Latin Heat
Cultura y Arte, Spotlight, Theater

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Support MACHA Theater To Continue Creating New And Impactful Programming

MACHA Theatre Co., a non-profit organization, has been producing theatrical productions focused on Latina LGBTQI stories for close to 20 years. Odalys Nanin, MACHA’S artistic director has dedicated her career to finding the untold LGBTQ experience stories and writing and/or adapting plays resulting in an impressive award-winning and critically acclaimed roster of produced theatrical production. She is currently running an IndieGogo Campaign to raise monies to find a new venue for her theater and to produce the critically acclaimed and audience favorite Frida Kahlo: A Stroke of Passion where she plays the title role.

Ebony Perry as Josephine Baker, Odalys Nanin in Frida Kahlo: Stroke of Passion Photo Credit: Antje Dohm

MACHA Theatre Co. was founded in 2000 by Nanin due of the lack of Latina-LGBTQI stories in the theater community, the lack of leading roles for lesbians of color and a lack of real cultural inclusion or representation of the Latina lesbian experience in mainstream theater.  MACHA is an acronym Mujeres (Women) Advancing Culture, History, and Art.

For the past 19 years, MACHA has produced award-winning, high quality, and exciting theater featuring lesbians of color in the title roles.  Audiences have been following the company since inception. Producing two productions per year and one writing workshop, they have invited mentors like Maria Irene Fornes – nine-time Obie Award-winning playwright – and Professor Cherrie Moraga – Chicana activist – to work with us.

MACHA is the only professional theater company lead by a Latina lesbian in the United States.  With limited venues providing producing, writing, directing and performance opportunities, MACHA has been filling this role by offering cultural, equity and inclusion to both the LGBTQI community and women of color – both integral parts of the city of Los Angeles.

In 2007, Nanin found a home at the old Globe Playhouse in West Hollywood. Under the new name of MACHA Theatre the doors opened on April of 2007 with two new plays, Skin of Honey, directed by Odalys Nanin, and The Adventures of Lieutenant Nun, directed by Ivonne Coll.

After 10 years of continued success, in 2017 the landlord for the venue sold the entire corner which included MACHA Theatre.  The new landlords, real estate investors, unfortunately, doubled the rent and in 2017 MACHA lost their home and over $26,000.

In 2019 MACHA was able to rent other venues to produce Love Struck, and in 2020 their plan is to reprise the critically acclaimed production of Frida: Stroke of Passion.  

MACHA Theater is currently running an IndieGogo Campaign

 To donate or share of this campaign with friends and family CLICK HERE.

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