NEW YORK CITY: The Latinx Playwrights Circle has announced partnerships with five new artists in residence. They are Rebecca Aparicio, Nelson Diaz-Marcano, Alisha Espinosa, Darrel Alejandro Holnes, and Janio Marrero. The residency is part of the Creatives Rebuild New York Artist Employment Program, which seeks to support employment opportunities for artists in New York state.
“Receiving the CRNY support is a game-changing opportunity for our organization,” said artist-in-residence Alisha Espinosa in a statement. “As a team, we have been prioritizing creating paid opportunities for our playwright members and collaborating artists while working on a volunteer basis since 2020. The two-year guaranteed support will allow us to grow the organization and our own artistic practice in a more sustainable way. And we are laying a foundation for an even stronger future.”
Rebecca Aparicio is a playwright and director whose credits include directing Beastgirl at the Kennedy Center, House on the Lagoon at the Gala Hispanic Theatre, Sarita at the Roundabout Refocus Reading Series, and Siluetas at the O’Neill Theatre Center. Her writing credits include the award-winning musical Pedro Pan (New York Musical Festival, Musical Theatre Factory, Rhinebeck Writers Retreat), Tree Tales (Prospect Theatre), Hindsight 2020 (Live & In Color, commission), and Legacy (Prospect Theatre).
Nelson Diaz-Marcano is a theatremaker, advocate, and community leader whose credits include Y Tu Abuela, Where is She? Part 1 at the Vision Latino Theater Company; When the Earth Moves, We Dance (Clubbed Thumb) Flor: A Podcast Series with Braata Productions, The Diplomats with Random Acts of Chicago, and Revolt! With Vision Latino Theatre Company.
Alisha Espinosa is a theatremaker whose works have been developed and or presented at LATEA, Primary Stages, Tthe Drama League, PACE University, Clubbed Thumb, and Step1 Theatre Project. Her acting credits include Skeptic & a Bruja with Urbanite), Seize the King at the Classical Theatre of Harlem, Our Dear Dead Drug Lord at WP Theatre, Alma at then Old Globe and Hamlet at Stage One.
Darrel Alejandro Holnes is a writer and theatremaker whose credits include Starry Night, a finalist for the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center’s National Playwrights Conference and the Princess Grace Award in Playwriting. His play Bayano was also a finalist for the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center’s National Playwrights Conference. His most recent play, Black Feminist Video Game, was produced by Tthe Civilians for 59E59, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Center Theater Group, and other theatres and venues and won an inaugural Anthem Award, a social justice prize presented by the Webby Awards.
Janio Marrero has worked as a facilities director, technical director, and in production manager and producing director positions until being promoted to be Cherry Lane Theatre’s co-artistic director for two years. He is currently an interview panelist for the administrative fellowship program at Harlem Stage, a producer for the Chicago Sketch Comedy Festival, founder of the Indestructible: Campaign, producing director for the Power Grid Festival, and board president of Roots and Action/ Raices y Accion.
The Latinx Playwrights Circle is a nonprofit theatre company whose mission is to build a network of Latinx playwrights nationwide and to promote, develop, and elevate their work while making their plays accessible to theatremakers looking to find the next generation of American storytellers.
