Phoenix wrestler Henry Cejudo to see his life played out on ASU MainStage


Henry Cejudo joined ASU School of Theatre and Film students who will depict his story in American Victory on the ASU Herberger MainStage


Photo by Fenno Taylor

Who
Wrestling champion Henry Cejudo joined director Guillermo Reyes in rehearsals of the new playAmerican Victory at ASU School of Theatre and Film in the Herberger Institute. The play runs March 2-16 as part of the MainStage Centennial Season. The work depicts the Phoenix athlete's rise to glory in the Beijing Olympics.

American Victory is a new work written by Jose Zarate (jose.zarate@asu.edu), an MFA candidate in the dramatic writing program at ASU./ It stars Alberto Ley (alberto.ley@asu.edu), a student at the School of Theatre and Film. The play is adapted from the book American Victory by Henry Cejudo with Bill Plaschke.





What
Guillermo Reyes, director of the new writers graduate program at the ASU School of Theatre and Film in the Herberger institute, commissioned the play last year in his search for meaningful works to commemorate the Arizona centennial.

"This is a true story about a local man’s struggle for American identity," says Reyes. "His story is very much part of the immigrant story of Phoenix, and we wanted to include modern portraits as well as historic works in our celebration of Arizona's birthday."

American Victory is part of the Arizona Centennial Project New Works Series.

Where
Nelson Fine Arts Center Room 133, ASU Tempe campus

When
March 2-16, 2012

Cost
$8–$16; Seniors, ASU faculty, staff and students receive special rates. Special discounts for groups available.

Public Contact
Herberger Institute box office, 480.965.6447
School of Theatre and Film. 480.965.5337 

The School of Theatre and Film in the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts at Arizona State University provides a comprehensive range of courses in performance and directing; design and production; new work development; theatre and performance studies; film; and theatre for youth. Its Theatre for Youth program is nationally ranked in the top three and the dramatic writing/playwriting program is ranked 15th among public institutions by U.S.News & World Report. To learn more about the School of Theatre and Film, visit theatrefilm.asu.edu.

Media Contact:
Laurie Trotta Valenti
ASU School of Theatre and Film
480.965.3381
laurie.trotta@asu.edu