Penson News

BODEGA CAT, a new play by Latina playwright Desi Moreno-Penson, will have a staged reading at Houghton Hall. Learn more about the show!

Jersey City Theater Center recently added five new trustees to the board of this not-for-profit arts organization. Charlaine Mercado of Sotheby's International Realty, Maria Nieves formerly of the Hudson County Chamber of Commerce, Juana Penson of JAD Consulting, Elizabeth Schedl of Hudson Pride and Christina Seckar of Merck & Co. will join Ben Lopiccolo (JCTC co-founder) of the Ben Lopiccolo Development Group, Greg Edgell of Grid Real Estate and Paul Dennison of Dennison Associates, President of the Board of Trustees. 

Lifeline Theatre will Showcase Desi Moreno-Penson's work-in-development, El Bacalao: The Catfish Man(based on Euripides' “The Bacchae”), directed by Ruben Carrazana, on Friday, July 14 at 7 p.m. and Saturday, July 15 at 2:30 p.m.; and Brandon Zang's work-in-development Nuwa In Fairyland, directed by Helen Young on Saturday, July 15 at 7 p.m. and Sunday, July 16 at 2:30 p.m. at Lifeline Theatre,  6912 N. Glenwood Ave.

Babes With Blades Theatre Company's (BWBTC) 2023 season opens with an extended run of its new works festival, collectively called Fighting Words, June 17– 25 at The Edge Off Broadway, 1133 W. Catalpa.  All performances are free to the public and audiences can provide feedback on the scripts following each reading.

 Babes With Blades Theatre Company’s (BWBTC) has announced its 2023 season. Now in its 26th year, the Babes With Blades latest season includes an extended run of its new works festival, the Fighting Words Festival, June 17 – 25 at The Edge Off Broadway, 1133 W. Catalpa, and The Duchess of Malfi by John Webster and directed by Artistic Director Hayley Rice from September 8  – October 21 at The Factory Theater, 1623 W. Howard St.

There will be two workshop readings for EL BACALAO: The Catfish Man, a new, full-length play written by Latina playwright Desi Moreno-Penson. The readings will be directed by SDC Director KM Jones and will feature the acting talents of Jose Febus, Michael Tyler Jennings, Laura E. Johnston (Stage Directions), Desi Moreno-Penson, Susanne Pinedo, Yessenia Rivas, Kathy Tejada, and Fidel Vicioso.

Over the next five months, Desi Moreno-Penson and Brandon Zang will work in tandem with members of Lifeline Theatre's artistic ensemble along with a small creative team of their choosing to develop their world premiere stage adaptations, culminating in a small-scale public presentation of their works in process in July 2023 (dates forthcoming).

The owners of the recently reopened Crowne Plaza Hotel in Times Square filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection last week.

The MusicUNTOLD Orchestra and Los Angeles Master Chorale present the West Coast premiere of American composer Roy Harris’ Bicentennial Symphony.

The Latiné Musical Theatre Lab, an organization that develops and advocates for new Latiné-written works of musical theatre in order to radically change who gets to tell musical stories on stages across the country, is presenting its inaugural Julia de Burgos Cohort.

After a long year and a half of theater venues being closed, The Tank is returning to in-person shows, 'Smartphone Love' being one of them. The play is so relevant to 2021, being a love story that is occurring during the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic.

DEAD WIVES DANCE THE MAMBO, a short play by Latina playwright, Desi Moreno-Penson, will be featured as part of the Chain Theatre One Act Festival that will run July 23rd -August 14th at the Chain Theatre, 312 W. 36th Street, 4th Floor, New York, NY 10018.

Today (March 2) in live streaming: a Rent reunion, and more!

Today (February 16) in live streaming: Laura Osnes sings with Seth Rudetsky, Josh Groban in concert, and more!

Planet Winter Zoom Fest presents, 'LIP SERVICE: Life, Art, and Tokenism.' A monologue and short plays that explore the bare minimum of inclusion.

Sara Koviak, Francesco Andolfi, and James B Kennedy - all alumni of Planet Connections Theatre Festivity - will star in Jose Rivera's new play, Lovesong (Imperfect) running February 8 - 22 at The Theater at the 14th Street Y, 344 E 14th Street, New York City. Previews are Sat, 2/8 @ 7:30 p.m.; Sun, 2/9 @ 5 p.m.; Mon, 2/10 @ 7:30 p.m.; Tues, 2/11 @ 7:30 p.m.; opening Sat, 2/15 @ 7:30 p.m.; and running Sun, 2/16 @ 5 p.m.; Mon, 2/17 @ 7:30 p.m.; Tues, 2/18 @ 7:30 p.m.; closing on Sat, 2/22 @ 7:30 p.m.

It takes a village to create a masterpiece. OBIE Winner, José Rivera ('Marisol' and 'References to Salvador Dali Make Me Hot'), premieres another powerful stage-work at the East Village's arts haven, The theater at the 14th Street Y.

Planet Connections Announces Its Directors Repertory for 'DARK PLANET: Not Your Mother's Valentine's Day' presented by Planet Connections Theatre Festivity; performing Thursdays and Fridays, February 6 - 21 at the Theater at the 14th Street Y, 344 E 14th St, New York City.

OBIE Winner, José Rivera ('Marisol' and 'References to Salvador Dali Make Me Hot'), premieres another powerful stage-work: Lovesong (Imperfect), running February 8 - 22 at the Theater at the 14th Street Y, 344 E 14th Street, New York City

MultiStages today announced that in association with the 14th Street Y, the company will present the world premiere of Desi Moreno-Penson's OMINOUS MEN, a new dark play about race, poverty, drugs, misogyny and violence in America told through a gothic horror and magic realism lens.