Rainbow Theatre Project to Explore Being Hispanic and LGBTQ in HISTORIAS

Rainbow Theatre Project's next performance, Historias, is a piece of devised theater about what it means to be a Hispanic/Latino LGBTQ young adult in today's society. Historias will be performed on Monday, April 10 at 7:30pm at Source Theatre.

Directed by TONY KOEHLER, Historias, uses the personal stories and experiences of the five actors involved and combines them with some of today's most important issues to create a devised piece of theater that uniquely explores what it means to be a Hispanic/Latino LGBTQ young adult today.

TONY KOEHLER (Director) is a playwright, director, designer and a teaching artist currently residing in Washington, D.C. He is on faculty at The Theatre Lab School for the Dramatic Arts, where he utilizes devised theatre as a means for artistic expression and self-empowerment for marginalized communities. Tony's current projects include an adaptation of Margarita Engle's Drum Dream Girl and dance-based Martin, Love, Sex & Rhythm. Tony's passion as a writer and director is focused on Latino/Hispanic storytelling theatre. Tony is a graduate of The University of Kentucky's Department of Theatre.

The performance will be helmed by Koehler and the cast includes Skye Ellis, Josue Lemus, Johnny Maldonado, Ariela Sirota, and Marlowe Vilchez.

Skye Ellis is currently a playback theater ensemble member at the Hissing Black Cat Theater Company in Washington D.C. amidst a troupe of all women of color. As she and fellow performers portray the stories of a predominantly Black community, Ellis employs her knowledge of improvisational drama and oral storytelling, and draws from personal experiences living and working in underserved, urban areas. She aims to expose the communities to which she belongs to truths via cultural arts and ultimately, seek and find justice for and alongside these peoples.

JOSUE LEMUS is excited to be working on Historias with Rainbow Theatre Project. Born in El Salvador, Josue, will be graduating from a culinary arts program this spring. He is active in immigration advocacy and Latino community issues. He has a passion for writing and is thrilled to use this passion to bring to light the issues facing the LGBTQ Latinx community in this show.

Johnny Maldonado is thrilled to be a part of such an amazing project! His credits include Cain in Children of Eden at The Bridge; Emcee in Cabaret, Moritz in Spring Awakening, and Piraguero in In the Heights at the Levine Pre-Professional Program and Bat Boy in Bat Boy at 4615 Theater Company.

ARIELA SIROTA is an actor and spoken-word artist in the D.C. metropolitan area, born to Argentinian immigrants. She has theatre performance training from Temple University in Philadelphia, and the University of Maryland, College Park. She is currently pursuing an elementary education degree at UMD.

MARLOWE VILCHEZ, originally from Silver Spring, Maryland, graduated Magna Cum Laude from Hampden-Sydney College in May 2012 with a Bachelors of Arts in Psychology and a Bachelors of Arts in Fine Arts, with a concentration in Theatre. In 2014, he appeared as George Spelvin in The Chevy Chase Players' production of The Actor's Nightmare and as Raymond Stitt/Rage in Ambassador Theater's production of Rage. He played Ramon Ramirez in Off The Quill's 2015 production of The Christmas Cactus. Last year, he played Jonah in Greenbelt Arts Center's production of Bad Jews. Most recently, he appeared in the 2016 Capital Fringe Festival as Tanner in Theatre Prometheus' Good Kids.

Historias is a performance of local Hispanic/Latino LGBTQ young adults. A poetic journey comprised of personal stories, experiences, and issues important to us all. This is their story.

Historias will be performed on Monday, April 10 at 7:30pm at Source Theatre. Tickets are general admission and can be purchased for $15. For tickets, click here. Visit www.rainbowtheatreproject.org for more information about the company.

The Helen Hayes Award nominations were announced in February 2017, and Rainbow Theatre Project is being considered for the John Aniello Award for Outstanding Emerging Theatre Company!

The Rainbow Theatre Project is committed to being the premier theatre for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) community in the Nation's Capital by presenting plays and musicals that reflect the unique experiences, interests and history of the LGBTQ community. Located in Washington DC, the Rainbow Theatre Project offers eclectic performances that honor and uplift the gay community and affirm the worth of all people. Our Stories. Our Voices. Our Time.