WOMAN ON FIRE Comes to Creative Cauldron

As a part of Creative Cauldron’s Bold New Voices Initiative, this April we will be producing the Regional premiere of Woman on Fire, written by award winning playwright Marisela Treviño Orta. Woman on Fire tells the tale of Juanita and her struggles with both her identity as a Mexican-American woman and with a haunting presence that begins to appear in her paintings. This production is directed by Helen Hayes Awards nominated Elena Velasco. Woman on Fire “Bold New Voices” principal sponsor is Jon Wiant and the production sponsor is Diener and Associates CPA. The production runs from April 24 - May 11, 2025. Press night is Saturday, April 26 at 7:30pm.

Director Elena Velasco, when asked  about the importance of this play during these stressful times said, “As the nation's ethos is tested each day, we are called to acknowledge the truth before us or accept the guilt of complicity. Woman on Fire is a reminder that in these times, morals must weigh heavier on our conscience than what is deemed ‘legal.’ Marisela Treviño Orta's play reminds us that empathy is a power unto itself, and that hatred is fueled by fear of what we do not know or understand. We must dare to be guilty of the "sin of empathy."  Laws do not make actions legitimate, only sanctioned. We must make active choices to counter abuses of power with acts of mercy. Woman on Fire challenges all of us to recognize our privilege and let our actions be led by compassion rather than fear.” 

Cast and Creative Team

The talented cast of Woman on Fire includes Odette Gutiérrez del Arroyo, Evan Crump, Nadia Palacios, Lenny Mendez, and Leela Avilés-Dawson. Odette Gutiérrez del Arroyo (Juanita) has been seen in shows around the DMV including, Toni/Veronica U/S in The Other Americans (Arena Stage), Janet Van de Graaf in The Drowsy Chaperone (Workhouse Arts Center), Daniela in In the Heights (NextStop Theatre), Aggie in Finn the Musical:Workshop (The Kennedy Center). Other credits include Tania in Native Gardens (Aldersgate Community Theater), Baker's Wife in Into the Woods (The Arlington Players), Anita in West Side Story (Columbus Children's Theatre), Vivienne in Legally Blonde (Off the Lake Productions).

Evan Crump (Jared)  is another newcomer for Creative Cauldron. His selected credits include Andy Dufresne in The Shawshank Redemption (NextStop), Hamlet in Hamlet (Frederick Shakespeare Festival), Talbott in The Other Room (The Kennedy Center), and Madame Arcati in Blithe Spirit (First Stage). 

Nadia Palacios (Araceli) is making her Creative Cauldron debut. She has been seen as Carmel Cato in Fires in the Mirror (Laurel Mill Playhouse) Romaine Heilger in Witness for the Prosecution (Bowie Community Theatre), Keegan Dean in FIVEPlay (Greenbelt Arts Center) and Ana Sofia in The Palacios Sisters (GALA Hispanic Theatre).

Lenny Mendez (Paola) has appeared in multiple Creative Cauldron productions, including the most recent production of Snow White/Blancanieves as the Evil Queen. She has also appeared in The Princess and the Goblin; The Snow Queen; The Adventures of Pinocchio; The Princess and the Pea; Alice in Wonderland. She has also been seen in productions at GALA Hispanic Theatre; Studio Theatre; Mosiac Theatre; The Kennedy Center; Workhouse Arts Center; The Alden Theatre.

Leela Avilés-Dawson (Swing/Understudy) has been seen in multiple productions across the DMV including Diana Morales in A Chorus Line (Helen Hayes nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor), Maria u/s in The Sound of Music, Maria Delgado in 9 to 5, Lorraine in Jersey Boys (Toby's Dinner Theatre), Sonia & Sally u/s in She Persisted (Adventure Theatre). Additional D.C. credits include Rapunzel in Into The Woods (RMT) and María in The Sound of Music (2nd Star Productions).

Woman on Fire is written by Marisela Treviño Orta, an award-winning playwright, graduate of the Iowa Playwrights Workshop, and a Playwrights’ Center Core Writer. A poet for many years, Marisela found her way to playwriting in 2004 while completing an MFA in writing at the University of San Francisco, where she studied poetry. Marisela is an alumna of the Playwrights Foundation’s Resident Playwright Initiative, a founding member of the Bay Area Latino Theatre Artists Network and a member of the Latinx Theatre Commons’ national steering committee. She has written multiple plays including Wolf at the Door, Alcira, American Triage, Braided Sorrow, Ghost Limb, Heart Shaped Nebula, Shoe, The River Bride, WMB, and Nightfall. Her work has been commissioned by American Conservatory Theater, Latino Playwrights Initiative, Marin Theatre Company, Nashville Children’s Theatre and San Francisco Grants for the Arts. 

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