GARBO'S CUBAN LOVER Comes to Casa 0101 Theatre in February

MACHA Theatre/Films will present the critically acclaimed play Garbo's Cuban Lover. First produced in 2001, the new mounting will be a "reimagined production" of the show, with more music, dance and multimedia.

The lover of the title is Mercedes De Acosta (1893-1968), a contract screenwriter for MGM who was also a playwright, poet and costume designer. She had affairs with some of the most illustrious actresses and writers in America, including Edith Wharton, Adele Astaire, Katherine Cornell, Pola Negri, Alla Nazimova, ballerina Tamara Karsavina, a young Tallulah Bankhead, Eva La Gallienne, dancer Isadora Duncan, Marlene Dietrich, and the love of her life, Greta Garbo.

Born to a Cuban father and Spanish mother, de Acosta's ability to move in social circles and her position as a writer for MGM put her in contact with many of the most beautiful and important women in Hollywood. Garbo's Cuban Lover focuses on two of the most important relationships of her life---with Marlene Dietrich and Greta Garbo, professional adversaries who become rivals for de Acosta's love.

Garbo holds an erotic power over de Acosta that the Cuban cannot resist nor control. She returns to Garbo no matter how often she is betrayed.

But Garbo and Dietrich both have secrets from de Acosta. It will be many years before she learns the whole truth about her two greatest loves.

Odalys Nanin is playwright. At the time of its original production, Garbo's Cuban Lover landed on multiple Critic's Choice lists (including Backstage and L.A. Weekly), as well as 2001's Ten Best Plays list of Advocate magazine. Her other works include an adaptation of Garcia Lorca's Blood Wedding as well as her own original works including Skin of Honey, Beyond Love, The Nun and the Countess, The Adventures of the Lieutenant Nun, Love Struck, Naked in the Tropics, FRIDA-Stroke of Passion, Marilyn-My Secret! and Lavender Love (also set in the Golden Age of Hollywood). The Cuban-born writer is a graduate of The Drama Studio London and Rutgers University. Also an actor, she has appeared in over 30 plays in New York and Los Angeles. Her television appearances include Games People Play (recurring), Jane the Virgin, Criminal Minds, NYPD Blue, Santa Barbara and Jimmy Kimmel Live! Odalys has written three screenplays and written and produced two documentaries and three short films. She's received the Maverick Award and Pat Parker Award from Christopher Street West and was cited by OUT Magazine as one of 100 people that made a difference.

Her scripts for Garbo's Cuban Lover, FRIDA- Stroke of Passion, and Skin of Honey have been published and are available on Amazon.

Ms. Nanin also portrays de Acosta. Like Mercedes, Odalys is Latina, lesbian, a writer, and an advocate for greater participation by women in the arts and in society.

The cast also includes Lydie Denier, Elyse Mirto, Kristin Towers-Rowles, Kesia Elwin, Myeva Surjik, Skip Pipo, Saige Spinney and Katie Patel.

Angela Nicholas directs. She is also an actor, producer, playwright, choreographer and costume designer. She appeared as Garbo in two previous productions of Garbo's Cuban Lover.

MACHA Theatre/ Films is the producing entity. MACHA is an abbreviation for Mujeres (women) Advancing Culture, History & Arts. It is a 501c3 non-profit organization.

From any audience perspective, Garbo's Cuban Lover is one of the great true Hollywood love stories.

Details

WHAT: Garbo's Cuban Lover. The critically acclaimed play in a reimagined production.

WHO: Written and produced by Odalys Nanin. Directed by Angela Nicholas. Presented by MACHA Theatre/Films.

WHERE: Casa 0101Theatre, 2102 East 1st St., Los Angeles, CA 90033.

WHEN: February 10- February 25, 2023. Fri. & Sat. at 8:00, Sun. at 5:00.

Opening Weekend reception follows Saturday, February 11 performance.

ADMISSION: $35.

ONLINE TICKETING: https://cloud.broadwayworld.com/rec/ticketclick.cfm?fromlink=2212282®id=9&articlelink=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.eventbrite.com%2Fe%2Fgarbos-cuban-lover-tickets-467303747087?utm_source=BWW2022&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=article&utm_content=bottombuybutton1

ESTIMATED RUNNING TIME: 1 hour 30 minutes.