Teatro Iati and World Players, Inc Presents THE SMELL OF POPCORN 9/8-19

Teatro IATI and World Players, Inc. are pleased to announce the New York premiere production of José Luis Ramos Escobar's The Smell of Popcorn, directed by Jorge B. Merced. The Smell of Popcorn will play 10 performances only at Teatro IATI (59-61 East 4th Street). Performances begin Wednesday, September 8 and continue through Sunday, September 19. Opening Night is Thursday, September 9 (8 p.m.).

Press Performances: Wednesday September 8 and Thursday September 9
(non-press performances will be accommodated upon request.)

The worlds of an acting student and a career thief, who forcibly enters her apartment, collide in José Luis Ramos-Escobar's internationally acclaimed dark comedy about human connectedness, and the multiple effects of urban crime upon daily life.

Fabiola, a 25-year-old theater student, arrives home following rehearsals for a college production of Othello. Her sleep is interrupted by Georgie, who turns an ordinary night into an unforgettable battle of the wills.

Armed only with her wit, Fabiola draws her attacker into a complex game of role-playing that blurs the boundaries between imagination and reality. As the two negotiate the terms of their unlikely encounter, they discover who they truly are, and where they stand. Are they really that far apart?

Based on a real-life incident, The Smell of Popcorn is written by one of Puerto Rico's most renowned playwrights.

The production features scenic and lighting design by Jason Sturm and stage fight choreography, by Mike Yahn.

The Smell of Popcorn plays the following regular schedule through Sunday, September 19:

Thursdays at 8 p.m.
Fridays at 8 p.m.
Saturdays at 8 p.m.
Sundays at 3 p.m.
Special performance Monday, September 13 at 7 p.m.

Talk back with the José Luis Ramos Escobar following the performance on Friday 9/10, is hosted by TeatroStageFest and American Airlines.

Tickets are $18 and are now available online at www.teatroiati.org. Tickets for seniors and students are $15. Tickets for Preview Night, September 8, are $10.

Running Time: 1 hr and 30 min, no intermission

Website: www.teatroiati.org

BIOGRAPHIES

JOSE LUIS RAMOS ESCOBAR (Playwright) is one of the most prolific and versatile contemporary writers and playwrights to hail from Puerto Rico. He has published a novel, Sintigo (1985); a book of short stories, En la otra orilla (1992); and plays including Indocumentados (1991), Mano dura (1994), Gení y el Zepelí (1995), El olor del Popcorn/The Smell of Popcorn (Opened 1993, published 1996 and 2002), El Salvador del Puerto (1996), Salsa Gorda (2001), ¡Puertorriqueños? (2001), and Mascarada (2004). Ramos Escobar has directed more than 18 productions and has written scripts for television including De sol a sol, a documentary about Manuel Gregorio Tavárez; Cuando despierta el amor and Sentimientos encontrados, two series for Puerto Rico's PBS, and Desandando la vida, a TV special.

Born in Guayanilla, a rural town southwest of San Juan, the writer holds a Bachelor's Degree in Drama and Comparative Literature from the University of Puerto Rico, and a Master's Degree and Ph.D from Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island. He is currently serves as Dean of Humanities at the University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras Campus, where he also teaches at the Drama Department.

LUCIANA FAULHABER (Fabiola) A native of Brazil, she completed a two-year Meisner training with Bill Esper and the LAByrinth Theatre Master Class. Some of her theatre off and off-off Broadway credits include: House monkey in the world premiere of John Patrick Shanley's new musical The Monkey Show with music by Henry Krieger, staged reading with the LAB theatre company of I rise in Flame Cried the Phoenix and others at TEEN 99, Sarah in Don?t hold the Doors at the Bleecker Street Theatre, Tracy in Seascape with Sharks and Dancer at The Tank, Jill in One at Nic's Spoon Theatre, Joleen in B.F.F. finalist at the From the Hip: Horror festival, Jenny in The Goose is Getting Fat finalist of Kick IT! Festival and Tammy Hays and Friar in Romeo and Juliet Together and Alive at Last! at the Long Beach Playhouse, CA. Some of her film credits include: Van Hunt basketball player in the Lionsgate film The Winning Season, Elizabeth in the short independent film Una calle Sin Salida, Flavia in the short Lottery Ticket a Newport Beach and CU Film Festival selection and Jussara in short The Last Samba. Luciana has modeled for Guy Webster, MAC Cosmetics and has currently running national AT&T commercial. www.lucianafaulhaber.com

