The word theatre comes from the Greeks. It means the seeing place. It is the place people come to see the truth about life and the social situation.
Stella Adler
Stella Adler
"Full Moon Inside a Red Sky" presented as part of BrooklynOne productions New Works Reading series at Dimensions On Stage, directed by Michael Lo Porto, 2013, NYC
*In Da Boogie Down presented as part of Urban Theater Company"s R.A.W. (Real. Aggressive. Writing) Series at Chicago's Batey Urbano, 2013
*2012 Metlife Foundation "Nuestra Voces" Playwrighting finalist nominee
*2012 Metlife Foundation "Nuestra Voces" Playwrighting finalist nominee
*Midnight Mass presented as part of The Breath of Fire Latina Theatre Ensemble's First annual New Works Festival,
Santa Ana California 2008
*2006 - Metlife Foundation "Nuestra Voces" National Playwrights' Competition runner up "Best Play" award
Santa Ana California 2008
*2006 - Metlife Foundation "Nuestra Voces" National Playwrights' Competition runner up "Best Play" award
Night Train presented as part of The Breath of Fire Latina Theatre Ensemble's Second annual New Works Festival,
Santa Ana California 2009
Santa Ana California 2009
Scene from W.A.C. Iraq: A Work-in-Progress
2008 The Breath of Fire Latina Theatre Ensemble,
Santa Ana California
directed by Jose Casas
2008 The Breath of Fire Latina Theatre Ensemble,
Santa Ana California
directed by Jose Casas
W.A.C. Iraq: A Work-in-Progress
"The great evil in this play isn’t a nation or a policy, but war itself.
Nieves skillfully avoids turning a divisive, emotionally charged subject into overt propaganda, focusing instead on the struggles
and hopes of his female protagonists. While most of the women
are American G.I.s or their family members, the two most
intriguing are anything but: a devout Iraqi Muslim who questions America’s involvement in Iraq, and another devout Muslim,
a Kurd, who has agreed to become a U.S. soldier in order
to jump-start her devastated life. These are seldom-told,
intensely fascinating stories and the highlights of the piece."
reviewed by Joel Beers for OC Weekly
"The great evil in this play isn’t a nation or a policy, but war itself.
Nieves skillfully avoids turning a divisive, emotionally charged subject into overt propaganda, focusing instead on the struggles
and hopes of his female protagonists. While most of the women
are American G.I.s or their family members, the two most
intriguing are anything but: a devout Iraqi Muslim who questions America’s involvement in Iraq, and another devout Muslim,
a Kurd, who has agreed to become a U.S. soldier in order
to jump-start her devastated life. These are seldom-told,
intensely fascinating stories and the highlights of the piece."
reviewed by Joel Beers for OC Weekly
Scene from By the Dawn's Early Light: Los Embrujados
2011 Apple Core Theatre Company/NYC
directed by Walter J. Hoffman
photo credit: Joey Castillo
"As Los Embrujados, begins we are greeted with the sounds of a newscast playing over, immediately we try to discern if it is the announcements of the two towers, however it seems to be rather just newscasts from that Tuesday morning. And what Nieves does so well is allowing us to sit in on the everyday of two immigrant brothers, Arturo and Miguel, as well their restaurant co-workers Aamir and Nadia; all of them unknowing what will occur in less than an hour. While watching, one can’t help looking for signs or hints to the impending events, but what I found myself thinking more about was how the events of that momentous day will, and did, disrupt the lives of people like this, people living in New York City by absolute choice, people working long hours for very little, people perhaps more excited to be in this country than most longtime citizens even remember. "
reviewed by Matthew Paul Olmos for New York Theatre Review
2011 Apple Core Theatre Company/NYC
directed by Walter J. Hoffman
photo credit: Joey Castillo
"As Los Embrujados, begins we are greeted with the sounds of a newscast playing over, immediately we try to discern if it is the announcements of the two towers, however it seems to be rather just newscasts from that Tuesday morning. And what Nieves does so well is allowing us to sit in on the everyday of two immigrant brothers, Arturo and Miguel, as well their restaurant co-workers Aamir and Nadia; all of them unknowing what will occur in less than an hour. While watching, one can’t help looking for signs or hints to the impending events, but what I found myself thinking more about was how the events of that momentous day will, and did, disrupt the lives of people like this, people living in New York City by absolute choice, people working long hours for very little, people perhaps more excited to be in this country than most longtime citizens even remember. "
reviewed by Matthew Paul Olmos for New York Theatre Review
Scene from By the Dawn's Early Light: Midnight Mass
2011 Apple Core Theatre Company/NYC
directed by Walter J. Hoffman
Photo credit: Joey Castillo
"Midnight Mass, brings its focus to the afterwards of 9/11 where we watch several characters all impacted by the events in various, but similar ways. All of them uniquely hurt and often angry at everything from the country, or each other, to their God above. It remains relevant to watch how
the lives of the working class were torn this way by the attacks."
