April 26- May 5th
@ The People’s Building
Cheyanne weaves together themes of gender, art, classism, and race through an intimate story of a couple falling apart. This romantic drama showcases how artists of color navigate America’s complex and nuanced art world. Set in the confines of a cramped apartment Cheyanne, an aspiring artist, and her partner Rodrigo, navigate the challenges of caring for Cheyanne's aging father Frank, while attempting to balance their individual artistic ambitions
In development since 2014, Cheyanne is local multi-hyphenate artist Cipriano Ortega’s first full length play.
Ortega’s exciting new voice is combined with direction by local theater elder, Phil Luna, dynamic projections by local duo Deep Space Drive In, and a talented all-Indigenous cast: Iliana Lucero Barron as Cheyanne, Angelo Mendez, Magally Luna, and Cipriano Ortega.
Angelo Mendez-Soto(Angel) grew up in East Harlem N.Y. (El Barrio). He has been a member of Denver’s Su Teatro theatre company for over 40 years. In the 1980’s he was also a member of Eulipions’, a Black theatre company led by Jo Bunton. Angelo is a former recipient of the Denver Mayor’s Award for Excellence in the Performing Arts.
Cipriano has been fortunate enough to have his work recognized and shown both nationally and internationally. Cipriano strives to create works of art that probe the mind and make people question what they perceive as the normative. Whether that is shown in music, theater, visual art or some sort of culmination of all of the above; Cipriano enjoys blending all creative forms of expression. As a sociological artist, Cipriano deconstructs the worlds around him and observes it under a nihilistic perspective. As an indigenous POC, they also have no choice but to deal with colonialism head on by making it a daily practice to see the divisions we as a society create and continue to make the ‘normative.'
Iliana Lucero Barron is a latinx creative who has had the pleasure of working throughout the Colorado theatre community! She loves new work and is excited to collaborate with Control Group Productions once again. Credits: The 2024 Colorado New Summit and The Shakespeare in the Parking Lot Tour (Denver Center for Performing Arts), You Enjoy Myself (Local Theater) The Taming of the Shrew (THEATREWORKS), Alma (Curious Theater).
Magally is thrilled to join Control Group in presenting Cheyenne. Magally is a Salsera with the local salsa and Afro-Caribbean band Kizumba. She has had the privilege of working with Control Group in this year's production of Cuauhtémoczin, directed by Phil Luna. She was recently seen in Firehouse's production of Guadalupe in the Guestroom, directed by Melissa McCarl, and in Wolf at the Door, directed by Mica Garcia de Benavides. When she is not on the stage, you can find her in her classroom with 23 adorable soon-to-be third-graders or on the phone with her two sons, Kinari and Xilal. To my sweet husband, thank you for the challenge of bringing these characters to life.
Phil Luna is pleased to be collaborating with Control Group once again: he directed "Cuauhtémoczin" by Diego Florez. Recently he appeared in "Guadalupe in the Guestroom" at the Firehouse Theater. Phil is an award winning actor and director, a teacher of acting, a member of SAG-AFTRA, and a Fox Fellowship Recipient: Artist of Distinction.
Cheyanne is made possible through Scientific and Cultural Facilities District, Bonfils Stanton Foundation, The City of Aurora, The People’s Building, Deep Space Drive In, Sacred Voices, Helen Hand, and many other generous individual donations.