Company of Angels ~ Where Angelenos See Themselves

	ARMANDO MOLINA Artistic Director Email Armando Molina is a director and writer with a background in theater development. His recent directing credits include ”Distracted” by Lisa Loomer at TheaterWorks, in Palo Alto, California, “Visitors Guide to Arivaca” by Evangeline Ordaz at Teatro Vision, San Jose, California and Company of Angels. “Hippie Mexicana aka Digging Rios” by Evangeline Ordaz at Borderlands Theater; “Sissy” by Ricardo Bracho at Company of Angels in Los Angeles, “Anna In The Tropics” by Nilo Cruz at PCPA Theaterfest in Santa Maria California; “Living Out” By Lisa Loomer at TheatreWorks and at Mixed Blood Theatre in Minneapolis, “The Waiting Room” by Lisa Loomer at Company of Angels in Los Angeles, “Conjunto” by Oliver Mayer at Borderlands Theater Company in Tucson, Arizona, “Rocio” by Oliver Mayer at King King in Hollywood. Armando received national recognition from the NEA and the Theater Communications Group as a recipient of their Career Development Program for Directors. Before leaving to freelance as a director, Armando was a member of the Cornerstone Theater ensemble. Armando co-founded Latins Anonymous, the critically acclaimed Latino Comedy Group, whose plays were published by Arte Publico Press and continue to be performed nationally. Armando’s other directing credits include “Magic Tricks,” “Mass Transit” and “Esther and the Exodus,” “Dolores Dilemma,” “Freak: Saint Plays” for Cornerstone Theater Company; The American Southwest Theater Company’s production of “Latins Anonymous;” “Ramona Roses,” at Theater of Note in Los Angeles (a one woman show about at risk youth in East Los Angeles), “Confessions of a Cha Cha Feminist” at Highways in Santa Monica, and “The Case of the Strange Step Brother” for California Youth Theater. Armando also assistant directed Doug Wager at the Mark Taper Forum and Jo Bonny at Second Stage in New York. Armando also co-founded The Platform, a political cabaret that explored post riot Los Angeles as a community in crisis. The Platform performed at the Los Angeles Theater Center, Highways Performance Space, UCLA, and Los Angeles Contemporary Exhibits (LACE).
	MARLENE FORTE Co-Artistic Director Email \| Website Marlene Forte, a native of Havana, Cuba, is a founding member of the nationally acclaimed LAByrinth Theater Company in New York City, alongside, Academy Award Winner, Philip Seymour Hoffman, actor, John Ortiz and critically acclaimed playwright, Stephen Adly Guirgis. Ms. Forte made her directorial debut last year on the web series YLSE starring Ruth Livier (Resurrection Blvd). Forte has carved out an impressive career as an actress on stage and screen. Her dossier rivals some of the most prolific working actors in Los Angeles and New York, most recently Guest Starring and Recurring in TYLER PERRY’S HOUSE OF PAYNE, CSI, NIP/TUCK, CSI MIAMI, LOST, LINCOLN HEIGHTS, and BONES to name a few. Film credits include JJ Abrams' STAR TREK, ADRIFT IN MANHATTAN, REAL WOMAN HAVE CURVES, OUR SONG, and LITTLE GIRL LOST: THE DELIMAR VERA STORY for which she received a Best Supporting Actress nomination. This upcoming season, Ms. Forte will be part of the cast of FOX's new show PAST LIFE. Ms. Forte returns to the theater to guide CoA into the next era with Co-Artistic Director, Armando Molina.
	RICHARD AZURDIA Producing Director Email \| Website RICHARD AZURDIA is a true Angeleno, born and raised in L.A. He has been seen in the CoA productions of Chasing Monsters (also producer), Visitors' Guide To Arivaca (also producer), Peregrinos Del Este, Sissy and L.A. Views. Other theater include: Iphigenia...A Rave Fable (Son of Semele Ensemble-4 L.A. Weekly Awards), Othello (Independent Shakespeare Co.), La Posada Magica (Odyssey Theater), Stranger (Bootleg Theater-5 LA Weekly Awards Noms & 3 LADCC Awards Noms), Living Out (CTG/Mark Taper Forum), Much Ado About Nothing (East LA Classic Theater), For All Time (Cornerstone Theater Co.), Always & Forever (Watts Village Theater Co.), The Entire World is A Narrow Bridge (Collage Dance Theater) & Tropical America (24th Street Theater). For 8 years he played 'Diego Rivera' in Grupo De Teatro Sinergia's acclaimed play Frida Kahlo. His film and TV credits are numerous. Including a recurring role on Showtime's Weeds and co-starring in Lionsgate's acclaimed Spanish film Ladron Que Roba A Ladron. He's an Artistic Associate of Son of Semele Ensemble and an Advisory Council Member of the Ford Amphitheatre & [Inside] The Ford. He's also a small business owner (Azurdia's Legal Services) where his specialty, as a certified Tax Preparer, is preparing tax returns for actors and other artists. www.RichardAzurdia.com.
