Frida Libre, Featuring Ixchel Hernandez y Steven Franco. GALA Hispanic Theatre. Daniel Martinez Photography.
REVIEWS
Woman on Fire by Marisela Treviño Orta
Creative Cauldron
"From the very first seconds, this production, written by Marisela Treviño Orta and directed by Elena Velasco, signals that time and space are fluid, that identity is not fixed, and that death is not the end but an ever-hovering presence....The show doesn’t preach—it gently insists. We are all, in some way, caught between worlds. If we’re lucky, we’ll learn to cross those borders with humility, memory, and care." - Teniola Ayoola, MD Theatre Guide.
https://mdtheatreguide.com/2025/05/theatre-review-woman-on-fire-at-creative-cauldron/
"Marisela Treviño Orta’s masterful ghost story explores the intersection between border politics and identity, while entreating its audience to reclaim their empathy." - Eileen Miller, DC Theatre Arts
https://dctheaterarts.org/2025/04/28/buried-secrets-unburied-souls-woman-on-fire-stuns-at-creative-cauldron/
Native Gardens by Karen Zacarías
NextStop Theatre
"…a feel-good production…the incredible cast makes this show sing…perhaps the best ensemble performance I have seen all season." - Anne Valentino, MD Theatre Guide.
"With an energetic cast and its timely themes, Native Gardens is an excellent start to NextStop Theatre’s 2025 season. " - Hannah R. Wing, Broadway World.
BWW Q&A: Elena Velasco on Native Gardens at NextStop Theatre
NextStop Theatre presents Karen Zacarías’ locally-rooted comedy ‘Native Gardens’
Laughs in Spanish by Alexis Scheer
1st Stage
"Family and love are the order of the day. The Laughs in Spanish are familial, uncontained, and insistingly joyful." - Caroline Bock, DC Theatre Arts.
"The acting under Elena Velasco’s compelling direction masterfully carries this play through a wide gamut of emotional moments and complex episodes of comedic intrigue." - Anne Valentino, MD Theatre Guide.
"Elena Velasco’s snappy staging at 1st Stage aptly demonstrates the play’s broad appeal." - André Hereford, MetroWeekly
Frida Libre de Karen Zacarías y Deborah Wicks la Puma
GALA Hispanic Theatre
" “Frida Libre” is a moving, inspiring, and educational production that resonates with audiences of all ages, whether they speak Spanish or not. With its themes of transformation, friendship, and overcoming adversity, the play speaks to dreamers, art lovers, and anyone who has ever faced their fears to become their truest selves.' - Teniola Ayoola, MD Theatre Guide.
https://mdtheatreguide.com/2024/10/theatre-review-frida-libre-at-gala-hispanic-theatre/
"The buzz about the show is real — it’s an innovative new way of appreciating Kahlo’s fierce determination by seeing her from a fresh new perspective. Frida Libre sparkles with life for an engaging family experience." - Debbie Minter Jackson, DC Theatre Arts.
https://dctheaterarts.org/2024/10/14/fun-filled-family-friendly-frida-libre-at-gala-hispanic-theatre/
Picasso de Cornelia Cody
GALA Hispanic Theatre
Dirreción y coreografia de Elena Velasco
" It is an ambitious undertaking to combine all of these into an hour-long performance. Cody and Velasco do an excellent job of this, and the cast translates art into action by getting the audience swept up." - Jackson Malmgren, Broadway World. https://www.broadwayworld.com/washington-dc/article/Review-PICASSO-at-GALA-Hispanic-Theatre-20231018
"Elena Velasco, a veteran director of not only theater of social action but movement-driven theater for children kept many vignettes spinning like plates in the air, building a circus atmosphere with famous Picasso paintings appearing then dissolving to create ever-evolving stage pictures." - Susan Galbraith, DC Theatre Arts.
