Geffen Playhouse Fall 2025 Newsletter

THE NAME ON EVERYBODY’S LIPS IS GONNA BE...

PLAYWRIGHT ROXANA ORTEGA TAKES THE STAGE

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR TARELL ALVIN M c CRANEY’S SECOND GEFFEN PLAYHOUSE SEASON BEGINS WITH THE WORLD PREMIERE OF AM I ROXIE?

Roxana Ortega is no stranger to a spotlight—or a script. With an extensive career in television and film, including appearances on New Girl, NCIS, Santa Clarita Diet, and voice work on The Casagrandes and Star Trek: Lower Decks, Ortega has carved out a space in Hollywood as a versatile actor with impeccable comedic timing. But in her latest role, she takes center stage as both playwright and performer in Am I Roxie?, a world premiere at Geffen Playhouse that brings her most personal story to life.

“It is a journey,” Ortega says of the play. “I started writing this piece over ten years ago, when my mother was sick… to make

sense of what was happening with my mom, but also to capture it.”

What began as storytelling at open mics evolved into a one-woman show filled with humor, heartbreak, and honesty. Am I Roxie? dives headfirst into the world of caregiving, Alzheimer’s, and the ofteninvisible emotional labor behind it—topics rarely explored on stage, especially through the lens of a Latina daughter.

“Like Alice in Wonderland, I fell through a rabbit hole,” she explains. “How had I not known any of this before? I had to tell people about this world… but I wanted to do it in a way that captures all of its dimensions. Meaning sometimes it’s

hilarious, and it’s heartbreaking, and it’s frustrating.”

Ortega admits it wasn’t easy blending her sketch comedy background with such a heavy subject: “This is NOT a sketch.” But the breakthrough came in 2023 when she joined a playwrights workshop at Ammunition Theatre Company led by her dream director Bernardo Cubría. “I thought, well, he’s going to fall in love with this… which is basically what happened.”

After years of development, Am I Roxie? finally arrives—deeply personal, fiercely funny, and entirely original.

Am I Roxie? is on stage now through Oct. 5. Tickets available at geffenplayhouse.org

SOMETIMES LAUGHTER IS THE BEST MEDICINE

For playwright and performer Roxana Ortega, humor isn’t just part of her creative voice, it’s a lifeline. In her new one-woman show Am I Roxie?, Ortega explores the experience of caring for her mother through Alzheimer’s with unflinching honesty and unexpected laughter.

“Honestly, it’s just the way my brain works,” she says. “I have a very dark brain… but there is always an equal desire to laugh. It’s essential to my survival.”

Science backs her up. A study from the University of New South Wales Australia has shown that laughter can reduce stress hormones, boost mood, and even improve social connection for both Alzheimer’s patients and caregivers. But Ortega’s work goes beyond comic relief. Her humor becomes a powerful tool for resilience, connection, and truth-telling.

“There would be moments just so gut-wrenching that we all had to laugh, because it was just so bad,” she shares. “So I tried to capture all of that.”

Still, crafting the piece required balance. “Sometimes a moment needs to just sit in something difficult and uncomfortable. I had to stop making people laugh all the time as a way of making the subject easier.”

That intentional rhythm—letting the audience breathe, grieve, and laugh—is central to Am I Roxie? “Because in the context of the gravity,” Ortega says, “humor and play feel much more defiant and spiritually triumphant.”

By opening hearts through laughter, Ortega invites audiences into a rarely discussed world, and makes space for healing along the way.

AM I ROXIE?

SEPT 3 – OCT 5, 2025

GIL CATES THEATER

Written & Performed by Roxana Ortega

Directed by Bernardo Cubría

Production Sponsor

Two performances will have Spanish captions— Sept. 26 at 8 pm and Oct. 5 at 2 pm.

Visit geffenplayhouse.org/spanish for more information.

DONORS GO BEHIND-THE-SCENES AT “ PROPS AT THE PLAYHOUSE ”

EXCLUSIVE DONOR EVENTS OFFER AN INTIMATE AND IMMERSIVE LOOK INTO THE CREATIVE PROCESS BEHIND OUR PRODUCTIONS

On June 24, Geffen Playhouse donors got a special behind-the-scenes look at the magic that brings our stage to life, courtesy of Properties Master Rich Gilles In a hands-on workshop held both in the lobby and on the Gil Cates Theater stage, Rich shared an insider’s view into the artistry and ingenuity of theatrical props, revealing how ordinary objects become extraordinary storytelling tools.

From foam-made pastries to glass bottles that shatter safely, Rich walked attendees through the wide range of props used in our productions and how they’re designed to be both realistic and performance-ready. He explained how every item—whether a handwritten letter, a flickering candle, or a spilled drink—is thoughtfully crafted to support the story, the actor, and the audience’s imagination.

