Photo Flash: THE LATINA CHRISTMAS SPECIAL Starts Tonight at LATC

Deck the halls with guacamole! Fa, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la! 'Tis the season to be jolly! If you think your holidays with relatives were dramatic, then fasten your seat belts for a new holiday entertainment coming your way! Family Christmas stories of holidays past will come to life as the Latino Theater Company (LTC), operators of the Los Angeles Theatre Center (LATC) present THE LATINA CHRISTMAS SPECIAL created by Diana Yanez, written by and starring critically acclaimed Latina comediennes Diana Yanez, Sandra Valls and Maria Russell under the direction of Geoffrey Rivas, to be presented at the Los Angeles Theater Center, 514 South Spring Street (between West Fifth Street and West Sixth Street - Historic Core/Downtown LA), Los Angeles, CA 90013. Discounted previews will be presented tonight and tomorrow, November 19 and 20, 2015. The play will have a Five-Week from November 21 (Press Opening Night) - December 20, 2015. BroadwayWorld has a sneak peek at the stars below!

In THE LATINA CHRISTMAS SPECIAL three first generation Latinas get together to dish about everything from moms to cucarachas to Farrah Fawcett in a no holds barred evening holiday soirée as they relive some of their very personal Christmas stories (and fantasies) of holidays past shared with families and loved ones. The show is a series of holiday memories told through the eyes of three comedic actresses: Diana Yanez, a Cuban American from Miami (of Hollywood; Margaret Cho's The Sensuous Woman), Sandra Valls, a Mexican American from Laredo, TX (of Altadena; Showtime's Latin Divas of Comedy), and Maria Russell, the daughter of an over-dedicated Mexican mother and a compliant Lithuanian father (of Studio City; FX's It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia) helmed by director Geoffrey Rivas, founding member of LTC (of Culver City; director of the NAACP award-winning solo show Beautiful; selected acting credits include La Bamba, CSI - Las Vegas, TNT's Murder in the First).

THE LATINA CHRISTMAS SPECIAL received its World Premiere performance on Thursday, December 12, 2013 at The Elephant Theatre Company in Hollywood, CA produced by Atomictuna Productions and Combined Art Form, where it played for four Sold Out performances with a cast including Diana Yanez, Sandra Valls and Maria Russsell. The show received its second production with the same cast a year later in December 2014 when it played at the Theatre Asylum in Hollywood, CA for nine Sold Out performances, again produced by Atomictuna Productions and Combined Art Form. Creator Diana Yanez says, "To me TheLatina Christmas Special is the little show that could. Each year since we started our show has grown significantly. Now, this year, in 2015, we are thrilled to have the Latino Theater Company presenting our show for 20 performances in a new fully realized staged production under the direction of the wonderful Geoffrey Rivas."

The play's Production Team includes: José Luis Valenzuela (LATC Artistic Director); Dr. Chantal Rodriguez(LATC Programming Director/Literary Manager); Lori Zimmerman (LATC Interim Company Manager); Geoffrey Rivas(Director); Diana Yanez (Creator/Actor/Writer); Sandra Valls (Actor/Writer); Maria Russell (Actor/Writer); Michael Navarro(Set Designer); Julian Fernandez (Lighting Designer); Ivan Robles (Sound Designer): Socorro Gamboa (LATC Community Outreach Coordinator); Amber Espinoza-Jones (Stage Manager); Wayne Nakasone (LATC Technical Director); Xavi Moreno(LATC Marketing Associate and Graphic Artist); Kurt Hall (Pre-Production Photographer); Chaz Photographics (Production Photographer) and Steve Moyer Public Relations (Press Representative).

Please visit www.thelatc.org for a complete performance schedule and ticket information.

Photo Credit: Kurt Hall