Lys Pérez and José Alejandro Hernández in Let it Go, Esa by Mónica Pérez. Photo: Lorena Ortega. By Abel M. Salas Now in its eighth consecutive year and armed with an all-new slate of original, one-act stage works written, produced and directed exclusively by women, Chicanas, Cholas, y Chisme —the riotous homegrown theatrical hit—returns to Boyle Heights in its funniest, edgiest and most moving configuration yet. Opening this weekend at Casa 0101 Theater, the now annual ensemble production was conceived originally by playwright and community cultural arts advocate Josefina López, the prolific writer who founded Casa and serves as its artistic director. Developed under her guidance and introduced with a modest production during 2012 in a converted row-style storefront location one block west of the current Casa 0101 address where López’ unique vision for a Boyle Heights theater and arts district was initially incubated and nurtured,  Chicanas, Cholas, y Chisme was, s...

From left: Rene Rodríguez, Tomás Benitez and Rosemary Rodríguez By Guillermo de la Luna Rene Rodríguez, director of Teatro Urbano, a Los Angeles Chicano Theater group, passed away on December 16, 2018.  The beloved Chicano theater leader, community arts advocate and family man leaves a behind a creative and artistic legacy reaffirming his life-long pride in and love for a significant and specific Latino heritage in the United States. Playwright and director, he authored and was responsible for staging perhaps the only nationally prominent theatrical production in the history of American theater to directly address and commemorate the slaying of legendary journalist Rubén Salazar and the National Chicano Moratorium of 1970 in his play, The Silver Dollar . Rodríguez was born in El Paso, Texas. He attended Garfield High School in East Los Angeles, enlisted in the army and did a hardcore tour of duty in Viet Nam. He never talked about it.  He was the recipient of many aw...