2009-10 SEASON

VISITORS' GUIDE TO ARIVACA
by Evangeline Ordaz
Directed by Armando Molina

Two hundred years ago it belonged to the Tohono O’odham. Then Mexico claimed it only to lose it in a war with the United States. Now, Valente wants to walk across it to get to a job in Oregon. But, no map charts a path through this gauntlet of ranchers, Native Americans, vigilantes, ICE agents, and other pursuers of the American dream.

Starring: Richard Azurdia, Nathan Bouldin, Daniel Chacon, Kate Coyne, Marissa Garcia, Ruben Garfias, Tony Gatto, Misha Gonz-Cirkl, Justin Huen, Andrew Roa & Tina Sanchez.

Sept 11 - Oct 4, 2009
Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm & Sundays at 7pm

Reviews
LA Times | LA Eastside | Latino LA

THE GHOST BUILDING
By Damon Chua
Directed by Armando Molina

November 6-29, 2009
Fridays & Saturdays - 8 PM, Sundays - 7 PM

STARRING: Pat Cochran, Andrea Lee Davis, Tony Gatto, Brian Ibsen, Thomas Roche, Leigh Rose and Sandy Yu

WHERE SPIRITS MAKE GAME OF YOUR DREAMS

From the winner of the 2007 Ovation Award for Best World Premiere play comes a new tragi-comedy that meld the 1920s silent movie era and the downtrodden, downtown Los Angeles of early 2000s through eerie humor and revelations of riotously dark secrets.

At its center is a sharply clever murder mystery, the investigation of which is led by the spirited but suave Vernon St. Vicks and adventurous Filipina tourist Cha-Cha Mangabay, where they venture to release silent picture starlet Daisy Milbrandt from criminal suspicion. But nothing is as it seems, as mounting twists and turns soon lead to an unanticipated climax.

Supported in part by The Durfee Foundation’s Artists’ Resource for Completion (ARC) grant.

CoA would like to thank The Amerland Group, LLC, and Buxbaum Group for their patronage to CoA inside The Black Box at The Alexandria.

NINOS de La FREGADA

Theater Presentation: Niños de la Fregada
Written & Directed by: Mariella Saba with the colaboration of children, teens and mothers from Boyle Heights.
Produced by: Xavi Moreno for Company of Angels

In collaboration with East LA Community Corporation and the residents of Boyle Heights.

In these tough times when there’s plenty of money for prisons, more troops, new wars, and big screen TVs, low- income communities struggle with the difficult consequences of injustices. Children and youth are especially affected. “La Fregada” can refer to the current economy, oppressed peoples, and the undocumented woman working in the garment industry in Los Angeles. This is a story told by the children of “La Fregada.”

Camino a la Posada is a celebration of the journeys residents undertake to bring programs and services to our community. These resources help support our efforts to create healthy and happy households in hard economic times.

Wednesday, December 16, 2009 at 6pm
Lorena Terrace
611 S. Lorena St
Los Angeles CA 90023

THE SOLO LATIN@ - WHEN WE DANCED

Written and Performed by Gregory Ramos
Directed by Armando Molina

WHEN WE DANCED is inspired by interviews with senior and elderly Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transexual people across the country.

January 7 - 9, 2010 at 8pm
and
January 10, 2010 at 7pm

THE PEACOCK MEN
Written by Ronald McCants
Directed by Ayana Cahrr
Produced by Lee Sherman
Assoc. Produced by Tamika Simpkins

Starring: Chris P. Daniels, Will Dixon, John Jordan, Michael Thompson, Hari Williams

Five Black men explore contemporary American culture, images, labels, dreams deferred and their own subconsciousness in this wacky, lyrical, quirky, dark comedy about N*ggas in America.

Febuary 5 - March 7, 2010
Fridays & Saturdays - 8 PM, Sundays - 7 PM

Reviews
LA Weekly

Media
Photos | Trailer | The Barbara Walters Interview Spoof | The Henry Louis Gates Spoof

LA VIEWS 3: HUNGER AND THE CITY
Written by CoA Playwrights Group
Directed by CoA Company Members

April 2 - 25, 2010
Fridays/Saturdays at 8pm
Sundays at 7pm

A short-play festival that explores the concept of wanting more!

Eight Los Angeles playwrights explore the notion of hunger, both literal and figurative - turning the spotlight again on issues resonating in our city. "Hunger and the City" offers a smorgasbord of topics, ranging from Prop 8 to AIDS apathy; sibling rivalry to the balance between art and commerce; hunger for a good steak to the primal desire for wanting more.

This panorama of exciting, trenchant views of Los Angeles is not-to-be-missed, and includes a play specially commissioned by AIDS Research Alliance.

