TEATRO CÍRCULO
CELEBRATING ITS 30TH ANNIVERSARY PRESENTS
by Juan Ruiz de Alarcón
OUR STAFF
José Cheo Oliveras,
Founding Artistic Director
Virginia Louloudes,
Development Director
Edna Lee Figueroa,
Marketing Director / Social Media Manager
James Figueroa,
Financial Manager
Eva Vásquez,
Co-Founder & Educational Program Director
Verónica Caicedo,
Facilities Manager
Marcela Álvarez,
Press & Community Relations Director
Rubén Darío Cruz,
Director of Audience Development
& ‘Abuelito, dime tú’ Program Coordinator
Camila Caicedo,
Box Office Manager
Cinzia Meneghello,
Web Designer / Web Master
Mariano de Paco Serrano,
Associate Artistic Director
Dean M. Zayas,
Associate Artistic Director, Emeritus
Pablo Zinger,
Musical Director
Israel Franco-Müller,
Resident Production Designer
Omayra Garriga Casiano,
Technical Production Director
MANY THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS…
New York State Governor Kathy Hochul
New York State Council on the Arts, with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature
New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council
New York City Council Members Carlina Rivera, District 2, City Council Member Shaun Abreu, District 7, Deputy Speaker Diana Ayala, District 8, City Council Member Amanda Farias, District 18, City Council Member Francisco Moya, District 21 & City Council Member Sandy Nurse, District 37
U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer
U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand
Daniel S. Goldman, U.S. House of Representatives
Small Business Administration
New York Community Trust
The National Latinx Theater Initiative, a program of the Los Angeles-based Latino Theater Company
The Howard Gilman Foundation
The Emma A. Sheafer Charitable Trust
The Shubert Foundation
The Hispanic Federation
The Cory & Bob Donnalley Charitable Foundation
The Mid-Atlantic Arts, through USArtists International
Paula & Jeffrey Gural
The Kaplen Brothers Fund
Con Edison
Mayor’s Office of Media & Entertainment
The Michael Tuch Foundation
The Lucille Lortel Foundation
Blanche & Irving Laurie Foundation
National Endowment for the Arts
For more information on how to make a tax-deductible donation visit:
La monja alférez (The Lieutenant Nun) is made possible in part, by the generous support of:
For more information about touring productions contact us at
(347) 581-2857 or at rcruz@teatrocirculo.org
Our rehearsal space and theaters are available for rent at very affordable rates.
Contact us at (347) 967-4765 / vcaicedo@teatrocirculo.org or visit:
TEATRO CÍRCULO
CELEBRATING ITS 30TH ANNIVERSARY PRESENTS
by Juan Ruiz de Alarcón
Directed by Daniel Alonso de Santos
November 3-19, 2023
A story of a 17th Century woMAN who fights against all odds to validate his gender identity.
Running time: approximately 1 hour and 40 minutes. No intermissions.
CAST
(In Alphabetical Order)
Pablo Andrade (Miguel de Erauso, el Virrey) Venezuela
Award winning actor, director, producer, and teaching artist based in New York. He serves as the Artistic Director of Corezon, Executive Director of HOLA, and Faculty Member of NYU Tisch. Andrade has collaborated with esteemed companies like Repertorio Español, Tectonic Theater Project, and Teatro Círculo, among others. He has performed in dozens of notable productions, including Vargas Llosa’s ‘Aunt Julia and the Scriptwriter’, and Lope de Vega’s ‘Fuente Ovejuna’.
www.andrade.nyc
Instagram: @pabloandradep
Jei Fabiano (MC, Friar) Colombia
Colombian singer and violinist based in New York City. Their entire career has been inspired by gender activism. Has been recognized by New York theater critics with various awards for best monologue with their play ‘The Bearded Woman’. Has worked with the National Children Chorus and ChaShaMa performing at the Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall and more.
Instagram: @chico_raro_
María Fontanals (Guzmán) Spain
María is honored and excited to join Teatro Círculo again. Born in Barcelona, she is an award-winning actress and faculty member at HB Studio as well as a member of their Artistic Council. She has worked with renowned Off-Broadway theater companies such as Teatro Círculo, IATI, Repertorio Español, Dixon Place, Theater for the New City, to name a few. She has won several HOLA, ACE and ATI awards for her work.
