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ABOUT THE PLAYWRIGHT Culture Clash was born in 1984 in San Francisco's explosive Mission District. The collective continues to create new work for the American stage. Their second book of plays (Culture Clash in AmeriCCa) was published in 2003 by Theatre Communications Group. The performance trio will perform at the Yale Repertory Theatre in November of 2003. In April 2004, Arena Stage will present the world premiere of their new work, Senor Discretion Himself, written by Frank Loesser and Culture Clash. They are currently writing Zono: California, Mexico for Berkeley Repertory Theatre and La Jolla Playhouse, and are adapting Chavez Ravine for the screen.
ABOUT THE PLAY Chavez Ravine was commissioned by the Mark Taper Forum (Gordon Davidson, artistic director; Charles Dillingham, managing director), and was developed in the Taper's New Work Festival in 2001 and the Taper's Next Step workshop series in 2002. Chavez Ravine received its world premiere on the Taper main stage on May 17, 2003. The production was directed by Lisa Peterson, set design by Rachel Hauck, costume design by Christopher Acebo, lighting design by Anne Militello, sound design by Dan Moses Schreier and dramaturgy by John Glore. The production stage manager was James T. McDermot and production assistance was by Susie Walsh, Aaron "Longball" Henne, Edgar Landa and the Local 33 boys. The music direction/arrangement was by John Avila and the original music and lyrics were by Scott Rodarte, Randy Rodarte, John Avila and Richard Montoya. The production featured John Avila, Eileen Galindo, "Richard Montoya, Randy Rodarte, Scott Rodarte, *Ric Saunas and *Herbert Siguenza. (*Culture Clash)
Ghosts of L.A.
AN INTERVIEW BY JOHN GLORE
This interview with Richard Montoya and Ric Salinas of Culture Clash took place in L.A.'s Bunker Hill district, with Dodger Stadium visible on a nearby hillside.
JOHN GLORE: The story you dramatize in Chavez Ravine took place half a century ago, but it seemed that it wouldn't stand still as you began investigating it.
RICHARD MONTOYA: The story shifted like an L.A. earthquake. On the face of it we thought, well, the Dodgers kicked out the poor Mexican people, and it's going to be one more for the annals of Chicano theatre. But as we kept digging, what we found was a much more complicated story....