Juan Villa making his own way, telling his own stories and soaring...

Juan Villa's Empanada for a Dream (nominated Best Solo Show by Chicago's prestigious Jeff Award) returns to NYC.  Empanada for a Dream is a solo show written/performed by Juan Villa, is a poignant and entertaining portrait of family and neighborhood – set against the secret that destroys it all. It’s a haunting tale about growing up by getting out. And coming back -- to one boy’s Lower East Side.

“My Experience” Project
the me, the we and the free!
My/Our stories told through the arts

The performance will be held in the Sonnet Theater at the Producers Club. Please note, it is a 3rd fl. walk up.

Click Here for tix

Juan Villa on his new play, Don Chipolte:  Excited to have reading of a full draft of my play tonight. My first full length multi actor fictional play! There's cops in riot gear, a huge Q-Dragon that terrorizes our hero, a creepy woman named Mensa who likes to give out cookies to kids, two NYC rats who have a ship at the bottom Of the Hudson River, Demons of Devestation on the prowl to beat our heroes to The Pit of The Two Towers, a hipster zombie ranting about the underrated genius of Darren Aronofsky's "Black Swan", protests protests protests, a vision in Times Square, a suicidal FAO Shwarz employee, a drunk Incredible Hulk, a Central Park Carriage Horse working on his last leg for his family, a heart broken cab driver determined to collect his reward, a professional homeless man whose tables have been turned and all experienced by two 11 year old altar boys from Washington Heights who simply want to make things right.

All taking place during the Day of the Dead celebration!!!
What the what the what?!!!

Thank you to Jo Cattell who has been phenomenal in having me stay the course. Still much work to be done. But boy is it fun to create the work you want to see on the stage. More to come people's.

"April's strong, quiet, supportive presence was more vital to me exploring MY story than I would have thought. The safe environment she creates gave me freedom to be fully honest with myself in ways that surprised myself. In any interviews I give nationally about my solo play "Empanada For A Dream" (nominated for a Jeff Award for Best Solo Show), I make sure to mention April Yvette Thompson's name because the most complete stories in my award winning play were from her workshops. She has inspired me to help others tell their stories. She taught me that the same commitment I give to others, I should give to myself. I haven't looked back." --Juan Villa