Guests didn’t just watch; they rolled up their sleeves and got to work. Donors had the opportunity to create two classic stage effects: fake blood and fake wine. With guidance from Rich, attendees mixed and matched ingredients to find the perfect shade and consistency, learning firsthand how something so simple can have a major impact under the spotlight.

Events like these are part of the Geffen Playhouse’s ongoing commitment to donor engagement, offering supporters a deeper understanding of the behindthe-scenes artistry that makes each production possible.

As Rich reminded everyone, “The best props are the ones you don’t notice — because they’re doing their job so well.” Thanks to our donors, we’re able to keep that magic alive, night after night.

WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT

GEFFEN PLAYHOUSE IS A NON-PROFIT THEATER

Your donation to Geffen Playhouse fuels more than just performances—it powers a creative community where bold stories come to life. By giving, you help support new play development, provide vital arts education programs, and ensure diverse voices have a stage. Contributions also keep ticket prices accessible, so more people can experience theater’s magic. Every gift, big or small, strengthens our ability to inspire, challenge, and connect audiences through unforgettable storytelling. Join us in shaping the future of American theater—because great art needs great supporters like you.

Visit geffenplayhouse.org/donate to learn more and enjoy special perks and behind-the-scenes events like “Props at the Playhouse.”

CAST & MUSICIANS ANNOUNCED FOR LITTLEBOY/LITTLEMAN

Geffen Playhouse is proud to introduce the dynamic ensemble bringing Rudi Goblen’s bold and genre-defying littleboy/littleman to life—a world premiere that fuses theater, movement, and live music into a powerful meditation on memory, masculinity, and identity.

Alex Hernandez joins the cast as “Bastian Monteyero.” A professional actor and self-proclaimed amateur hooligan based in Brooklyn, NY, Alex is the first male in his family born in the U.S. His stage credits include Time Alone (Belle Rêve Theatre Company), A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Mojada (The Public Theater), and The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity (Actors Theatre of Louisville/Dallas Theater Center). On screen, he’s known for roles in The Peripheral (Amazon), UnREAL (A+E Studios), and Sugar (Apple TV+). His voice work as “Lincoln Clay” in Mafia III earned him a BAFTA nomination, and he has received both Ovation and LA Drama Critics Circle nominations for Best Lead Actor. He is passionate about telling stories that center truth and justice: “No human being is illegal on stolen land.”

Starring alongside him is Marlon Alexander Vargas as “Fíto Palomino.”

Vargas is a Dominican-born, New Yorkraised multi-hyphenate artist making his Geffen Playhouse debut. A lover of both movement and language, Marlon is a 2024–25 Jerome L. Greene Fellow and the 2025 recipient of the Oliver Thorndike Acting Award. He recently appeared in Camino Real at Williamstown Theatre Festival and earned his M.F.A. from the Yale School of Drama this past May. Marlon is a proud immigrant and credits the community of Black and brown women who raised him— and his ancestors—for shaping his work. Adding sonic depth and texture to the production are two powerhouse musicians: drummer Dee Simone and bassist Tonya Sweets . Simone is a sought-after percussionist, composer, and educator whose work spans jazz, hip-hop, and experimental soundscapes. Sweets, a classically trained bassist turned genre-bending groove master, has toured with major recording artists and brings a deep, soulful sound rooted in funk, R&B, and Latin rhythms. Together, they provide a live musical score composed by playwright Rudi Goblen that pulses with emotion and elevates the theatrical experience of littleboy/littleman

MEET PLAYWRIGHT RUDI GOBLEN

With littleboy/littleman, playwright and composer Rudi Goblen makes his Geffen Playhouse debut by breaking new ground and filling a cultural void.

“I wrote littleboy/littleman because I didn’t see Nicaraguan stories in American theater,” Goblen says. “That absence made me feel invisible.” Set in Miami, home to the largest Nicaraguan population in the U.S., the play centers two Nicaraguan American brothers navigating family, masculinity, and the weight of assimilation.

Goblen began writing the play in 2018, inspired by “the systems in this country that impact Black and brown families,” and the silence around mental health in many communities of color. “This play gave me the space to hold all of that and gives these two brothers room to live inside memory, brotherhood, and all the ways we love each other.”

The piece is anything but conventional. Rooted in Goblen’s background in dance, spoken word, and ritual, it blends live music, poetry, and movement into a visceral experience. “Poetry distills emotion to its barest truth. Music, especially live music, creates atmosphere, pulse, and tension. When used with intention, it doesn’t underscore—it converses.”

Goblen’s work is part of a larger shift in American theater, one he believes is long overdue. “Immigrant stories are American stories… these plays speak not just of arrival, but of what it costs to stay. That will always be timely.”

