Luis Valdez's VALLEY OF THE HEART Begins Tonight at San Jose Stage Company

On track to be one of San Jose Stage Company's biggest box office hits, VALLEY OF THE HEART, in partnership with El Teatro Campesino, has been extended through March 13 with six additional performances. With increasing demand for tickets, sold out performances and limited availability in others, the show has been extended for one week before it previews tonight, February 10, and opens February 13.

"The outpouring of community support and interest in this powerful love story by Luis Valdez is a celebration of theatre bringing communities together for a shared experience about our common humanity,"said Randall King, San Jose Stage Company's Artistic Director. The Stage is extremely honored to be collaborating with El Teatro Campesino to present this work by Luis, one of the most gifted storytellers of our generation."

Additional Dates: Wednesday, March 9 @ 7:30 p.m.; Thursday, March 10 @ 7:30 p.m.; Friday, March 11 @ 8:00 p.m.; Saturday, March 12 @ 2:00 p.m.; Saturday, March 12 @ 8:00 p.m.; Sunday, March 13 @ 2:00 p.m.

Written and directed by Luis Valdez, this American love story is deeply rooted in the fertile Santa Clara Valley. The fight to maintain dignity, identity and family are at the heart of this sweeping epic that illustrates the ironic divide between America's ideals and its actions.

"I think of this play as a Kabuki/Corrido because it blends both cultures. I wanted to capture the multicultural fabric of life in this state," said Valdez. "There's a triangulation in the play - that if you take the Japanese-American experience and contrast it with the Mexican-American experience, what ties them together is the American experience," added Valdez.

On the heels of WWII, the Yamaguchis and the Montanos are two immigrant families struggling to provide a future for their American-born children after the Great Depression. The emotional stakes intensify when the families' oldest children, Teruko played by Melanie Mah, whose Off Broadway credits include 4,000 Miles at the Lincoln Center Theater, and Ben played by Lakin Valdez, who recently starred in ACT's critically-acclaimed, Between Riverside and Crazy, fall in love. But the attack on Pearl Harbor and the government's Japanese-American internment camps threaten everything the families and young lovers have built and believe in. The imprisoned Japanese Americans confront issues ranging from patriotism, rebellion and heroism while Teruko and Ben fight to maintain their love in the face of fear, war, and separation.

The World Premiere of VALLEY OF THE HEART kicks off an exciting three-year partnership between San Jose Stage Company and El Teatro Campesino that combines the rich history of two venerable theatre companies and will result in future co-productions and programmatic collaborations.

In the cast are: Lakin Valdez*, Melanie Mah*, Randall Nakano*, Christina Chu, Gustavo Mellado*, Rosa Maria Escalante, Ryan Takemiya, Anthony Chan, Andres Ortiz, Christy Sandoval, TJ (Rafael) Toribio and Lee-Ron. *Member of Actors' Equity Association, the union of professional actors and stage managers

The show plays previews: Feb. 10 @ 7:30 pm / Feb. 11 @ 7:30 pm/ Feb. 12 @ 8:00 pm, with an opening: Feb. 13 @ 8:00 pm (SOLD OUT) and a regular run through March 13, 2016, playing Wednesday & Thursday @ 7:30 pm and Friday & Saturday @ 8:00 pm. Added Saturday Matinees @ 2:00 pm: Feb. 20 (SOLD OUT); Feb. 27, March 5, March 12 @ 2:00 pm; and Sunday @ 2:00 pm. All performances take place at San Jose Stage Company - 490 South First Street in the SoFA district of downtown San Jose, CA.

Single tickets are ($30-$65) and 3-play season tickets are ($81 - $147), offering savings of up to 30% over single tickets, free exchanges, and many more benefits. Call the box office at 408.283.7142 or order online www.thestage.org. Discounts are available for students, seniors, and groups.