Sebastian Stimman & Gonzalo Trigueros Lead JULIAN & ROMERO at Theater for the New City, Now thru 9/8

JULIAN & ROMERO, a world-premiere play by Alex Perez, will be presented as part of the Dream Up Festival at Theater for the New City, today, September 3rd -September 8th , 2013. The show's website is: www.dreamupfestival.org/julianromero.html

Produced by Media Killed Productions and Directed/Choreographed by Alex Perez (Ultimate Drag Off, Media Killed the Video Star, OZ! and De La Guarda), JULIAN AND ROMERO stars Sebastian Stimman (Julian), Gonzalo Trigueros (Romero), Edna Lee Figueroa (Bertha), Julian Juaquin (Raul) and Daren Fleming (Sgt. Cruz).

JULIAN & ROMERO will play five performances at Theater for the New City-155 First Avenue New York, NY 10003 (Between 9th and 10th Ave): Sunday 9/3 at 9pm, Wednesday 9/4 at 6:30pm, Thursday 9/5 at 9pm, Sunday 9/7 at 5pm and Tuesday 9/8 at 8pm. Tickets are on sale for $12 on the site or at www.Smarttix.com by calling (212) 868-4444.

JULIAN & ROMERO is a fabled story of two young Cuban men in the 1960's, one communist soldier under Castro's revolution, and one closeted gay young man- who were both best friends growing up but are now at odds with each other's beliefs, politically/religiously and culturally. The story is told in scenes and monologues within the play at a UMAP prison camp with subplots and relationship issues that arise between the prisoner and the soldier. It is an agonizing look at a rich cultural history, filled with music of Cuba's yesteryear, American dreams and the will to survive against all odds.

This universal 'play with music and dance' is an exploration of political, social and faith issues that is based on the stories of the men who survived the UMAP camps of Castro's revolution in the late 1960's. Perez, whose own grandfather was a political prisoner killed in protest of Castro's revolution says, 'There aren't that many stories out there that discuss the horrors of Cuba's secret past. It's important that new generations are reminded of a secret world Fidel Castro claims never existed. It's not just a Cuban story, but a human rights issue."

Presented by Media Killed Productions, JULIAN & ROMERO's crew consists of Alex Perez (Director/Choreographer), Libby Jensen (Tech Production Stage Manager) and Peter King (Costume Design). For a sneak peek trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9U9F9b7XrFc

From August 18 to September 8, 2013 Theater for the New City (TNC), under the direction of Crystal Field, Artistic Director, will present its fourth "Dream Up Festival," a festival of experimental theater featuring new works from across the country and abroad. The theater's Literary Manager, Michael Scott-Price continues as curator.

With its Dream Up Festival, Theater for the New City (TNC) opens itself up to theater from the country at large and to artists from overseas. Its founders, Crystal Field and Michael Scott-Price, feel this is especially needed now in a time of declining donations to the arts, grants not being awarded due to market conditions, and arts funding cuts on almost every level all across the country and abroad.

Dream Up 2013 maintains the festival's commitment to new works. TNC has consistently been the most inexpensive theater of its caliber and it continues its commitment to affordable tickets with this festival. Dream Up Festival tickets are $12-$15 for the participating productions. The festival's website is www.dreamupfestival.org and www.Facebook.com/julianandromero.