	XAVI MORENO Marketing Director/Producing Director Email Xavi is a proud Angelino, born, raised, and staged on the Eastside of Los Angeles, East of the LA River in the historic barrio of Boyle Heights. A kaleidoscope of talent - actor, writer, poet, spoken word artist, dancer, graphic designer and motivational speaker - Xavi has jumped the hurdles of barrio life to be where he is at and to go where he is going. His on stage work with CoA includes: Chasing Monsters, Big Bro/Lil Bro, L.A Views II, Los Peregrinos del Este, SISSY & LA Views I. Other theater credits include: The 16th Anniversary production of Frida Kahlo (Teatro Sinergia/Frida Kahlo), Dias y Flores (Miami Intl. Hispanic Theater Festival), Heart on a Wire (Tounge in’ Chic*ana), For All Time (Cornerstone), The Complex (Center for Theater of the Oppressed), Always & Forever (Watts Village) and Voces/Voices (Teatro East of the River). Beyond the stage Xavi has been responsible for CoA’s innovative marketing rooting from his decade long freelance creative consultation. Consistently pushing for innovation, Xavi has the ability to see beyond the expected or average solution. In his creative, Xavi strives to see beyond tomorrow with a realistic balance of what is possible and appropriate for today. Throughout his professional career and education, Xavi’s most influential experience? Every day life. A sampling of Xavi’s consulting and freelance clients include: American Apparel, Stussy, Urban Outfitters, Ford & Dr.Pepper. A Teaching Artist with The Unusual Suspects Theater, co-founder of two grassroots organizations Teatro East of the River and Los Poets del Norte and the spokesperson for Ready Pa’Tu Mundo 2011 FORD Fiesta Campaign, Xavi is an inspiration for other youth who have been pushed out from schools, pushed into gangs and prisons, whose hearts and minds are full of love and talent to share with their barrios and beyond. Xavi es una flor chillante (a radiant flower) that rose through cracked concrete reaching for the spot light.
	GABRIEL GOMEZ Co-Literary Director Email Gabriel Rivas Gomez received his MFA in Dramatic Writing from USC in 2007. Since then he has been teaching English composition at local community colleges and writing for the stage as well as the screen. He is excited to have his first play, CHASING MONSTERS, featured as part of the 2010 season for Company of Angels. His play, CIRCUS UGLY, was showcased in 2007 as part of USC's "Under Construction" series, and in 2006 as part of Cypress College's "New Play Festival." Gabe has been a member of C.O.A. for the last eight months and is excited for the future both of the company and its many talented artists.
	HENRY ONG Co-Literary Director Email \| Website Henry Ong is the author of Madame Mao’s Memories, a play based on the life of Chairman Mao’s widow. Madame Mao's Memories has been produced internationally (England, Singapore and Canada) and nationally, including a production at the Old Globe Theatre in San Diego, California. Sweet Karma, a play based on the life of Haing S. Ngor, the Cambodian Oscar-winning actor of The Killing Fields, is scheduled for production in the fall of 2009 by the Obie-award winning Immigrant Theatre Project, New York. Pacific Resident Theatre in Los Angeles, is planning a workshop production of Rachel Ray, Ong’s stage adaptation of Anthony Trollope’s 19th century English classic, next year Other credits include: People Like Me,; Fabric; The Legend of the White Snake; Dream of the Red Chamber, an adaptation of the famous 17th century Chinese classic novel; and The Silworm Scientist. People Like Me which he also directed at Playwrights’ Arena won a Drama-Logue award for writing and has been published by Big Dogs Publication. Ong is an eleven-time recipient of the City of Los Angeles Cultural Affairs Department grants. The latest is a 2008-09 Artist-in-residence grant collect the oral histories of Korean Americans. He completed two similar projects involving Filipino Americans and Chinese Americans. He has also a number of children’s Asian folktales: The Wedding of Bolak Sonday (Filipino), Lady White Snake (Chinese), Golden Flower Princess (Thai), and The Fire Boy (Japanese). Marlton School has staged all of the Asian folktales, Ong is an active member of the Dramatist Guild; a member of the Alliance of Los Angeles Playwrights and Playwrights Ink; and a board of director of Mezclao. He is an Artistic Associate of Playwrights’ Arena.
