A Pilipino-American college student named Ruby is perfectly at ease with her rotund body. After all, she has surrounded herself with three friends who are like-minded and like-bodied who, at times, act as a Greek Chorus. And her hot new African-American boyfriend worships her. But at home, Ruby's mother Edwina (a hopeful beauty pageant contestant in her youth) is obsessed about body image. So much so, that Ruby's sister Jemmalyn, who looks more like a boy (and played by a male actor on stage), has been pushed by her mother to compete in the Miss Sunnyvale Beauty Contest. Because in Edwina's eyes a thin daughter who resembles a boy is far better than a beautiful daughter who is rotund.
When Edwina stopped paying for Ruby's college tuition to dedicate the family's money into Jemmalyn's beauty contest expenses – Ruby did the only option she has to gaining back her college tuition: win the Miss Sunnyvale Beauty Contest.In twists and turns, emerging Filipino-American playwright Boni Alvarez addresses society's concept of beauty and the pressure young people face to maintain that "ideal" image. With echoes of Greek tragedy laced in, this very funny, modern, hip play has a clear, authentic voice.
"Director Jon Lawrence Rivera, longtime head of Playwrights’ Arena, helms one of the most genuinely eccentric productions of the season in “Ruby, Tragically Rotund,” Boni B. Alvarez’s world premiere at the Los Angeles Theatre Center. And that’s a good thing..." - LA TIMES
Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays at 8:00pm
Sundays at 3:00pm
Thru 10/11
NO LATE SEATING
The New LATC
514 South Spring Street (between 5th and 6th)
*****
EVENT: Playwrights’ Arena, the only theatre dedicated to discovering, nurturing and producing original works written exclusively by Los Angeles playwrights, in association with The LATC and TDRZ Productions is presenting the World Premiere of RUBY, TRAGICALLY ROTUND, a sexy comedy of plus size proportions!.
PRODUCERS: Playwrights’ Arena, Ted Benito and Diane Levine
DIRECTOR: Jon Lawrence Rivera
PLAYWRIGHT: Boni B. Alvarez
CAST: Robert Almodovar, Regan Carrington, Kacy-Earl David, Alison De La Cruz, Fran de Leon, Mark Doerr, Angel Star Felix, Katherine Lee, Marc Pelina and Ellen D. Williams.
SET DESIGN: Miguel Montalvo
LIGHT DESIGN: Adam Blumenthal
SOUND DESIGN: Bob Blackburn
COSTUME DESIGN: Mylette Nora
STAGE MANAGER: Jaclyn Kalkhurst
PERFORMANCES: Thursdays through Saturdays at 8:00 P.M.; Sundays at 3:00 P.M.
CLOSING: Sunday, October 11, 2009 at 3:00 P.M.
VENUE: Playwrights’ Arena at
The LATC (Los Angeles Theatre Center)
514 South Spring Street
Historic Downtown Los Angeles, 90014
(between 5th & 6th Street)
RESERVATIONS: (213) 489-0994 Ext.# 107 or www.thelatc.org
Visit our web site at www.playwrightsarena.org.