By premiering littleboy/littleman, Geffen Playhouse “isn’t just preserving stories, they’re participating in the making of them,” Goblen says. “That kind of support, especially from a major theater, means a lot.”

LITTLEBOY/LITTLEMAN

OCT 1 – NOV 2, 2025

AUDREY SKIRBALL KENIS THEATER

Written by Rudi Goblen

Directed by Nancy Medina

Produced in Association with Brixton House

Featuring Alex Hernandez, Dee Simone, Tanya Sweets & Marlon Alexander Vargas

Major support for this world premiere production provided by the Edgerton Foundation New Play Production Fund.

Two performances will have Spanish captions— Oct. 18 at 8 pm and Oct. 30 at 7:30 pm.

Visit geffenplayhouse.org/spanish for more information.

DRAGON BABY RECEIVES BERKELEY REP WORKSHOP

This July, the final chapter in Sara Porkalob’s acclaimed Dragon Cycle took a major step forward. Dragon Baby, the third installment, was workshopped at Berkeley Repertory Theatre as part of their Ground Floor new play development lab, and it marked a bold evolution in the trilogy.

Unlike Porkalob’s one-woman performances in Dragon Lady and Dragon Mama, Dragon Baby will feature a full cast with multiple actors. Directed by her longtime collaborator Andrew Russell, this new play dives into the inspirations behind Porkalob’s storytelling and traces her transformation into the family chronicler—the one who carries, shapes, and performs their legacy.

Currently commissioned by Geffen Playhouse, Dragon Baby is a layered, theatrical exploration of identity, artistry, and generational memory. As Porkalob continues to develop the piece, she brings her signature mix of humor, heart, and bravura performance style to a new ensemble format.

Geffen Playhouse will host the next workshop later this fall, as the play continues its path toward a world premiere. We’re thrilled to support the evolution of this cycle and to help bring the final story in The Dragon Cycle trilogy to life.

VETERANS PERFORM THEIR OWN MONOLOGUES

On August 5, Geffen Playhouse welcomed a packed house to the Gil Cates Theater for Beyond the Barracks —a powerful evening of storytelling by veterans, for everyone. The performance marked the culmination of our Veterans Writing & Performance Workshop, an annual program that gives U.S. military veterans a platform to explore and share their lived experiences through writing and performance.

Over the course of 10 weeks, a group of veterans worked closely with professional artists and facilitators to craft deeply personal monologues. For some, it was their first time writing for the stage. For others, their first time stepping into the spotlight. Together, they created a night filled with humor, heartbreak, resilience, and truth.

The result was a moving and memorable performance that honored the complexity of veteran life—on and off the battlefield—and the strength it takes to tell your story out loud.

Geffen Playhouse is proud to provide a creative space where veterans can be seen, heard, and celebrated as artists. Beyond the Barracks reminds us that the stories we need most often come from the people we hear from the least.

Visit geffenplayhouse.org/veterans to learn more about the Veterans Writing & Performance Workshop.

Dragon Mama: Part II of The Dragon Cycle will make its Los Angeles premiere this spring in the Audrey Skirball Kenis Theater. Tickets available at geffenplayhouse.org

BACKSTAGE AT THE GEFFEN TO HONOR FRANK MARSHALL , DANIELLE PINNOCK & MATT BOMER

JOIN US FOR A NIGHT LIKE NO

OTHER—SUNDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2025

We are thrilled to announce the honorees for Backstage at the Geffen 2025—our annual fundraiser—celebrating three extraordinary artists: Frank Marshall will receive the Founders Award, Danielle Pinnock will receive the Trailblazers Award, and Matt Bomer will receive the Artistic Impact Award.

Frank Marshall is an EGOT winner and the legendary producer behind iconic films like Raiders of the Lost Ark, Jurassic Park, and The Color Purple. Danielle Pinnock,

an NAACP Image Award winner, is known for her standout roles in Ghosts (CBS) and Young Sheldon (CBS), and brings wit and warmth to every performance. Golden Globe winner Matt Bomer has captivated audiences in White Collar (USA Network), The Normal Heart, and Fellow Travelers Originally postponed due to the devastating L.A. wildfires, Backstage marks a powerful moment of community and resilience as we come together to support the vibrant future of Geffen Playhouse.

Hosted by Daniel K. Isaac , the October 19 event will feature hilarious storytellers, show-stopping performers, and surprise guests followed by a dinner under the stars. As our largest fundraiser of the year, Backstage is crucial to keeping Geffen Playhouse a thriving home for innovative theater, groundbreaking artists, and unforgettable stories.

Visit geffenplayhouse.org/backstage to learn more.

A LOOK BACK AT BACKSTAGE AT THE GEFFEN 2024