ABOUT THE SHOW
ODESSA is a new science-fiction play about Sophie Pike, a young scientist assigned to a lonely research facility in western Texas. One evening in 2009, Pike witnesses a UFO crash-land in the desert and goes to investigate. She finds an extraterrestrial life form and brings it back to the facility. Unwilling to share her secret, Pike soon finds that her assumptions about herself and the human race are challenged at their roots. Run time is approximately 90 minutes with no intermission.
Creative team features Liam Bouza Diaz (Sophie Pike), Diego Longoria (Subject), Harrison Ornelas (Set Design), Zuzel Garcia (Light Design), Irma Gualpa (Sound Design), Ace Lee (Costume Design), Mateos Chaidez (Projection Design), Adriana Andreolas (Stage Manager), Maddie Curtin (Fight Choreographer).
RUNTIME
This production runs for 100 minutes with no intermission.
CONTENT WARNING
This production contains material that some viewers may find disturbing: flashin lights or patterns that could trigger seizures in people with photosensitive epilepsy. Experts recommend covering covering one eye with the palm of your hand straight away and turn away from the possible trigger or leave. Re-Entry to the theater is not guaranteed.
THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS
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ARTISTIC DIRECTOR'S NOTE
I would like to say a few thank you’s to those who have made this production possible including our sponsors who give us money, UrbanTheater Company who have given us their home and support for the last few weeks, our production and creative team for working so diligently to create the chaos that you are about to see in front of you including Adri, Irma, Harrison, Ace, Maddie, Jean, Mateos, Zuzel, Liam, Diego and of course our lovely playwright Dante who for some reason trusted this play into our hands.
It was a pleasure stumbling across this script nearly 3 years ago in search of plays that pushed Latine artists in spaces that often don't represent them in the pages of the science fiction/horror genre. Our culture naturally gravitates towards it especially when the world around us feels the way it does today.
In a time when we have a certain distrust in the media that we are looking at, such as the use of AI, state propaganda, and classified files that protect the wealthy elite pedophiles, it is important as human beings that we collect together in shared spaces and recognize how our human experiences can lead us to make decisions for the better or for the worse.
CAST
DIEGO LONGORIA (THE SUBJECT)
Diego Longoria (He/him) is a local Chicago based actor since graduating with a BFA in Acting from The Theatre School at DePaul University in 2023. His recent credits include Romeo & Juliet (Chicago Shakespeare Theatre), Qualia (Subtext Studio Theatre Co.), and Macbeth (Invictus Theatre Co.). For more information visit: diegolongoria.com. For booking inquiries please contact: Oliver Al - Lily’s Talent - oliver@lilystalent.com. Follow on Instagram: @Diego_Longoria_. Thank you for supporting local Chicago theatre!
Special thanks to my family and friends, my greatest supporters.
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LIAM BOUZA DIAZ (SOPHIA PIKE)
Liam Bouza Díaz (She/They) is a Puerto Rican actor based in Chicago. She recently graduated from The Theatre School at DePaul University with an MFA in Acting. Some of their credits include Saving Myself (Elena), At the Wedding (Carlo), Lysistrata (Calonice), Her Father’s Daughter (Penny), and many more. They are excited to be working with Subtext Studios again and hope everybody enjoys the show!
CREATIVE TEAM
DANTE FLORES (playwright)
Dante Flores (he/him) is a New York City-based writer and musician. In 2023, he penned a new translation + adaptation of Federico Garcia Lorca's The Butterfly's Evil Spell, presented by Theatre Three in Dallas, Texas. He also works as a dramaturg, most recently on La Tempestad -- The Tempest at Trinity Repertory Company; he is currently the dramaturg for the upcoming original musical Bone Wars: The Musical, presented by Blue Otter Theatre. He works at a cheese shop in Manhattan.
OMAR VICENTE FERNANDEZ (director)
Omar Vicente Fernandez (he/him/el) is a Mexican American artist born in Chicago and raised in Berwyn, Illinois. As a playwright, Omar centers his work around identity and the new generation of art in America. Directing credits include: The American Dream by Juan Ramirez, Jr. as part of the 6th Annual Destinos Festival; What Earth Does While You're Sleeping by Alaric Hinchcliffe; Not A Christmas Carol which he adapted for the stage, Sex, Alchemy, and Mayan Mischief by William Gregory (2nd annual Inicios Festival with the Chicago Latino Theatre Alliance), Qualia (Midwest Premiere) by Ashleigh Ann Gardner and summertime (an interlude) by Aniello Fontano. Omar is currently in his last semester of the Undergraduate program at the University of Illinois, Chicago.
