CASA 0101 Theater will present FERNANDOMANIA, A Ten-Minute Play Festival Celebrating the Life and Legacy of the World-Renowned Mexican Major League Baseball Pitcher, Fernando Valenzuela.  FERNANDOMANIA is part of CASA 0101 Theater’s CASA 0101 Theater’s 25th Anniversary Season, presented by Josefina López, Founding Artistic Director and Emmanuel Deleage, Executive Director.

FERNANDOMANIA is a collection of 12 World Premiere Ten-Minute Plays celebrating the phenomenon of how Fernando Valenzuela, a 20-year-old pitcher from Mexico, changed Major League Baseball and the lives of so many Angelenos.  The show, in English and Spanish with subtitles, features 16 actors playing 57 roles in 12 short plays, helmed by four directors.

FERNANDOMANIA will be presented on Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 p.m., and on Sundays at 3:00 p.m. for a Four-Week run, August 29 (Chicano Moratorium Day/Gloria Molina Day in Los Angeles) – September 21, 2025 in the Gloria Molina Auditorium at CASA 0101 Theater, 2102 East First Street, Los Angeles, CA  90033.

Playwrights include:  Josefina López (of Boyle Heights) (Fernandomania Forever), which anchors the show playing out in 12 transitional scenes between each play throughout Act I and Act II; Maria Valenzuela (of Hollywood, CA) (Fernando and Linda Valenzuela’s youngest daughter) (Linda); Oscar Arguello (of La Puente, CA) (No Sabo) (I Don’t Know); Chris Banda (of West Covina, CA) (Blue Days); Gloria Isabel Briseño (of Inglewood, CA) (Nando); Ignacio Gonzalez (of Downey, CA) (Beisbol y Novelas) (Baseball and Mexican Soap Operas); Kimberly Huff (of Azusa, CA) (Safe At Home); Jose Luis Lopez, Jr. (of Riverside, CA) (From Somewhere); Christopher John Magallanes (aka Don Heusos) (of Montebello, CA) (La Habra Ass Foos); Celina Martinez (of Silver Lake, CA) (A Good Hero/Un Buen Heroe); Michael St. Onge (of Fontana, CA) (Once Upon A Time in LA); and Dr. Connie Valencia (of South Los Angeles, CA) (Our Playground).

The Cast of FERNANDOMANIA includes:  Adlih Alvarado (of Hollywood, CA); Yasha Alaniz (of Van Nuys, CA); Luis Galilei (of Los Angeles, CA); Veli Gonzalez (of Nuys, CA); Phoenix Marroquin (of South Central Los Angeles, CA); Evelyn Menchaca (of Pico Rivera, CA); Gabriel Montoya (of Sherman Oaks, CA); Martin Morales (of Silver Lake, CA); Jose Nateras (of North Hollywood, CA); Edward Navarrete (of Northridge, CA); Eugene Antonio Negrete (of East Los Angeles, CA); Itzel Ocampo (of Alhambra, CA); Jeremiah Ocañas (of Boyle Heights); Gabriela Pedraza (of Burbank, CA); Alejandro Reynoso (of Santa Ana, CA) and Laura Vega (of Pasadena, CA).

Directors of FERNANDOMANIA include:  Emmanuel Deleage (of Silver Lake, CA); Carmelita Maldonado (of El Sereno, CA); Karla Ojeda (of East Los Angeles, CA) and Vance Valencia (of Boyle Heights).

Maria Valenzuela, Playwright of Linda, and the youngest daughter of Fernando and Linda Valenzuela, said:  “I’m truly grateful to CASA 0101 Theater for honoring my father, Fernando Valenzuela, with this Ten-Minute Play Festival celebrating his career and legacy in Major League Baseball.  It’s been incredibly meaningful to be part of this Festival and to honor him by writing Linda, a play that reflects both his impact and our family’s love.  I also appreciate CASA 0101 for their continued support of young writers and actors in our community.”