https://dctheaterarts.org/2023/10/17/a-lighthearted-look-at-art-making-in-picasso-at-gala/
In the Heights de Quíara Alegría Hudes y Lin-Manuel Miranda
NextStop Theater, Herndon, VA
Directed by Elena Velasco, Choreographed by Stefan Sittig
"NextStop Theatre’s ‘In the Heights’ is sheer theatrical excellence...one of the most vibrant, engrossing, and well-produced smaller professional theater productions I’ve had the opportunity to see in a long time." - Alexandra Brown, DC Theatre Arts. https://dctheaterarts.org/2023/06/02/nextstop-theatres-in-the-heights-is-sheer-theatrical-excellence/
"…vibrant…a production on a scale with the best of the region…Every member of the cast is magnificent. It was worth the wait, and worth seeing for the discovery of several future stars of the D.C. stage and the further emergence of an incredible theatre company." - Peter Orvetti, MD Theatre Guide
https://mdtheatreguide.com/2023/05/theatre-review-in-the-heights-at-nextstop-theatre-company/
"The cast is uniformly excellent.. Director Elena Velasco and choreographer Stefan Sittig stage the show's musical numbers with flair and verve...The audience has the feeling of being part of the tight-knit community we watch." - Peter Rouleau, Broadway World.
www.broadwayworld.com/washington-dc/article/Review-IN-THE-HEIGHTS-at-NextStop-Theatre-Company-2023052
Mojada de Luis Alfaro
1st Stage, Tysons Corner, VA
Dirección y coreografía de Elena Velasco
"Elena Velasco’s task as director is admittedly a bit of a Herculean one. She has to bring together a number of ‘big ticket’ themes—more so than the burden Euripides carried in the original—and in the process, create a harmonious production that makes the unspeakable ending seem a logical, albeit tragic link in the chain of events. Velasco’s choices work, and to her credit, those choices imbue the actors with even more gravitas than they might otherwise have had. It is a fluid, haunting production where dialogue, pantomime, and even some dance combine to evoke the stuff of which nightmares are made." - Anne Valentino, MD Theatre Guide.
https://mdtheatreguide.com/2023/04/theatre-review-mojada-a-medea-in-los-angeles-at-1st-stage-theatre/
"Searing moments of magical realism - the simple, telling moments when the lights dim and the actors speak to the audience of their journey, history, pains, and dreams are when this production rises from the ordinary to the extraordinary." - Caroline Beck, DC Theatre Arts.
https://dctheaterarts.org/2023/04/24/a-searing-mojada-at-1st-stage-tells-tragedy-of-a-mexican-family-in-la/?fbclid=IwAR0NUV01cI7tIf0Ev4gEpWco5hHsH39jZ3F1jpbe013-LH443wISow4oJz4
Alma de Benjamin Benne
Central Square Theatre, Cambridge, MA
Dirección de Elena Velasco
"There is much to admire and moments of considerable power in “Alma,” directed at Central Square Theater by Elena Velasco.
The director has devised a haunting visual finale to the production." - Don Aucoin, Boston Globe.
https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/02/27/arts/alma-an-uncertain-future-mother-daughter-caught-political-crossfire/
"Under Velasco’s taut direction, the action never stops." - Michele Markarian, Theatre Mirror. www.theatermirror.net/?p=6295
"Energetic direction" - David Greenham, The Arts Fuse.
https://artsfuse.org/268978/theater-review-alma-a-matter-of-justice/
La Llamada de Sylvia Mendez: Separate is Never Equal de Cornelia Cody; new music by Camilo Linares
Produced by GALA Hispanic Theater
Diección y coreografía de Elena Velasco
"Expertly directed by Elena Velasco, and skillfully acted, the show is eminently watchable...Elena Velasco’s direction is especially inventive in combining movement, dance, and music." - Sophie Howes, DC Theatre Arts.
https://dctheaterarts.org/2022/10/10/galas-separate-is-never-equal-honors-a-girl-who-changed-the-world/
The Amazing Adventures of Dr. Wonderful (and her dog!) by Lauren Gunderson y Bree Lowdermilk
Produced by Keegan Theater
Directed and Choreographed by Elena Velasco
Helen Hayes Award Nomination for Best Projections Design
"One of the last songs is “Wow,” a pretty song that aptly describes the audience’s reaction to this offbeat and educational musical...a fun and nerdy musical." - Sarah Shah, DC Theatre Arts
dctheaterarts.org/2022/07/15/a-fun-and-nerdy-musical-for-kids-dr-wonderful-and-her-dog-at-keegan/
"The Washington area is rich in quality children’s theatre… Keegan PLAY-RAH-KA fits right in with that company. “The Amazing Adventures of Dr. Wonderful (and Her Dog!)” is the sort of staged show we need more of — a mix of education and entertainment that the young people who surrounded me during a weekend matinee found fully satisfying." - Peter Orvetti, MD Theatre Guide.
