GALA’s 47th season continues with the U.S. premiere of La valentía (Valor: A Spooky Spectacular), a modern comedy written by acclaimed Spanish playwright Alfredo Sanzol and directed by Puerto Rican/Dominican director José Zayas. Performed in Spanish with English surtitles, La valentía opens April 20 and runs through May 14, 2023, at GALA Theatre, 3333 14th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20010.
Two sisters, Trini and Guada, are engaged in a heated feud over the sale of their summer home next to a busy highway. As tensions rise in this comedic romp, unworldly visitors to the house appear. With each new, absurd scheme that Trini and Guada employ to convince the other sister of their position, mysterious elements grow more pronounced. Who are these visitors who seem to inhabit the house?
La valentía (Valor) features a masterfully crafted narrative that expertly weaves together themes of family strife and otherworldly mystery. This clever and amusing production is sure to keep audiences guessing and laughing until the very end.
The Noche de GALA and Press Night is Saturday, April 22, 2023, at 8 pm under the honorary patronage of His Excellency Santiago Cabanas, Ambassador of Spain to the United States. Student matinees of La valentía are on weekdays at 10:30 am on April 27 and 28 and May 4, 5, 11 and 12. La valentía is appropriate for ages 10 and up. the show has a runtime of approximately 2.5 hours.
ABOUT THE PLAYWRIGHT
Alfredo Sanzol (Playwright) is a Spanish playwright and director whose work has been produced at National Drama Centre, the Teatro de la Abadía, and the Festival Grec. He has taught at various institutions including La Casa de América, La Casa Encendida, the National Theatre of Bogota, and the Navarre Theatre School. He is a three-time winner of the Premio Max for Stage Arts and received the Spanish National Literature Award for Dramatic Literature in 2017. He has a law degree from the University of Navarre and a degree in stage direction from the Royal School for Performing Arts. He writes plays as a way to discover “the real nature of human beings.” He is the Director of the Centro Dramático Nacional (CDN) in Madrid, Spain.
ABOUT THE PRODUCTION
José Zayas (Director) returns to GALA to direct his seventh production. Previously he directed La Tia Julia y el escribidor, El perro del hortelano, En el tiempo de las mariposas, Crónica de una muerte anunciada, Cancún, and La casa de los espíritus. Among his credits are Fandango for Butterflies (and Coyotes) (LaJolla Playhouse), Ms Holmes and Ms Watson: Apt 2 B (KC Rep), 72 Miles to Go (Alley Theatre), Romeo and Juliet and The Grapes of Wrath (American Shakespeare Center), The Queen of Basel (Studio Theatre), The Magnetic Fields: 50 Song Memoir (BAM, Mass MoCa, US and European Tour), A Nonesuch Celebration (BAM), Undocumented (Joe’s Pub), Blind Spot, In The Name of Salome, Aunt Julia and the Scriptwriter (ACE and Hola awards for best production and direction), Burundanga, The House of the Spirits (ACE Awards, Hola Award and Ovation Awards for best production and drama); Besame Mucho, and Barcelo on the Rocks (Repertorio Español); Pinkolandia and The Bottle of Doom (Two River Theatre); Corazon (Eterno Mixed Blood); Southern Promises and Strom Thurmond is not a Racist (PS 122, Brick); Useless (IRT); Father of Lies and Vengeance Can Wait (PS122); P.S. Jones and Feeder: A Love Story (TerraNOVA Collective); Okay, Mrs. Jones and the Man From Dixieland (EST); The Idea of Me (Cherry Lane Theatre); The Queen Bees (Queens Theatre in the Park); Wedding Dress, The Island of Lonely Men (Teatro Espressivo, Costa Rica). Born in Puerto Rico, he graduated from Harvard and Carnegie Mellon University. Website: josezayasdirector.com
Featured in the cast are GALA company members Luz Nicolás (Trini) and Víctor Salinas (Martin), who appeared in Jardín salvaje and La tía Julia y el escribidor; Delbis Cardona (Clemén), who appeared in GALita’s Príncipe y príncipe and GALA’s Doña Rosita la soltera; and Carlos Castillo (Felipe) who appeared in La tía Julia y el escribidor and El perro del hortelano. The cast also includes Paloma de Vega (Martina), who appeared in Fame the Musical en Español & English, and Sandra Gumuzzio (Guada), who is making her GALA debut.
Scenic Design is by Sam Klaas, who is working on his first production at GALA. Lighting Design is by Christian Henríquez and Costume Design is by Alexa Duimstra, both of whom join the GALA team for the first time. Sound Design is by Justin Schmitz, who designed sound for Jardín salvaje. Properties Design is by Tessa Grippaudo, who designed Revoltosa, Beauty of the Father, Ay, Carmela!. Ilyana Rose-Dávila is Stage Manager and Jon Townsend is the Technical Director. P. Vanessa Losada is Production Manager and Hugo Medrano is the Producer.
TICKET & GENERAL INFORMATION
Regular tickets are $48 Thursday through Sunday. Senior (65+), Military are $35, and Group (10+)tickets are $35; and Student Under 25 tickets are $25. Noche de GALA tickets are $55 each. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.galatheatre.org or call (202) 234-7174. Tickets are also available on Goldstar and TodayTix.
GALA has 4 wheelchair accessible spaces and an elevator to transport people from the entrance to the lobby, and to the house. Parking is available at a $4 flat rate in the Giant garage on Park Road, NW (must validate parking ticket at theatre lobby for discount). Additional parking is available at the Target garage also on Park Road NW, between 14th and 16th Street NW. GALA is located one block north from the Columbia Heights Metro station (Green/Yellow lines).
COVID-19 SAFETY PROCEDURES
The wearing of masks is optional IF you are fully vaccinated, pursuant to CDC guidelines, and have received an updated bivalent COVID-19 booster vaccine. The wearing of masks is required IF you are fully vaccinated, pursuant to CDC guidelines, but have NOT received an updated bivalent COVID-19 booster vaccine, or if you are not vaccinated.
All patrons ages 5 and up MUST provide either proof of vaccination against COVID-19 or a negative COVID test (taken within 72 hours prior to show time) to be admitted to the theatre. Children 0-4 years old accompanied by fully vaccinated parents do not need to show proof of a negative COVID test.
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