True-Life Inspiration Behind Netflix Series NARCOS Coming to Harris Center

The inspiration for the Golden Globe nominated series NARCOS comes to Stage One at Harris Center, in the season opening presentation for the Folsom Lake College Speakers Series.

Entitled "The True Story of Pablo Escobar," former DEA Special Agents Steve Murphy and Javier Peña detail this decades-long story, which found them at the center of the largest, most complex, and high-profile investigation of its time. With tactful humor and rarely seen visuals, Murphy and Peña share their experiences in hostile and often life-threatening conditions - all leading to the capture and downfall of the world's first narco-terrorist, Pablo Escobar.

Steve Murphy & Javier Peña will deliver their lecture "The True Story of Pablo Escobar" on Thursday, September 28, 2017 at 7 pm. Tickets are $29-$54; Premium $64; students with ID $12. Tickets are available online at www.harriscenter.net or from HarrisCenter Ticket Office at 916-608-6888 from 12 noon to 6 pm, Monday through Saturday, and two hours before show time. Parking is included in the price of the ticket. Harris Center is located on the west side of Folsom Lake College campus in Folsom, CA, facing East Bidwell Street.

Steve Murphy and Javier Peña's incredible journey -- pursuing the world's first narco-terrorist following his brutal reign as head of the Medellin cartel -- begins in the 1980's and continues into the early1990's, delving deep into the history books to reveal inside stories from a good-versus-evil battle. It is a tale that, as it has been retold both on Netflix and elsewhere, often seems too wild to be true. And yet true it is. They share lessons they learned on effective leadership, teamwork and split-second decision making amid extreme circumstances.

Nominated for 18 awards over its first two seasons-including both Emmys and Golden Globes-- Season Three of the Netflix series NARCOS begins September 1, 2017 without the Steve Murphy character (played by Boyd Holbrook). Javier Peña's character, played by Pedro Pascal, returns. Reportedly, both Javier and Steve's "characters" will reappear together in Season Five as the story shifts to the Cocaine Cowboys of Miami in the 1980's.

"NARCOS doesn't mess around with atmospherics or cast-of-thousands nonsense. It's built on sharp writing and equally sharp acting, as any good series needs to be" (New York Times). In a recent interview, Javier and Steve commented "We love the fact that NARCOS has been so successful, and the show and the actors/actresses are the superstars, but no one was more surprised than us that people would be so interested in this event...The true heroes of that entire event are the Columbian National Police-something we acknowledge at every one of our presentations-- for the sacrifices they made and the diligence they displayed in fighting an evil threat." (The Know Magazine).

The Folsom Lake College Speakers Series continues with Jeffrey Toobin, author, legal expert and CNN journalist on January 28, 2018, and inspirational swimmer and athlete Diana Nyad on March 11, 2018.

The Harris Center for the Arts at Folsom Lake College brings the community together to share in cultural experiences featuring the work of artists from throughout the region and around the world. Built and operated by the Los Rios Community College District, the $50 million, state-of-the-art regional performing arts center boasts three intimate venues with outstanding acoustics, an art gallery, a recording studio, elegant teaching spaces, plenty of safe parking and all the other amenities of a world-class performing arts venue. Each year the Center hosts over 400 events attracting more than 150,000 annually.