Sylvia Cervantes Blush’s ‘Little Red’ is a non-stop thrill at Cerritos College theater
The cast of “Little Red: A Punk Rock Musical” rehearses at Cerritos College. Photo by Ryan K. Sumida
DOWNEY – Downey’s Sylvia Cervantes Blush is one of Los Angeles’s most exciting Latinè theatre directors. An accomplished director, choreographer, producer, and educator, her passions as a dancer and actor influence her artistic vision. Cerritos College is lucky to have her as adjunct faculty in their Theatre Department.
Her latest project is directing “Little Red: A Punk Rock Musical” at Cerritos College. After a successful first weekend, the final performances are May 15-16 at 8 pm, and Saturday, May 17, at 2 pm. Trust me, this is not something you want to miss.
Blush says, “Becoming a director has been a long winding and often circular road. My childhood dream was to be a dancer. Period.”
With an early passion for dance, she was fortunate that her middle school and Bell Gardens High School offered courses in the visual and performing arts. As a teenager she practiced her jazz and ballet moves on her parents’ driveway until her parents put an end to that because she was literally stopping traffic. Luckily, she found a room in a nearby Boys and Girls Club to continue practice. Blush continued to dance her way throughout any community organization and activity she could.
At 18 she began Cerritos College until an injury sidelined her and she dropped out. Overcoming a number of obstacles, she returned, earning an AA Degree in Dance and General Studies from Cerritos College, her BA in Theatre from California State University, Long Beach and her MFA in Directing from the University of California, Los Angeles. Her mentor at UCLA was the highly respected veteran director Jose Luis Valenzuela, the director of the Los Angeles Latino Theatre Company at the Los Angeles Theatre Center, who just won the Lifetime Achievement Award from Stage Raw.
Blush is a founding member and an early board member of the Downey Arts Coalition (DAC), which sponsored her direction in 2013 and 2016 of the sold out and wildly hilarious “Bill’s Shorts: One Act Plays” by her talented playwright/actor husband, Bill Blush, at the Epic Lounge.
Since then, she has directed significant plays at the Dallas Theatre Center, the Arizona Theatre Company, Tulane University, South Coast Repertory, Pomona College, Bowdoin College, Playground LA, Native Voices and the LA Theatre Center and much more. She serves on the Steering Committee for the influential Latinx Commons, a nationwide movement to transform the American Theatre by amplifying the visibility of Latinx performance by advocacy, art making, convening, and scholarship.
CASA0101 THEATRE AND “LITTLE RED”
Josefina Lopez and Emmanuel Delugue’s CASA0101 Theatre in Boyle Heights is one of LA’s most remarkable theatres. Lopez’s most recognized play is “Real Women Have Curves” that began its 37-year journey from CASA0101 to major productions, was adapted into an award-winning film, and has been adapted into a musical that has just opened successfully on Broadway.
In 2006, CASA0101 Theatre board president and then artistic director Edward Padilla commissioned Boyle Heights natives Anthony Aguilar and Oscar T Basulto to write a Latino play based on “Little Red Riding Hood.” Aguilar is best known for his popular “El Verde” plays featuring a Latino superhero. Aguilar collaborated with Basulto in the first version of ‘Little Red’ in a CAS0101 workshop production featuring Broadway style tunes.
In 2015, CASA01001 commissioned a full-length production of ‘Little Red.’ Aguilar suggested they do it as a punk rock musical, inspired by his love of the Clash, the Ramones, the Buzzcocks, and others. Padilla brought in Grammy Award winner Quetzal Flores, founder of the musical group “Quetzal” who together with Aguilar wrote the lyrics and music. Aguilar and Basulto expanded the book to a full-length play.
“Little Red” was published by YouthPLAYS in 2022, and is the winner of the Distinguished Play Award from the American Alliance for Theatre & Education (AATE).
“LITTLE RED”- THE STORY
Blush says, “Combining the sounds of punk and Mexican music, the journey of the titular character speaks to the rebellious spirit in us all and celebrates the punk ethos of pushing against societal norms, questioning authority, and encouraging individuals to think critically as a powerful force for change. It’s the specificity in the writing and lyrics that lift up the unique voices of culture, identity, and teenage angst that make Little Red a universal story.”
At the door the house manager, Areal Hughes, offers you ear plugs just in case you need them. The new black box theatre is impressive. It is a vast improvement over the curtained off area that doubled for acting classes that we used as a black box when I attended Cerritos in 1965-1966 with the legendary Dr. Lee Korf as Theatre Department Chair.
I had an opportunity to attend the first rehearsal read through that included the director’s vision and the designer’s visual presentation of their vision. But I was still surprised. This is innovative and creative.