Fernando Gazzaniga (Machín) Argentina
Actor who has developed his career in many countries of Latin America beyond his own. He has participated in several theater productions, and more than 10 well-known TV series in Argentina, Colombia, and Peru, where he has also performed as a TV Host. Fernando studied Dramatic Arts in Argentina and continued his training at HB Studio in New York City. He has performed in more than 30 television advertisements and as a model has been the face of several important commercial and fashion brands. His most recent theater performances in the US, include ‘Fuente Ovejuna’, ‘La dama boba’, ‘Life is a Dream’, ‘Entremeses de Cervantes’, ‘The Playboy of Seville’ and ‘Don´t Leave Me Behind’ for which he received two ATI Awards. He has also starred in the movies ‘Las tetas caídas’ and his recent film ‘Lo entenderá’.
www.fergazzaniga.com
Instagram: @fergazzaniga
Gerardo Gudiño (Don Diego) Argentina
Graduate in Theater from the National University of Córdoba, Argentina. Actor and director. He is a company member of Repertorio Español and has also worked with Teatro Círculo, IATI, Boundless Theatre Company, among others. He has performed in ‘Mercado libre’, ‘Crónica de una muerte anunciada, ‘Bodas de sangre’, ‘La vida es sueño’, ‘Yerma’, ‘Doña Flor y sus dos maridos’, ‘Don Quijote’, ‘La zapatera prodigiosa’, ‘El laurel de Apolo’, ‘El caballero del milagro’, ‘La tía Julia y el escribidor’, ‘Blind Spot’, y ‘La dama boba’, among others. He has been awarded several ACE, HOLA, ATI and Talía Awards.
Sandra Gumuzzio (Doña Ana) Spain
Sandra is excited to make her debut with Teatro Círculo. Originally from Madrid, and after a theater career in Spain, Sandra arrived in New York in 2015 and since then she has worked in film, theater and TV. Her latest theater credits include: ‘La valentía’, (Gala Hispanic Theatre), “La dama boba”, “Filomena Marturano” (Repertorio Español), ‘Los niños perdidos’ (ID Studio). She has won ATI and LATA Awards. Training: Réplika Teatro (Madrid), Susan Batson (NYC) and possesses a BA in Audiovisual Communication (UCM).
Mario Mattei (Nuevo Cid, el Conde) Puerto Rico
Stage, television, and radio actor. He studied at the Ponce School of Fine Arts, the Drama Department of the University of Puerto Rico, Ponce and Río Piedras campus, where he learned from his mentor, great director and Maestro Dean Zayas. In NYC he has been part of the Puerto Rican Traveling Theater under the direction of Míriam Colón, Repertorio Español, Teatro SEA, Pregones and Teatro Círculo. Some credits in NYC: ‘Seis’, ‘El caballero del milagro’, ‘Cartas de amor’, ‘¡Guaracha!, a Musical’, ‘El Quijote’, ‘La canción’, ‘La Gloria, a Latin Cabaret’ and ‘Los títeres de cachiporra’, among others. He has been recognized on several occasions by the HOLA, ACE and ATI awards.
Eva Cristina Vásquez (Inés) Puerto Rico
She is a Spanish professor at York College, CUNY. She is the author of: ‘Pregones Theatre: A Theater for Social Change in The South Bronx’ (2003) and the plays ‘Amor perdido’ (2003), ‘Lágrimas negras’ (2007), ‘Carmen Loisaida’ (2011), ‘Torniquete’ (2018) and ‘Intermedio en el fin del mundo’ (2021). Eva edited ‘Círculo de plata: Antología de estrenos mundiales de Teatro Círculo’ (2021) and is part of the editorial board of EntreTmas magazine (2023). She’s a Co-Founding member of Teatro Círculo.
CREATIVE TEAM AND CREW
Juan Ruiz de Alarcón y Mendoza (Playwright) Mexico
Was born in Taxco (Mexico) in 1580. There is barely any information about his early years. He studied at the Real y Pontificia University in Mexico. In 1600 he was in Salamanca, studying canon and civil law. He returned to Mexico and in 1611 moved to Madrid, accompanying the Viceroy. The most fruitful period in his literary production started here. He was soon famous in the Madrid literary world although he never established deep links with any of its members. Though a friend and collaborator of Tirso de Molina, he was, however, not on good terms with Lope de Vega, Vélez de Guevara, Luis de Góngora or Francisco de Quevedo among others. His drama enjoyed the favor of the Court under Phillip IV. He died in Madrid in 1639.
Daniel Alonso de Santos (Director) Spain
Theater director with a degree in Psychology from the Autonomous University of Madrid. He has worked in television, film, and multiple theater projects as a playwright, director, and actor. His language and stage style are formed from his work in the Compañía Nacional de Teatro Clásico de España (National Classical Theater Company of Spain), as well as from the hand of his teachers J.L Alonso de Santos and Mariano de Paco. He is currently a professor at different artistic university institutions in Spain.
