School of the Americas full cast announced

LAByrinth Theater Company and The Public Theater have announced that casting is complete for the world premiere of Jos� Rivera�s School of the Americas.

The cast features Karina Arroyave, Raul Castillo, Nathan LeBron, John Ortiz, Felix Solis and Patricia Velasquez. They will be directed by the previously announced Mark Wing-Davey.

The limited-run production will open at the Public's Luesther Hallon on 6 July 2006, following previews from the 20 Jun and run through to the 23 Jul 2006.

School of the Americas is a co-production between LAByrinth Theater Company and The Public Theater.

School of the Americas: In the Bolivian jungle, Che Guevara is captured and held in a one-room schoolhouse. For two days, no one � not the Bolivian President nor the U.S. State Department�is able to decide his fate. The young schoolteacher of the village insists that she be given permission to speak to the famous revolutionary. Her conversations with Che�based on historical fact�are the heart of School of the Americas.

OBIE Award winner and LAByrinth Co-Artistic Director John Ortiz will portray Che Guevara. The young schoolteacher, Julia Cortes, will be played by Patricia Velasquez, who is making her professional U.S. stage debut. Karina Arroyave plays Lucila Cortes and Felix Solis assumes the role of Felix Rodriguez. Cast as the two guards are Raul Castillo and Nathan LeBron.