mdtheatreguide.com/2022/07/theatre-review-the-amazing-adventures-of-dr-wonderful-and-her-dog-at-the-keegan-theatre/
The Decameron - Digital Adaptation
Produced by Synetic Theater
Directed, Adapted and Performed by Elena Velasco
Release date July 10, 2020
synetictheater.org/event_pages/the-decameron/
"Elena Velasco is a strong local director and performer in her own right and brings to this fellowship that is Synetic her most serious lens on theatre for social justice....The work is full of restrained sorrow and rage." - Susan Galbraith, DC Theatre Scene.
dctheatrescene.com/2020/07/12/review-synetic-theaters-the-decameron-day-three-from-somber-to-sexy/
The Magical Piñata
by Karen Zacarías y Deborah Wicks la Puma
Directed and Choreographed by Elena Velasco
Produced by Keegan Theatre
"Director and Choreographer Elena Velasco does a magnificent job with this cast of four....Keegan Theatre’s PLAY-RAH-KA program has created a gem with a strong cast and dynamite creative team." - Kendall Mostafavi, DC Metro Theatre Arts
dcmetrotheaterarts.com/2019/12/19/the-magical-pinata-at-the-keegan-theatre-celebrates-mexican-culture-and-teaches-valuable-lessons-about-sharing/
"Five Stars - The Magical Piñata at Keegan Theatre is a fun-filled romp that fits the holiday season with lessons for all to treasure and enjoy." - Deborah Minter Jackson, DC Theatre Scene.
https://dctheatrescene.com/2019/12/16/review-the-magical-pinata/
Guerrilla Theatre Works: A New Nation
Helen Hayes Recommended!
DCMTA 2018 Outstanding Professional Performance
Directed and Choreographed by Elena Velasco
dcmetrotheaterarts.com/2018/12/21/dcmta-2018-staff-favorites-outstanding-overall-productions-in-professional-theater/?fbclid=IwAR0STVm-iI1krULZR3PyC0-KvtDvbdxd1uoQ1FrD4f66rRgBV0oCiGhpAAI
Produced by Convergence Theatre
Co-directed by Elena Velasco and Natalia Nagy-Gleason; Choreographed by Elena Velasco
"… a vital, vibrant examination of the immigrant story, and an unforgettable evening of theatre....painfully effective sequence that draws a direct line to family separation and the devaluation of human life." - Norah Dick, MD Theatre Guide.
mdtheatreguide.com/2018/07/theatre-review-guerilla-theatre-works-a-new-nation-by-convergence-theatre/
"A New Nation has found the right city, the right moment and the right place at the Anacostia Arts Center this month. As national headlines bear down on this administration’s Muslim travel ban, zero tolerance immigration policy, and withdrawal from the United Nations Human Rights Council, this collection of vignettes about immigration, family, and home speaks truth to power." - Kate Colwell, DC Theatre Scene. dctheatrescene.com/2018/07/12/review-guerilla-theatre-works-a-new-nation/
"For the Convergence group, telling stories that illuminate not just the facts, but the emotions, of real people – stories that are told with bodies as well as words – has great power. A New Nation displays that power, and does so in a way that is as theatrically vivid as it is substantively meaningful. This is a production that is very worth seeing, and even more worth thought and action on what is a key issue of our time, having much to do with how we define ourselves as individuals and a nation." - Bob Ashby, DC Metro Theatre Arts. dcmetrotheaterarts.com/2018/07/10/review-guerrilla-theater-works-a-new-nation-by-convergence-theatre/
This Is All Just Temporary by Olivia Haller
Produced by Convergence Theatre
Directed by Elena Velasco
FIVE STARS! - "Director Elena Velasco guides her cast adeptly through the small space....Using projections, movement, and some classic storytelling techniques, this production puts a new spin on the theme that the people we love the most can also make us feel the most “stuck."...This Is All Just Temporary deftly highlights the strength of the feelings of both love and guilt a family can elicit in us, and how we sometimes must come together to make impossible choices." - Jon Bavoso, DC Theatre Scene
dctheatrescene.com/2018/01/22/just-temporary-convergence-theatre-review/
"Elena Velasco guides her actors through the timeline of the play, which includes frequent moments of memory and suspensions of reality when music and movement take over to reflect unspoken thoughts, feelings, and connections.This is All Just Temporary breaks your heart and then puts you back together even stronger than before." - Kendall Mostafavi, DC Metro Theater Arts
dcmetrotheaterarts.com/2018/01/24/review-just-temporary-convergence-theatre-womens-voices-theater-festival/
HANSEL AND GRETEL - adapted, directed and choreographed by Elena Velasco and Tori Bertocci - Helen Hayes Recommended!
