Jennifer Paredes didn’t get properly involved in theater until her senior year at Otay Ranch High School. But once bitten by the acting bug, her on stage career has blossomed.
Paredes, a 2008 ORHS graduate, has a supporting role in the San Diego Repertory Theatre world premiere production of “Manifest Destinitis,” which is scheduled for a Sept. 21 to Oct. 9 run in the Lyceum Theatre Space in Horton Plaza.
“I had done a couple of Christmas pageants but my senior year at Otay Ranch I auditioned for ‘West Side Story.’ That’s when the ball really started rolling. It was such a new experience to be a part of a group of people who told this story. It was just really neat to see how other people could be affected by story-telling.”
Paredes is a multi-talented actress/musician. She has appeared in short films and on stage and has also contributed as a songwriter.
“Music has always played a huge role in my life growing up,” she explained. “I don’t really perform music; up to this point, it’s been more of a personal thing. I enjoy being around of group of people creating something, like in a jam session.”
She just completed her first feature film, “Weigh Down,” in which she contributed music to the soundtrack. “It was a group collaboration project,” she explained. “There was room for a lot of music in the film.”
Paredes said there is quite a bit of difference from shooting a short film to being involved in a feature production — and, correspondingly, there’s a lot of difference being involved in a film production as opposed to being in a live theater production.
“In a film, you’re limited to what time of the day you can shoot and what venues you can shoot at,” she explained. “It’s a choppier experience. It’s more of a director’s or cinematographer’s medium. In theater, you find you are more connected to the story. It’s more of an artists’ medium, though it’s still a collective project.”
She admitted acting in “Weigh Down” was “very challenging.”
“It was everyone’s first film,” she said. “We all jumped into an ocean we really didn’t know how to navigate. We had limited resources; we had to work around everyone’s schedule. I learned that film takes so many people and so much effort to execute.”
She finds theater a more free-flowing medium.
“It’s an opportunity for story-telling,” she emphasized. “Theater is amazing; it’s always different. Every show is different just as every audience is different. The audience plays a huge role. You have the solid structure to the play but you feel the audience. If the audience is great, you feel that. It’s an energy exchange that is free flowing in theater.”
The upcoming San Diego REP production is set in early California between the Mexican-American War and the Gold Rush, and is an adaptation of Moliere’s “Imaginary Invalid.”
Paredes describes her character, Angelica, as a “naïve, lovesick puppy.”
“She’s a daughter of Don Aragon, who is a wealthy Spanish ranchero,” Paredes explained. “At that time women were basically possessions. Her father is trying to marry her to another ranchero but she falls in love with someone else.”
Paredes admits that she’s still learning her craft.
“‘Manifest Destinitis’ is the first farce I’ve been in — a completely different way of writing,” she explained. “By doing something you don’t have a firm grip on, it’s been a great learning experience. It’s opened my eyes to new possibilities.”
Paredes sees future possibilities, in her words, as “endless.”
“I feel like a little seedling,” she confessed. “I’ve been so blessed that I’ve had all these different opportunities to explore different mediums. I hope to be able to keep pushing the boundaries and stay open to whatever opportunities are presented.”
One new frontier she is interested in exploring branches from one of her hobbies — video games.
“Video games are amazing,” she said. “They have so many new applications with motion capture and acting. It’s so amazing. I just can’t wait to see what’s ahead. Virtual reality is on the cusp. It’s exciting, especially to see how acting can contribute to this completely new portal of entertainment and story-telling.”
‘Manifest Destinitis’ rolls out laughs, puns and farcical humor
Culture Clash founding member and REP Playwright in Residence Herbert Siguenza has scored a winner in “Manifest Destinitis.” The brand new comedy, directed by REP Co-Founder and Artistic Director Sam Woodhouse opens San Diego REP’s 41st season. The show’s run begins on Thursday, September 15, 2016 and plays through Sunday, October 9, 2016 with an opening night on Wednesday, September 21, 2016 at 7 p.m. in the Lyceum Space Theatre at San Diego REP in Horton Plaza.
“I want to show California when it was still Mexico and the Yankee was thought of as the immigrant. A total reversal of today’s xenophobia about foreigners,” explained playwright and performer Siguenza. “’Make America Mexico Again’ is a slogan the early Californios could have been saying in the 1800s. I use comedy and history to show how we are all interconnected and there’s no ‘us’ and ‘them.’ History repeats itself with different protagonists.”
