Elena Araoz News

Today American Lyric Theater has announced the Opera Writers Diversity and Representation Initiative as part of an ongoing commitment to mentoring the next generation of operatic writers. First steps include the appointment of conductor Kelly Kuo as ALT’s new Associate Artistic Director and the creation of a free, virtual Opera Writers Symposium.

The OBIE-winning HERE has announced programming for its HERE There Everywhere winter and spring 2021 season. The season launches with the ninth annual PROTOTYPE: Opera | Theatre | Now (January 8–16), the premier global festival of opera-theatre and music-theatre which has been completely re-envisioned in light of the COVID-19 crisis.

When performance spaces were shuttered, many companies shuttered their imaginations in solidarity with the rows of seats, choosing to hibernate until they could return to live, in-person events and allowing both to collect dust in the meantime.

On October 23-27, activist opera company White Snake Projects presents the world premiere of Alice in the Pandemic, a new virtual opera composed by Jorge Sosa.

Alice in the Pandemic, a new virtual opera from activist opera company White Snake Projects, led by creator and librettist Cerise Jacobs, represents an ingenious adaptation to the changed performing arts environment.

When this pandemic started, my initial reaction to virtual theater was fairly skeptical.

a farm for meme is a story about a 14-acre farm in the middle of South Central Los Angeles, built in a vacant lot after the 1992 LA rebellion-written by Virginia Grise in the middle of today's rebellion, directed virtually by Elena Araoz during a global pandemic.

As COVID-19 plays havoc with arts programming around the globe, creator and librettist Cerise Jacobs and her activist opera company, White Snake Projects, are once again pointing the way ahead, with a nimble pivot to sidestep the uncertainty surrounding fall programming.

Boundless Theatre Company has announced the participants in this year's Boundless Exposed! Boundless Exposed is a workshop and mentoring opportunity for emerging theatre designers of color.

On October 23 & 25, RESONANCE WORKS will open its 2020-2021 season with I Am a Dreamer Who No Longer Dreams at the New Hazlett Theater on Pittsburgh's North Side. 

The newest opera from creator and librettist Cerise Jacobs and her activist opera company, White Snake Projects, is titled Cosmic Cowboy: a work of poli sci-fi that blends ancient history and fantasy to talk about the subject of colonization.

Barrington Stage Company (BSC), the award-winning theatre in Pittsfield, MA., in the heart of the Berkshires, and under the leadership of Founder/Artistic Director Julianne Boyd, has announced its 2020 season. BSC will present two World Premiere musicals and new productions of a Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning musical classic, a Tony Award-winning musical revue, and a Pulitzer Prize-winning play.

Barrington Stage Company (BSC), the award-winning theatre in Pittsfield, MA., in the heart of the Berkshires, and under the leadership of Founder/Artistic Director Julianne Boyd, has announced its 2020 season. BSC will present two World Premiere musicals and new productions of a Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning musical classic, a Tony Award-winning musical revue, and a Pulitzer Prize-winning play.

Following a chorus of critical praise for creator and librettist Cerise Jacobs and composer Jorge Sosa's immigrant-themed opera, I Am a Dreamer Who No Longer Dreams, Jacobs's opera REV. 23, composed by Julian Wachner, will receive its New York premiere in new production by Los Angeles-based director James Darrah at the 2020 Prototype Festival (Jan 17-18).

Boundless Theatre Company (María-Cristina Fusté, Executive Artistic Director) will open the New York Premiere of Fur by Migdalia Cruz, directed by Elena Araoz as part of the Next Door at NYTW Series. Fur began November 1 and will run through November 24, celebrating its opening night on November 8 at 7:30 pm. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased by visiting nytw.org/show/fur. 

The Flea Theater hosted a Mac Wellman Symposium: THE ART OF STACKING THE DECK October 4-6, 2019. The three-day symposium was a rare opportunity for Wellman enthusiasts to gather to share stories and dig deep into the mysteries of Wellman's writing.

MCC Theater announced today the line-up for their Fall 2019 PlayLabs readings of new plays to be held at The Newman Mills Theater at The Robert W. Wilson MCC Theater Space (511 West 52nd Street): Gina Femia's Allond(r)a, directed by Elena Araoz; Ana Nogueira's Mask Only, directed by Mike Donahue; C.A. Johnson's I Know I Know I Know, directed by Taylor Reynolds; and Brian Otaño's The Dust, directed by David Mendizábal.

Havana Music Hall, a new Broadway-bound musical, will hold industry presentations on November 14 and November 15, 2019 in New York City. The invitation-only presentation will feature an electrifying live Cuban band.

Boundless Theatre Company will present the New York Premiere of Fur by Migdalia Cruz, directed by Elena Araoz as part of the Next Door at NYTW Series.

The first season in JACK's new, larger space a?" located just four blocks from its original home a?" features a torrent of talent, with new plays by Amina Henry, T. Adamson, Melisa Tien, Kate Kremer, James Ijames, and Jaber Ramezani in collaboration with Shadi Ghaheri, new dance work by Zachary Tye Richardson, Amanda Szeglowski, Niall Noel Jones, Justin Allen, Nia & Ness, mayfield brooks, as well as concerts featuring Shelley Hirsch, Pascal Niggenkemper and more. The season, running October 2019 through March 2020, serves as a sampler of some of the most arresting artists in the current performance scene.