Ensemble Studio Theatre/Alfred P. Sloan Foundation in collaboration with the Latinx Playwrights Circle & Boundless Theatre Company present
a new play by Nelson Diaz-Marcano , directed by Rebecca Aparicio
featuring Nicole Betancourt, Hanna Cheek*, Helen Coxe*, Guadalís Del Carmen, Maricelis Galanes, Maribel Martinez, Paul Niebanck, Ashley Marie Ortiz, & Mike Smith Rivera*
It’s the 1950's in Puerto Rico and María, Fernanda, Yolanda, Rosa, and Chavela are fighting to live full lives in a changing country with crushing societal rules for women. In the United States, Dr. Gregory Pincus is on the verge of perfecting a miracle that could give them freedom - if only he could find test subjects to participate in preliminary trials. This is the story of the birth control pill and the women who risked everything for the chance to live free.
Now Extended through May 5!
Set Design: Gerardo Diáz Sánchez | Costume Design: Tina McCartney | Lighting Design: María Cristina Fusté | Sound Design: Daniela Hart, Bailey Trierweiler, Noel Nichols & Uptown Works | Props Master: Caitlyn Murphy | Projection Design: Milton M. Cordero | Production Stage Manager: Alejandra Maldonado Morales | Assistant Stage Manager: Clarissa Mota
*denotes EST Member Artist
About the Artists
Nelson Diaz-Marcano (Playwright) is a Puerto Rican NYC-based theater maker, advocate, and community leader whose mission is to create work that challenges and builds community. He currently serves as the Literary Director for the Latinx Playwright Circle where he has helped develop over a 100 plays in the past three years. His plays have been developed by the Ensemble Studio Theatre, The Road Theatre Company, Pipeline Theatre Company, Clubbed Thumb, The Lark, Vision Latino Theater Company, The Orchard Project, The William Inge Theatre Festival, Classical Theatre of Harlem, and The Parsnip Ship, among others. Recent credits include: World Classic (Bishop Theatre Arts Center), Y Tu Abuela, Where is She? Part 1 (CLATA), When the Earth Moves, We Dance (Clubbed Thumb, Teatro Vivo), The Diplomats (Random Acts Chicago), Paper Towels (INTAR), Misfit, America (Hunter Theatre Company), I Saw Jesus in Toa Baja (Conch Shell Productions), and Revolt! (Vision Latino Theatre Company).
Rebecca Aparicio (Director) is a Cuban American, New York-based, bilingual director and writer. Recent directing: Jardin Salvaje by Karen Zacarias (GALA Hispanic Theatre, Helen Hayes recommended), Beastgirl, based on the chapbook by Elizabeth Acevedo, book by C. Quintana and music by Janelle Lawrence (Kennedy Center, Helen Hayes nominated); The House on the Lagoon by Caridad Svich (Gala Hispanic Theatre, Winner Best Direction Broadway World-DC), Sarita by Maria Irene Fornes (Roundabout Theatre Refocus Series), and Siluetas, book by Erlina Ortiz and music by Robi Hager (Powerstreet Theatre Company). As a director, she’s developed new work with American Repertory Theatre, Philadelphia Theatre Company, McCarter Theatre, O'Neill Theatre Center, Playwrights Center, Powerstreet Theatre Company, Ensemble Studio Theatre, Musical Theatre Factory, The Flea Theatre, Classical Theatre of Harlem, National Black Theatre, and more. Past Fellowships include: Roundabout Theatre’s Inaugural Directing Group, MTC Jonathan Alper Directing Fellow, The COOP’s Clusterf**k Writing Cohort, and a two-time SDCF Observership Award recipient. As a writer, her work includes the award-winning musical Pedro Pan (New York Musical Festival, Musical Theatre Factory, Rhinebeck Writers Retreat, FringeNYC), Tree Tales (Prospect Theatre), Hindsight 2020 (Live & In Color), Legacy (Prospect Theatre), and The Garcia Sisters (Red Mountain Theatre. Rebecca is a CRNY artist-in-residence with the Latinx Playwrights Circle, a steering committee member of the Latinx Theatre Commons, and is a founding member of Magic Forest Theatre (dedicated to creating new musicals for young audiences). She also serves as a board member at The Flea and Rhinebeck Writers Retreat.