FRENZY FEST 2026

Frenzy One Act Theatre Festival

One-Act Plays

October 15-18 & 22-25

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ONE-ACT PLAYS

Thursday-Sunday, October 15-18 & 22-25

 

El Barrios Artspace PS109

215 E 99 St. New York NY 10029 (btw 2nd & 3rd Ave)

Descanso Deslumbrante

Written & directed by Lucca Rodríguez performing by a collective actors from UPR

Thursday Oct. 15 – 6:30 PM / Friday Oct. 16 – 8:00 PM

Synopsis: Descanso Deslumbrante is a surrealist play that portrays the first encounters of two office workers in New York city, that live life with completely opposite point of views; one mundane and one fantastic. It presents how opposing extremes can influence and benefit each other when facing life changing tragedy and more.

Lucca Rodríguez Mangual has written from a very young age. He started just to express himself and create fantastical worlds where he could escape. Although fantasy has always been a source of inspiration, now, as an artist with a platform, he uses this fascination to highlight important issues he sees and experiences in his daily life.

Mardelis Peña Carrasco, Magerly Arroyo Toucet, Amneris Daniella Echevarría, Melvin Acosta Andújar, Charlie R. Lugo, Claudia Isabel Núñez Torres, Alejandro J. Roqué Vega, Geraldine Millán Rodríguez & Aliha Liz Serrano López

Sinopsis: Descanso Deslumbrante es una obra surrealista que presenta los primeros encuentros de dos trabajadores de oficina, que viven la vida con puntos de vista completamente opuestos; uno mundano y otro fantasioso. Presenta como opuestos extremos se pueden influenciar y beneficiar al enfrentarse a tragedias contundentes.

Fuera Miedo

Written & directed by Junior A. Ventura – Actress: Belen Orgambide

Thursday, Oct 15 7:30 PM / Friday, Oct. 16 – 7:00 PM

Synopsis:   Fuera Miedo, is a monologue written by Yunior A. Ventura, based on events from his own life; it reveals his traumas and family conflicts. During a mental health lecture, a psychiatrist explains the parts of the brain and their cognitive functions.

Dominican author and playwright based in New Jersey, USA. He studied dramatic arts at the Bellas Artes school in the Dominican Republic and founded the F.I.T.M.E. theater festival (*Mujeres en Escena* / Women on Stage). He has written various monologues, including *Fuera Miedo*, *Te Llegó Tu Hora*, and *Un Viejo en el Bar*, among others. His play *Impacto V* was staged in the Dominican Republic under the direction of José Bonilla; in the USA, he staged *El Hombre y Su Destino* at the Teba Festival, as well as other works.

A native of Buenos Aires, she grew up surrounded by tangos and stadium chants. She studied acting at the Universidad Argentina de la Empresa, graduating with a degree in Performing Arts. She has performed in both theater and television and holds the distinction of having made her New York stage debut. In 2025, she received a LATA Award for her performance in *Te llegó tu hora*.

Sinopsis: Fuera miedo, es un psicoanálisis sobre el comportamiento humano. A pesar de un individuo ser feliz en su entorno, el cerebro lo domina.

Serpent Woman

By Lita Baluarte – Directed by Aksel Tang – Actress: Camila Vinatea

Saturday Oct. 17 – 7:00 PM / Sunday Oct 18 – 5:00 PM

Synopsis: After her recent divorce, a woman suffers a panic attack and feels something foreign inside her—a serpent she manages to expel into the toilet. Their fierce struggle reopens old wounds and sends her on a journey through madness toward redemption.

Lita Baluarte is a Peruvian actress, playwright, screenwriter, director, performer, movement advisor, and Yoga practitioner. Her work explores auto fiction, the female body, motherhood, healing, and movement-based storytelling. She wrote and premiered Sigue la luz, Luna nueva, and Mujer Serpiente, which were presented at FAE Lima.

Instagram: @litabaluarte

Aksel Tang is an Argentine theater director, playwright, actor, and stage manager based in New York City. Trained at AMDA and The Barrow Group, his work includes directing and writing El Reencuentro, I Will Call Again, and Rapiña, plus assistant directing and stage managing Off-Broadway productions.

Instagram: @akseltang

Camila Vinatea is a Peruvian actress and producer based in New York City. She trained at The American Academy of Dramatic Arts and studied Filmmaking at the University of Lima. Her work spans theater, television, and production, including Playoff, Mosaics, Youth Is a Sickness, and The Pain of Your Absence.

Instagram: @camilavinatea

Sinopsis: Tras su reciente divorcio, una mujer sufre un ataque de pánico y siente un cuerpo extraño dentro de sí: una serpiente que logra expulsar en el inodoro de su casa. La lucha entre ambas reabre heridas del pasado y la conduce por un viaje de locura hacia la redención.