Theater director with a degree in Psychology from the Autonomous University of Madrid. He has worked in television, film, and multiple theater projects as a playwright, director, and actor. His language and stage style are formed from his work in the Compañía Nacional de Teatro Clásico de España (National Classical Theater Company of Spain), as well as from the hand of his teachers J.L Alonso de Santos and Mariano de Paco. He is currently a professor at different artistic university institutions in Spain.
Daniel wants to thank Teatro Círculo, and congratulate it on its 30th anniversary.
Instagram: @soydanialonso
Karmele Aranburu (Verse Director) Spain
Actress specialized in classical verse. She combines her acting work with directing verse in shows and teaching. She has directed La Academia del Verso de Alcalá and currently directs Aula de Verso K in Madrid. She has been Verse Director in more than thirty shows.
Since 2020, she has been working with Teatro Círculo in its productions of classical texts as well as teaching in workshops on the interpretation of the Spanish verse. She is a professor at the Academia de las Artes Escénicas de España (Academy of Performing Arts of Spain).
www.marcogadei.com/karmelearanburu/
Instagram: @karmelearanburu @auladeverso
Israel Franco Müller (Production Designer) Puerto Rico
Production Manager and Set, Lighting & Costume Designer. International theatre designer whose works have been seen in: Alcalá and Almagro’s Classical Theater Festival in Spain 2022, Edinburgh’s Fringe Festival in Scotland, Cuba, Mexico, among other countries. Awards: Outstanding Costume Design- ‘Fuente Ovejuna’ (Teatro Círculo, ATI 2023), Outstanding Production Designer- ‘El caballero de Olmedo’ (Teatro Círculo, HOLA 2018), Best Set and Costume Design- ‘El burlador de Sevilla’ (Teatro Círculo, ATI 2019). Franco-Müller holds a Ph.D. in Theater Design and Technical Production from the Complutense University of Madrid.
Eliana Michelle Yost (Assistant Director, Stage Manager) Argentina
Actress, model, Assistant Director, Stage Manager, Set & Costume Designer. BA in Performing Arts, UNC. Winner of the Creation Scholarship 2020 (National Art Fund, Argentina). With Teatro Círculo: ‘La caída de Rafael Trujillo’ (Costume Design, Assistant Director, Stage Manager) and ‘Fuente Ovejuna’ (Costume Design Assistant), ‘Perfecta invisible’ (Boundless Theatre Company), ‘Empeño de una casa’ (Repertorio Español), ‘LLONTOP’ (Anonymous Ensemble), ‘Magníficas’ (UNC), ‘Cama adentro’ (Intrus teatro), ‘Vamos al rescat’e (Magníficas Teatro), ‘La clínica de la doctora Lola’ (Magníficas Teatro), ‘Pluvium’ (UNC), ‘Transversión’ (UNC), ‘¿Y cómo no se pudrió Blancanieves?’ (Intrus teatro), ‘Humanidad expuesta’ (UNC), ‘¿Dónde está mi zapato?’ (Potrero Teatro), ‘El náufrago’ (Potrero Teatro).
Instagram: @eluyost
Kareliz Michelle De Jesús Pietri (Hair and Makeup Designer, Props & Production Design Assistant) Puerto Rico
Born in Old San Juan, PR. She has dedicated herself to the performing arts since they was a child. Studied at the José Julián Acosta Specialized Theater School. She started at WAPA Televisión in 2007 as a comedian, makeup artist and costume designer. In 2012 moved to Florida to work at Telemundo and moved to New York in 2019 where they pursue the same luck of being able to work both on stage and behind the scenes.
Adaptation: Daniel Alonso de Santos & Germán Vega García-Luengos
Original Music Composition: Jei Fabiano
Fights Choreography: Mario Mattei
Technicians: Omayra Garriga Casiano, Eliana Michelle Yost
Stage Crew Assistants: Lizeth Pasco, Andrés López Alicea, Manuel Pérez, Gilberto Díaz, Danny Vega, Santiago Gómez, Dariel García, Madison Cartnal, Natalia Soracipa, Elizabeth Sumoza
English Translation: Paola Ramírez
Overtitles Operator: Kareliz Michelle
Promotional Photos &
Graphic Design: Israel Franco Müller
Teatro Círculo would like to thank you, our audience, for your continuous support and for celebrating with us our 30th Anniversary Season.
Join us next Spring for our SPRINGseries and DANCEseries from March 15 to April 21, 2024, back in our East Village home venue at 64 East 4th Street in Manhattan.
¡Gracias!
