Actors of the play "La Muela del Rey Farfán “The Toothache of King Farfán”

Thursday, November 21, 2013 (Bronx, NY)
– The Hostos Center for the Arts & Culture (HCAC) and Teatro SEA (Society of the Educational Arts, Inc.) bilingual Latin theater continues the family series at Hostos with La Muela del Rey Farfán “The Toothache of King Farfán” on Saturday, December 14 at 3 PM in the Main Theater at Hostos Community College, 450 Grand Concourse in the Bronx.  Winner of 7 HOLA (Hispanic Association of Latin Actors) and ACE ( Arts Culture and Education) Awards, including “Best Musical Production,” “ Best Direction,” “ Best Set & Costumes,” La Muela del Rey Farfán features over 40 life-size puppets, singers and musicians. The production blends English and Spanish and is recommended for audiences 7 years of age and older. Tickets range from $10 to $15, with children under 12 half-price, and are available through the Hostos Center Box Office, by calling 718-518-4455, or online at www.hostos.cuny.edu/culturearts/

Written in 1909 by Spanish dramatists Serafín Álvarez Quintero and Joaquín Álvarez Quintero, La Muela del Rey Farfán is a children's theater standard throughout Latin America and Spain.  It tells the story of the selfish King Farfán, who gets a toothache, and in return gives everyone around him a huge headache, as he refuses to learn important lessons about love and respect.

La Muela del Rey Farfán remains a gem among family zarzuelas, “operettas” that originated in Spain and made their way to the Caribbean and Latin America.  The original musical score for the zarauela by Amadeo Vives was lost, forcing producers throughout the world to commission contemporary composers to create scores for each production. This new production by SEA features a score by Manuel Morán and Iván Alexander Bautista.

Directed by Manuel A. Morán, the cast includes Francisco Fuertes, Manuel Morán, Jesús Martínez, Shadia Almasri, and Indra Palomo with puppeteers Edward Cardenales, Daisy Payero, Ana Campos, Hector Palacios, Nestor Carrillo, and Christopher Williams. Translation is by Antonio Vallés; costume design by William Lorenzen III; set and puppets by José López; and musical direction by Iván Alexander Bautista.

Established in 1985, SEA is the premier Bilingual Arts-in-Education Organization and Latino Children’s Theatre in the United States.  SEA has created and produced a combination of educational theatre productions and art workshops/programs specifically designed to examine, challenge and create possible solutions for current educational, social and community issues. Its internationally celebrated programs include school, outdoor, community and Main stage performances, workshops and residencies, among others, reaching over 75,000 children and young adults every year.  In celebration of its 25th Anniversary, SEA opened a brand new state-of-the-art performance space at the Clemente Soto Vélez Cultural and Educational Center on Manhattan’s Lower East Side.

Funding for La Muela del Rey Farfán is provided by the Hostos Community College Foundation with public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs.

What: Teatro SEA Family Series “La Muela del Rey Farfán” (The Toothache of King Farfán)
When: Saturday, December 14, 3:00 PM (Doors Open at 2:30 PM)
Where: Main Theater, The Hostos Center for the Arts & Culture
Hostos Community College, 450 Grand Concourse, Bronx, NY 10451
Box Office: 718-518-4455
Website: www.hostos.cuny.edu/culturearts
Subway/Bus: IRT Trains 2, 4, 5 and Buses Bx1, Bx2, Bx19 to 149th Street and Grand Concourse
Press Contact: Soldanela Rivera –srlopez@hostos.cuny.edu / 718-518-6872 / John MacElwee – jmacelwee@hostos.cuny.edu / 718-518-6539

About the Hostos Center for the Arts & Culture
The Hostos Center for the Arts & Culture consists of a museum-grade art gallery, a 367-seat Repertory Theater, and a 900-seat Main Theater, presenting artists of national and international renown.  It is easily accessible from Manhattan, Queens and New Jersey and is a mere 15 minutes by subway from midtown Manhattan.

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.

Hostos offers 29 associate degree programs and five certificate programs that facilitate easy transfer to CUNY’s 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 The City University of New York (CUNY), the nation’s leading urban public university, which serves more than 480,000 students at 24 colleges.