Washington, D.C.– Paso Nuevo and participants of GALA’s Summer Youth Program are proud to present an adaptation of Federico García Lorca’s Blood Wedding, on Friday, August 3, 2018 at 8 pm at GALA Theatre in Washington, DC. Performed in English and Spanish, the presentation is directed by Mauricio Pita and the bilingual adaptation is by Cornelia Cody. The program is not recommended for very young children. Admission is free.  

Blood Wedding, Federico García Lorca’s classic tragedy, explores the repressive norms of traditional society and how they clash with individual freedom, desires, and hopes. Garcia Lorca’s poetry investigates fate, death, and the most powerful emotion of all: love.

“This production,” states director Pita, “is a culmination of a six-week intensive session that brought together diverse youth from throughout the DC area to explore all elements of theatre making. The students worked in teams the areas of set design, light design, sound design, projections, marketing, stage management, performance, dramaturgy, translations, and music, and with the guidance of theatre professionals they created a stage performance.”

Paso Nuevo’s adaptation of Blood Wedding also includes some gang prevention and safety tips, as they are part of what affects youth today, thanks to an interactive and productive workshop led by the Washington DC Metropolitan Police Department.

“The creative work of the students in GALA’s Paso Nuevo illustrates how the arts can transform their lives,” added Jackie Reyes, Executive Director of the Mayor’s Office on Latino Affairs, which provides ongoing support for the Paso Nuevo program. “We celebrate their diversity and strong cultural identities and the example they set as young leaders in their communities and schools.”

The Paso Nuevo participants are Irina Benson, Jordan Berry, E’Lexius (Lex) Blackwell, Melissa Cadena, Claudia Canjura, José Coca, Tarise (Sara) Dickens, Santiago Durán, Jason Gómez, Vidal González, Laila Hart, Leydi Hernández, Jaelyn Hill, Fayola Jean, Jennifer López, Marselina López-Fuentes, Karlyn (KC) McAllister, Christell Miranda, Christofer Morales, Ashley Ramírez, Malik Robertson, Nayeli Zapata, and Yocasterin Zapata.

GALA Theatre is located at 3333 14th Street, NW in Washington, DC. Parking is available behind the theater in the Giant Food garage on Park Road, NW. The theater is one block north of the Columbia Heights Metro station on the Yellow and Green lines. For more information, call 202-234-7174 or visit www.galatheatre.org

ABOUT PASO NUEVO AND THE SUMMER YOUTH PROGRAM

The GALA Summer Youth Program is a six-week intensive performing arts program that immerses participants in writing, acting, dance, and music classes. Skilled teaching artists guide students ages 13-18 through the process of creating a performance, starting with an idea, through the rehearsal process, and concluding with tech week and opening night. Through exposure to a wide range of artistic practices, students explore issues of identity and cultural differences, articulate their values, increase self-esteem, and gain bilingual skills that will enhance their academic performance and future career opportunities. This year’s program includes Paso Nuevo students, youth new to the theater, and participants referred through the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities ,Marion S. Barry Summer Youth Employment Program (MBSYEP); and the Mayor’s Office on Latino Affairs Summer Youth Employment program .

MBSYEP is a locally-funded initiative that provides District youth ages 14 to 24 with enriching and constructive summer work experiences through subsidized placements in the private and government sectors. This summer, the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities placed 90 youth in a variety of local organizations and businesses within the District that support the creative economy. The Mayor’s Office on Latino Affairs, also in collaboration with MBSYEP, placed over 200 youth in jobs with local nonprofits and in the private sector. Youth have the opportunity to explore arts-focused job opportunities with CAH’S partner organizations, as well as other job areas with MOLA’s partners, providing an enriching and constructive summer experience for youth of all backgrounds and cultures.

GALA’s Summer Youth Program is made possible with generous support from the DC Commission on the Arts & Humanities, the Mayor’s Office on Latino Affairs, Wells Fargo, the Harman Family Foundation, Congressional Sports for Charity, the City Fund, and the Nationals Dream Foundation.