Theater News

Goodman Theatre and the Civilians to Present José Rivera's Another Word for Beauty

Steve Cosson will direct the world premiere production.

Bethany Rickwald

Bethany Rickwald

| Chicago |

December 29, 2015

Zoë Sophia Garcia (Nora), Danaya Esperanza (Luzmery), Helen Cespedes (Xiomara),Yunuen Pardo (Jeimi), Stephanie Andrea Barron (Yolanda), Monique Gabriela Curnen (Marilin/Magnolia), Marisol Miranda (Carmen/Tatiana/Elisinda), and Carmen Zilles(Isabelle) in rehearsal for Another Word for Beauty.
Zoë Sophia Garcia (Nora), Danaya Esperanza (Luzmery), Helen Cespedes (Xiomara), Yunuen Pardo (Jeimi), Stephanie Andrea Barron (Yolanda), Monique Gabriela Curnen (Marilin/Magnolia), Marisol Miranda (Carmen/Tatiana/Elisinda), and Carmen Zilles (Isabelle) in rehearsal for Another Word for Beauty.
(© Liz Lauren)

Goodman Theatre has announced plans to present the world premiere of Another Word for Beauty, written by Oscar nominee José Rivera (The Motorcycle Diaries), from January 16-February 21 in the Albert Theatre. A co-commission between the Goodman and Steve Cosson’s New York-based theater company, the Civilians, the production will be directed by Cosson and feature seven original songs by Grammy Award winner Héctor Buitrago.

Another Word for Beauty is inspired by an annual beauty pageant at El Buen Pastor women's prison in Colombia. The artists traveled to Bogotá to interview the prisoners prior to the pageant, creating a fictionalized but true-to-life look at the experiences of these women and the annual event intended by their jailers to motivate and rehabilitate them.

The cast will include Stephanie Andrea Barron (Yolanda), Helen Cespedes (Xiomara), Monique Gabriela Curnen (Marilin/Magnolia), Dan Domingues (Danny/Maurico/Arturo), Danaya Esperanza (Luzmery), Zoë Sophia Garcia (Nora), Marisol Miranda (Carmen/Tatiana/Elisinda), Yunuen Pardo (Jeimi), Socorro Santiago (Ciliana), Heather Velazquez (Maikelyn/Eva), and Carmen Zilles (Isabelle).

Ruben Gonzalez, Mike Przygoda, Diego Salcedo, and Javier Saume will perform Buitrago's music live onstage.

For tickets and more information, click here.

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