reviewed by Matthew Paul Olmos for New York Theatre Review
2011 Apple Core Theatre Company/NYC
directed by Walter J. Hoffman
Photo credit: Joey Castillo
"Midnight Mass, brings its focus to the afterwards of 9/11 where we watch several characters all impacted by the events in various, but similar ways. All of them uniquely hurt and often angry at everything from the country, or each other, to their God above. It remains relevant to watch how
the lives of the working class were torn this way by the attacks."
reviewed by Matthew Paul Olmos for New York Theatre Review
By the Dawn's Early Light: Los Embrujados & Midnight Mass
"The real strength in what Nieves and company are doing here
is allowing us to view the events of September 11th from the perspective of characters who live along the bottom and are
trying not only to cope with their losses, but doing so from a disadvantaged lot in life. "
reviewed by Matthew Paul Olmos for New York Theatre Review
"The real strength in what Nieves and company are doing here
is allowing us to view the events of September 11th from the perspective of characters who live along the bottom and are
trying not only to cope with their losses, but doing so from a disadvantaged lot in life. "
reviewed by Matthew Paul Olmos for New York Theatre Review
*Voices from the Front
*Brooklyn Arts Council’s NYC Department of Cultural Affairs Award, NYC 2006. Directed by Padraic Lillis, Illustration by Linda Wulkan
*Brooklyn Arts Council’s NYC Department of Cultural Affairs Award, NYC 2006. Directed by Padraic Lillis, Illustration by Linda Wulkan
WRITE OUT FRONT: A Playwright Happening - August 2012, NYC
WRITE OUT FRONT: A Playwright Happening in front of the window of The Drama Bookshop: August 13th thru September 1st 2012
"By The Dawn's Early Light: Midnight Mass & Los Embrujados" West Coast premiere/Working Artist Lab at
The Missing Piece Theatre, Burbank, CA 2012 Directed by Hector Rodriguez
The Missing Piece Theatre, Burbank, CA 2012 Directed by Hector Rodriguez
"By The Dawn's Early Light: Midnight Mass & Los Embrujados" West Coast premiere/Working Artist Lab at
The Missing Piece Theatre, Burbank, CA 2012
Directed by Hector Rodriguez
The Missing Piece Theatre, Burbank, CA 2012
Directed by Hector Rodriguez
Los Embrujados (The Haunted Ones)
2012 Benefit reading for The Robin Hood Foundation presented by
Working Artist LAB at Archway Studio Theatre, LA
Directed by Hector Rodriguez
2012 Benefit reading for The Robin Hood Foundation presented by
Working Artist LAB at Archway Studio Theatre, LA
Directed by Hector Rodriguez
Rehearsal photo of benefit reading of "Los Embrujados (The Haunted Ones) presented by Working Artist Lab for The Robin Hood Foundation at CASA 0101 Theatre in Los Angeles, Ca 2012
LAByrinth Theatre Company MasterClass Summer Intensive workshop of "In Da Boogie Down" directed by Craig "Mums" Grant at Connecticut College, NYC 2012
Undertow
2012 Downtown Urban Theatre Festivals' Tenth Anniversary
at HERE/NYC
directed by Walter Hoffman
2012 Downtown Urban Theatre Festivals' Tenth Anniversary
at HERE/NYC
directed by Walter Hoffman
AfterLoss
2010 Downtown Urban Theatre Festival at Theatre for
a New City/NYC
directed by David Jackson
Pinero Resurrected
2010 Downtown Urban Theatre Festival at Theatre for
a New City/NYC
directed by Mel Nieves
2010 Downtown Urban Theatre Festival at Theatre for
a New City/NYC
directed by David Jackson
Pinero Resurrected
2010 Downtown Urban Theatre Festival at Theatre for
a New City/NYC
directed by Mel Nieves
Solo Man Watusi
2009 Downtown Urban Theatre Festival at HERE/NYC
directed by David Jackson
2009 Downtown Urban Theatre Festival at HERE/NYC
directed by David Jackson
W.A.C. Iraq (One Act Version)
2008 Downtown Urban Theatre Festival at Cherry Lane Theatre/NYC
directed by Taibi Magar
2008 Downtown Urban Theatre Festival at Cherry Lane Theatre/NYC
directed by Taibi Magar
*Tours of Duty
2005 Downtown Urban Theatre Festival at Cherry Lane Theatre/NYC
directed by Padraic Lillis
*Co-winner "Best Short Play" award
2005 Downtown Urban Theatre Festival at Cherry Lane Theatre/NYC
directed by Padraic Lillis
*Co-winner "Best Short Play" award
Karen & Tomas: I Touch Myself
