Voces National Playwriting Competition, and Arizona Theater Company’s National Latino Playwriting Award (runner-up), as well as four time semifinalist for the Eugene O’Neill Conference, they have been included on Howlround’s list of top "101 plays on Latinidad." among many other recognitions. His playwright fellowships include The Public Theater NYC, Humanitas Prize, Latino Theater Alliance/L.A., and Lincoln City Fellowship. He is also a 2019 Humanitas Prize New Voices winner and a 2019 Disney/NHMC writing fellow. Amador’s residencies include the Arkansas Repertory Theater.  His plays have been produced across the United States and can be found at https://newplayexchange.org/user/1791/augusto-amador .

Director Saranda Kalaveshi is an Albanian artist and teacher, born and raised in Kosovo. Growing up, she was trained in classical music and in 2010 she moved to the United States to pursue acting. Kalaveshi holds a BA in Theatre from the University of New Mexico as well as an MFA in Acting from the University of Florida. Her theater experience is primarily onstage; recent productions include The Seagull, 10 Out of 12, The Divine: a Play for Sarah Bernhardt and The House of Atreus. She began exploring directing during her graduate studies, after serving as the assistant director of two productions (The Christians and Ripcord) at the Hippodrome Theatre in Gainesville, Florida. She then decided to expand her focus to telling stories that matter to her, as a director. Curently residing in Manhattan, she is returning to New Mexico for her directorial debut with Fresno. (Instagram @sarandakalaveshi)

Fresno has been selected for the following upcoming staged readings: The Road Theatre Company & Downtown Urban Arts Festival 2020 Finalist.

https://roadtheatre.org/readings/

https://www.broadwayworld.com/off-off-broadway/article/Downtown-Urban-Arts-Festival-Announces-2020-Finalists-20191119

 

About the National Hispanic Cultural Center:

The National Hispanic Cultural Center is dedicated to the preservation, promotion and advancement of Hispanic culture, arts and humanities. The Center presents over 700 events and creates the opportunity for thousands more through its art museum, library, genealogy center and education resources.  The Center is a division of the New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs and is further supported by the National Hispanic Cultural Center Foundation.

The National Hispanic Cultural Center is located at 1701 Fourth Street SW in Albuquerque, New Mexico. For information about upcoming events and exhibitions visit the NHCC website at www.nhccnm.org.

Tickets can be purchased in advance from the National Hispanic Center box office, 505-724-4771,or the NHCC website, www.nhccnm.org.

 

 

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