Produced by Synetic Theater
"Directed and choreographed by co-adaptors Tori Bertocci and Elena Velasco, this exciting production manages to speak volumes without uttering a single word...Hansel and Gretel encourages imagination, and through its creative delivery allows room for endless interpretations." - Julia L. Exline, DCMetroTheaterArts
dcmetrotheaterarts.com/2017/12/03/review-hansel-gretel-synetic-theater/
WITCH adapted by the Convergence Theatre Collective
Produced by Convergence Theatre
Directed and Choreographed by Elena Velasco
"....Mesmerizing to watch, and movingly performed." - Ravelle Brickman, DC Metro Theatre Arts.
dcmetrotheaterarts.com/2016/10/17/review-witch-convergence-theatre-mead-theatre-lab-flashpoint/
"...Spiritual and all-encompassing." - Stephanie House, MD Theatre Guide
mdtheatreguide.com/2016/10/theatre-review-witch-at-convergence-theatre/
"The game cast of director Elena Velasco's Witch knits together shades of The Crucible and The Exorcist to provide an arresting experience that serves as a dark morality play and timely reminder of women's ongoing fight for safety and equality." - Ben Demers, DC Theatre Scene
dctheatrescene.com/2016/10/17/witch-potent-brew-convergence-theatre/
GUERRILLA THEATRE WORKS: AT WHAT COST? devised by the Convergence Theatre Collective
Produced by Convergence Theatre
Directed and Choreographed by Elena Velasco
"...Bold artistic work..." - Evan Hoffman, Artistic Director, NextStop Theatre
http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/news/2016/jun/15/herndon-theater-inspire-conversation/
Bhavi the Avenger by Tearrance Chisholm
Produced by Convergence Theatre
Directed by Elena Velasco
"Whimsical, resourceful..." - Celia Wren, Washington Post.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/goingoutguide/theater-dance/inaugural-offering-from-convergence-theatre-is-whimsical-and-resourceful/2015/09/30/3b0c3bda-66be-11e5-8325-a42b5a459b1e_story.html
"Director Elena Velasco’s spare staging puts the audience right in the action...the result is engrossing....this enigmatic play will stay with you long after." - John Stoltenberg, DCMetroTheaterArts.
DCMetroTheaterArts. http://dcmetrotheaterarts.com/2015/09/27/bhavi-the-avenger-at-convergence-theatre/
Córiolanas
Read why Córiolanas was rated "Best of Capital Fringe"
"Elena Velasco has created a visually striking meditation on the very nature of gender itself." - Sophia Howes, DC Metro Theater Arts
http://dcmetrotheaterarts.com/2014/07/13/capital-fringe-2014-review-coriolanas/
"With tons of shows at the Fringe Fest and limited time to see them all, Córiolanas would be welcome near the top of any list....Elysian Theatre's muscular adaptation fo Shakespeare's Córiolanas, is well-acted, well-directed, well-designed and well worth the time. - Daniel Parisi, City Paper
http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/fringe/2014/07/16/hip-shot-coriolanas/
"On a visceral level, the production sparkles." - Maegan Clearwood, DC Theater Scene
______________________________________________________________________________________
La Perdida, the Mexican musical Winter's Tale
Book and Lyrics by Kathleen Cahill; music by Deborah Wicks la Puma
Now available through Dramatic Publishing - www.dramaticpublishing.com/p3878/Perdida/product_info.html
Five stars for the premiere musical, La Perdida!