2006 Downtown Urban Theatre Festival at Cherry Lane Theatre/NYC , directed by Padraic Lillis
2006 Downtown Urban Theatre Festival at Cherry Lane Theatre/NYC , directed by Padraic Lillis
NY Madness at ITATI Theatre. NYC 2011
"Ashes to Ashes" directed by Walter J. Hoffman
"Ashes to Ashes" directed by Walter J. Hoffman
"Night Screams" BrooklynOne Productions Vince Mazza One Act Festival 2013, dir. Shira Segal
IN DA BOOGIE DOWN
Written by Mel Nieves
Original poetry by Craig "Mums" Grant
Directed/Co-developed by Paula Pizzi-Black
Barefoot Theatre Company's Barenaked Reading Series 2014 at West Beth Community Room, NYC
Between a Hotdog and a Hard Place
Written by Mel Nieves
Directed by Frank Solorzano
Barefoot Theatre Company LA BareNaked Reading series 2014 at
Art of Acting Studio, Hollywood, CA
Written by Mel Nieves
Directed by Frank Solorzano
Barefoot Theatre Company LA BareNaked Reading series 2014 at
Art of Acting Studio, Hollywood, CA
Rochester Latino Theatre company stage reading presentation of "W.A.C. Iraq", 2014, Rochester NY, Directed by Jose C R. Casado
"W.A.C. Iraq" presented by the Rochester Latino Theatre company as part of the 2014 Rochester Fringe Festival, Rochester, NY, Dir. Jose Casado
"Rochester Latino Theatre Company's "W.A.C. Iraq" takes a complicated subject and presents it in a simple, powerful way. This tribute to Latina women in the Armed Forces who have served in Iraq honors their contributions, details their sacrifices, and asks some disturbing questions about a country that gives poor women opportunities in the military and often takes them away when they return from service. The format is a dialogue between a distraught G.I. (Jay O'Leary) and a kindly operator in a military base call center (Denise Herrera), interrupted by a monologue from a proudly patriotic young Latina soldier (Wednesday Mann), and concluded with a powerful, paradoxical monologue accompanying pictures of Latina soldiers in Iraq. It may not sound like much on paper, but it is affecting and effectively performed, particularly by O'Leary."
Review by David Raymond, Rochester City Paper
"Rochester Latino Theatre Company's "W.A.C. Iraq" takes a complicated subject and presents it in a simple, powerful way. This tribute to Latina women in the Armed Forces who have served in Iraq honors their contributions, details their sacrifices, and asks some disturbing questions about a country that gives poor women opportunities in the military and often takes them away when they return from service. The format is a dialogue between a distraught G.I. (Jay O'Leary) and a kindly operator in a military base call center (Denise Herrera), interrupted by a monologue from a proudly patriotic young Latina soldier (Wednesday Mann), and concluded with a powerful, paradoxical monologue accompanying pictures of Latina soldiers in Iraq. It may not sound like much on paper, but it is affecting and effectively performed, particularly by O'Leary."
Review by David Raymond, Rochester City Paper
2014 Barefoot Theatre Company's BareNaked LA Reading series
2014 Barefoot Theatre company's 15 Anniversary GALA presentation of "Between a Hot Dog and a Hard Place"
Readings of "W.A.C. Iraq" and "Los Embrujados" directed by Maggie Low
2015 Downtown Urban Theatre Festival at HERE, NYC *"Between a Hot Dog and a Hard Place", directed by Shira-Lee Shalit - *Best Short Play award Downtown Urban Theatre Festival
2015 San Diego Repertory Company's Amigo's Del Rep presentation of "In Da Boogie Down", directed by Vanessa J. Mendoza
2015 Barefoot Theatre Company BareNaked Reading Series, NYC
2016 Downtown Urban Theatre Festival at HERE, NYC
"Cost of Exposure" directed by Courtney Wetzel
"Cost of Exposure" directed by Courtney Wetzel
The Spirit, The Body & The Blood, 2016 LAByrinth Theatre Company Barn Series Festival of New Plays at Bank Street Theatre, NYC, Directed by Jenna Worsham
Finding Faith, 2016 NY Madness at Kraine Theatre, NYC, directed by Paula-Pizzi Black
The Spirit, The Body & The Blood", 2015 Actors Studio, NYC, Directed by Frank Solorzano
Frederick Douglass and The Fallen Angels, 2016 Actors Studio, NYC directed by Shira-Lee Shalit
2017 Barefoot Theatre Company LA BareNaked Reading series, Los Angeles, CA