Latino Theater Company presents a poignant new comedy by multiple award-winning resident playwright Evelina Fernández (A Mexican Trilogy, The Mother of Henry). LTC artistic director José Luis Valenzuela directs the world premiere of Sleep with the Angels, set to run May 27 through June 26 at The Los Angeles Theatre Center. Low-priced previews begin May 19.
Sleep with the Angels injects a dollop of magical realism into the everyday lives of two working women. Molly, a busy attorney, has just separated from her husband and is in desperate need of a childcare provider. Juana has recently arrived from Mexico and is looking for a job. It’s a perfect match! Soon, Molly and her kids are swept up into Juana’s magical and charming ways. But just who is Juana, really?
“The play starts out on a whimsical note—Juana is a sort of indigenous Mary Poppins,” says Valenzuela. “Before we realize what’s happening, it has us thinking about serious issues: immigration, homophobia, parent-child relationships, marriage. The magical part is learning to be a real human being, and the complexity of that.”
Like all Latino Theater Company work, Sleep with the Angels is infused with music as well as magic. Musician Robert Revell plays plaintive and joyous Mexican melodies throughout.
Evelina Fernández is an award-winning playwright, screenwriter and actor who writes about the U.S. Latinx experience.
Sleep with the Angels opens on Friday, May 27 at 8 p.m., with performances thereafter taking place on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 4 p.m. through June 26. Six preview performances take place May 19 through May 26 on the same schedule. Tickets range from $10–$48, except opening night which is $58 and includes a post-performance reception, and previews, which are Pay-What-You-Choose starting at $5.
The Los Angeles Theatre Center is located at 514 S. Spring St., Los Angeles, CA 90013. Parking is available for $5 with box office validation at Joe’s Parking structure, 530 S. Spring St. (immediately south of the theater).
To purchase tickets and for more information, including up-to-date Covid-19 safety protocols on the date of each performance, call (213) 489-0994 or go to www.latinotheaterco.org.