L.A. Views is a project of Company of Angels' Playwrights' Group. Playwrights: Damon Chua, John Dubiel, Donald Jolly, Leon Martell, Henry Ong, Tira Palmquist, Vasanti Saxena and Michael Patrick Spillers.

Directors: Lui Sanchez (Supervising Director), Greg Gateley, Daniel Munoz and Tira Palmquist.

Performers: Anthony Mark Barrow, Adam Briggs, Timothy Casto, Juanita Chase, Orlando Chavez, Pat Cockran, Isaax Cruz, Scott Alan Hislop, John J. Jordan, Joshua R. Lamont, Jully Lee, Joyce F. Liu, Rudy Marquez, Art McDermott, Tira Palmquist, Tamika Simpkins, Leilani M. Smith and Joe Sofranko.

Media
Photos

BALLAD OF SAD YOUNG MEN
by Jerome A. Parker
Rap Lyrics by Cornell C. Parker
Directed by Marlene Forte & Eileen Galindo

AN OFFICIAL CoA WINGS PROJECT

Starring: Joshua Lamont, Juanita Chase and Rudy Marquez.

Ballad of Sad Young Men tells the story of Joe, a soldier without direction, who revisits a childhood haunt on the eve of his return to war. On the verge of Joe's personal destruction, his childhood friends do the best they can to save his life before he's shipped off to combat. Featuring the Company talents of Juanita Chase, Joshua R. Lamont, Rudy Marquez and Tina Sanchez, Ballad of Sad Young Men is a daring look at the loss of innocence and how salvation can come from unlikely places.

Performances: May 24-30, 2010; M-Th @ 8pm and Sat & Sun @ 3pm

Company of Angels, in association with Son of Semele, present The World Premiere of

CHASING MONSTERS
by Gabriel Rivas Gomez
Directed by Armando Molina
Produced by Richard Azurdia & Xavi Moreno

"In my mind and nailed into my heels.
All the time killing what I feel.
And everything I touch turns to stone.
Everything I touch turns to stone."
    -Radiohead (Blow Out)

Starring: *Richard Azurdia, Deborah Geer, Xavi Moreno,
Natalya Oliver, *Monica Sanchez, Tamika Simpkins, Carolyn Zeller
    *Member of Actors' Equity Association

Associate Producer: Rudy Marquez
Scenic Design: Justin Huen
Lighting Design: Bosco Flanagan
Sound Composer: Joe Romano
Sound Design: Becca Kessin
Stage Manager: Ivan Acosta
Assistant Stage Manager: Jennifer Perez
Prop Master: Rachel Kahn

Previews: Thursday, May 13th & Friday, May 14th
Performances: May 15 through June 13, 2010
Fridays, Saturdays at 8 PM; Sundays at 7 PM

Location:
Son of Semele Theater
3301 Beverly Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90004

Media
Trailer

COMPANY OF ANGELS
in association with
THAI COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CENTER

~presents~
FABRIC 
by Henry Ong 

August 2, 1995:  In El Monte, California, law enforcement officials discovered 72 Thai nationals confined in an apartment complex ringed with barbed wire.  Lured to this country with promises of achieving the American dream, these Thai workers instead found themselves engulfed in the harsh reality of the garment industry.

Co-Directors: Marlene Forte and Tchia Casselle
Produced by Kila Kitu, Joyce Liu, Henry Ong & Deborah Geer
Assoc. Produced by Gregory Gately
Starring: *Jennifer Chang, *Feodor Chin, Jolene Kim, *Dian Kobayashi, Joon Lee, Jully Lee, Joyce F. Lui, Rudy Marquez, *P.J. Marshall, Eddie Mui, *Diana Toshiko, Ben Wang, *Jeff Watson, *Andy Hamrick
*Member of Actors Equity Association
 
JULY 8 – AUGUST 8, 2010
Friday, Saturday, 8pm;  Sunday, 4:30pm
$20 General
$12 Students & Seniors
Box Office: (213) 489-3703 / info@companyofangels.org
 
Lighting Design:  Christopher Singleton
Sound Designer:  Dennis Yen
Stage Manager:  Amelia Worfolk
Set Design: Luis Delgado

Location:
Company of Angels
inside The Black Box at The Alexandria
501 S. Spring Street
Los Angeles, CA 90013

Reviews
LA Times | Variety | LA Weekly | LA Stage Blog | San Gabriel Valley Tribune | UCLA Daily Bruin

Media
Photos | Trailer

An Official CoA Wings Project

SER

A Solo show written and performed by
Karen Anzoategui
directed by Che'Rae Adams 

Follow Karen's soccer journey from Los Angeles to Buenos Aires along with her zany family as she tries to see Diego Maradona, her soccer God, play while at the same time encountering many unexpected situations. From sibling rivalry to the music of James Brown mixed with the romance of the city Buenos Aries, Karen plays the game of life, soccer and politics.