"The unique element of the production was the inclusion of dance among the main action by three omniscient characters on stage. The dancing, brilliantly choreographed by Velasco as well, was artfully executed by dancers Angeleaza Anderson and Kira Burri as the Spirit of Life and the the Spirit of Death." - Johnna Leary, DCMetroTheaterArts.
http://dcmetrotheaterarts.com/2014/11/21/la-perdida-catholic-university/
Woman on Fire by Marisela Treviño Orta
Creative Cauldron
"From the very first seconds, this production, written by Marisela Treviño Orta and directed by Elena Velasco, signals that time and space are fluid, that identity is not fixed, and that death is not the end but an ever-hovering presence....The show doesn’t preach—it gently insists. We are all, in some way, caught between worlds. If we’re lucky, we’ll learn to cross those borders with humility, memory, and care." - Teniola Ayoola, MD Theatre Guide.
https://mdtheatreguide.com/2025/05/theatre-review-woman-on-fire-at-creative-cauldron/
"Marisela Treviño Orta’s masterful ghost story explores the intersection between border politics and identity, while entreating its audience to reclaim their empathy." - Eileen Miller, DC Theatre Arts
https://dctheaterarts.org/2025/04/28/buried-secrets-unburied-souls-woman-on-fire-stuns-at-creative-cauldron/
Native Gardens by Karen Zacarías
NextStop Theatre
"…a feel-good production…the incredible cast makes this show sing…perhaps the best ensemble performance I have seen all season." - Anne Valentino, MD Theatre Guide.
"With an energetic cast and its timely themes, Native Gardens is an excellent start to NextStop Theatre’s 2025 season. " - Hannah R. Wing, Broadway World.
BWW Q&A: Elena Velasco on Native Gardens at NextStop Theatre
NextStop Theatre presents Karen Zacarías’ locally-rooted comedy ‘Native Gardens’
Laughs in Spanish by Alexis Scheer
1st Stage
"Family and love are the order of the day. The Laughs in Spanish are familial, uncontained, and insistingly joyful." - Caroline Bock, DC Theatre Arts.
"The acting under Elena Velasco’s compelling direction masterfully carries this play through a wide gamut of emotional moments and complex episodes of comedic intrigue." - Anne Valentino, MD Theatre Guide.
"Elena Velasco’s snappy staging at 1st Stage aptly demonstrates the play’s broad appeal." - André Hereford, MetroWeekly
Frida Libre de Karen Zacarías y Deborah Wicks la Puma
GALA Hispanic Theatre
" “Frida Libre” is a moving, inspiring, and educational production that resonates with audiences of all ages, whether they speak Spanish or not. With its themes of transformation, friendship, and overcoming adversity, the play speaks to dreamers, art lovers, and anyone who has ever faced their fears to become their truest selves.' - Teniola Ayoola, MD Theatre Guide.
https://mdtheatreguide.com/2024/10/theatre-review-frida-libre-at-gala-hispanic-theatre/
"The buzz about the show is real — it’s an innovative new way of appreciating Kahlo’s fierce determination by seeing her from a fresh new perspective. Frida Libre sparkles with life for an engaging family experience." - Debbie Minter Jackson, DC Theatre Arts.
https://dctheaterarts.org/2024/10/14/fun-filled-family-friendly-frida-libre-at-gala-hispanic-theatre/
Picasso de Cornelia Cody
GALA Hispanic Theatre
Dirreción y coreografia de Elena Velasco
" It is an ambitious undertaking to combine all of these into an hour-long performance. Cody and Velasco do an excellent job of this, and the cast translates art into action by getting the audience swept up." - Jackson Malmgren, Broadway World. https://www.broadwayworld.com/washington-dc/article/Review-PICASSO-at-GALA-Hispanic-Theatre-20231018
"Elena Velasco, a veteran director of not only theater of social action but movement-driven theater for children kept many vignettes spinning like plates in the air, building a circus atmosphere with famous Picasso paintings appearing then dissolving to create ever-evolving stage pictures." - Susan Galbraith, DC Theatre Arts.