Too Late

Written, directed by Reina Ivis Canosa – Actresses: Reina Ivis Canosa & Amarilys Núñez Barrios

Saturday, Oct. 17 – 8:00 PM / Sunday, Oct 18 4:00 PM

Synopsis: After surviving a high-risk pregnancy, a mother devotes her life to protecting her daughter, who years later become trapped in silence and self-destruction. In an intimate and heartbreaking confrontation, they discover that their true enemy is inherited trauma—and that it is never too late to break the cycle.

Reina Ivis Canosa is a Cuban actress, playwright, and director with nearly four decades of international experience. A graduate of ISA in Havana, she has worked with renowned theater companies in Cuba, Venezuela, Mexico, and the United States. Her acclaimed career includes classical and contemporary roles, directing, writing, and award-winning performances, including her solo work Sorrow or Mujer de Todos.

Instagram: @reinaivisactress
FB: Reina Ivis Canosa

Details coming soon

Sinopsis: Tras sobrevivir a un embarazo de alto riesgo, una madre dedica su vida a proteger a su hija, quien años después vive atrapada en el silencio y la autodestrucción. En un enfrentamiento íntimo y desgarrador, ambas descubren que el verdadero enemigo es el trauma heredado y que nunca es demasiado tarde para romper el ciclo.

Yo, Milagro, Grito

Written & Directed by Walter Dionisio – Actress: Luisa Pineda.

A loose adaptation of “I, Ulrike, Scream” written by Franca Rame and Dario Fo

Thursday, Oct 22 – 6:30 PM / Friday, Oct. 23 – 8:00 PM

Synopsis: “Yo, Milagro, grito…” (“I, Milagro, Scream…”) is a loose adaptation of “Yo, Ulrike, grito…” (“I, Ulrike, Scream…”), written by Franca Rame and Dario Fo. Inspired by the life of journalist Ulrike Meinhof—imprisoned for exposing the lies of those in power—this version brings that spirit into the present, placing it in dialogue with contemporary struggles against injustice, abuse, and silencing, both in Latin America and across the globe. Milagro’s voice echoes the dignity of peoples who continue to fight for the truth. In a world ruled by lies, her words stand as a testament and an act of resistance; for even when attempts are made to imprison it, the truth always finds a way to rise.

A poet, actor, and theater director, he has resided in Stamford, Connecticut, since 1983 & founder and director of the Stamford-based theater group La Tertulia, with which he has directed numerous productions. He studied theater at the University of El Salvador, where he was a member of the University Theater and performed in productions of works by authors such as Alfonso Sastre, Eugène Ionesco, Aristophanes, and Osvaldo Dragún. In 1984, after arriving in the United States, he joined the Teatro Unido de las Américas in New Haven, and in 1985, he became a member of the resident company at Repertorio Español in New York, performing in classics by Lope de Vega and Federico García Lorca.

An actress and performance creator born in Medellín, Colombia, she began her journey in theater at the age of 16, driven by a group of young people who dreamed of bringing poetry and performance to the most overlooked corners of their community. She earned a degree in Theater from the University of Antioquia and trained under the guidance of master Farley Velásquez with the Teatro La Hora 25 company. With this group, she performed at events such as the Ibero-American Theater Festival of Bogotá, among others. Since 2017, she has resided in Connecticut, where she continues her artistic work as an actress and assistant director with the Stamford-based group La Tertulia. Her stage work blends rigor and dedication with a profound social and poetic sensibility, giving voice and physical form to that which often defies naming.

Sinopsis: “Yo, Milagro, grito…” es una adaptación libre de “Yo, Ulrike, grito…”, escrita por Franca Rame y Dario Fo. Inspirada en la vida de la periodista Ulrike Meinhof, encarcelada por denunciar las mentiras del poder, esta versión traslada su espíritu al presente y la pone en diálogo con las luchas actuales —en América Latina y en el mundo— que enfrentan la injusticia, el abuso y el silenciamiento. En la voz de Milagro resuena la dignidad de los pueblos que aún luchan por la verdad. Frente a un mundo gobernado por las mentiras, su palabra se levanta como testimonio y resistencia. Porque, aunque intenten encerrarla, la verdad siempre encuentra la forma de alzarse.

En el mismo cuarto

Written & directed by Jose Bonilla – Actors: Susana Stubbs & Ginary Ramos

Thursday, Oct 22 – 7:30 PM / Friday, Oct. 23 – 7:00 PM

Synopsis: Two women share the same room, where every conversation reopens old wounds, uncovers hidden secrets, and confronts buried guilt. In a place from which neither seems able to escape, they discover that the greatest prison is not the room itself, but the one within their own hearts and minds.

