artwork for the play " Young Hostos"
 
The Hostos Repertory Company is pleased to announce the fall theatrical production of the new play, Young Hostos, written by Hostos alumnus, Michael Gabriel Torres ‘11 and directed by Hostos Professor Angel Morales. 

The play represents a special highlight to the yearlong schedule of Hostos175 events, which celebrate Eugenio María de Hostos, the man the College is named after. The performance is also special because it will officially open the new Black Box Theater in Room C-151.
 
Young Hostos presents scenes from Hostos’ youth in Puerto Rico and New York City from 1858 to 1870. While Hostos is considered one of the greatest intellectuals of the Americas, and his contributions as an educator, writer and activist are well known, his early life is somewhat of a mystery. Young Hostos represents one of the only vehicles to take audiences into this period of the man’s life.
 
Professor Morales, current Artistic Director of the Repertory Company, said he is thrilled to work on a play written by a Hostos graduate. Professor Morales was introduced to Torres three years ago by Professor Ana María Flores when Torres was a senior at the Hostos Lincoln Academy. Professor Morales contacted Torres last fall and asked him to write the one-act play, and the rest is “Hostos history,” so to speak. 
 
“I wanted our students to see a character onstage that they could relate to in an intimate way. Eugenio María de Hostos was a visionary and great teacher, but he was also a human being who fell in love, was passionate about his ideals from a very young age, and went through financial hardship in New York City,” Professor Morales said. “I think that our audiences need to see that as well. This play goes beyond the iconic figure that we know.”
 
Torres, who is now majoring in Dramatic Writing at New York University, said although Hostos died in 1903, the issues he dealt with as a young man still resonate today.
 
“This play was a great pleasure to work on and a true challenge to write, not only because I wanted to portray Hostos, the people in his life, and the world they lived in with honesty, but also because their story has so much to do with issues that myself and other young adults are dealing with,” Torres said. “I hope that this play can entertain as well as inspire.”
 
For Professor Morales, the play is the perfect combination of entertainment and education.
 
“With the help of scholars like (Hostos) Professor Orlando Hernández, we were able to collect important letters written by Hostos to his father, and journal entries from the time that Hostos was in New York which inspired Michael to write the play,” Professor Morales said, “Michael is a new and young voice in playwriting, and the fact that he graduated from Hostos is also an asset to this production.”
 
Three Hostos students will make their acting debut in Young Hostos: Darío Peralta in the role of Eugenio María de Hostos; Karen Báez in the role of Hostos’ first love, Cara; and Zaira Ramos as Hostos’ sister, Lola. With them, the veteran actor Carlos Molina, Vice President of the Division of Continuing Education and Workforce Development will be playing the role of Hostos’ father, Don Hostos.
 
The play will be presented in the Black Box Theater (Room C151) of Hostos Community College on:
November 20, 21, and December 5 at 7:00 p.m.
November 26 and December 4 at 12:30 p.m.
December 3 at 2:00 p.m.

For more information, please call the box office 718-518-4455. 
 
About Hostos Community College
Eugenio María de Hostos Community College is an educational agent for change that has been transforming and improving the quality of life in the South Bronx and neighboring communities since 1968. It serves as a gateway to intellectual growth and socioeconomic mobility, as well as a point of departure for lifelong learning, success in professional careers, and transfer to advanced higher education programs. The College’s unique "Student Success Coaching Unit" provides students with individualized guidance and exemplifies its emphasis on student support services. 
 
Recently named one of the top 10 finalists for the 2015 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence, Hostos offers 27 associate degree programs and two certificate programs that facilitate easy transfer to The City University of New York’s (CUNY) four-year colleges or baccalaureate studies at other institutions. The College has an award-winning Division of Continuing Education & Workforce Development that offers professional development courses and certificate-bearing workforce training programs. Hostos is part of CUNY, the nation’s leading urban public university, which serves more than 480,000 students at 24 colleges.