New York City:  The Sol Project, dedicated to uplifting Latinx voices in the American theatre, is expanding outside of New York City. It has announced its first national partnership, which will be with Yale Repertory Theatre. 

The world premiere of Charise Castro Smith’s El Huracán (Sept. 28th-Oct. 4th), will take place at Yale Repertory Theatre in collaboration with The Sol Project. Directed by Laurie Woolery, a founding member of the Project, the play follows three generations of women preparing for an epic hurricane in Miami. “The Sol Project has been such a wonderful advocate for this play since the very beginning and I’m thrilled to have them as partners for the world premiere at Yale Rep,” said Smith in a statement.

James Bundy, Yale Rep’s artistic director, said in a statement: “I’m also grateful for the unique opportunity to work with The Sol Project, a collaboration that enhances our relationships to leading theatre makers and wider audiences.”

This marks the initiative’s fourth collaboration with a leading theatre to coproduce the work of Latinx playwrights. The previous collaborations were with New York-based theatres New Georges, Rattlestick Playwrights Theater, and the Public Theater. The partnership with Yale Rep is the first part in a series of national partnerships for the Sol Project.

“When the initiative launched, our hope was to eventually expand our reach by building a network of national partners who could join us in amplifying Latinx voices and supporting the next generation of gifted storytellers,” said Sol Project founder/artistic director Jacob G. Padrón. “Charise is one of those storytellers and we are honored Yale Rep stands with us in our growing movement of inclusion and equity. Charise and I first met as graduate students at Yale School of Drama, so it feels especially moving to return to our former artistic home to bring this beautiful new play to life.”

The Sol Project has also announced a new partner theatre: New York Theatre Workshop. Partner theatre companies have committed to producing a play by a Latinx playwright in collaboration with The Sol Project, commissioning a Latinx playwright for future production, and meeting with as many artists of color as possible to expand their pipeline of talent for future productions.

“With our new partner, the pioneering New York Theatre Workshop, The Sol Project continues its commitment of providing visible platforms for Latinx playwrights and building an important canon for the new American theater,” said Padrón.