“San Diego audiences have for decades enjoyed the satire, comedy, politics and audacity of the work of Herbert Siguenza,” Woodhouse said. “We are thrilled to be able to premiere his latest satirical comedy in the heat of the American political campaign season.”
This world premiere centers around Don Aragon, a very sick Californio. His head aches, his bowels are troubling him and he has a fear of losing everything to foreigners. He has Manifest Destinitis. Between the end of the Mexican-American War and the start of the Gold Rush craze, this madness is infecting all of Alta California.
When the Don’s medical bills start to pile up, he arranges to marry his daughter Angelica off to a young doctor. Of course, she has her sights set on someone else — a guapo Americano! Thank goodness for Tonia, played with elan by Siguenza, Don Aragon’s loud mouth native Indian servant, who hears all, sees all and fixes all with much cunning and clowning.
Just in time for the fall presidential campaign debates, this hilarious mixture of contemporary political satire, romantic triangles, double entendres and mistaken identities promises to leave you in stitches.
Mark Pinter stars alongside Siguenza in this new comedy as “Don Aragon,” the hypochondriac Californio. Pinter is most recognizable from his long running appearances on the television soap operas “All My Children” and “Another World.” He last appeared at The REP in the world premiere of Siguenza’s “Steal Heaven.” Siguenza dons a wig in his world premiere to play the fast-talking native India servant “Tonia.” REP audiences last saw Siguenza on stage in his world premiere piece, “Steal Heaven,” which he also co-directed with REP Associate Artistic Director Todd Salovey. Previously, Siguenza wrote and starred in The REP’s “A Weekend with Pablo Picasso” and “El Henry,” a co-production with La Jolla Playhouse.
The cast also features Jennifer Paredes (“Rapture, Blister, Burn” at San Diego REP, “Lydia” at Ion) as “Angelica/Luisa,” Roxane Carrasco (“Chicago” on Broadway, “West Side Story” National Tour) as “Belen de Aragon,” Richard Trujillo (“Water & Power” at San Diego REP, “Macbeth” at Arizona Theatre Company) as “Doctor Burgos/Friar Beto Aragon,” Jacob Caltrider (“Violet” at San Diego REP, “Rocky Horror” at Cygnet) as “Charlie Sutter,” John Padilla (“El Henry,” “Zoot Suit” at San Diego REP) as “Don Pedro Diaz/Robert Mayo,” Salomon Maya (“El Henry” at San Diego REP, “Coyote on a Fence” at OnStage Playhouse) as “Tomas Diaz/Performer,” and Scotty Atienza (“The Nerd,” “Les Miserables” at Lamb’s Players Theatre) as “Pueblo Boy.”
The creative team also includes Sean Fanning (Scenic Designer), Jennifer Brawn Gittings (Costume Designer), Lonnie Alcaraz (Lighting Designer), Bruno Loucharn (Sound Designer/Composer), Will Detlefsen (Assistant Director), Shirley Fishman (Production Dramaturg), Patrice Amon (Research Dramaturg) and Jacole Kitchen (Casting Director).
Herbert Siguenza (Playwright/Performer) began a three-year residency with San Diego REP in July as Playwright in Residence through the support of the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. He is a founding member of Culture Clash, the most popular and produced Latino ensemble in the nation. For the last thirty years, he has co-written or adapted and performed over fifteen original critically acclaimed award winning plays at prestigious regional theatres around the country. Theatre Communications Group Books has published three compilations of their collective works which includes “Radio Mambo”, “Zorro in Hell!”, and “Chavez Ravine”. Siguenza has also written and performed solo works outside the group including “Cantinflas!” (2003) and “A Weekend With Pablo Picasso” (2010). La Jolla Playhouse, in Association with San Diego REP, recently produced his futuristic urban adaptation of “Henry IV Part One,” called “El Henry” for their WOW festival. Additionally, Siguenza also developed a new work called “Steal Heaven” about the politics and philosophy of Abbie Hoffman which had its world premiere at San Diego REP in January 2015. Siguenza is a recent recipient of TCG’s New Generations Future Leadership grant and was mentored by Sam Woodhouse at San Diego REP.