https://dctheaterarts.org/2023/10/17/a-lighthearted-look-at-art-making-in-picasso-at-gala/
In the Heights de Quíara Alegría Hudes y Lin-Manuel Miranda
NextStop Theater, Herndon, VA
Directed by Elena Velasco, Choreographed by Stefan Sittig
"NextStop Theatre’s ‘In the Heights’ is sheer theatrical excellence...one of the most vibrant, engrossing, and well-produced smaller professional theater productions I’ve had the opportunity to see in a long time." - Alexandra Brown, DC Theatre Arts. https://dctheaterarts.org/2023/06/02/nextstop-theatres-in-the-heights-is-sheer-theatrical-excellence/
"…vibrant…a production on a scale with the best of the region…Every member of the cast is magnificent. It was worth the wait, and worth seeing for the discovery of several future stars of the D.C. stage and the further emergence of an incredible theatre company." - Peter Orvetti, MD Theatre Guide
https://mdtheatreguide.com/2023/05/theatre-review-in-the-heights-at-nextstop-theatre-company/
"The cast is uniformly excellent.. Director Elena Velasco and choreographer Stefan Sittig stage the show's musical numbers with flair and verve...The audience has the feeling of being part of the tight-knit community we watch." - Peter Rouleau, Broadway World.
www.broadwayworld.com/washington-dc/article/Review-IN-THE-HEIGHTS-at-NextStop-Theatre-Company-2023052
Mojada de Luis Alfaro
1st Stage, Tysons Corner, VA
Dirección y coreografía de Elena Velasco
"Elena Velasco’s task as director is admittedly a bit of a Herculean one. She has to bring together a number of ‘big ticket’ themes—more so than the burden Euripides carried in the original—and in the process, create a harmonious production that makes the unspeakable ending seem a logical, albeit tragic link in the chain of events. Velasco’s choices work, and to her credit, those choices imbue the actors with even more gravitas than they might otherwise have had. It is a fluid, haunting production where dialogue, pantomime, and even some dance combine to evoke the stuff of which nightmares are made." - Anne Valentino, MD Theatre Guide.
https://mdtheatreguide.com/2023/04/theatre-review-mojada-a-medea-in-los-angeles-at-1st-stage-theatre/
"Searing moments of magical realism - the simple, telling moments when the lights dim and the actors speak to the audience of their journey, history, pains, and dreams are when this production rises from the ordinary to the extraordinary." - Caroline Beck, DC Theatre Arts.
https://dctheaterarts.org/2023/04/24/a-searing-mojada-at-1st-stage-tells-tragedy-of-a-mexican-family-in-la/?fbclid=IwAR0NUV01cI7tIf0Ev4gEpWco5hHsH39jZ3F1jpbe013-LH443wISow4oJz4
Alma de Benjamin Benne
Central Square Theatre, Cambridge, MA
Dirección de Elena Velasco
"There is much to admire and moments of considerable power in “Alma,” directed at Central Square Theater by Elena Velasco.
The director has devised a haunting visual finale to the production." - Don Aucoin, Boston Globe.
https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/02/27/arts/alma-an-uncertain-future-mother-daughter-caught-political-crossfire/
"Under Velasco’s taut direction, the action never stops." - Michele Markarian, Theatre Mirror. www.theatermirror.net/?p=6295
"Energetic direction" - David Greenham, The Arts Fuse.
https://artsfuse.org/268978/theater-review-alma-a-matter-of-justice/
La Llamada de Sylvia Mendez: Separate is Never Equal de Cornelia Cody; new music by Camilo Linares
Produced by GALA Hispanic Theater
Diección y coreografía de Elena Velasco
"Expertly directed by Elena Velasco, and skillfully acted, the show is eminently watchable...Elena Velasco’s direction is especially inventive in combining movement, dance, and music." - Sophie Howes, DC Theatre Arts.
https://dctheaterarts.org/2022/10/10/galas-separate-is-never-equal-honors-a-girl-who-changed-the-world/
The Amazing Adventures of Dr. Wonderful (and her dog!) by Lauren Gunderson y Bree Lowdermilk
Produced by Keegan Theater
Directed and Choreographed by Elena Velasco
Helen Hayes Award Nomination for Best Projections Design
"One of the last songs is “Wow,” a pretty song that aptly describes the audience’s reaction to this offbeat and educational musical...a fun and nerdy musical." - Sarah Shah, DC Theatre Arts
dctheaterarts.org/2022/07/15/a-fun-and-nerdy-musical-for-kids-dr-wonderful-and-her-dog-at-keegan/
"The Washington area is rich in quality children’s theatre… Keegan PLAY-RAH-KA fits right in with that company. “The Amazing Adventures of Dr. Wonderful (and Her Dog!)” is the sort of staged show we need more of — a mix of education and entertainment that the young people who surrounded me during a weekend matinee found fully satisfying." - Peter Orvetti, MD Theatre Guide.
