Bridge Play

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 02/14/97

Contact: Margie Yu,
Public Affairs Assistant
(323) 343-3047

THE TEATRO UNIVERSITARIO EN ESPAÑOL AT CAL STATE L.A. CELEBRATES 20TH ANNIVERSARY WITH BILINGUAL ADAPTATION OF ARTHUR MILLER'S PLAY

Los Angeles, CA -- February 14, 1997 -- Celebrating its 20th anniversary, the Teatro Universitario en Español at California State University, Los Angeles presents A View from the Bridge/Panorama desde el puente, a bilingual adaptation of Arthur Miller's A View from the Bridge by internationally-acclaimed guest director Roberto D'Amico. In honor of its 20th year, Teatro is presenting-for the first time-a bilingual production of an English language play.

The play
Miller's 1955 play is a probing psychological drama that questions the reasonableness of U.S. immigration laws. It will be performed on February 21-23, February 27-March 2 and March 6-9 at the University's State Playhouse. Thursday, Friday and Saturday performances will start at 8 p.m. and Sunday matinees at 2:30 p.m. An opening reception will be held on Friday, February 21, following the performance.

Symposium
In conjunction with the production, a free, one-day symposium, "The Art of Arthur Miller: A View from the Tijuana Bridge -- Immigration to the USA from 1947-1997," will be held on Friday, February 28, 1-5:30 p.m. A reception will follow this symposium.

Director
Robert D'Amico, director, actor, choreographer, educator and producer, was born in Italy and has lived in Mexico for the last 16 years. He attended the School of Theatre of the Ministry of Education in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and received a post-graduate degree in advanced theatre arts at the University of Cardiff in Great Britain. D'Amico has studied under Estela Maris, the greatest choreographer in Modern Dance in Argentina; Luchino Visconti and Luca Ronconi, the major exponents of total theatre in Italy; Michael Poarson, British disciple of Grotowski; and American master Lee Strasberg, from whom he learned the Stanislavski techniques. D'Amico's most recent work as director includes Garcia Lorca's Yerma; Tennessee Williams' The Rose Tattoo; Jardín umbrío by Ramón del Valle Inclán; Tartuffe by Molière; and Manos a través del mar, a translation and adaptation of Noel Coward's play, Hands Across the Sea.

Teatro Universitario en Español
Celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, Teatro Universitario en Español was founded in 1977 by Drs. Jeanine "Gigi" Gaucher-Morales and Alfredo O. Morales of Cal State L.A.'s Department of Modern Languages and Literatures. The two professors were its directors for the first ten years; since 1988, have been its public relations directors.

Through Teatro, Cal State L.A. is the only university in the nation that includes and promotes in its curriculum an annual workshop in Hispanic theater. The University's program is offered jointly by the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures and the Department of Theatre Arts and Dance. This year, Teatro is enhanced by support from East L.A. Classic Theatre, a group of distinguished, primarily Latino, theater professionals that has been working with Cal State L.A. and presenting plays on the campus since 1995.

The purpose of Teatro is to offer the University community and Southern California's Spanish-speaking public an opportunity to witness collegiate performances of the most important plays from the Spanish-American and Spanish theater. These productions feature Cal. State L.A. students and distinguished guest directors. Past directors include Emilio Carballido (México), Rodolfo Tosto (Argentina), Armando Gota (Spain), Eduardo Almeida (Ecuador), Luis de Tavira (Mexico), and Rafael Buñuel (U. S.).

Teatro Universitario en Español has received five Cesar awards from the Pan-American Theatre Association for Bodas de Sangre by Federico García Lorca, Las torres y el viento by César Rengifo, the stage adaptation of Huasipungo by Jorge Icaza, Hijos de la tormenta by Osvaldo Dragún, and La vida es sueño by Calderón de la Barca. Teatro also invites theatre companies from Spanish-speaking countries to present productions on the Cal State L.A. campus, and theater directors on tour to share their theories and techniques with students in mini-workshops.

Alfredo O. Morales, emeritus professor of Spanish, is Director of Teatro Universitario en Español.

Cal State L.A. is located at the Eastern Avenue exit, San Bernardino (I-10) Freeway, at the interchange of the 10 and 710 Freeways. Tickets for the production are $8 for general admission and $5 for students/senior citizens. To order your tickets, call the CSLA Box Office at (323) 343-4118. For symposium information, call (323) 343-4230.