Teatro Vivo
Cuento Navideño Written and Directed by Rupert Reyes, an on-line production
December 10th – 20th, 2020
Performance Streaming Date and Times:
DEC. 10, 11, 12, 17, 18, 19 @ 7PM
DEC. 13, 20 @ 2PM
DEC. 10 will be FREE, hosted by the MACC, livestreamed here: https://www.facebook.com/AustinESBMACC
Following every performance, Teatro Vivo will host a live discussion with members of the Cuento Navideño company, hosted by Ben Bazán. The discussions are free and will go live immediately following each performance. All talk-backs will be live on zoom at this link: https://tinyurl.com/2020cuento
Teatro Vivo returns with the 2020 virtual production of Cuento Navideño: Bah Humbug in the Barrio, a bilingual holiday comedy Dec. 10 -20.
Teatro Vivo gives the gift of laughter once again this holiday season. This year’s production brings back the beloved characters from the 2012 production and offers some new surprises! Written and directed by Rupert Reyes and inspired by Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, Cuento Navideño (A Christmas Story) takes place on Christmas Eve in a modern, urban Latino community. Evangelina Cruz is the Latina version of Ebenezer Scrooge. She is a selfish businesswoman who has lost touch with her culture, her family and connection to her community. An unexpected visit from the ghost of her former business partner, the once equally-greedy Teodora, sets Evangelina on a journey to look closely at her choices.
This festive bilingual comedy infuses Latino culture, Spanish language, and Latino holiday traditions in a show to be enjoyed by the whole Austin familia.
Virtual Performances are Dec. 10-20 2020; Thursdays-Saturdays at 7 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m.
CAST AND GUEST ARTIST SCHEDULES:
THURSDAY DEC. 10 @ 7 PM/TALKBACK FOLLOWING – Yvonne Cortez Flores
Yvonne Cortez Flores was recently nominated in the category, Outstanding Actress in Theatre for Youth, for her 2019 performance as Abuela in Yana Wana’s Legend of the Blue Bonnet by Teatro Vivo and Indigenous Cultures Institute. She has been so thankful to Rupert and Joann Reyes for giving her so many opportunities to act on stage. As well, many thanks to current acting comadre, Mary Alice Carnes, who gave Yvonne her first shot at a professional theatre production with My Visits with MGM (My Grandmother Martha) in 2000. Teatro Vivo is a true family indeed. Gracias for all you do!
FRIDAY, DEC. 11 @ 7 PM/TALKBACK FOLLOWING – Rupert Reyes
Rupert Reyes is an Austin playwright and Founding Artistic Director of Teatro Vivo. The B. Iden Payne Theater Awards committee has nominated his plays for best new scripts and he has received several acting nominations as well. His collaboration with ZACH Theater and Glass Half Full Tjheater, Cenicienta, was awarded Best New Play in 2015 by the Critics Table Awards and is set to be performed at the Kennedy Center in April 2021. Vecinos, Love Thy Neighbor, a feature film adaptation of his stage play, Vecinos, has been completed and is looking for distribution. Thanks to the wonderful cast, crew and my wife, JoAnn.
SAT, DEC 12 @ 7 PM/TALKBACK FOLLOWING – Ben Bazan
Ben Bazan, a graudate of the University of Texas is currently Athletic Director and Theater Guide at Acton Academy. He has appeared in previous Teatro Vivo productions. Including JJ’s Arcade in collaboration with Zach Theater. He wishes the cast and crew his best and it has been a great honor and pleasure to be part of this cast. He also wishes everyone a Feliz Navidad!
SUNDAY, DEC. 13 @ 2PM/TALKBACK FOLLOWING – Angela Tolle
Angela Tolle está muy excited to be playing Amelia in Cuento Navidad! Her love of acting was renewed in 2017 as a performer in Teatro Vivo’s Austin New Latino Play Festival. Since then she has enjoyed performing in two more ANLPF readings and also being on stage for the Teatro Vivo productions of “Sangre de un Angel” and “La Pastorela”. Angela wishes everyone una Feliz Navidad and dedicates her performance to her mom who is watching from up above.
