Being a Hollywood luminary does not mean your idea for a Latino-themed television comedy gets a quick green light. Comedy legend Paul Rodriguez learned the hard way.
Never one to miss the opportunity to turn a twisted situation into a twisted comedy, Rodriguez has written a stage play that lampoons the Los Angeles television development process while also getting in a few licks about the “tortilla ceiling” that still looms over Latino program development.
Teatro Máscara Mágica (TMM) Producing Artistic Director William Virchis is directing Rodriguez’s funny and ferocious spoof of the television development process.
“It’s still tough to get Hollywood to take a look at Latino-based shows despite the demographic reality of the United States and the popularity of previous creations,” Virchis said. “Paul’s show is really funny, as you would expect of one of the world’s greatest comedians, but it also has some important points to make about problems faced by Latino performing artists.”
Co-starring with Rodriguez is renowned Mexican actor Armando Silvestre. He has starred in films on both sides of the border and has worked with Clint Eastwood, Glen Ford, Burt Lancaster, Chuck Conners and Yul Brenner.
“This show is going to be unbelievably funny thanks to Paul and Armando,” Virchis said. “Paul is one of the planet’s great comics and has a gift for blending humor and relevance. Armando is one of those actors who can do any film, any play, any TV show brilliantly. These guys together are going be asombroso (amazing).”
Rodriguez and Silvestre accepted an invitation from Virchis to participate in TMM’s Artistas de Honor program, a master’s project whereby gifted and successful performing artists, playwrights and directors teach and mentor young under-represented theatre artists.
“Teatro Máscara Mágica was founded as a professional multicultural theatre company to develop and promote performing artists of all races and backgrounds so that San Diego County theatre looks more like the population of San Diego County,” he said. “Paul and Armando are going to be part of that beautiful heritage of passing their wisdom and encouragement on to the next generation. Besides being world-class talents, these are two world-class gentlemen and mentors.”
Teatro Máscara Mágica’s workshop production of “The Pitch or How to Pitch a Latino Sitcom that Will Never Air” will run Sept. 2-6 at the Lyceum Space Theater in Horton Plaza. Curtain time is 7:30 p.m. Matinees Sept. 5 and 6 will begin at 2 p.m. Tickets are available from the San Diego Repertory Theater Box Office, www.sdrep.org. It is a one-week engagement .