Latino Theater Company Receives Goya Foods Funding Saving La Virgen de Guadalupe Pageant Play
The Latino Theater Company is delighted to announce that thanks to the support of Goya Foods and a partnership with the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, it is bringing back the beloved, free holiday gift to the City of Los Angeles – the presentation of the iconic pageant play La Virgen de Guadalupe, Dios Inantzin.
The holiday play will be performed at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in downtown Los Angeles on December 4 and 5, 2013, at 7:30 pm.
“After a decade of producing this epic pageant, we are delighted that Goya Foods, a leader in the community, has stepped up to continue this annual holiday tradition for the City of Los Angeles” says José Luis Valenzuela, the company’s artistic director and a Professor of theater at UCLA’s School of Theater, Film and Television.“The community will be thrilled to once again celebrate the miracle of La Virgen, in the heart of our city.”
When Goya Foods learned late last year that the play was going dark because of insufficient funding, they committed to sponsoring the play this year ensuring that the over 7,000 community members that attend annually would not miss this spectacular holiday pageant.
“The story of the Virgen de Guadalupe holds a special place in our hearts and uplifts our community,” says Bob Unanue, Goya’s President. “We felt compelled to come forward and support the Latino Theater Company so they could bring back this magical holiday gift.”
La Virgen de Guadalupe, Dios Inantzin is the simple story of an indigenous peasant’s vision of the Virgin Mary that has become a theatrical cornerstone at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels for the last 10 years. This beautiful pageant play with music, dance, and a universal message of faith, love and perseverance appeals to many people regardless of race, language or religion. Over the last decade, tens of thousands of people have become transfixed by the story of Juan Diego, a simple peasant from Tepeyac. Adapted from “Nican Mopohua” by Evelina Fernandez? and directed by Jose Luis Valenzuela, the pageant is performed in Spanish with English supertitles. It is produced by The Latino Theater Company in association with the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels.
Among the cast of 100+ actors, dancers, and musicians are Suzanna Guzman, an East L.A. native and internationally renowned mezzo-soprano, who performs the role of the La Virgen, and Sal Lopez, a celebrated film and stage actor and founding member of The Latino Theater Company, who plays Juan Diego. The vast majority of performers are diverse community volunteers from all walks of life.
The pageant is scheduled for December 4 and 5, 2013, at 7:30 pm at Our Lady of the Angels Cathedral in downtown Los Angeles, 555 W Temple St. Los Angeles, CA 90012.
For more information please visit www.thelatc.org
For more information on Goya Foods, please visit www.goya.com
For more information please visit www.olacathedral.org
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