Solo Show RISE OF A KING Starring Vico Ortiz To Have West Coast Premiere
The highly anticipated production will make its West Coast premiere in Los Angeles during Pride Month.
By: A.A. Cristi May. 27, 2025
Acclaimed nonbinary actor, writer, producer and activist Vico Ortiz (Our Flag Means Death, Fionna and Cake) is set to debut their new powerful solo show, RISE OF A KING. The highly anticipated production will make its West Coast premiere in Los Angeles during Pride Month.
In this burlesque heartfelt piece, Ortiz takes audiences on a whimsical, astrological, gender-bending journey through their childhood, using drag as a tool to both untether and re-root themselves. Blending humor, vulnerability and magic, RISE OF A KING is a moving and hilarious story about finding and owning who they truly are and reconnecting with loved ones.
Masterfully directed by Ismanuel Rodríguez, written by Vico Ortiz, and developed in collaboration with Nikki Levy, RISE OF A KING is a genre-breaking experience that invites audiences on a transformative and self-reflective journey that challenges traditional notions of masculinity, femininity, queerness, and what it means to be your most honest full self.
"I wrote this as a love letter to my family and to an older (younger) version of myself," shares Ortiz, "I hope that those who see this show can see themselves and honor and celebrate their journey no matter how messy, because there is so much beauty in the messy magic of it all. Our path in life doesn't need to be perfect in order to be celebrated. Oftentimes we wanna jump onto the celebration, which is a totally valid thing to desire, while also running away from the grief that inevitably encompasses it. In this show I hope to integrate and celebrate it all (the joy, the mess, the sexyness, the discovery, the grief) with love, care, curiosity, whimsy and compassion. I would love for everyone to walk out of this show feeling empowered to witness their journey and the journey of others with curiosity. To extend themselves the magic they already have, integrate it and share it far and wide with love and care."
RISE OF THE KING's highly anticipated west coast premiere will be part of the Hollywood Fringe Festival and will be showing on Thursday, June 12, Monday, June 16 and Wednesday, June 18 at Greenway Court Theatre. The Los Angeles shows are produced by Celebration Theatre, in association with BoriQueer Productions and Tantai Teatro, with set design by Josue Matias and puppets by Fyre. For tickets please go to: https://celebrationtheatre.org/king (ASL-interpreted performance on Monday, June 16)
"This show is an epic Pride joyride when we need it most. Vico has taken the pain, joy and beautiful messiness of uncovering who they really are, and woven it into a tapestry of queer joy. We're excited to share it." - states Nikki Levy, Celebration Theatre Board Member and Rise of a King Producer.
"Illuminating trans and nonbinary stories is a gorgeous and urgent imperative for our mission at Celebration Theatre," expressed Executive Director Christopher Maikish. "That's why we are so honored to welcome the fearless Vico Ortiz back to premiere their powerful and provocative solo play on the West Coast, after delighting our community this past December in our world premiere Tales of the Transcestors: The Divine."
RISE OF A KING is a bold performance that embodies Vico Ortiz's signature charisma, courage, and boundary-breaking artistry. Known for their breakout role in the hit Max series Our Flag Means Death, and their advocacy for queer and nonbinary visibility, Ortiz continues to carve new space in the worlds of TV, film, theater, and most recently podcasting. Today in Gay is a short, joyful, daily news podcast by and for the queer community, created by fellow actress Jasmin Savoy Brown (Yellowjackets, Scream) and hosted by Vico Ortiz and Nay Bever (co-producer, Queer for Fear). To listen to the podcast: https://todayingay.substack.com/about.
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Best Musical - Top 3
1.
JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR (Hollywood Bowl)
5.9% of votes
2.
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5.7% of votes
3.
HAIR (Conundrum Theatre)
5.5% of votes
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