Sam Woodhouse (Director) co-founded San Diego REP with D.W. Jacobs in 1976, and has since worked as a director, producer or actor on more than 280 productions. As an actor, he has performed on The REP stages in “The Seafarer,” in the title role of “King Lear,” “Proof,” “Hamlet,” and with the San Diego Symphony Orchestra in the title role of Stravinsky’s “L’Histoire du Soldat.” His recent directorial work with The REP includes: “Rapture, Blister, Burn,” “The Oldest Boy,” “Violet,” “Oedipus El Rey,” “Honky,” “El Henry” (with La Jolla Playhouse), “Detroit,” “Venus in Fur,” “In the Heights,” “Federal Jazz Project,” “Clybourne Park,” “The Who’s TOMMY,” “In the Next Room or the vibrator play,” “Threepenny Opera” and “Water & Power.” In 2011, he directed “American Night: The Ballad of Juan José” for the Denver Center Theatre Company. In 2003, he was awarded the Patté Shiley Award for Lifetime Achievement by KPBS and the prestigious Alonzo Award by the Downtown San Diego Partnership. In 2006, he and Jacobs were honored with the Craig Noel Award by the San Diego Theatre Critics Circle for 30 years of artistic dedication to downtown and diversity.
“Manifest Destinitis”
An Early California adaptation of Moliere’s “The Imaginary Invalid”
By Herbert Siguenza
Directed by Sam Woodhouse
Previews: Thursday, September 15 – Tuesday, September 20, 2016
Opening Night: Wednesday, September 21, 2016
Closing Night: Sunday, October 9, 2016
Cast (in order of appearance)
Mark Pinter as “Don Aragon”
Richard Trujillo as “Doctor Burgos/Friar Beto Aragon”
Salomon Maya as “Tomas Diaz/Performer”
Scotty Atienza as “Pueblo Boy”
Jennifer Paredes as “Angelica/Luisa”
Jacob Caltrider as “Charlie Sutter”
Herbert Siguenza as “Tonia”
Roxane Carrasco as “Belen de Aragon”
John Padilla as “Don Pedro Diaz/Roberto Mayo”
Production Team:
Sam Woodhouse, Director
Sean Fanning, Scenic Designer
Jennifer Brawn Gittings, Costume Designer
Lonnie Alcaraz, Lighting Designer
Bruno Loucharn, Sound Designer/Composer
Will Detlefsen, Assistant Director
Shirley Fishman, Production Dramaturg
Patrice Amon, Research Dramaturg
Jacole Kitchen, Casting Director
Performance Schedule
Opening Night:
Wednesday, September 21 at 7 p.m.
Regular Performances:
- Thursday, September 22 at 8 p.m.
- Friday, September 23 at 8 p.m.
- Saturday, September 24 at 8 p.m.
- Sunday, September 25 at 2 p.m.
- Sunday, September 25 at 7 p.m.
- Wednesday, September 28 at 7 p.m.
- Thursday, September 29 at 8 p.m.
- Friday, September 30 at 8 p.m.
- Saturday, October 1 at 2 p.m.
- Saturday, October 1 at 8 p.m.
- Sunday, October 2 at 2 p.m.
- Wednesday, October 5 at 7 p.m.
- Thursday, October 6 at 8 p.m.
- Friday, October 7 at 8 p.m.
- Saturday, October 8 at 4 p.m.
- Saturday, October 8 at 8 p.m.
- Sunday, October 9 at 2 p.m.
Closing Night:
Sunday, October 9, 2016 at 7 p.m.
Ticket Information
Tickets range from $35 to $62 and can be purchased in-person at the San Diego REP Box Office, by calling 619-544-1000, or online at sdrep.org. Active military, teacher and senior discounts are available. Student tickets are available for all performances for just $20 each. Prices subject to change.
Location:
Lyceum Space
San Diego Repertory Theatre
79 Horton Plaza
San Diego, CA 92101-6144
San Diego Repertory Theatre is pleased to announce that work is in progress on a $3 million renovation of The Lyceum Theatres, including the lobby, concession, restrooms and Lyceum Stage Theatre. The remodel work is occurring in phases. Estimated completion is January 2017.
During construction, San Diego REP patrons will be able to access all normal amenities of The Lyceum Theatre complex. Ample parking will still be available in the Horton Plaza parking garage and the Box Office, elevators, restrooms and concession areas will be easily accessible unless otherwise noted. San Diego REP’s House Management staff will keep patrons updated on renovation activities with signage posted in and around the facility as well as send e-mail communications to maintain the venue experience. For additional information, please contact the Box Office at 619-544-1000 or visit sdrep.org.
