An adaptation of a play by Manuel Martin Jr. Directed by Gloria Zelaya
Gucumatz a Mayan deity takes Chomiha a young woman, descendant of the great Mayan culture into an adventurous journey throughout Central America in search for the Golden Cacao Bean. This is a play with music, dances and masks.
Gloria Zelaya, Theater and Film Director, Actress, Producer. Acting coach.
When we know what we want and we achieve it, that’s when we start living. In Managua, Nicaragua. Ever since Gloria Zelaya was little, the spirits of the moon and the sun gave her the gifts of entertainment and creativity. From there on she knew that performing arts was in her blood. No matter what she made it possible.
Fate was definitely on her side as her education as framed around her dream. As a teenager she started taking dance classes and then her passion shifted to theater. She joined a theater group of the school of fine arts in Managua, then she was part of the National University of Nicaragua Theater unit. Given the opportunity to study theater in France, with a scholarship
from the French government, went to the Strasburg Theater School and then Lécole de la Epee du Bois in Paris. There she was invited to do an internship with the “Theater du Soleil Theater”, she traveled with company to Italy with one of their productions.
From there she made her way to New York City. Where she worked her way up at La Ma Ma Theatre ETC, from volunteer worker to paid actress. She later joined the Duo Theater where she participated as an actress and assistant director to many productions. Among them “Rasputin” touring to South America and “Swallows”. She also studied with Agusto Boal of the Theater of the Oppressed, and then became a co-founder of the Theater of
the Oppressed Lab in NYC.
She has directed (two Summer Tours) and taught acting at the Puerto Rican Traveling Theatre. She has also collaborated with several other companies, including Intar Theater, La MaMa ETC, Mass Transit Theater, The Women’s Project, Theater for the New City, New World Theater, Duo Theater, Urban
Youth Theater (International Fringe Festival) She has presented at: Teatro Stage Fest (The Golden Cacao Bean), the Samuel Beckett Theater as part of the Evening Shades festival in NYC.
Directed three Stage Readings for the Actors Studio P.D.U
(Playwrights and Directors Unit). Her short play “Subway Story” was produced by SEA Theater and the Fantastic Experimental Fantastic Theater Inc for the festival Micro Theater. Her play “Two Sisters” participated as a stage reader in Around the Block theater company.
For El Puente of Williamsburg:
Ms Zelaya has produced stage performances at the “WEPA” Street Festival in Williamsburg. Directed productions of the Three Kings and for Teatro El Puente, a youth theatre company dealing with social issues, which toured the city. She is the El Puente CADRE Coordinator a network of artists of Brooklyn,
AWARDS and ACTIVE PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS:
Playwrights and Directors Unit of the Actors Studio.
Advisory Board oF HOLA.
Fantastic Experimental Latino Theatre, (FELT) Artistic Producing Director
Around The Block - President of the Board, co-artistic Director. Playwriting Circle member.
Best Director ACE Award in 2006 for the French Comedy The Little Hut (Latin American Theater Ensemble). HOLA. Best Director of childrens play “The Cue Bird”
TRAINING
•Voice Over Technique, Manuel Herrera. • Augusto Boal Theater Workshops, New York
•Young Filmmakers, New York–Television Studies.
•Brooklyn College, NewYork
•Charles Dullin School of Dramatique Arts, Paris, France
•School of Theatre, Strasburg, France
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