Pictured: Daniela Thome

UrbanTheater Company will kick off its 13th season with the world premiere of Guadalís del Carmen’s play NOT FOR SALE, UrbanTheater’s first commissioned play, directed by Sara Carranza,

Presented as part of Destinos, the Second Annual Chicago International Latino Theater Festival, the production will feature Frankie Dávila (Reynaldo Rodríguez), Daniela Thome (Alderman Nancy Torres), Seamus McMahon (Mark), Rebekah Roberts (Susan), Andrew Pérez (Ricky González), and Isaias Pérez (Jules), with one more role yet to be cast.

The production team includes Ivan Vega, Miranda Gonzálezand, and Antonio Bruno (producers), Daryl Ritchie (production manager), Andrew Payne-Guillory (scenic designer), Andrew Lehmkuhl (lighting designer), Sanja Manakoski (costume designer), Hillarie M. Shockley (properties designer), and Liza Ann Acosta (dramaturg).

With the Puerto Rican Festival less than two weeks away, Humboldt Park prepares for the big event. With new neighbors looking to make changes, those that have lived in the community have to work together to either brace for change or let go of the legacies laid out by those that are now long gone. NOT FOR SALE tells the story of community, family, and politics, a story that asks the ultimate question: who gets to lay claim to a neighborhood?

“I couldn’t be happier that our upcoming season is dedicated to Chicago playwrights and Chicago stories,” comments Co-Founder and Executive Director Ivan Vega. “I’ve admired and believed in Guadalís del Carmen’s talent as a playwright for more than ten years, and it brings me so much joy that our season will kick off with this world premiere. Our commitment and our love for our community and for Chicago are very clear, and I can’t wait to share this love, this play, this season, and our future projects with you.”

“When Ivan asked me to come on board, I began to look at UTC’s place in the local and national theatrical conversation,” says Artistic Director Miranda González. “I thought about UTC’s tagline ‘from the streets to the stage’ and started asking who and what streets are we referring to. And then it hit me: they are our streets, our city. We should be telling our communities’ stories from first-hand experiences. We should be a part of archiving Chicago history through the arts. And that’s how Season 13, titled ‘Born and Raised,’ was created.”

NOT FOR SALE  runs September 21st – October 20th at Batey Urbano, 2620 W. Division St., on the Paseo Boricua in the heart of Humboldt Park. For more information visit urbantheaterchicago.org.