THURSDAY, DEC 17 @ 7 PM/TALKBACK FOLLOWING – Mary Alice Carnes
Mary Alice Carnes is excited to be with Teatro Vivo again on Cuento Navideño. She has worked with Austin and regional companies and playwrights including Raul Garza, Rupert Reyes, Roxanne Schroeder-Arce, and Dolores J. Diaz, Different Stages, Zilker Theatre Productions, Austin Gilbert and Sullivan Society, Austin Musical Theater/Broadway Texas, and Austin Shakespeare. She was honored to participate in the National New Play Network Showcase of New Plays in Sharon Walker’s The Madres in 2016 and its national rolling premiere with Shrewd Productions in 2018. Mary Alice has directed new works at FronteraFest, including Route 307 by Rupert Reyes (Best of the Week, 2011), Rosetta by Candyce Rusk (Best of the Fest and Best of the Week, 2004), and 2018’s Atacama by Augusto Federico Amador for Teatro Vivo’s Austin Latino New Play Festival.
FRIDAY, DEC 18 @ 7 PM/TALKBACK FOLLOWING – Santos and Celeste Palacios
Celeste Palacios enjoys reading, listening to music and singing in her middle school choir. Celeste is delighted to perform in Cuentos Navideños, and most of all to return to the Teatro Vivo Family! In 2019, she played Astucia in La Pastorela. The summers prior to that Celeste has been in Broadway Bound where she played in Aladdin as a narrator (2016), in Peter Pan as Wendy (2017), in 42nd Street as a singer (2018), and in Bye Bye Birdie as Kim McAfee (2019).
Santos Palacios enjoys swimming, playing basketball, singing and drawing. Santos has performed in his elementary school’s shows. His first time on stage was with Teatro Vivo‘s La Pastorela, playing Mingo in 2019. He is blessed to have the continued cariño and guidance of this company and its talented cast and crew as he performs as Diego in Cuentos Navideños.
SATURDAY, DEC 19 @ 7 PM/TALKBACK FOLLOWING – Genevieve Schroeder-Arce
Genevieve Schroeder-Arce is a 14 year old freshman at LASA High School. Her acting credits include the role of “Young Teresa” in USA Network’s Queen of the South. She has also participated in several productions with Teatro Vivo, including “Maria” in Yana Wana’s Legend of the Bluebonnet, in collaboration with Indigenous Cultures Institute, “Alyssa” in Sangre de un Angel, and “Cucharita” in La Pastorela. Genevieve has also performed with UT Austin and Austin Shakespeare and loves to workshop new plays. She is thrilled to be in Cuento Navideño this year with Teatro Vivo! Genevieve plans to study pre-med in college.
SUNDAY, DEC 20 @ 2PM/TALKBACK FOLLOWING – Anya Villa Reyes and Amelia Reyes
Anya Reyes Villa first appeared with Teatro Vivo in their first show, Petra’s Cuento in 2000. She was also in the second production of Cuento Navideño at the Rollins Theater at the Long Center. She continues to be involved in theater and has produced her own events, her last being Hecha me un Ojo. She wants to thank her loving husband, Mario for his support and gives a shout out to the newest family member, Yuli Jo. Break a leg everyone!
Amelia Reyes first appeared in Cuento Navideño in 2011. It was also her stage debut at age 14 months. She has appeared most recently in La Pastorela in 2019. She loves to sing and hopes to one day have her own You Tube channel. She hopes to continue doing theater, especially musical theater in the future. Special thanks to her Mom, Anya, her dad Mario, and her new little sister, Yuli. I will also be there for you! Thank you to all the cast and crew for making this a great experience. Merrry Christmas y Feliz Navidad!
This project is funded and supported in part by the City of Austin through the Cultural Arts Division. This project is also funded and supported in part by a grant from the Texas Commission on the Arts and the City of Austin through the Cultural Arts Division, believing an investment in the Arts is an investment in Austin’s future; visit http://www.NowPlayingAustin.com.
Teatro Vivo 
Hi, the STREAMING dates are Dec. 10-20.Rupert
“Knock, And He’ll open the door Vanish, And He’ll make you shine like the sun Fall, And He’ll raise you to the heavens Become nothing, And He’ll turn you into everything.” ― Jalal Ad-Din Rumi