July 21st, 28th & August 2nd at 8pm
(This is a work in progress)

2008-09 SEASON

The Chalk Boy
(West Coast premiere)
September 4 - October 12th, 2008

Starring: Amy Patrice Golden, Claire Blocking, Sarah Rosenberg, Sonora Chase
Written By Joshua Conkel
Directed By Courtney Sale

Beneath its boring facade there is more going on in the tiny town of Clear Creek than the opening of the new Taco Bell. Four of the town's local girls are here to take you on a tour of their funny, yet brutal reality. They struggle with faith, friendship, sex, the occult, algebra, and the disappearance of . . . The Chalk Boy. This is a deathly black comedy that punches as hard as your high school bully.

Reviews
Variety

Media
Photo Slideshow | Trailer | Amy Patrice Golden as Lauren | Claire Blocking as Trisha | Sarah Rosenberg as Penny | Sonora Chase as Breanna

lost
(World Premiere)
November 2008

Starring: Jill Fouts, Marissa Garcia, Pete Pano, Kevin Vavasseur
Written By Bernardo Solano
Directed By Tina Sanchez

Los Peregrinos del Este

Starring: Richard Azurdia, Karen Azoategui, Rudy Marquez, Pat Cochran, Xavi Moreno, Liana Arauz, Sheila Korsi
Written By Xavi Moreno
Directed By Armando Molina
Produced By Ricardo A. Bracho & Xavi Moreno

Friday, December 19, 2008 @ 5:30pm
Saturday, December 20, 2008 @ 6:30pm

In collaboration with East LA Community Corporation and the residents of Boyle Heights.

Dias y Flores
(World Premiere)
Janurary 16 - Februrary 8, 2009

Starring: Miguel Angel Caballero, Marlene Forte, Justin Huen, Melvin Rodriguez, Carolyn Zeller
Written By Oliver Mayor
Directed By Luis Alfaro

A meditation on love -- gay, straight and filial. Testing which love is strongest, the play is loosely based on "A Thousand and One Nights." It uses the music of Cuban trovador Silvio Rodriguez and Beethoven, played live. It also looks at the changing face of Latino identity as Mexican culture invades the very heart of Nuyorican soul.

Reviews
LA Times | LA Times - Inspiration behind Dias y Flores | LatinoLA

Black Women: State of the Union
February 20 - March 14, 2009

Starring: Kila Kitu, Lee Sherman, Lony'e Perrine, Tamika Simpkins & Paul Mabon
Written By Sigrid Gilmer, Josslyn Luckett, Lisa B. Thompson & Nia Witherspoon
Poems By Ruth Foreman
Scenes By Michelle Flowers & Paul Mabon
Directed By Nataki Garrett & Ayana Cahrr

Awards
NAACP Theater Award Nomination - Best Director(s)

Reviews
Backstage | LA Weekly

Media
Photo Slideshow | Trailer | A Director's Perspective - Ayana Cahrr | A Director's Perspective - Nataki Garrett

L.A. Views 2
April 17 - May 10, 2009

Ten-Minute Plays from the Playwrights Group

Reviews
LatinoLA | The Smiling Spider | The Examiner |

BIG BRO/lil bro
July 10 - August 2, 2009

Starring: Vince Tula, Art McDermott, David Padilla, Xavi Moreno
Written By Jonathan Ceniceroz
Directed By Josh Chambers

Reviews
LA Times | LA Weekly

2007-08 SEASON

L.A. Views
Ten-Minute Plays from the Playwrights' Group
April 2008

Reviews
LA Taco

Sissy
(World Premiere)
July 13 - July 20th, 2008

Written By Ricardo Bracho
Directed By Armando Molina
Asst Director: Tina Sanchez

Reviews
LA Taco | Ernest Hardy Blog

2007-08 SEASON

365 Days/365 Plays
August 16 - 18, 2007

Written By Suzan-Lori Parks
Directed By Armando Molina, Kila Kitu

Reviews
LA Taco

LA GRAN POSADA DEL PUEBLO - Posada 2007
December 15, 2007 at 5pm

Starring: Adrian Guzman, Lupe Legaspi, Ana Maria Arroyo, Janet Favela, Paola Ruvalcava, Angelica Rubio, Lidia Hernandez
Written By Evangeline Ordaz
Directed by Armando Molina

Join Mary & Joseph in a Candlelight procession as they search for shelterin Los Angeles' tight housing market.

This project is supported, in part, by the Los Angeles County Board of This project is supported, in part by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors through the Los Angeles County Arts Commission.

2006-07 SEASON

Arlington
Written by Gary Michael White
Directed by Curtis Krick and Sean Dillon

2005-06 SEASON

The Eight Reindeer Monologues
Written by Jeff Goode
Directed by Nurit Siegel