	LUI SANCHEZ Director of Education Email A resident of California for over twenty years, Lui Sanchez has established himself as an artist working in various mediums and fields throughout Los Angeles with professional and volunteer experience in developing, implementing and administering various visual and performing arts projects and events. He received his BA in Theater at UC Santa Cruz and attended the Masters Program at the UCLA Film School. Lui is constantly on the roam to develop, participate and support the arts. His works includes producing short films, theater productions and art exhibitions as well as developing art curriculums for public and alternative schools.
	JUSTIN HUEN Technical Director Email \| Website Justin Huen recently appeared as Oedipus in Luis Alfaro’s Oedipus el Rey at the Getty Villa and Hero, directed by Jon Rivera. Other: Zorro (TheatreWorks), Strike-Slip (Actors Theatre of Louisville), Stones (CTG/Kirk Douglas), Electricidad (CTG/Taper), References to Salvador Dali Make Me Hot (Art/Works), Palm Fever and Bitter Homes and Gardens (Playwrights’ Arena), dAWGS and The Atmosphere of Henry (Ivar Theatre), The Legend of Jane & Joe (Ricardo Montalbán Theater), My First Radical (Ojai Playwrights Festival). Film: People I’ve slept with ,The Things We Carrie, Reversion, S.E.R.E, Ten ‘Til Noon, North by El Norté and Love Sick Diaries. TV: Weeds, NYPD Blue. Additional: Ovation Award-nominated Set Designer (Songs for a New World).
	DANNY MUNOZ Production Manager Email Daniel Munoz is a stage manager, director, and actor. He began over ten years ago as an actor doing Shakespeare plays with Will and Company and continue acting in plays like The Zoo Story by Edward Albee, Mummified Deer by Luis Valdez, A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. He then switched over to Stage Managing and has worked with The Actor's Gang in Culver City. He made his CoA stage managing debut with LOST by Bernardo Solano in the Winter of 2008. He then continued stage managing with CoA with Big Bro/lil bro by Johnathan Ceneciroz, A Visitors' Guide to Arivaca by Evangeline Ordaz, and The Peacock Men by Ronald McCants. He also made this CoA directorial debut directing two pieces for L.A. Views 3: Hunger and the City, called FOLLOW by Michael Spillers and STEAKS by John Dubiel. He is also a member and one of the founders of Urban Heights Ensemble. He is a proud member of CoA and happy to continue growing with this amazing company.
	JUANITA CHASE Company Manager Email Miss Chase is a diamond in the rough that plans on staying a little rough. She has a complimentary duality of southern charm with a no-nonsense northern wit; the best of both worlds. Always feeling like her heart belonged in California, she kicked down all obstacles to follow her desire and arrived in LA 2 years ago. Since than she has become a multi-faceted artist and acquired credits in all media forms. Juanita loves working hard and collaborating; she whole-heartedly believes in luck, the kind you create for yourself... because she takes care of business. Check out Miss Chase’s credits, bio, reel, and just plain ole fun and facts on her upcoming website … www.chasingjuanita.com.
	JOSHUA LAMONT House Manager/Box Office Manager Email - House Manager \| Email - Box Office Manager Joshua Lamont is a transplant from his wonderful hometown Washington, DC where he first discovered the world of performance. An actor/writer, he is graduate of Univ. of Maryland with a BA in theatre performance. Some credits there are: Zooman in Zooman and the Sign; Lymon in The Piano Lesson; and David in The Amen Corner. Since coming to LA, he has had great doors open as the credits prove: LA Views II with CoA, For All Time with Cornerstone Theater Company; Heart On a Wire with CASA0101 Theater and No Good Deed with Innercity Filmmakers. He has performed in collaboration with such people as Blair Thomas & Co., The Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Walter Dallas, Laurie Woolery, and Michael John Garces. Look out for The Living Spree…coming soon.
	TAMIKA SIMPKINS Website Manager Email \| Website A Philadelphia native, holds degrees in Computer Science and African-American Studies and has performed in numberous stage, film and TV productions in Los Angeles and Philadelphia. She also designs/develops websites and directs, produces and edits film and video productions for her company Unchained Entertainment. She has worked for many entertainment entities including Clear Channel Communications, Warner Bros and was a casting associate for Mike Lemon Casting in Philadelphia. Some of her credits include HBO's The Wire, FX's The Shield, Death and the King's Horseman and CoA's Black Women - State of the Union and Chasing Monsters.