CASA 0101 Theater will present the world premiere production of “Queen Of The Rumba,” a play by theater founding artistic director Josefina Lopez. The new production will be presented on Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m., and on Sundays at 3 p.m. for a five-week run from Sept. 22 – Oct. 22 in the newly dedicated Gloria Molina Auditorium at CASA 0101 Theater, 2102 E. First St. (at St. Louis Street) in Boyle Heights.  

“Queen Of The Rumba” is inspired by a true story of Alicia Parla, a 21-year-old Cuban-American girl who set the world on fire back in the 1930s with the rumba.

The story begins when Alicia, now a mature woman of 89, is diagnosed with cancer. Set in Miami, Florida and Havana, Cuba in the past and present, Alicia Parlá refuses to stay in the Miami hospital cancer ward she is in because she claims she is ready to die and that she has had a happy and full life.

Alicia’s physician, Dr. Sanchez, insists she stay overnight for observation. At night she hears a young girl, Sofia Manzano, a 19-year-old Panamanian-American, crying because she too has a terminal illness with just less than two months to live. Alicia tries to cheer up Sofia by sharing her story of how she went from a precocious young girl who came to the U.S. from Cuba and ended up introducing the U.S. to the dance style, the Rumba, while having an amazing dance career that took her to Paris and many other exciting places.

Tickets for the five-week run of “Queen Of The Rumba” are $25 per person for general admission; $22 per person for Boyle Heights residents and groups of 20 of more; $20 per person for students and seniors 60+.

This show is recommended for all audiences. Advance reservations are highly recommended. For tickets, call the CASA 0101 Theater box office at (323) 263-7684, email tickets@casa0101.org, or buy online at www.casa0101.org.

For further information, please visit www.casa0101.org.