Using Pedro Calderón de la Barca's classic Spanish play "Life is a Dream" and Annie R. Such's modern adaptation as launching points, LA Mission College Theatre has created its own comedic take on this epic tale. By setting it in the storeroom of a Vallarta Supermarket and infusing it with the culture, language, people, and music of the Northeast San Fernando Valley, LA Mission Theatre Arts returns to live production with an energetic spectacle that speaks to our community.



When Rosaura travels from the Whole Foods in El Lago de Toluca to seek vengeance on her former lover, she arrives at the stockroom of Vallarta Supermarket where she stumbles into a dreamlike world of fractured family. El Carne King is about to hand over his throne to his rightful heir, a son whom he has imprisoned in the meat freezer since birth. On the eve of the coronation, El Carne King releases him to see if he is up to the task, only to discover that, without parenting, his son is a wild animal who thinks nothing of human life. An epic battle ensues, where sword clash, shopping cart butt heads, and piñatas explode...and yet forgiveness, compassion, and the bonds of family reign supreme, even in dreams.





WITH (in order of appearance)

JAQUELINE LOPEZ as Rosaura

ALEX BOCH as Clarin

JOHN BARRON as Segismundo

PHILIP MEJIA as Clotaldo

ABRAHAM LOPEZ as Jesus (Nov 18-19)

DANIEL ANGUIANO as Jesus (Nov 20)

NATALIE ARRENDONDO as Mary

ERICK TLATENCHI as Astolfo

MONSERRAT LOPEZ as Estrella

THEODORE PESZYNSKI as Basilio



Scenic Designer. NATALIE MORALES

Costume Designer. LENA SANDS

Lighting Designer. BRI PATTILLO

Sound Designer. DANNY ARZATE



STAGE MANAGERS. Josias Davalos, Osiel Macareno, and Jacob Padilla

ASS’T TO THE DIRECTOR. Ana Medina

MASTER ELECTRICIAN. Issac Gonzalez

SCENIC PAINTER. Travis Moelter*

PROPS ASSISTANTS. Evelyn Godoy and Winston Pelayo

ASS’T COSTUME DESIGNER. Blanca Gutierrez*

COSTUME SUPERVISOR. Christian Woods*

COSTUME ASSISTANTS. Dharma Claurmani, Diana Jimenez, and Daniela Perez

TECHNICAL DIRECTOR. Rafael Posada*

PRODUCTION MANAGER. Bri Pattillo (faculty)

MULTIMEDIA SPECIALIST. Johnny Phung



ABOUT THE PLAY

"El Carne King of Vallarta" is an adaptation of Annie B. Such's 2014 play "Life is a Dream: A New Vintage," which is an adaptation of Pedro Calderón de la Barca's 1600s classic of Spanish drama, "Life is a Dream." Such's script was adapted specifically for this production by Robert Cucuzza and Priscilla Soltero, with additional contributions from the cast of the show.

Recorded in November 2023
95 minutes

For LA Mission College’s first classical production, Associate Professor Robert Cucuzza has edited Shakespeare’s epic tragedy into a high-octane 90-minute thriller that careens into a mineshaft of sheer madness. Employing an open stage, hand percussion instruments, vintage theatrical effects, and a cast of 16, the company of students and professionals turn Shakespeare’s darkest play into a modern vision of fractured psychosis, dramatizing a merciless world where battles are being waged both within and without.

Macbeth is directed by Associate Professor of Theatre Arts Robert Cucuzza. Scenic design is by Amanda Loa, with lighting design by Bri Pattillo and costume design by Lena Sands. The cast includes Sohail Rahman as Macbeth and Ingrid Aguayo as Lady Macbeth, along with Diego Godinez, Abraham Cortez, Hugo Oliva, Joe Gutierrez, Athiana Chaffino, Nick Cordero, Nat Arrendondo, Kevin Khussainov, Keira Weiss, Caasi Romo, Izzy Carmona, Porter McFadden, Ryan Davis, and Aaliyah Gurrola.

Recorded in May 2023
95 minutes

Los Angeles Mission College Theatre presents 'Mr. Grieves and The Vampires,' an original adaptation of the 1915 French silent film series, 'Les Vampires.' The Theatre Arts program collaborated with students from all disciplines of Arts, Media & Performance to create a kaleidoscope of theatre, painting, music, film, video, costumes, and visual design.

In this lightning-fast world, intrepid journalist Philip Grieves goes to perilous lengths to bring down the brutal anarchist crime syndicate, The Vampires—masters of kidnapping, jewel heists, disguise, poison, getaways, and murderous chaos. Just as Grieves zeroes in, a nefarious new villain escapes from jail and uses the powers of hypnosis to bring The Vampires, Grieves, and the whole city to their knees.

Louis Feuillade’s masterpiece of silent film melodrama, 'Les Vampires,' captured the collective fascination and anxiety of turn-of-the-century Paris, as technological advances threw the world into irrepressible anarchic motion…and the public couldn’t get enough. Associate Professor of Theatre Robert Cucuzza whittles the 10-episode series into 95 quick-fire minutes, and uses the silent films as a backdrop for a Technicolor world of anarchy, similarly steeped in crime, brutality, and technological chaos, filled with snappy dialogue and the pulsating alt-rock music of The Pixies.

Mr. Grieves and The Vampires cast includes Natalie Arrendondo as Grieves, Dennis Gonzalez as Mazamette, Diego Godinez as The Grand Vampire, Monserrat Lopez as Irma Vep, Sohail Rahman as Juan José Moreno, and Athiana Chaffino, Kaitlyn Ceballos, Stanley Herrarte, Abraham Cortez as “Baddies,” who play a variety of thieves, lackeys, goons, authority figures, and victims of crime, poisonings, and murderous urges.

'Mr. Grieves and The Vampires' is written and directed by Robert Cucuzza, who also did the scenic and sound design. Lighting and costumes are by Theatre Arts faculty members Bri Pattillo and Lena Sands, respectively. Video design is by guest artist, Ly Eisenstein, who returns to the AMP Theater after their work on 'She Who Was No More.'

Recorded May 2022
101 minutes

In this theatrical tale of suspense, Fernand, a bored traveling salesman and his mistress, Lucienne, conspire to murder Fernand's wife, Mireille, and collect on her life insurance. They commit what they believe to be the perfect crime, depositing the body in a pool. When Mireille's corpse vanishes, their plot spirals out of control and Fernand goes into a psychological whirlpool, losing his grasp on reality, barreling forward to a shocker of an ending. Using the classic French suspense novel of the same name as a script, this multimedia production—filled with a chorus of menacing “Demons” who play many roles—fuses the novel, video design, modern art, cinematic storytelling techniques, and 1950s music into a suspenseful kaleidoscope of guilt and paranoia.

Six Mission College actors create the surrealistic world of 'She Who Was No More,' including Nat Arrendondo, John Barron, Jacqueline Lopez, Monserrat Lopez,, Dennis Gonzalez, and Julian Rangel. Associate Professor of Theatre Robert Cucuzza adapted the novel for the stage and directs the production. Lighting and costume design is by Theatre Arts professors Bri Pattillo and Lena Sands, respectively. Video design is by guest artist Ly Eisenstein. Stage management is by Philip Mejia and Jacob Padilla.