We are immediately captivated by scenic designer Mark Bommarito’s impressive set, with four major playing areas and the ensemble literally comes out of the set. The lighting design by Tyna Kennedy sets it off. Costumes by Bradley Lock are magically creative. Make-up and hair design by Donna Levy heighten the characters.
Set to a 70's/80's punk rock and ranchera score, this musical adaptation from the classic fairytale “Little Red Riding Hood” is about finding your voice, claiming your identity and channeling your emotional truth with the rambunctious energy of The Clash, The Bags, Ramones, The Stones, Bowie, The Damned, Buzzcocks, and Fishbone. "Punk is not dead.”
Quetzal Flores’ music is brought to life by musical director Jamond McCoy. It is fantastic. There is a punk rock band on stage throughout the play, The Jack B. Nimbles. They are visible and engaging to the audience as the characters become the lead singers to their own songs. Like a punk song, the scenes move fast with fun and boisterous energy.
Blush’s muscular staging throughout is offset by her secret sauce. Her enchanting choreography, which adds another dimension as she weaves the characters and ensemble throughout the play. They use every available space. It’s captivating.
There’s a tableau of Little Red, her mother, and her sister Magenta turning in her punk regalia to her mom for a cap and gown and on her way to college. There is a conflict between Magenta and Little Red.
Caperucita (wide eyed with her expressive face, Daniela Lopez is perfect for this role) is torn between following family tradition or her rebellious heart. She has always dreamed of seeing her favorite band, The Jack B. Nimbles, perform live.
Sylvia Cervantes Blush (courtesy photo)
But when she finally has a chance to make it happen, their one-night-only concert lands on El Día Del Sendero. Her mother Rosa (Chloe Avila adds a touch of professionalism to it all) tells Little Red it’s her turn to deliver a basket of food to Grandma (Danna Koo, from Warren High School, is fabulous) as countless generations of Caperurcitas have done before her. Her family is counting on her to deliver the basket.
Along the way she encounters Corky Woodsman (Joel Tercera tickles your funny bone) accompanied by his pet owl Paz (Corinna Smith is captivating) who is charged with his family’s tradition of helping the Caperutcitas complete her quest. But she is encouraged to stray from the path by the seductively charismatic Don Coyote (Isaac Wilcox is a very good bad wolf).
The seductive Don Coyote, with a fake English accent, lures them from Royal Heights through Los Angels to the Holly-Woods. Don Coyote manages to free Little Red of her red cloak and basket, and shows up at Grandmas. Little Red and all the rest show up too, convincing Grandma she is the real thing. Don Coyote is unmasked. Not only is Little Red reunited with her sister Scarlet, but with her entire family.
The Jack B. Nimbles feature:
JACKIE: (Akira Daily) Vocals
GIGI: (Alyssa Parra) Guitar
JENNY: (Alex Schwarz) Electric Bass. She is a graduate of Burklee College of Music, has toured Europe and Asia with her Jazz Band, and was bassist for the 2nd National Tour of “Dear Ivan Hansen”
TAMMY: (Steph LaHane) drums. She is a CSULB graduate who has performed Off Broadway.
CAST HIGHLIGHTS
RED: Daniela Lopez
CORKY: Joel Tercero
PAZ: Corinna Smith
ROSA: Chloe Avila
DON COYOTE: Issac Wilcox
SCARLET/ ENSEMBLE: Marisol Rodriguez
CARMESÍ/ MAGENTA/ ENSEMBLE: Danna Koo
CARMIN/ FUCHSIA/ ENSEMBLE: Josephine Rejon
JACKIE: Akira Parra
GIGI: Alyssa Daily
JENNY: Alex Schwarz
TAMMY: Steph LeHane
ENSEMBLE: Lia Abundes (from Warren High School), Katie Bettis (from Warren High School), Lexie Canon ( from Warren High School), Eric Henry, Franklin Martinez, Luis Muñoz, Isaiah Olivia
SONG HIGHLIGHTS
JUMP THE FIRE: Akira Daily, Alyssa Parra, Alex Schwarz, Steph LeHane
DIA DEL SENDERO: Chloe Avila, Daniela Lopez
R-E-D IN ME: Daniela Lopez
SHE’S A FAILURE: Chloe Avila, Danna Koo
THE COMFORTS OF YOUR HOME: Joel Tercero, Corinna Smith
R-E-D IN ME (REPRISE): Daniela Lopez
DEAR SCARLET: Daniela Lopez
DIA DEL SENDERO (REPRISE): Daniela Lopez
Shout out to the entire ensemble, creative and production team. Well done. Having also read the script, I did not imagine anything quite as exciting as this nonstop romp through the Holly-Woods. Very definitely one of the best things I have seen this year. It is a shame there are only three more performances. Catch it while you can.