Luis Salgado Will Direct A Free Reading Of CHECO, ALBANY

Luis Salgado (In The Heights) will direct a one-night-only free reading of "Checo, Albany" by Hadasa Mercado Cortés on Feb 15th. The reading will be presented by THE BLUESTONE PROJECT, as part of the first season presenting never-produced plays that address the shifting socio-political American landscape.

The cast will include Ashley Brooke, Hector Flores, Jr., Javier E. Gómez, and Elena Urdeneta.

Director Luis Salgado on the experience, "I feel very proud of Hadasa Mercado and what she represents as a young Puerto Rican artist with her inspiring writing and daring storytelling. I was touched by her work within the first twenty pages of Checo. I am honored to be joining her vision in this reading and to be re-united with such a great human and professional like our producer, Ben Bartolone.

There are certainly many current themes of importance in the play but I am deeply moved by the close look at the Puerto Rican family issue of belonging and their perspective of the "immigrant" experience. We dream of going to the moon... but sometimes we are simply lied to... "

Salgado's all-Spanish production of "In The Heights" was recently nominated for 18 Helen Hayes Awards with GALA Hispanic Theatre, including Outstanding Direction in a Musical and Outstanding Production in a Musical.

Tickets are free to the 3:00 PM presentation on February 15th, but reservations are highly encouraged. Manhattan Theater Club Studio 2 is located on the eighth floor at 311 West 43rd Street in Manhattan.

The Bluestone Project's first season is a minor step towards an ambitious goal to nurture conversation amongst our community and welcome all to express their inner voice and be heard. A diverse set of playwrights that reflect the actual nation present four new plays about an equally- diverse set of American stories. http://www.kefproductions.com/the-bluestone-project.html

kef theatrical productions is an artist-run company producing exciting and relevant theatrical works. Past productions include Ken Urban's "Sense of and Ending" and "The Awake" (New York Times "Critics Pick"), "Methtacular!" (Time Out NY "Critics Pick"), Marisa Wegrzyn's "Killing Women" (starring Lisa Brescia), Israela Margalit's "First Prize" and the critically-acclaimed extended run of Michael Puzzo's "Lyric Is Waiting". Kef also presented "Island Song" at 92Y Tribeca (Carner and Gregor), "Artists Rising" (a composer/lyricist showcase) at Theatre Row and (as Associate Producer) the Drama Desk Award winning revival of Israel Horovitz' "Lebensraum" www.kefproductions.com.