Theater arts

A Venezuelan American’s ‘English with an Accent’ to play GALA April 1

Washington Doing Arts and GALA Hispanic Theatre join forces to co-present the planet premiere of English with an Accent by Venezuelan American accomplishing artist Migguel Anggelo, a growing power in the nationwide theater scene. The hybrid dance-theater get the job done of primary music — to be carried out at the time only, April 1 — explores self-realization by the eyes of an anthropomorphized, immigrant caterpillar.

Migguel Anggelo. Photograph by Ryan Muir.

English with an Accent is narrated as a storytelling music-cycle and backed by a firm of 10 dancers. The tale is a semi-autobiographical fable that follows the journey of a freshly arrived caterpillar in New York City. Fleeing the criminal offense and noxious dictatorship of Venezuela, and not sure of which way his insect daily life is having, he wonders how to honor his possible as a caterpillar — when so quite a few other people think he’s just a lowly worm. As the caterpillar explores the streets of New York City, he starts to dilemma his individual id as nicely as the assure of the “American Dream.”

Migguel Anggelo showing in ‘English with an Accent.’

Reflecting on the realization of his desire, Anggelo suggests, “I am extremely excited to bring English with an Accent to our nation’s capital and am so very pleased to collaborate with Washington Executing Arts and GALA Hispanic Theatre. Soon after 16 extended a long time, I am now (last but not least!) a naturalized U.S. citizen, so this work is especially significant to me. It represents my quest for basic safety, for contentment, for self-value, and finding that in the United States, I can now contact this region my ‘home.’ Dwelling and protection make any difference to all people, no matter of exactly where they are from, and it is my hope that persons who do not generally see their tales reflected on phase, discover theirs in our get the job done.”

Created by Migguel AnggeloEnglish with an Accent features new music by and lyrics co-created with Jaime Lozano (heralded as the “next large thing on Broadway” by Lin-Manuel Miranda), who also gives musical route. The creation is directed, choreographed, and created by the internationally acclaimed Avihai Haham, whose prior get the job done includes West Aspect Tale, Evita, Hair, and Encores! Operating The Musical, amid some others.

English with an Accent is remaining offered for a person night only on Friday, April 1, 2022, at 8 p.m. at GALA Hispanic Theatre, 3333 14th Street NW, Washington, DC, made doable with commissioning assist from the Cultural Arts Centre at Montgomery College or university. Tickets are $40 just about every (typical admission) and are offered via Washington Performing Arts and GALA Hispanic Theatre.

GALA Theatre is positioned a person block from the Columbia Heights Metro station. Parking is out there at a $4 discounted level (with validation of the parking ticket at the theatre foyer) at the Giant garage with an entrance on Park Street NW.

COVID Basic safety: GALA Hispanic Theatre involves all patrons to wear a mask at all moments, and patrons ages 5 and up to display evidence of vaccination or the latest detrimental COVID take a look at (taken inside 72 hrs prior to showtime) to be admitted to the theater. For extra information about the security safety measures applied to protect the wellness of patrons, artists, team, students, and volunteers, simply click in this article.

Washington Undertaking Arts is one of the primary arts presenters in the nation. Every single year, the group features a tremendous array of artists and art kinds, from the most distinguished symphony orchestras to both renowned and rising artists in classical songs, gospel new music, jazz, and other loaded traditions from close to the planet. Washington Accomplishing Arts’s 2021/22 year — which involves English with an Accent — focuses on the return of are living artwork, centering artists’ voices, and supporting the development of diverse new operates.

English with an Accent was an complete ‘must’ for Washington Carrying out Arts, and we are thrilled to reactivate our long connection with GALA Hispanic Theatre in bringing it to our audiences,” reported Washington Carrying out Arts President and CEO Jenny Bilfield. “The narrative of this get the job done — transformation, identity, the nature of self and of house — primarily resonated with us. In the nation’s funds, we dwell at the intersection of global cultures, and also the contours of social and political modify. English with an Accent teases these themes. Most of all, however, it is a wholly primary work by a visionary artist.”