mdtheatreguide.com/2022/07/theatre-review-the-amazing-adventures-of-dr-wonderful-and-her-dog-at-the-keegan-theatre/
The Decameron - Digital Adaptation
Produced by Synetic Theater
Directed, Adapted and Performed by Elena Velasco
Release date July 10, 2020
synetictheater.org/event_pages/the-decameron/
"Elena Velasco is a strong local director and performer in her own right and brings to this fellowship that is Synetic her most serious lens on theatre for social justice....The work is full of restrained sorrow and rage." - Susan Galbraith, DC Theatre Scene.
dctheatrescene.com/2020/07/12/review-synetic-theaters-the-decameron-day-three-from-somber-to-sexy/
The Magical Piñata
by Karen Zacarías y Deborah Wicks la Puma
Directed and Choreographed by Elena Velasco
Produced by Keegan Theatre
"Director and Choreographer Elena Velasco does a magnificent job with this cast of four....Keegan Theatre’s PLAY-RAH-KA program has created a gem with a strong cast and dynamite creative team." - Kendall Mostafavi, DC Metro Theatre Arts
dcmetrotheaterarts.com/2019/12/19/the-magical-pinata-at-the-keegan-theatre-celebrates-mexican-culture-and-teaches-valuable-lessons-about-sharing/
"Five Stars - The Magical Piñata at Keegan Theatre is a fun-filled romp that fits the holiday season with lessons for all to treasure and enjoy." - Deborah Minter Jackson, DC Theatre Scene.
https://dctheatrescene.com/2019/12/16/review-the-magical-pinata/
Guerrilla Theatre Works: A New Nation
Helen Hayes Recommended!
DCMTA 2018 Outstanding Professional Performance
Directed and Choreographed by Elena Velasco
dcmetrotheaterarts.com/2018/12/21/dcmta-2018-staff-favorites-outstanding-overall-productions-in-professional-theater/?fbclid=IwAR0STVm-iI1krULZR3PyC0-KvtDvbdxd1uoQ1FrD4f66rRgBV0oCiGhpAAI
Produced by Convergence Theatre
Co-directed by Elena Velasco and Natalia Nagy-Gleason; Choreographed by Elena Velasco
"… a vital, vibrant examination of the immigrant story, and an unforgettable evening of theatre....painfully effective sequence that draws a direct line to family separation and the devaluation of human life." - Norah Dick, MD Theatre Guide.
mdtheatreguide.com/2018/07/theatre-review-guerilla-theatre-works-a-new-nation-by-convergence-theatre/
"A New Nation has found the right city, the right moment and the right place at the Anacostia Arts Center this month. As national headlines bear down on this administration’s Muslim travel ban, zero tolerance immigration policy, and withdrawal from the United Nations Human Rights Council, this collection of vignettes about immigration, family, and home speaks truth to power." - Kate Colwell, DC Theatre Scene. dctheatrescene.com/2018/07/12/review-guerilla-theatre-works-a-new-nation/
"For the Convergence group, telling stories that illuminate not just the facts, but the emotions, of real people – stories that are told with bodies as well as words – has great power. A New Nation displays that power, and does so in a way that is as theatrically vivid as it is substantively meaningful. This is a production that is very worth seeing, and even more worth thought and action on what is a key issue of our time, having much to do with how we define ourselves as individuals and a nation." - Bob Ashby, DC Metro Theatre Arts. dcmetrotheaterarts.com/2018/07/10/review-guerrilla-theater-works-a-new-nation-by-convergence-theatre/
This Is All Just Temporary by Olivia Haller
Produced by Convergence Theatre
Directed by Elena Velasco
FIVE STARS! - "Director Elena Velasco guides her cast adeptly through the small space....Using projections, movement, and some classic storytelling techniques, this production puts a new spin on the theme that the people we love the most can also make us feel the most “stuck."...This Is All Just Temporary deftly highlights the strength of the feelings of both love and guilt a family can elicit in us, and how we sometimes must come together to make impossible choices." - Jon Bavoso, DC Theatre Scene
dctheatrescene.com/2018/01/22/just-temporary-convergence-theatre-review/
"Elena Velasco guides her actors through the timeline of the play, which includes frequent moments of memory and suspensions of reality when music and movement take over to reflect unspoken thoughts, feelings, and connections.This is All Just Temporary breaks your heart and then puts you back together even stronger than before." - Kendall Mostafavi, DC Metro Theater Arts
dcmetrotheaterarts.com/2018/01/24/review-just-temporary-convergence-theatre-womens-voices-theater-festival/
HANSEL AND GRETEL - adapted, directed and choreographed by Elena Velasco and Tori Bertocci - Helen Hayes Recommended!
