Arroz con Pollo

Who would you hurt to climb the corporate ladder? Add a pinch of corporate greed, with a dash of unrelenting ambition, and you have a recipe for a disaster affecting the lives of hundreds. Nathan, the junior executive, fueled by his desire for the boss’s daughter, must make a critical business decision that can destroy the lives of many. Can the wisdom of a Puerto Rican security guard, or a Angela’s home-cooked meal save the day? Take a deep smell and enjoy the aroma, the allure, and the passion of Arroz con Pollo. ROI Theatrical and STAN/SHRM present the world premiere of ‘Arroz con Pollo’ by Edward Hernandez, directed by Mary Jo DuPrey, featuring LA and NY actors Andrea Munoz, Rafael Robles, Brian Turley and Katherine McDowell. The author of ‘Quid Pro Quo,’ ‘Appalachian Redneck,’ ‘Knowledge Transfer’ and ‘The Elevator Principle’ has created a work addressing corporate greed, and the unintended effects of mass layoffs. In a small high-rise Manhattan office, an ambitious corporate climber meets a night-shift security guard in this tragic story of corporate greed and the love a father and daughter have for each other. Can the wisdom of old Puerto Rican folk tales, or the allure of a home-cooked meal, alter the business decision that may destroy the lives of many?Arroz con Pollo is the latest workplace-themed play by Edward Hernandez, Ph.D, playwright and college professor of management at California State University Stanislaus. His other plays have focused on contemporary workplace issues: Quid Pro Quo (sexual harassment), Appalachian Redneck (union organizing), Knowledge Transfer (Indian high-tech replacement workers), and The Elevator Principle (U.S. reservists returning to work).’Arroz con Pollo’ will be directed by LA-based director, Mary Jo DuPrey, MFA, who has recently applied her directing skills at The South Coast Repertory, Geffen Playhouse, The Getty Villa Theatre, and UCLA. Recent works include ‘MGM: My Visits with My Grandmother Marta’, ‘In the Company of Jane Doe,’ ‘Lysistrata,’ and ‘Big Love.’ She also assistant-directed ‘Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing,’ ‘Philoctetes,’ and ‘Heroes.’ Mary Jo is also a Visiting Assistant Professor at the University of California Los Angeles.The cast of ‘Arroz con Pollo’ features Katherine McDowell, a NY-based actor, and LA-based actors Rafael Robles, Angelina Narvaez, and Brian Turley. Both Katherine McDowell has worked on early readings of the play in New York.The designers of ‘Arroz con Pollo’ are Marika Stephens (sets), Sohail Najafi (lights), Anna Grywalski (costumes) and Edward Hernandez (sound). The stage manager is Amy Shimerman, and Emily Wynn is the Director’s Intern.