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Credits: Playwright, Carmen Rivera; Director, Sol Miranda; Designer, Katie Schmidt Feder; Sound, Brian Delma Taylor; Technical Director, Gene Panczenko. Cast: Arianna Hurtado, Luis Alonso Guzmán, Sol Miranda, Alyssa Nicole Acevedo, Andrew Torres, Stephen Velichko. Crew: Gordon Evans, Emily Lyles, Karina Roberts.

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EMBARK was proud to present Carmen Rivera's Obie winning play, LA GRINGA, in celebration of Hispanic Heritage and the play's 20th Anniversary. Directed by Sol Miranda, the four performances on November 5, 6, 12 & 13, 2016 were sold out and praised by all who came. The cast, a wonderful mix of professional & emerging actors, and crew was honored with Carmen Rivera's visit on Opening Night and the audience was excited to talk with Carmen during the show's post play discussion.

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La Gringa is about a young woman's search for her identity. Mari­a Elena Garcia goes to visit her family in Puerto Rico during the Christmas holidays and arrives with plans to connect with her homeland. Although this is her first trip to Puerto Rico, she has had an intense love for the island and even majored in Puerto Rican Studies in college. Once Maria is in Puerto Rico, she realizes that Puerto Rico does not welcome her with open arms. The majority of the Puerto Ricans on the island consider her an American – a gringa - and Mari­a considers this a betrayal. If she's a Puerto Rican in the United States and an American in Puerto Rico, Maria concludes that she is nobody everywhere. Her uncle, Manolo, spiritually teaches her that identity isn't based on superficial and external definitions, but rather is an essence that she has had all along in her heart. This play is published in a bilingual edition, if you are applying for licensing rights please state which version you wish to produce.

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La Gringa (Spanish version) opened at the Spanish Repertory Theatre in February of 1996. That year the play won an Obie award and it is still in repertory as of 2012. It is the longest running Off-Broadway Spanish language play. Both Spanish and English versions are available at Samuel French.

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