Produced by Synetic Theater
"Directed and choreographed by co-adaptors Tori Bertocci and Elena Velasco, this exciting production manages to speak volumes without uttering a single word...Hansel and Gretel encourages imagination, and through its creative delivery allows room for endless interpretations." - Julia L. Exline, DCMetroTheaterArts
dcmetrotheaterarts.com/2017/12/03/review-hansel-gretel-synetic-theater/
WITCH adapted by the Convergence Theatre Collective
Produced by Convergence Theatre
Directed and Choreographed by Elena Velasco
"....Mesmerizing to watch, and movingly performed." - Ravelle Brickman, DC Metro Theatre Arts.
dcmetrotheaterarts.com/2016/10/17/review-witch-convergence-theatre-mead-theatre-lab-flashpoint/
"...Spiritual and all-encompassing." - Stephanie House, MD Theatre Guide
mdtheatreguide.com/2016/10/theatre-review-witch-at-convergence-theatre/
"The game cast of director Elena Velasco's Witch knits together shades of The Crucible and The Exorcist to provide an arresting experience that serves as a dark morality play and timely reminder of women's ongoing fight for safety and equality." - Ben Demers, DC Theatre Scene
dctheatrescene.com/2016/10/17/witch-potent-brew-convergence-theatre/
GUERRILLA THEATRE WORKS: AT WHAT COST? devised by the Convergence Theatre Collective
Produced by Convergence Theatre
Directed and Choreographed by Elena Velasco
"...Bold artistic work..." - Evan Hoffman, Artistic Director, NextStop Theatre
http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/news/2016/jun/15/herndon-theater-inspire-conversation/
Bhavi the Avenger by Tearrance Chisholm
Produced by Convergence Theatre
Directed by Elena Velasco
"Whimsical, resourceful..." - Celia Wren, Washington Post.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/goingoutguide/theater-dance/inaugural-offering-from-convergence-theatre-is-whimsical-and-resourceful/2015/09/30/3b0c3bda-66be-11e5-8325-a42b5a459b1e_story.html
"Director Elena Velasco’s spare staging puts the audience right in the action...the result is engrossing....this enigmatic play will stay with you long after." - John Stoltenberg, DCMetroTheaterArts.
DCMetroTheaterArts. http://dcmetrotheaterarts.com/2015/09/27/bhavi-the-avenger-at-convergence-theatre/
Córiolanas
Read why Córiolanas was rated "Best of Capital Fringe"
"Elena Velasco has created a visually striking meditation on the very nature of gender itself." - Sophia Howes, DC Metro Theater Arts
http://dcmetrotheaterarts.com/2014/07/13/capital-fringe-2014-review-coriolanas/
"With tons of shows at the Fringe Fest and limited time to see them all, Córiolanas would be welcome near the top of any list....Elysian Theatre's muscular adaptation fo Shakespeare's Córiolanas, is well-acted, well-directed, well-designed and well worth the time. - Daniel Parisi, City Paper
http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/fringe/2014/07/16/hip-shot-coriolanas/
"On a visceral level, the production sparkles." - Maegan Clearwood, DC Theater Scene
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La Perdida, the Mexican musical Winter's Tale
Book and Lyrics by Kathleen Cahill; music by Deborah Wicks la Puma
Now available through Dramatic Publishing - www.dramaticpublishing.com/p3878/Perdida/product_info.html
Five stars for the premiere musical, La Perdida!
"The unique element of the production was the inclusion of dance among the main action by three omniscient characters on stage. The dancing, brilliantly choreographed by Velasco as well, was artfully executed by dancers Angeleaza Anderson and Kira Burri as the Spirit of Life and the the Spirit of Death." - Johnna Leary, DCMetroTheaterArts.
http://dcmetrotheaterarts.com/2014/11/21/la-perdida-catholic-university/