 

Josefina López, Founding Artistic Director of CASA 0101 Theater and Festival Co-Creator and Playwright said:  “El Toro, Fernando Valenzuela was my hero growing up as child here in Boyle Heights. When Fernando Valenzuela came into the general public’s consciousness, he not only became an icon in Major League Baseball for his screwball pitches, but he became someone for millions of Mexicans, like myself, to look up to; he made us feel seen and proud to be who we are.  Our Ten-Minute Play Festival, FERNANDOMANIA is our way of saying thank you to Fernando Valenzuela for the legacy he has left us, particularly now, during National Hispanic Heritage Month in the United States.”

 

Emmanuel Deleage, Executive Director of CASA 0101 Theater and a Director of several plays in the Festival said:  “CASA 0101 Theater is so grateful to the family of Fernando Valenzuela for their interest and encouragement and for Maria Valenzuela’s participation in this Ten-Minute Play Festival celebrating the phenomenal career of Fernando Valenzuela and the immense impact he made in Major League Baseball and in the lives of millions of Angelenos and people throughout the world.”

The production team for FERNANDOMANIA includes:  Josefina López (of the Boyle Heights), Festival Co-Creator and Playwright, Founding Artistic Director, CASA 0101 Theater; Emmanuel Deleage (of Silver Lake, CA), Festival Producer, Director and Executive Director, CASA 0101 Theater; Edward Padilla (of the Boyle Heights) Casting Director and CASA 0101 Theater Board Member; Maria Valenzuela (of Hollywood, CA) (Fernando and Linda Valenzuela’s youngest daughter) Playwright; Oscar Arguello (of La Puente, CA) Playwright; Chris Banda (of West Covina, CA) Playwright; Gloria Isabel Briseño (of Inglewood, CA) Playwright; Ignacio Gonzalez (of Downey, CA) Playwright; Kimberly Huff (of Azusa, CA) Playwright; Jose Luis Lopez, Jr. (of Riverside, CA) Playwright; Christopher John Magallanes (aka Don Heusos) (of Montebello, CA) Playwright; Celina Martinez (of Silver Lake, CA) Playwright; Michael St. Onge (of Fontana, CA) Playwright; Dr. Connie Valencia (of South Los Angeles, CA) Festival Co-Creator and Playwright; Carmelita Maldonado (of El Sereno, CA) Director; Karla Ojeda (of East Los Angeles, CA) Director; Vance Valencia (of Boyle Heights) Director; Rigo Tejeda (of Whittier, CA) Stage Manager; Maia Melendez (of South Los Angeles) Assistant Stage Manager; Alejandro Parra (of Burbank, CA) Lighting Designer; Audrey Szot (of Pico Robinson, CA) Set Designer; Mari Mercado (of East Los Angeles, CA) Costume Designer and Make-Up Artist; Andy James Garcia (of East Los Angeles, CA) Prop Master; Miguel Angel Delgado (of South Gate, CA) CASA 0101 Theater Technical Director; Mark Kraus (of Los Angeles, CA), CASA 0101 Theater Development Director; Itzel Ocampo (of Alhambra, CA) Projection Designer, Graphic Designer and CASA 0101 Theater Marketing and Operations Manager; Gabriela López de Dennis, Soap Studio Inc. (of Los Angeles, CA) Program; Jorge Villanueva (of the Boyle Heights) Facilities Manager; Oscar Basulto (of the Boyle Heights) Baseball Consultant and Box Office Manager; Al Aguilar (of Los Angeles, CA) Production Assistant; Rudy Torres (of Los Angeles, CA) Production Photographer and Steve Moyer Public Relations (of Los Angeles, CA), Press Representative.

 

This production is made possible in part from a grant from Eastside Arts Initiative.  CASA 0101 Theater is supported in part by:  Los Angeles County Department of Arts & Culture, National Latinx Theater Initiative, Herb Alpert Foundation, Perenchio Foundation, The City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, California Arts Council, U.S. Bank and the David Lee Foundation.

Tickets for the Four-Week Run of FERNANDOMANIA, to be presented from August 29 – September 21, 2025 are $25.00 per person for General Admission; $22.00 per person for Students and Seniors 60+ and $20 per person for Boyle Heights residents and Groups of 10 of more.  The official press opening night of the play for reviewers will be on Friday, February 29, 2025 at 8:00 p.m.; press are also welcome to review any performances thereafter during the run of the show.

Photo Credit: Steve Moyer