Rick Najera

Broadway playwright Rick Najera debuts his latest production, SWEET 15 ¡QUE QUINCEAÑERA!, a Spanglish interactive comedy experience in Miami. Featuring stars Rene Lavan and Ruben Rabasa, the show runs from April 4-28 at Renaissance at the Gables.

A mother's love knows no boundaries... After a five-year self-imposed absence, Julio Cesar, a young man with a buried secret, returns home after the death of his father.  Over the course of two evenings, mother and son, two estranged generations of Dominicans living on New York's Upper West Side, attempt to rekindle the love and appreciation for each other and their roots. However, unexpected revelations threaten to destroy an already thin bond between mother and child in Dominican-American Marco Antonio Rodriguez's riveting award-winning comedy/drama Ashes of Light  ("La Luz de un Cigarrillo") performed in English (sprinkled with Spanish) for the first time in New York. 

A mother's love knows no boundaries... After a five-year self-imposed absence, Julio Cesar, a young man with a buried secret, returns home after the death of his father.  Over the course of two evenings, mother and son, two estranged generations of Dominicans living on New York's Upper West Side, attempt to rekindle the love and appreciation for each other and their roots. However, unexpected revelations threaten to destroy an already thin bond between mother and child in Dominican-American Marco Antonio Rodriguez's riveting award-winning comedy/drama Ashes of Light  ('La Luz de un Cigarrillo') performed in English (sprinkled with Spanish) for the first time in New York. 

A mother's love knows no boundaries... After a five-year self-imposed absence, Julio Cesar, a young man with a buried secret, returns home after the death of his father.  Over the course of two evenings, mother and son, two estranged generations of Dominicans living on New York's Upper West Side, attempt to rekindle the love and appreciation for each other and their roots. However, unexpected revelations threaten to destroy an already thin bond between mother and child in Dominican-American Marco Antonio Rodriguez's riveting award-winning comedy/drama Ashes of Light  ("La Luz de un Cigarrillo") performed in English (sprinkled with Spanish) for the first time in New York. 

The public is welcome to attend the third annual LIVE READ, the grand prize given to this year's winning entry, Matadora of the 3rd Annual Ojai Film Festival Screenplay Competition. The reading will be on Sunday November 4 at 1 pm in the Ojai Art Center Gallery. Miguel Orozco, Artistic Director of Ánimo Theater Company, will direct and use his company's roster of talent to fill out the cast of Matadora for the festival performance. Along with the LIVE READ, the winning script will also have a Teaser Scene, produced by John Branagan, for the writers to use in their promotion of the script.

The 11:11, a new performance venue in the heart of West Hollywood, will officially open its doors on Saturday, June 2, at 8pm. The theatre's debut entertainment event, Good Vibes Live, will feature music, comedy, magic, dance, and art.

Rick Najera's inspirational talk show, Latino Thought Makers, highlighting Latino achievement and diverse voices, is now available on SoundCloud, the world's leading social sound platform at http://www.soundcloud.com/latinothoughtmakers.

LA LUZ DE UN CIGARRILLO (Ashes Of Light), written and directed by Marco Antonio Rodriguez (HOLA and ACE award for best play and direction) returns by popular demand for two weeks only at the Dominican Commission's Rafael Villalona Theatre in New York City.

LA LUZ DE UN CIGARRILLO (Ashes Of Light), written and directed by Marco Antonio Rodriguez (HOLA and ACE award for best play and direction) returns by popular demand for two weeks only at the Dominican Commission's Rafael Villalona Theatre in New York City.

Last night, October 15th, award-winning journalist Soledad O'Brien continued her I AM LATINO IN AMERICA Tour, presented by Northwestern Mutual, stopping at Occidental College in Los Angeles for another packed event filled with celebrities, national and local advocates, business leaders, students and academics. Scroll down for photos!

Tickets for the 2015 Santa Barbara LOL Comedy Festival (SBLOLFEST) are now available for purchase at www.sblolfest.com featuring an all-star line-up of headline comedians. This year's line-up will include Kira Soltanovich (Tru TV's “How To Be A Grown Up” and “The Tonight Show”), Brad Williams (Showtime Comedy Special “Fun Size”), Dan St. Germain (Comedy Central), Steve Lemme & Kevin Heffernan (Broken Lizard, “Super Troopers”, “Beerfest”), Cheech Marin (Cheech & Chong) Willie Barcena (Showtime), Monique Marvez, (Showtime), Steve Trevino (Showtime) Jeff Garcia (Showtime) and festival finale night Chris Hardwick (“@Midnight”, “Talking Dead”, “The Nerdist”) Andy Daly (Comedy Central's hit  “Review”). Shows will take place over two back-to-back weekends in Santa Barbara's Historic Theatre District at the Lobero and Arlington Theatres. For a complete line-up of shows and ticketing information go to sblolfest.com.

Award-winning web series “Living The Dream” returns with its highly anticipated first season. The show's pilot garnered the prestigious “Best Episode Award” at the LA Femme Film Festival and “New Media Award” at The Hollywood Festival of New Cinema.

Following the showcase, Candice Guardino's hit show Italian Bred will perform on Tuesday February 3rd, 10th, and 17th at the Hudson Theatre. Italian Bred opens Tuesday February 3rd at 8pm.

Repertorio Español will present the premiere of Barcelo Con Hielo (Barcelo On The Rocks) by Marco Antonio Rodriguez today, June 13th at 8:00 PM.

Repertorio Español will present the premiere of Barcelo Con Hielo (Barcelo On The Rocks) by Marco Antonio Rodriguez on Friday, June 13th at 8:00 PM.

Rick Najera takes an unapologetic and honest look at the depiction of Latino culture with his new thought-provoking and comedic memoir, Almost White: Forced Confessions of a Latino in Hollywood (SmileyBooks, September 16, 2013, ISBN: 978-1-4019-4312-7, $16.95, Trade Paperback). The book released nationwide on September 16th, during Hispanic Heritage month and on Mexican Independence Day.

CBS will sponsor its ninth annual talent showcase for diverse sketch comedians in January 2014 in Los Angeles.

CBS will sponsor its eighth annual talent showcase for diverse sketch comedians in January 2013 in Los Angeles. Executive producer and writer Rick Najera ('Mad TV,' 'Latinologues,' 'Nothing Like The Holidays,' 'In Living Color') will again direct the showcase for CBS.