ADRIANA ANDREOLAS (stage-manager)
Adriana Andreolas is a scenic designer, painter, and stage manager. She is graduating from UIC with a BA in Theater Design, Production, and Technology with a minor in education in May. She has scenic designed for summertime (an interlude), and Macbeth at UIC, and been a studio assistant for Collette Pollard for Eureka Day (Timeline - Chicago Broadway Playhouse). Adri has painted for two theater seasons (Impostor’s Theater Company ‘24-’26), Confederates (Redtwist), and ChiARTS’ summer season. She stage managed Odessa (Subtext Studio TC), Exit Strategy (UIC), and assisted stage management for Not About Nightingales, Urinetown, and Blues for an Alabama Sky (UIC), Helena and Hermia, and Footholds V6, ( Impostor’s Theater Company), and Big Time Toppers (Theater L’Acadie).
HARRISON ORNELAS (scenic designer)
Harrison Ornelas was born and raised in Chicago IL. He graduated from Columbia College Chicago 15’ and immediately started working in the city’s thriving theater community from storefront to larger houses and festivals. Previously, Harrison has designed sets for Not For Sale 2.0 (2019) and Back In The Day (2019) for UrbanTheater Company and Kid Prince and Pablo (2024) for Lifeline Theatre.
Currently, Harrison is the staff Technical Director for both Lifeline Theatre and The Black Ensemble Theater. Harrison Ornelas is absolutely ecstatic to be working with Subtext Studio Theatre Company for a fifth time for this production of Saving Myself and is always searching for his next creative project.
IRMA GUALPA (sound designer)
Irma Gualpa (Sound Designer) found her love for theater and sound in high school. She continued that love after graduation and has worked at Morton West and East High School and Jedlicka Performance Arts Center at Morton College. Her previous productions include Bad Seed ‘22, A Christmas Story ‘22, Driving Miss Daisy ‘23, Working ’23, American Dream ’23, and Qualia ’24. She would like to thank Omar and Zuzel for giving her the opportunity to work with Subtext Studio Theatre Company and help design Saving Myself. Irma would also like to thank her family for believing in her in whatever she does.
ZUZEL GARCIA (lighting designer)
Zuzel Garcia (she/her/ella) is a Mexican-American lighting designer based in Chicago, IL. Zuzel previously attended Columbia College Chicago and has designed several works, including Blood at the Root (CCC), Detroit ‘67 (CCC), The American Dream (Subtext Studio TC), and Qualia (Subtext Studio TC). She has also served as an assistant lighting designer on shows like The Amateurs (CCC), Urinetown (UIC), and Not About Nightingales (UIC), Mothering the Movement (Free Street Theater), and Black Sunday (Timeline Theatre Company). On her off days, Zuzel serves as the Media/Marketing Director for Subtext Studio TC.
ACE LEE (costume designer)
JEAN GOTTLIEB (props coordinator)
Jean Gottlieb (She/They) was co-Artistic Director at Footsteps Theatre in Chicago where she directed all-female Shakespeare productions from 1991 through 1999. She graduated with honors from Depaul University’s The Theatre School (formerly the Goodman School of Drama) with an MFA in Directing in 2002, then founded New World Repertory Theatre in Downers Grove, which operated from 2003 – 2010. Jean founded Dragonfly Theatre Company in 2020 to provide a virtual platform for artists during the pandemic. Jean is an experienced Artistic Director, Managing Director, Producer and Director. She is also an actress and a published playwright, with three of her plays reaching full production, one receiving an After Dark Award from Gay Chicago Magazine.
MATEOS CHAIDEZ (projections designer)
Mateos is a Humboldt park native who is an actor who just graduated from UIC with a BA in Performing Arts. You might've seen him on stage in Exit Strategy, Housing Situation on Neptune, and She Came From the Bronx. This is his first time as a projections designer.