GALA (Grupo de Artistas LatinoAmericanos) Hispanic Theatre is a National Center for Latino Doing Arts in the nation’s money. Due to the fact 1976, GALA has been promoting and sharing the Latino arts and cultures with a varied audience, generating operate that speaks to communities today, and preserving the rich Hispanic heritage for generations that comply with. By acquiring, developing, and presenting is effective that take a look at the breadth of Latino executing arts, GALA gives chances for Latino artists, educates youth, and engages the complete community in an exchange of thoughts and perspectives.

“We are thrilled to co-current with Washington Undertaking Arts the function of Venezuelan artist Migguel Anggelo to Washington audiences,” said GALA’s Creating Artistic Director Hugo Medrano. “Through his story and abstract movement, we are reminded of the struggles of tens of millions about the earth who flee their countries to find refuge in a different. It is a story that we, as a nation of immigrants, ought to hardly ever overlook.”

ABOUT THE Inventive Workforce & Company

Conceived by Migguel Anggelo
New music and Lyrics by Migguel Anggelo and Jaime Lozano
Musical Path and Preparations by Jaime Lozano
Directed, Choreographed, and Developed by Avihai Haham
Affiliate Way and Choreography: Jakob Karr
Costume Structure: Ryan Park
Lighting Design and style: Tuce Yasak
Phase Supervisor: Thomas Dieter
Government Artistic Producer and Generation Structure: David Stark

Dancers:
Orla Baxendale, Reed Tankersley, Mathilde Guerrero, Nathaniel Hunt, Kody Jauron, Jordan Lombardi, Daisia Pulzz, Maia Schechter, Shota Sekiguchi, Ian Spring

Migguel Anggelo.

Migguel Anggelo (Creator, Direct Performer) is a Venezuelan-born and Brooklyn-based mostly multidisciplinary artist. His function explores the intersections of queer, Latino, and immigration identities. He has launched two musical albums: La casa azul and ¿Dónde estará Matisse? He has been awarded various fellowships, theatrical residencies, and performances at these numerous businesses as MASS MoCA, the Kimmel Heart, Lincoln Centre, Miami Mild Undertaking, Nationwide Queer Theater, LPAC, Joe’s Pub Working Group, NY Presenters Consortium, amid a lot of many others. He has served as a cultural attaché, under the auspices of the U.S. Point out Office in two different 10-city excursions of Russia. In addition to English with an Accent, Migguel Anggelo has designed and performed LatinXoxo, his critically acclaimed semi-autobiographical, hybrid overall performance that explores queer id by a musical and theatrical extravaganza, deconstructing gendered, Latino stereotypes. Other will work consist of So Close: Enjoy and LoatheA further Son of Venezuela, and Welcome to La Misa, Infant.

Jaime Lozano (Audio Co‐Writer, Musical Director, Arranger) is from Monterrey, Mexico, with considerable working experience in the undertaking arts business. His credits consist of: The Yellow Brick Road (Off‐Broadway and Nationwide Tour), Carmen la cubana (European Tour), and Youngsters of Salt (NYMF 2016 “Best of Fest’”), between many others. Jaime retains an MFA in Musical Theatre Producing from NYU Tisch University of the Arts was a 2020 Joe’s Pub Functioning Group resident artist, and a trainer/activist for the nonprofit R.Evolución Latina. As Migguel Anggelo’s regular collaborator, the two co-created LatinXoxo, and he performs usually with Anggelo. They are concurrently co-building a new immigration musical with playwright Christina Quintana: The Last Supper.

Avihai Haham (Director, Choreographer) is a director and choreographer, and a 3-time winner of the Israeli Choreography Prize. His the latest credits incorporate choreography and route of Meshugeneh Ballet (Israeli Opera Residence) and Frida (Dance Theatre for Habima National Theatre of Israel). Further creative credits contain: Encores! Working the Musical (NYC City Centre), Dancebreaknyc.orgEurovision 2019 (Interval Acts exhibit Choreographer), My Good Girl (Choreographer), and Evita (Choreographer) for the Habima Countrywide Theater West Side Story (Choreographer), Hair (Choreographer), and They Shoot Horses, Really do not They? (Choreographer) for the Cameri Theatre of Tel Aviv About the Planet in Eighty Days (Director) and Oliver Twist (Choreographer) in Paris, France Mythic the Musical (Choreographer) in Montreal, Canada and Legally Blond the Musical (Director and Choreographer) in Israel.

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