Magic Theatre to Present Rolling World Premiere of Octavio Solis' SE LLAMA CRISTINA, 1/23-2/17

Magic Theatre is thrilled to welcome back renowned playwright Octavio Solis for the National New Play Network Rolling World Premiere of Se Llama Cristina, directed by Producing Artistic Director Loretta Greco and running January 23 - February 17. After the Magic Theatre production, the rolling world premiere will continue with productions at Kitchen Dog Theatre in Dallas, TX and at The Theater @ Boston Court in Pasadena, CA.

This incredible, multi-layered fever dream from the mind of cherished Bay Area playwright Octavio Solis, places the audience in the midst of mystery as a young man and woman wake up in a strange room, and must piece together their past identities and relationship while they construct a new future and grapple with the possibility of being parents.

"It's a great homecoming for Octavio at the theatre where he first forged his career," said producing artistic director Loretta Greco. "Se Llama Cristina is a very personal play for both Octavio and me. Its legacy harkens back to perhaps both Ionesco and Shepard, but it's purely Octavio in its skewed humor and humanity, as a young man and woman struggle to transcend their past and their fate."

"It's been fantastic to work with Octavio over the last four months on this text," continued Greco, "which began as a commission from the Denver Center and has evolved through work here at Magic as well as at Oregon Shakespeare Festival's BLACK SWAN Lab, Hartford Stage's New Play Festival, and at Boston Court."

"This play is about night terrors," said playwright Octavio Solis. "Not those that children have, but those that moms and dads face when all the doubts weigh in on them. Loretta and I both have children and our struggle with parenthood has fused our partnership in this work. Se Llama Cristina is teaching me that to be a better artist, I must be a better parent, for the greatest creation is the life we bring into the world."

Octavio Solis is a playwright and director living in San Francisco. Se Llama Cristina is his third play to be produced at Magic Theatre. His first play at Magic was produced during the 1990-91 season (Man of the Flesh), followed in 1996 by Prospect, which was hailed "a thoroughly fascinating, funny, scary, penetrating and gently uplifting dark-night-of-the-soul" (San Francisco Chronicle). Solis also returned to Magic in 2010 to direct Tarell Alvin McCraney's The Brothers Size to critical acclaim. Solis' work has been produced at various theatres around the country, including Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Center Theatre Group, Marin Theatre Company, California Shakespeare Theatre, Yale Repertory Theatre, and Teatro Vista in Chicago.

The stellar cast of four includes Bay Area favorites Sean San José, last seen on Magic's stage in Bruja, and Rod Gnapp, last seen at Magic in Annapurna and What We're Up Against. Magic is also excited to welcome to its stage Bay Area native Sarah Nina Hayon, who is a product of A.C.T's Young Conservatory program, and who has received three Drama Desk Award nominations for her work at various Off-Broadway theatres. Finally, Magic newcomer Karina Gutiérrez, who has been seen in productions at San Diego Repertory Theatre and Playwright's Foundation, rounds out the cast.

Se Llama Cristina will feature set design by Andrew Boyce, costume design by Alex Jaeger, lighting design by Burke Brown, sound design by Sara Huddleston, fight choreography by Dave Maier, and dramaturgy by Dori Jacob.

Magic Theatre, now in its 46th year, has built a reputation as a hothouse for exciting new plays, the hottest writers, and cutting edge professional productions. With its intimate thrust stage, it is the perfect venue for audiences to experience new work up close. This intimacy extends beyond the stage through a number of special events - Thursday night Docent 360s, Friday night TalkBACKs, New Work Development Dialogues with playwrights and directors, and the Martha Heasley Cox Virgin Play Series. Enjoy unparalleled access to new plays, playwrights, and the process of taking a play from the page to the stage at Magic Theatre.

For more information or to purchase tickets, go online to www.magictheatre.org or call the box office at 415-441-8822.

Now in its 46th year, Magic Theatre is dedicated to the cultivation of innovative plays, playwrights, and audiences through explosive and entertaining productions of original work. Working side-by-side with adventuresome playwrights, Magic Theatre fosters new works from page to stage as world premieres, or seizes the rare opportunity to further develop a new work with a second or third production. The list of playwrights cultivated and premiered at Magic Theatre is a veritable who's who of American theatre: Sam Shepard, Michael McClure, Octavio Solis, Nilo Cruz, Paula Vogel, Rebecca Gilman, Lloyd Suh, Taylor Mac, Theresa Rebeck, Sharr White, and Luis Alfaro, to name few. Experience new play development at Magic Theatre.

Pictured: The world premiere cast of Se Llama Cristina at Magic Theatre: (clockwise from left) Karina Gutiérrez, Rod Gnapp*, Sarah Nina Hayon*, and Sean San José*. *Member of Actors' Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers. Photo credit: Magic Theatre.