JAVIER E. GOMEZ (Georgie) A graduate of the two-year Meisner program with Bill Esper, Javier E. was recently seen Off Broadway as the young father in No Dogs Allowed, a new musical produced by the Atlantic Theatre Company based on Sonia Manzano's book (dir. Josh Lewis). Previous NY credits include My Favorite Year (Village Light Opera, dir. Evan Papas), Rocky Horror Show (Centerstage Playhouse), Shakespeare's Measure for Measure (dir. Glory Bowen), Apathy: The Gen X Musical (dir. Paula D?Alessandris), Lorca Federico Lorca (dir. Luis Caballero, Teatro Círculo), Ruandi and Paper Boat: Hostos (dir. Yanko Bakulic, IATI). Other productions include Sondheim's Passion, Threepenny Opera, The Wiz, and Man of La Mancha, TV: Guiding Light, Padre David in Psychosis, a Sunday prime-time series directed by Sonia Valentín for Telemundo. Films: El Cantante, Carlito's Way: Rise to Power. Born in Puerto Rico, Javier E. is also an award-winning writer with works published by El Diario/La Prensa (the oldest Spanish language newspaper in the United States), El Nuevo Día, Pie Derecho, and Reuter's Dollars & Sense Magazine, among other outlets.

JORGE B. MERCED (Director) A graduate of CUNY-City College, Dept. of Theater, the EITALC/International Theater School in Cuba, and also studied dance and choreography at the Alvin Ailey School. Since 1987, he plays a key role in the development of Pregones Theater's original repertory, where he serves as Associate Artistic Director and is in charge of the company's LGBTQ-themed Asunción Playwrights Project. Recent director credits include Aloha Boricua, a new musical about Puerto Rican migration to Hawaii based on Manuel Ramos Otero's stories, Pablo García Gámez's Blanco (2006), a collaboration with Teatro IATI (Latin ACE and HOLA Best Director Award), Suzan-Lori Parks' 365 Days/365 Plays (2007, with The Public Theater), Los Nutcrackers, A Christmas Carajo (2007 & 2008, BAAD), El huésped vacío (2008, Teatro IATI), and Brides (2008). Some of Mr. Merced's merit distinctions include Bronx BRIO Award, National Dewar's Young Artist Award, Puerto Rican Institute of NY Distinguished Actor/Director Award, multiple HOLA and Latin ACE awards, the 2008 EL Award for Outstanding Latinos by El Diario/La Prensa, and an HOLA Special Achievement Award for his pioneering work with Asunción.

TEATRO IATI (International Theater Arts Institute) is a New York-based, not-for-profit performing arts organization established in 1968, dedicated to perform and promote contemporary Latino heritage through full productions in theatre, music and dance, as well as staged readings and workshops, serving as a bridge between artists and underserved communities in its New York home, on national and international tours. The company makes arts accessible to all audiences, addressing contemporary issues of broad human interest and framing them in a strong cultural context of social impact that motivates introspection and social awareness. IATI is also devoted to the emergence of new artistic talents in the disciplines of theater, music, and dance, providing the training and encouraging fulfilling their dreams.

World Players, Inc. (WPI) is a multicultural theater company that operates under the not-for-profit umbrella of Fractured Atlas and was founded in December 2008 by a group of individuals who share their passion for the arts. The organization values diversity in all its forms and found its common language in the theater.

WPI's mission is to entertain and inspire audiences, and to give opportunities to emerging artists. The group believes that quality work can be done with limited resources, and presents three productions per year: a full length play, a short plays festival that provides opportunity to a greater number of artists, and an open work. The organization constantly seeks published and unpublished quality plays to produce and all casting is done through open auditions. As often as possible WPI invites artists from other fields, such as design, music, and visual arts, to take part in its productions. WPI works as an artistic collaboration, an open forum of discussion in which different opinions are respected, and new ideas and proactive participation are welcomed.

Air transportation for José Luis Ramos Escobar is provided by American Airlines, Official Airline of TeatroStageFest.