May 04—14, 2016
Premeditation
Latino Theater Company
A comedic maze of marriage, murder, and mayhem.
Fifty percent of marriages end in divorce, but how many end in murder? Meet two disgruntled housewives from opposite sides of the track: Esmeralda, sophisticated and calculating, and Lydia, foul-mouthed and pragmatic. Both are about to discover the lengths they’ll go to in order to get their husbands’ attention. Premeditation takes audiences on a noir-inspired journey through the intricacies of marriage, while highlighting the Latino Theater Company’s impeccable comedic chops, honed over their thirty years in performance together.
Info
Venue
Emerson Paramount Center Mainstage
559 Washington St, Boston, MA 02111
Dates
May 04, 2016 - May 14, 2016
Details
80 mins; no intermission
Ages 13+
Access
American Sign Language Interpreted Performance
Sat, May 14 2:00 pm
Artists
Presented By:
The Latino Theater Company
Latino Theater Company (Operators of the LATC) LTC celebrates over twenty-nine years of commitment to the creation of exciting, thought-provoking theatre in Los Angeles. Artistic Director José Luis Valenzuela co-founded the Latino Theater Lab at the LATC in 1985, and together they have made significant contributions to the advancement of U.S. Latino theatre. In 2006, LTC was awarded a twenty-year lease to operate the LATC, from the City of Los Angeles. LATC’s mission is to provide a world-class arts center for those pursuing artistic excellence; a laboratory where both tradition and innovation are honored and honed; a place where the convergence of people, cultures and ideas contribute to the future. In 2014, they hosted the historic Encuentro 2014 Festival, the largest Latina/o theatre festival in over twenty-five years. The company also produces a free pageant play, La Virgen de Guadalupe, Dios Inantzin, at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels as a gift to the city each holiday season. The members of the company include José Luis Valenzuela, Evelina Fernandez, Sal Lopez, Geoffrey Rivas, Lucy Rodriguez and the late Lupe Ontiveros.
Written by:
Evelina Fernandez
Directed by:
José Luis Valenzuela
Featuring:
Evelina Fernandez, Sal Lopez, Geoffrey Rivas and Lucy Rodriguez
Gallery
Photo Credit: Ed Krieger
Photo Credit: Ed Krieger
Photo Credit: Ed Krieger
Photo Credit: Ed Krieger
From the Blog
Evelina Fernández: Scripting New Roles for Latino Actors with Premeditation
by Grace Dávila-López
“Today, the LTC is at the forefront of Chicano/Latino theater in Los Angeles. The Company operates the Los Angeles Theatre Center (LATC), and their programming brings together diverse Angeleno ethnic communities.”
“At the LTC’s hands, Premeditation becomes a beautifully orchestrated theatrical experience set in the 1940’s in Los Angeles. . . The characters designed for the LTC actors become fully alive —Fernández playing the role of Esmerelda, Sal López as Mauricio, Lucy Rodríguez as Lydia, and Geoffrey Rivas as Fernando. The seductive tango music comes together to create a poetic ambiance suited for the fine-tuned tempo and sensuously melodramatic acting of the ensemble.”
“These are definitely not conventional Latino characters either. Esmerelda prefers scotch rather than the ron included in her hotel room’s full bar; Mauricio prefers bourbon and he is a Trojans fan; Fernando drives a Volvo and eats Soy-rizo from Trader Joe’s; Lydia’s love letter is verbatim lyrics to a Marvin Gaye song. These characters are very much at ease in their American context, which seems like an intentional break away from the stereotypes.”
“Just like Esmerelda, who liberates herself from self-constraints in an experimental move, Evelina Fernández’s exploration of new thematic territories keeps her work premeditatedly relevant.”
Mexican Noir Film: A Look into Premeditation’s Influences
by Camila Cornejo-Schilling
“Premeditation’s style was highly influenced by old-school Mexican noir films. Mexican noir films feature stories about crimes of passion, jealousy and betrayal.”
“Premeditation offers the audience strong, determined, and flawed female characters who feel frustrated in their respective marriages—something we all can relate to. Fernandez’s mastery to create relatable scenarios combined with humor and playful language makes Premeditation a play you won’t want to miss.”
☆☆☆☆1/2
“A bold and unique experience unlike anything I have seen before.”
— Boston Events Insider
“Premeditation is tantalizing with promise”
“a noir 1940’s-esque comedy about marriage, infidelity, and murder”
“There is no end of irony and possibilities for confusion and fun.”
“There is so much that is engaging about this play”
— HowlRound
“style of aggressively, delightfully faux noir”
“you won’t find more skilled or sophisticated ensemble work anywhere.”
— LA Weekly
“Fernández melds time periods and theatrical styles to great comedic effect.”
“Fernández also manages to provide some deeper insight about couples growing apart as they grow older.”
“thoroughly entertaining”
— Blog Critics
“The choreographed opening is perhaps the visual highlight of the show.”
“The play is brilliantly staged.”
“(Valenzuela) paces the show perfectly.”
“The technical work behind this show is stunning, and always just right for the mood and tone.”
“an entertaining and visually delightful piece of theater”
— That Awesome Theater Blog
“Premeditation explores the subject of marriage in a humorous and entertaining production headed by very capable actors.”
— Review Plays
“the actors do a terrific job of playing their characters’ reality in such a convincing way that the audience can empathize with them”
“We all have spouses that do little annoying things, but hiring a hitman, when divorce not enough? I’ll take Premeditation instead.”
— Latin Heat Entertainment
“Beyond funny.”
— @hill_imani, Twitter
— @Danfrmbourque, Twitter
“A wonderful play and performance!”
— David Maister, Audience Member
“Smart. Funny. Brilliantly acted and directed. The best.”
— Peter Clemons, Audience Member