Noise Now announces its first audio play: Oscar-nominated José Rivera’s meditative series of stories Sonnets for an Old Century, directed by ANW Director of Cultural Programming Jonathan Muñoz-Proulx. Sonnets will be available to listen on demand on A Noise Within’s website from April 12 – May 9. Launched in February 2019 and now in its third year, Noise Now is a cultural initiative by A Noise Within aimed at sharing artistic resources and producing events that are radically accessible to all audiences, including underrepresented groups, communities of color, young people, and anyone who may not be equitably represented in theatre.
“Sonnets is a magical and elegant ode to ancestry, Latinx identities, and Los Angeles,” said Jonathan Muñoz-Proulx. “As a sound bath of poetic vignettes, this audio play invites you into an atmosphere—a meditative space for healing, quiet, and pause. We need to hold that space, especially today.”
Through a sophisticated and theatrical audio odyssey, Sonnets for an Old Century invites you to stroll through the beaches of Puerto Rico, waft through the windows of a quiet Seattle neighborhood, and take flight from a mythical tower high above the sea. Oscar-nominated writer José Rivera weaves a tapestry of poetic, magical meditations in this highly produced sonic journey exploring yearning, connection, and community. We will journey into the whimsical worlds of bedtime tales, marinate in the salty-sweet memory of migrant family members in the fields, and assemble our ancestors from Africa, the Caribbean, and the Canary Islands to ask the burning questions of our past.
“As a director, I’m attracted to stories that are visceral,” Muñoz-Proulx said. “Sonnets is wrought with raw emotion, from vulnerability to jealousy to ambition to intimacy. It invites a deep, thoughtful connection with our shared humanity.”
Bringing this shared humanity to life are Resident Artists Rafael Goldstein, Veralyn Jones, and Erika Soto, who will voice the episodic stories that compose the play, ranging from the contemporary to the fantastical. Jeff Gardner is the audio producer and sound designer for the piece and Resident Artist Robert Oriol is composing original music, promising a scintillating sonic journey that audiences will want to listen to over and over again.
“This series of prayers (sonnets, if you will) connects us with our ancestors, our imagination, and our own vulnerability and invites us to move from tragedy to joy,” said Muñoz-Proulx.
Tickets for Sonnets for an Old Century are $5 (with a $35 sponsorship ticket also available to support the full cost of the production) and can be reserved at anoisewithin.org/sonnets. Only one ticket is needed per listening device. For more information on Noise Now or cultural partnerships with ANW, please contact Jonathan Muñoz-Proulx, Director of Cultural Programming, at jmunozproulx@anoisewithin.org.
Sonnets for an Old Century Cast and Creative Team
The cast includes
Ensemble: Rafael Goldstein*
Ensemble: Veralyn Jones*
Ensemble: Erika Soto*
Directed by Jonathan Muñoz-Proulx. Audio Producer & Sound Designer is Jeff Gardner; Composer is Robert Oriol; Sound Editor is David B. Marling; Production Stage Manager is Jacob Houser*; ANW Production Manager is Samantha Sintef.
*Member of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.
Sonnets for an Old Century is produced by special arrangement with Broadway Play Publishing Inc, NYC. www.broadwayplaypub.com
Performances
Available to listen on demand from April 12 to May 9, 2021. Runtime is 43 minutes.
About Noise Now’s Director of Cultural Programming
Jonathan Muñoz-Proulx is an Ovation Award-nominated director and is Director of Cultural Programming at A Noise Within. He serves on the Latinx Theatre Commons National Advisory Committee, and is a nominator for The Kilroy List. Muñoz-Proulx has previously served as Associate Producer of Skylight Theatre, as Vice Chair of the Alliance of Los Angeles Playwrights, and as Artistic Assistant at East West Players. He has adjudicated on grant panels for the California Arts Council and the Los Angeles County Arts Commission. Muñoz-Proulx was elected to the 2017 Emerging Arts Leaders Los Angeles Leadership Council, where he served as Programming Committee Co-Chair. He has worked with Center Theatre Group, LA Phil / Walt Disney Concert Hall, Boston Court Theatre, 24th Street Theatre, Playwrights’ Arena, Pacific Resident Theatre, Chalk Rep, Ensemble Studio Theatre / LA, Bootleg Theater, After Hours Productions, Fever Events, Élan Ensemble, and Watts Village Theatre Company. Muñoz-Proulx has served as adjunct faculty to the USC MFA in Acting program, and he is the current Edgerton guest artist in residence at Occidental College.
About A Noise Within
A Noise Within has been called “an oasis for those who love classic stories” by Los Angeles Times and is a leading regional producer based in Pasadena, Calif. ANW’s award-winning resident company practices a rotating repertory model at their state-of-the-art, 324-seat performance space. In addition to producing world-class performances of classic theatre, the organization runs robust education programs committed to inspiring diverse audiences of all ages. ANW is striving to be a theatre that better represents our entire community, through ongoing anti-racism initiatives across the organization and experimenting with our mission to fully engage audiences through various creative forms and community and artist-centered work.
Helmed by Producing Artistic Directors Geoff Elliott and Julia Rodriguez-Elliott, who hold MFAs from San Francisco’s renowned American Conservatory Theatre (A.C.T.), and Managing Director Michael Bateman, A Noise Within truly delivers Classic Theatre, Modern Magic. www.anoisewithin.org
