Theatre Nova to Present Emilio Rodriguez's SPIN in June

Theatre Nova, an Ann Arbor company that focuses exclusively on new and recent plays, will premiere "Spin" by playwright Emilio Rodriguez this June.

"Spin" is a hip-hop love story by Detroiter Emilio Rodriguez. Recently featured in the Latino Theatre Commons' Carnaval of New Work and Western Michigan University's Activate Midwest Festival, the play also landed Rodriguez a commission with Milagro Theatre in Portland, Oregon, a residency with the Mitten Lab scheduled for summer 2016, and an inaugural artist-in-residence slot with Ann Arbor's University Musical Society. "Spin" originally started its life at Theatre Nova last year under the title "Swimming While Drowning" with a staged reading of the script at Nova's Michigan Playwright Festival.

Spoken word poetry and teen romance collide in this fast-paced and funny play set in a homeless shelter for LGBTQIA teens. When Angelo Mendez lands there, he just wants to be loved, his roommate Mila won't let anyone close enough to try, and both boys struggle with the unfortunate realities of being a homeless, gay teen of color in present day America. As they grow closer the boy's secrets draw them together, but will those same secrets eventually tear them apart? This modern day love story with hip-hop appeal will leave you rapping, laughing, and ultimately moved.

Kennikki Jones directs Matthew Webb as Mila and Jose Martinez as Angelo this premiere. Kenikki Jones is the Co-Artistic Director of Dramatically Richer Productions along with her husband Edmund Jones. She won the 2014 BoxFest for directing and this is her first production with Theatre Nova.

"Spin" will run June 17th - July 10th in the Yellow Barn (410 W. Huron, Ann Arbor), a downtown performance space that also hosts musicians and classes. Theatre Nova features free parking for patrons as well as quick access to the city's restaurants, bars, bakeries and coffee shops. New patrons can find it across Huron Street from Ann Arbor's YMCA, through a parking lot entrance on the north side of the street.

Theatre Nova has marked all tickets for all performances as pay-what-you-can, with a suggested donation of $20. Visit https://www.artful.ly/store/events/8229 to purchase tickets. Members with a donation of $75 or more also receive admission to all seven season productions, every show in the New Play Readings series, and children's shows. Patrons can attain memberships by going to https://www.artful.ly/theatre-nova/store/donate

Theatre Nova is Michigan's only theater exclusively producing new plays. Its mission is to raise awareness of the value and excitement of new plays and playwrights, and provide resources for playwrights to develop their craft by importing, exporting, and developing new work. It seeks to create a sustainable theater for generations to come, built on the cornerstones of accessibility, transparency, artist-leadership, and equality. It is a nonprofit 501c(3) organization. Visit theatrenova.org for more information.