Bio coming soon

Bio coming soon

Bio coming soon

Sinopsis: Dos mujeres comparten un mismo cuarto, donde cada conversación abre heridas, revela secretos y enfrenta culpas que creían enterradas. En un espacio del que nadie parece poder escapar, descubrirán que el mayor encierro no está en las paredes, sino en ellas mismas.

El juego de Toca y Calla

Written & directed by Mary Ely Marrero-Pérez

Saturday, Oct. 25 – 7:00 PM / Sunday, Oct 25 – 5:00 PM

Synopsis: A woman is hospitalized in a psychiatric ward because her uncle tricked her into sexually abusing her as a child, using games as a pretext. Her ambivalent personality swings between childhood and adulthood. She feels guilty for not having defended herself. She also blames those who witnessed and are accomplices.

She is an educator, cultural manager, workshop facilitator, theater director, text editor, lyricist, project designer, and visual artist. Works in all literary genres and has received awards from numerous institutions. Founded Lamaruca, an international publishing, educational, and artistic project. She is Puerto Rico’s ambassador and an editor at Arte Poética Latinoamericana.

Facebook: Mary Ely Marrero-Pérez

She is a Puerto Rican multidisciplinary artist and educator. She participated in the dubbing workshop at MilVox Academy’s Drama Blast Camp in Mexico. She won a LATA Award for Best Lead Actress in the Performance category. She has acted in Little Shop of Horrors, The Shelter, Mamma Mia!, Anastasia, and Prietito.

Instagram: @waterlilliesonmyhead

Facebook: Natalia Mejía Lugo

 

Sinopsis: Una mujer está internada en un hospital psiquiátrico pues su tío la engañaba con juegos para abusarla sexualmente en la niñez. En su ambivalente personalidad, trasciende como un péndulo entre la niñez y la adultez. Se siente culpable por no haberse defendido. También responsabiliza a quienes son testigos y cómplices.

Cinco días de duelo

Written & directed by Yasmar Cruz – Performers: Yasmar Cruz

Saturday, Oct. 25 – 8:00 PM / Sunday, Oct 25 / 4:00 PM

Synopsis: Can you release grieving pain in five days? Xiomara is a joyful woman until she tragically loses a loved one. The distress is altering her emotions and affecting her mental state. After considering admitting herself into an institution, she decides to return to her home island to cry and heal for five days.

Puerto Rican artist and educator based in New York City.  She holds a BA in Performing Arts and a Master’s in Education. Founder of Danzartes, a cultural arts nonprofit organization. Author of El Espejo, official selection at International Festivals in New York, Cuba, and the Dominican Republic. She is a 2026 Museum HUE Arts Leadership fellow recipient.

Sinopsis: ¿Se puede en cinco días sanar el duelo? Xiomara es una mujer alegre hasta que pierde trágicamente un ser querido. La angustia altera sus emociones y estado mental. No le dieron días de duelo. Tras considerar internarse en una institución, decide regresar a su isla para llorar por cinco días y sanar.

Thank you to our
Sponsors, Supporters and Collaborators

Infinitely Grateful

BIP is profoundly grateful for the support and sponsorship of the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA), as well as the support of La Casa de la Herencia Cultural Puertorriqueña for being a co-producer with us to this special Festival season dedicated to mental health thru theater. Also our gratitude to our sponsors:  APREE, DYCD office and the  New York City Council Diana Ayala, Caicedo Productions, El Barrios Artspace PS109…. and Dance Project 10 and his creator Elliott Ortiz.

 

Additionally, on behalf of Barrio Independent Productions, we offer our sincere thanks to the ACACIA Network and IPRHE; together with La Casa de la Herencia Cultural Puertorriqueña, they are making the cash prize for the Best Frenzy Fest 2026 winner possible.

Agradecimiento infinito

BIP agradece profundamente el apoyo y patrocinio del New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA), así como el apoyo de La Casa de la Herencia Cultural Puertorriqueña por ser coproductor con nosotros de esta temporada especial de Festival dedicada a la salud mental a través del teatro. También nuestro agradecimiento a nuestros patrocinadores: APREE, oficina de DYCD y el Ayuntamiento de Nueva York Diana Ayala, Caicedo Productions, El Barrios Artspace PS109… y Dance Project 10 y su creador Elliott Ortiz.

 

Además, de parte de Barrio Independent Productions nuestro más sincero agradecimiento a ACACIA Network e IPRHE, quienes hacen posible junto con La Casa del Herencia Cultural Puertorriqueña, el premio económico al ganador del Best Frenzy Fest 2026.

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