John Herrera Joins Cast of A SOLDIER'S FUGUE At Bristol Riverside Theatre 5/3

Tony Award nominee, John Herrera will join Bristol Riverside Theatre's cast for a May 3 reading of Elliot, A Soldier's Fugue by Philadelphia native, 2007 Pulitzer Prize finalist and Tony Award-nominee Quiara Alegría Hudes. Herrera will play Grandpop in BRT's reading, which will conclude a season of the America Rising: Voices of Today reading series. Herrera was nominated for a Best Supporting Actor in a Musical Tony for his portrayal of Neville in the original Broadway production of The Mystery of Edwin Drood and was most recently seen in In the Heights (book by Quiara Alegría Hudes) before its Broadway transfer, and the recent Broadway revival of The Threepenny Opera.

Sandy Alvarez, who recently played the role of Ed on the national tour of Disney's The Lion King, will play Elliot, and Temple MFA student Catalina Medina will portRay Ginny.

Elliot, A Soldier's Fugue traces the legacy of war through three generations of a Puerto Rican family and focuses on 19-year-old Elliot, a boy who found his strength and courage in military service in Iraq. After returning home with a leg injury from the war, Elliot faces some difficult questions. Will he return to war or will he try to begin again at home? Told in "fugue" style, this heartfelt work weaves the story of Elliot in Iraq, his father in Vietnam, and his grandfather in Korea, to create a story that reminds audiences how the past may not be so different from the present and how courage is inside everyone.

Tickets include authentic Latin cuisine from the Latino Leadership Alliance of Bucks County and music from Magdaliz Roura of Trio Crisol. A portion of the proceeds of the reading will benefit the Alliance's college scholarship fund. Scholar Dr. Hortensia Morell from Temple University will join the post-show discussion to explore Puerto Rican literature and help to set the play in context.

Conceived, produced and directed by Artistic Associate Adam Goldstein, the America Rising: Voices of Today staged reading series is a celebration of culture and language. Presented in partnership with Temple University's MFA graduate acting program, the series opens the door to the hottest new voices of the American theatre.

Quiara Alegría Hudes is a 2008 Tony Nominee for the book for In the Heights (Tony Award for Best Musical, Tony Nomination for Best Book, Lucille Lortel Award, Outer Critics Circle Award). She also wrote the book and lyrics for Barrio Grrrl! (upcoming premiere at the Kennedy Center). Her other plays include Yemaya's Belly (Clauder Prize), and the upcoming 26 Miles (to premiere at the ALLIANCE THEATRE). Elliot, A Soldier's Fugue had its New York premiere at the Culture Project and was produced by Page 73 Productions. It has also been produced by ALLIANCE THEATRE Company, the Steppenwolf Garage/Teatro Vista/Rivendell Ensemble, The New Theatre, and The Miracle Theatre (2005). She is a recipient of the Page 73 Playwriting Fellowship and the Aetna New Voices Fellow at Hartford Stage, a Joyce Award recipient with the Goodman Theater, and a resident writer at New Dramatists. Hudes is currently writing the screenplay adaptation of In the Heights for Universal Pictures. Her first play was produced when she was thirteen years old by Philadelphia Young Playwrights, and she now serves on their board. Hudes received an MFA in playwriting from Brown University and a BA in music from Yale University.

America Rising: Voices of Today is made possible by the generous support of the Pennsylvania Humanities Council.

For information, visit www.brtstage.org.

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