AMERICAN NIGHT Plays Denver Center Theatre Company’s Ricketson Theatre, 10/7-11/20

AMERICAN NIGHT: THE BALLAD OF JUAN JOSÉ, by Richard Montoya developed by Culture Clash and Jo Bonney, will play the Denver Center Theatre Company's Ricketson Theatre October 7 - November 20 (opening night Thursday, October 13.) Tickets are on sale now, by calling 303.893.4100 or www.denvercenter.org.

Richard Montoya of L.A.'s famed Culture Clash leads us on a comic odyssey through America's crazy-quilt history. As Juan José studies for his citizenship exam, a motley crew of unsung immigrants invades his dreams, telling tales not found in history books. AMERICAN NIGHT: THE BALLAD OF JUAN JOSÉ is a brash, fresh, theatrical portrait of "Coming to America."

The cast of AMERICAN NIGHT: THE BALLAD OF JUAN JOSÉ includes debuting actors David DeSantos as Juan José, Richard Azurdia as Teddy Roosevelt/Ensemble and Ruy Iskandar as Johnny Yamamori/Ensemble. Playing Viola Pettus/Ensemble is Daphne Gaines (Ruined, Gee's Bend), Lydia/Ensemble is Dena Martinez (The House of the Spirits), Harry Bridges/Ensemble is Sam Gregory (34 productions including Ruined, A Midsummer Night's Dream, The 39 Steps), Juan José the First/Ensemble is Rodney Lizcano (The Merchant of Venice, Spinning Into Butter) and Mrs. Finney/Ensemble is Libby West (Cyrano).

AMERICAN NIGHT: THE BALLAD OF JUAN JOSÉ is by Richard Montoya, developed by Culture Clash and Jo Bonney and directed by debuting director Sam Woodhouse who co-founded San Diego Repertory Theatre in 1976 and has since served as Producing and Artistic Director for over 260 productions. Debuting at the Denver Center Theatre Company is Scenic Designer Robin Sanford Roberts as well as Costume Designer Christina Wright. Lighting design is by Charles R. MacLeod (The Liar, Superior Donuts) and sound design is by William Burns (Ruined, Map of Heaven). Dramaturgy is by Douglas Langworthy and Ken Roht is choreographer. Fight director is Geoffrey Kent (Ruined, Superior Donuts, Dracula) and projection design is by Charlie I. Miller (The House of the Spirits, Dracula).

About the playwrights: Richard Montoya (Leo) has authored several plays for the national stage as a solo playwright: Water & Power, Palestine, New Mexico, Anthems, American Night and The River for Campo Santo in San Francisco. As part of the collective known as Culture Clash he has co-written over 13 plays and five published anthologies of the group's historic body of work. Culture Clash was born in 1984 with six members in an art gallery in San Francisco's Mission District. Political satire was a main staple of the group along with site specific works. In their early career, they performed sketch comedy with sharp political views through a Chicano lens. Three members left and the remaining three, Montoya, Herbert Siguenza and Ric Salinas, began to write more formal shows, including Bowl of Beings, The Mission (Los Angeles Theater Center) and The Birds, an adaptation of Aristophanes' play (South Coast Repertory/Berkeley Repertory Theatre). They started performing site specific work commissioned by cities, including Bordertown (San Diego), Nuyorican Stories (New York), Anthems (Washington, DC), The Mission Magic Mystery Tour (San Francisco), Chavez Ravine (Los Angeles) and Culture Clash in AmeriCCa (Boston). The collective created Zorro in Hell for Berkeley Repertory Theatre and La Jolla Playhouse, and PEACE, directed by Bill Rauch, for the Getty Villa. Montoya is the sole author of Water & Power and Palestine, New Mexico, commissioned by Center Theatre Group. He is a member of the Sundance Writers and Directors Labs and a staff writer on John Wells' Southland. The collective appeared in the new Tom Hanks' feature, Larry Crowne (Paramount.)

Richard Montoya is thrilled to be making his Denver debut as a writer at the Denver Center Theatre Company and is very grateful to Mr. Kent Thompson and Bruce Sevy for selecting this challenging work at these uncertain and politically polarizing times. Montoya, a Sundance Institute Fellow, is making his feature film debut with Water & Power based on his play of the same name.

Single tickets for AMERICAN NIGHT: THE BALLAD OF JUAN JOSÉ start at $35 (non-SCFD) and are also available for $10 (SCFD 10 for $10 Program) and are on sale now. To purchase, call Denver Center Ticket Services at 303.893.4100. TTY (for Deaf and hard-of-hearing patrons): 303.893.9582. Groups of 10 or more, please call 303.446.4829. Tickets may also be purchased at the Denver Center Ticket Office, located at the Helen Bonfils Theatre Complex lobby. Buy and print online at www.denvercenter.org. Student $10 rush ticket are available one hour prior to curtain with a valid student ID subject to availability. Senior and military rush tickets are available one hour prior to curtain, subject to availability. No children under six will be admitted to any theatre. AMERICAN NIGHT: THE BALLAD OF JUAN JOSÉ is appropriate for ages 15 and up. Children under the age of 6 are not allowed into the theatre.

This production of AMERICAN NIGHT: THE BALLAD OF JUAN JOSÉ is sponsored by EJCM with additional support provided by Ceavco. AMERICAN NIGHT: THE BALLAD OF JUAN JOSÉ is a featured attraction in the Denver Center Theatre Company 2011/12 season, which is generously supported by the Steinberg Charitable Trust, Wells Fargo Advisors, Ashford University, Larimer Square and SCFD. Media sponsorship for DCTC is provided by The Denver Post and CBS4. The Denver Center for the Performing Arts is supported in part by the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District. Please visit our website at www.denvercenter.org.

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