Carmen Rivera holds an MA in Playwriting and Latin American Theatre from
New York University. Her OBIE-Award winning play La Gringa, just
celebrated its’ 27th year anniversary in repertory at Repertorio
Español. It is now the longest running Spanish language play in
Off-Broadway history. Carmen co-wrote, with Cándido Tirado, Celia: The
Life and Music of Celia Cruz, (HOLA Award 2008, Outstanding Achievement
in Playwriting), which played Off-Broadway at New World Stages and
toured Florida, Chicago, Tenerife, Canary Islands and the Centro de
Bellas Artes (Center for the Fine Arts) in Puerto Rico.
Other
Off-Broadway productions include: The Downfall of Rafael Trujillo (2015 -
ATI Award - Best Production); La Lupe: My Life, My Destiny (2002
ACE Award – Best Production); Julia de Burgos: Child of Water; To Catch
The Lightning (1997 Nomination ACE Award – Best Production); The Next
Stop (INTAR / Repertorio Español); Under The Mango Tree (INTAR).
Other
works include: The Magic of the Salsa Kingdom, with
director/choreographer, Maria Torres; Riding The Bear; The Loves of our
Lives; The Next Cycle; Betty’s Garage; Ghosts in Brooklyn; ameRICAN;
Delia’s Race; Plastic Flowers; The Power of Words; and Caravan of Death
which have appeared at Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM); Teatro Circulo;
La Mama E.T.C; The Women’s Project and Productions; SOHO Rep; New
Georges; New Perspectives Theatre; Martice Enterprises; Nuyorican Poet’s
Café; Theatre for a New City; National Public Radio (NPR); City Lights
Youth Theatre; Urban Theater Company in Chicago; Centro de Bellas Artes,
El Ateneo and Teatro Tapia in San Juan, Puerto Rico and in theatre
festivals in New York, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, England and Russia. She
has also participated at the Lark Playwrights Center -- Mexico/US
Exchange program, as a translator.
Carmen is a Founding Member and Co-Executive Director of E.P.P. (Educational Play Productions),
which brings plays that deal with social issues into the public
schools. She teaches Playwriting at The New School and is also a Teacher
Artist with Manhattan Theatre Club.
Photo by Anna Lamadrid