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NEWS RELEASE

CSUN Theatre Department Opens its 50th Season with ‘Olé for Hollywood’

(NORTHRIDGE, Calif., Sept. 22, 2006) -- In celebration of its 50th anniversary, the Theatre Department at Cal State Northridge is presenting its first production of the season, "Olé for Hollywood," opening Sept. 29 and running through Oct. 8.

Performances will be held at CSUN’s Little Theatre, located in Room 121 of Nordhoff Hall on the south side of campus at 18111 Nordhoff St. in Northridge.

"Olé for Hollywood" places an examining, satirical eye upon present-day issues affecting the Latin American culture in the entertainment industry. The play is a creation of Latins Anonymous, a comedy troupe founded by Armando Molina, Luisa Leschin and Diane Rodriguez.

Directed by Molina and Northridge alumnus Cris Franco, a two-time Golden Mike and L.A. Emmy Award winner, the comedy is presented as a cultural commentary on the American-Latino experience.

"Armando and I jumped at the opportunity to reexamine a concept [‘The LaLa Awards’] that we felt was great – but slightly ahead of its time," Franco said. "With immigrant-bashing on the upswing, and as artists within this particular community, we needed to address the crisis, but in our special Latins Anonymous serio-comic way."

Both men immigrated to the United States as children, Franco from Mexico and Molina from Columbia.

Comprised entirely of the university’s students, the play’s multi-ethnic cast includes: Anthony Aguilar, John-Pierre Atallah, Alexandria Ayala, Patricia Balleser, Kristina Bakrevski, Maricela Chamagua, Robert A. Cisneros, Natalie A. Cole, Anthony Espinoza, Stephen Neiswanger, Meagann Pallares, Amador Plascencia, Justin Rabi, Marianna Riccio and Amy Urbina.

The show’s 20 new sketches and song parodies delve into such topics as undocumented workers, Spanglish, the Minute Men and their anti-immigration moment, machismo, gangs, amnesty and same-gender love.

Tickets prices range from $16 for general admission to $11 for students with a student ID. Tickets can be purchased through the Associated Students ticket office at (818) 677- 2488.

Parking is $4 and available in lot B1, located on the corner of Nordhoff Street and Darby Avenue.

For performance dates and times, visit the Theatre Department’s Web site at www.csun.edu/theatre/playseason.html.

For more information, contact theatre manager William Taylor at (818) 677-3091.