Washington, DC – GALA Hispanic Theatre is proud to present the world premiere of the dark comedy La Foto by Gustavo Ott. Directed by Abel López, GALA’s Associate Producing Director, La Foto is performed in Spanish with English surtitles from February 1 through February 25, 2018 at GALA Theatre, 3333 14th Street, NW, Washington, D.C. The theater is one block from the Columbia Heights metro station on the Green and Yellow lines. Discounted parking is available behind the theater at the Giant Food garage.

“We are delighted to stage our seventh play by Gustavo Ott,” comments Hugo Medrano, GALA Producing Artistic Director and co-founder. “Full of zany characters who seek to navigate contemporary life and all of its absurdities, Ott’s work reflects on our humanity even as we laugh.” 

In La Foto, two families are changed forever when a provocative selfie goes viral. Who bears responsibility for the consequences and who is the victim in what has become a common occurrence? With biting humor, issues of privacy, relationships, and body image are explored as Ott’s characters deal with mid-life crisis and try to find meaning and emotional connections between generations in an age of social media.  

Press Night and Noche de GALA is Saturday, February 3, 2018 under the gracious patronage of the Ambassador of Costa Rica Dr. Román Macaya and spouse Thaís González. This production is made possible with generous support from the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities and the Princess Grace Foundation, a creative collaborator.

ABOUT PLAYWRIGHT GUSTAVO OTT

Gustavo Ott is a Venezuelan playwright, novelist and journalist who now resides in the Washington, DC area.  He has written more than 35 plays, six of which GALA has produced, including the commissioned musical Momia en el closet: The Return of Eva Perón, with music by Mariano Vales, which was nominated for the Charles McArthur Award at the 2009 Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding New Play or Musical; Señorita y Madame; Pavlov: dos segundos antes del crimen; Nucna dije que era un niña buena; Tu ternura Molotov; and Divorciadas, evangélicas y vegetarianas. His other plays include Pony; Passport; Corazon pornográfico; Gorditas; and Lirica.  His plays have been translated into English, Italian, Portuguese, German, French, Danish, Greek, Russian, Polish, Czech, Hungarian, Japanese, Turkish, Catalan and Creole. Among his awards are the Tirso de Molina International Playwriting Prize (1998, Spain); Ricardo López Aranda International Playwriting Prize (2003, Spain); Venezuelan Ministry of Culture Theater Prize (2007); Third Prize IDB Award “Hispanics in USA” (2010, Washington, DC); and the FATEX Award for Playwriting (2012, Spain). Most recently, he won First Prize in the Trasnocho Playwrighting Competition for La Foto (Venezuela, 2017).  Mr. Ott participated in the International Writing Program of the University of Iowa (1993), the New Work Program at the Public Theater in New York (2002 and 2003); the Residence Internationale Aux Recoilets (2006, Paris); the Cité Internationale des Artes de Paris Residency (2010); and the Playwriting Program La Mousson D’Ete and La Mousson a Paris in the Comedie Française. 

ABOUT THE PRODUCTION

La Foto is directed by Abel López, GALA’s Associate Producing Director, who has staged more than 60 productions at GALA, including four other plays by Gustavo Ott:  Divorciadas, evangélicas y vegetarianas, Tu ternura Molotov, Nunca dije que era una niña buena, and Pavlov: dos segundos antes del crimen.  Other directing credits include Mariela en el desierto, Living Out; Beauty of the Father; El Canuto del Rock; Agustín Lara: Boleros & Bues; Elliott: A Soldier’s Fugue; Los pecados de Sor Juana; Real Women Have Curves; La casa de Bernarda Alba; and El beso de la mujer araña. His productions have appeared at the In Series, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Public Theatre in New York, Arizona Theatre Company, Su Teatro in Denver, Jomandi Productions in Atlanta, and Costa Rica, Venezuela, Cuba and El Salvador. He is chair of the board of directors of TheatreWashington, and past chair of the board of directors of Americans for the Arts, the National Association of Latino Arts and Cultures, the Theatre Communications Group (TCG), and the Performing Arts Alliance.  

Featured in the cast are GALA company Luz Nicolás, who was nominated for a 2016 Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress for Yerma, and Carlos Castillo, who was nominated for a 2000 Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor for El burlador de Sevilla. Other GALA company members appearing in the cast are Karen Morales, who was last seen in Crónica de una Muerte Anunciada, and José González, who was in Cervantes: El último Quijote. Making their GALA debut are Samantha Ríos, who appeared in In The Heights at Wakefield Theatre, and guest artist María Peyramaure, who appeared in Así van las fantasmas de México at Repertorio Español in New York.

Scenic design is by Jessica Cancino, who designed My Name is Asher Lev and Jesus Hopped the A Train at 1st Stage Theater. Light Design is by resident designer Christopher Annas-Lee, who designed Don Juan Tenorio and In The Heights, received a 2016 Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Lighting Design for Yerma, and is a 2017-2018 Princess Grace Award winner. Costume design is by Moyenda Kulemeka, who designed The Dog in the Manger at We Happy Few Theatre. Sound Design is by David Crandall, who designed Don Juan Tenorio and received the 1992 Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Sound Design, and Properties are by Tony Koehler, who designed for In The Heights. Nelly DíazRodríguez is Stage Manager. Lena Salins is Production Manager, Devin Mahoney is Technical Director, and Hugo Medrano is Producer.

TICKET INFORMATION

Regular tickets are $45 on Thursdays through Sundays. Tickets for students, military, seniors (65+), and 30 and Under are $30. Additional discounts are available for groups of 10 or more. To purchase tickets, call 202-234-7174 or visit www.galatheatre.org.