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“Charla,” A Chat with Jose Marti
WITH ACTOR CHAZ MENA PRESENTED BY MIAMI DADE COLLEGE
~Chapman Auditorium at the Wolfson Campus, Thursday, Oct. 25, at 7:30 p.m. ~
MIAMI, Oct. 9, 2007 – In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, Miami Dade College’s (MDC) Wolfson Campus will host Chaz Mena in a performance of the monologue/play “Charla,” a Chat with José Martí. The special event will take place one night only, at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 25, in the Wolfson Campus Chapman Auditorium, located in room 3210, building three, at 300 N.E. Second Avenue, in downtown Miami.
As if frozen in time, Chaz Mena will respond to questions from the audience with an improvisation session during which he remains in character as José Martí. It will be presented in English. The event is free and open to the public.
“Charla” is the Spanish word for “chat.” In the play, Mena recreates the scene of a speech that Cuban political leader José Martí delivered in Ybor City, Florida in 1891, during his first trip to the state. At the time of the address, Marti sought to galvanize Cubans into overthrowing Spanish rule without succumbing to annexation by the United States. In the speech, Marti attempts to inspire his people, enjoying a peaceful and lucrative life in Florida, to risk it all on a final push to free their land: “Cuba libre.” Mena wrote the play for the Road Scholars Program of the Florida Humanities Council, which made this performance possible.
The actor recently appeared in the American premiere of “Murder of Isaac” by Israel's leading playwright, Motti Lerner, at Baltimore’s Centerstage. Last season, he was cast in the Tony-award winning “Anna in the Tropics” at the Arena Stage in Washington, D.C. A veteran of the Coconut Grove Playhouse, Florida Shakespeare, and Actors’ Playhouse in Miami, Mena was nominated for an ACE Award for his work in “Becoming Bernarda.” His film roles include performances in “Miami Rhapsody,” “Ace Ventura,” and “Miami Hustle.” His television work consists of recurring and guest roles on “Third Watch,” “Law & Order,” “Tracey Takes On,” “Wise Guys,” and “Miami Vice.” The actor holds an M.F.A. in Drama from Carnegie-Mellon University, and a B.A. in English Literature from Barry University in South Florida.
WHAT: “Charla,” a Chat with José Martí
WHEN: Thursday, Oct. 25, at 7:30 p.m.
WHERE: MDC‘s Wolfson Campus Chapman Auditorium
Room 3210, Building Three, 300 N.E. Second Avenue, Miami
For more information: Caroline Bernard-Stokes, Wolfson Campus President’s Office (305) 237-3225
Media-only contacts: Juan Mendieta, MDC Director of Communications (305) 237-7611, jmendiet@mdc.edu or Beverly C. Rodrigues MDC Director of Media Relations (305) 237-3949, brodrigu@mdc.edu.
“CHARLA,” A CHAT WITH JOSE MARTI WITH ACTOR CHAZ MENA PRESENTED BY MIAMI DADE COLLEGE
 In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, Miami Dade College’s (MDC) Wolfson Campus will host Chaz Mena in a performance of the monologue/play “Charla,” a Chat with José Martí. The special event will take place one night only, at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 25, in the Wolfson Campus Chapman Auditorium, located in room 3210, building three, at 300 N.E. Second Avenue, in downtown Miami.
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