New Personalidad

SYNOPSIS A household of devout Jehovah's Witnesses, the Alvarez family, struggles to financially prosper, remain true to their faith, and accept the loss of their youngest member, Vladimir. As time becomes fluid, father, mother, and daughter slide into a past haunted by secrets (and Vladimir) with unprecedented consequences in the present. Can the family come to terms with their past and move forward with their new personality?

This new Spanglish work mines how religious devotion can bind people together or rip them apart.

PLAYWRIGHT BIO Nelson A. Rodriguez is a Chicago-based actor and playwright. His first full-length play, "Snapshots," was presented as staged readings at Victory Gardens and Chicago Cultural Center. His short play, "Ropa Vieja," was included in Broken Nose Theatre's Bechdel Fest in 2017. His second full-length play, "New Personalidad," was presented as a staged reading at Victory Gardens in 2018. As an actor his credits include "Men on the Verge of a His-Panic Breakdown" for which he received a Joseph Jefferson Award nomination in Solo Performance. Additional Chicago credits include Lookinglass Theatre Company, Steppenwolf for Young Audiences, 16th Street Theatre, Oak Park Festival Theatre, Raven Theatre, Adventure Stage Chicago where he was an Associate Artist, and many more. His on-camera work includes the feature films "A Place To Be - En Algún Lugar" (TLA Releasing) and "Soul Sessions" (Gravitas Ventures). He was a member of The Alliance of Latinx Theatre Artists’ playwrights circle, El Semillero, and is the recipient of Windy City Times’ 30 Under 30 Award.