Luis Alfaro
![Luis Alfaro at the [[Oregon Shakespeare Festival]], September 2019](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e3/Luis_Alfaro%2C_September_2019.jpg)
He grew up in the Pico Union district near Downtown Los Angeles, and graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School in East Los Angeles. His plays and fiction are set in Los Angeles's Chicano barrios, including the Pico Union district, and often feature gay and lesbian and working-class themes. Many of Alfaro's plays also deal with the AIDS pandemic in Latino communities. Noted plays include "Bitter Homes and Gardens," "Pico Union," "Downtown," "Cuerpo Politizado," "Straight as a Line," "Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner," "No Holds Barrio," and "Black Butterfly." Many of these plays have also been published as stories or poetry. He is an associate professor in the School of Dramatic Arts at the University of Southern California. and from 2013 to 2019, he was the playwright-in-residence at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival.
His writing, both sole-authored and collaborative, is collected in numerous anthologies. In 1994 his spoken-word CD, ''Downtown'' was released. His short film ''Chicanismo'' was produced by the Public broadcasting Service and released in 1999. He also contributed to the 1995 film ''Pochonovela'', a collaboration between the Cuban American performer Coco Fusco and the LA-based Chicano performance ensemble, Chicano Secret Service. This mock telenovela explores and sends up Chicano activism and assimilation in a sardonic exploration of working class barrio life.
In 2010, his play ''Oedipus El Rey,'' a Chicano retelling of ''Oedipus Rex'', had its world premiere at the Magic Theatre in San Francisco. ''Oedipus El Rey'' had its Texas regional premiere at Dallas Theater Center from January 16-March 2, 2014 under the direction of Kevin Moriarty. The play received a production at San Diego Repertory Theatre from March 10–29, 2015 under the direction of Sam Woodhouse. ''Oedipus El Rey'' received its New York premiere at The Public Theater in collaboration with The Sol Project and Jacob Padrón in 2017. The play was produced at The Public Theater's Shiva Theater from October 3-November 19 under the direction of Chay Yew and was scheduled to run in 2018. The New York cast featured Juan Castano, Sandra Delgado, Julio Monge, Joel Perez, Brian Quijada, Reza Salazar, and Juan Francisco Villa.
Luis Alfaro's solo show ''St. Jude'' is the playwright's tribute to his father. ''St. Jude'' is an autobiographical play that details the complicated relationship between Alfaro and his father. The show begins with Alfaro describing going back home to rural California after learning his father has suffered a stroke. The play moves back and forth between Alfaro growing up and the events that follow his father's stroke. There are many stories within the larger narrative and they all relate to the overall theme of finding identity. Scenes from his childhood include working in the fields during summers, family celebrations, and some rocky teenage years, including once running away. The small stories and anecdotes from Alfaro's childhood all relate back to his father or his personal journey. ''St. Jude'' was produced at the Kirk Douglas Theatre in Culver City, CA from September 19-October 6, 2013 under the direction of Robert Egan. The play ran from February 13–16, 2014 at South Coast Repertory in Costa Mesa, CA. ''St. Jude'' was produced as part of Victory Gardens Theater's Up Close and Personal Series in 2017.
Luis Alfaro's ''Mojada: A Medea in Los Angeles'' is a contemporary retelling of ''Medea''. ''Mojada'' was first produced at the Magic Theatre in San Francisco in 2012 under the title ''Bruja''. ''Mojada: A Medea in Los Angeles'' was then produced at the Getty Villa in 2015. The premiere was produced by artistic director, Chay Yew, and managing director, Chris Mannelli. ''Mojada'' received a production at Oregon Shakespeare Festival from February 19-July 5, 2017 under the direction of Juliette Carrillo. The cast featured Sabina Zúñiga Varela, Lakin Valdez, VIVIS, Nancy Rodriguez, Vilma Silva, Jahnangel Jimenez, and Connor Chaney. ''Mojada'' played Off-Broadway at the Public Theatre July 2-August 11, 2019 under the direction of Chay Yew with Sabina Zúñiga Varela reprising her starring role, but with the play itself set in Queens instead of L.A.
Rosa Andújar edited ''The Greek Trilogy of Luis Alfaro'' which brought together for the first time Alfaro's three 'Greek' plays. These plays are based on Sophocles' ''Electra'' and ''Oedipus'', and Euripides' ''Medea''. Alfaro's ''Electricidad, Oedipus El Rey'', and ''Mojada'' platform the concerns of the Chicano and wider Latino communities in Los Angeles and New York through ancient drama. Provided by Wikipedia
-
1
-
2
-
3
-
4
-
5
-
6
-
7
-
8
-
9
-
10
-
11
-
12
-
13
-
14by Javier Enciso-Benavides, Luis Alfaro, Carlos Castañeda-Altamirano, Nancy Rojas, José González-Cabeza, Nathaly Enciso, Fernando Riesco, Miluska Castillo, Javier EncisoGet full text
Published 2021-06-01
Article -
15by André M Almeida, Rui G Palhinhas, Tanya Kilminster, Timothy Scanlon, Sofia van Harten, John Milton, Dominique Blache, Johan Greeff, Chris Oldham, Ana Varela Coelho, Luís Alfaro CardosoGet full text
Published 2016-01-01
Article -
16by Sandra L. Romero-Cordoba, Ivan Salido-Guadarrama, Rosa Rebollar-Vega, Veronica Bautista-Piña, Carlos Dominguez-Reyes, Alberto Tenorio-Torres, Felipe Villegas-Carlos, Juan C. Fernández-López, Laura Uribe-Figueroa, Luis Alfaro-Ruiz, Alfredo Hidalgo-MirandaGet full text
Published 2021-04-01
Article -
17by Rocío Arellano-Llamas, Luis Alfaro-Ruiz, Cristian Arriaga Canon, Ivan Imaz Rosshandler, Alfredo Cruz-Lagunas, Joaquín Zúñiga, Rosa Rebollar Vega, Christopher W Wong, Sebastian Maurer-Stroh, Sandra Romero Córdoba, Edison T Liu, Alfredo Hidalgo-Miranda, Joel A Vázquez-PérezGet full text
Published 2017-01-01
Article -
18by Fredy Omar Beltrán‐Anaya, Sandra Romero‐Córdoba, Rosa Rebollar‐Vega, Oscar Arrieta, Verónica Bautista‐Piña, Carlos Dominguez‐Reyes, Felipe Villegas‐Carlos, Alberto Tenorio‐Torres, Luis Alfaro‐Riuz, Silvia Jiménez‐Morales, Alberto Cedro‐Tanda, Magdalena Ríos‐Romero, Juan Pablo Reyes‐Grajeda, Elda Tagliabue, Marilena V. Iorio, Alfredo Hidalgo‐MirandaGet full text
Published 2019-04-01
Article