[theater] Simple Mexican Pleasures // SF
New Conservatory Theatre Center presents.
‘Simple Mexican Pleasures’ World Premiere
By Eric Reyes Loo, DIRECTED by Evren Odcikin
April 18 – May 11, 2025.
25 Van Ness Avenue @ Market Street.
San Francisco, CA 94102
Tickets & Info: nctcsf.org/simple-mexican-pleasures
About comedy show:
Heartbroken from a breakup, Eric does what many do – deny the pain and skip town. But he finds it’s hard to enjoy a pozole in peace when the spirits of your ancestors are squabbling in both ears. Through raucous conversation with his ghostly guides and a surreally hot hookup, Eric’s impulsive trip to Mexico City awakens his need for identity, familial ties, and a deeper connection to his roots.
Ancient ancestors really do make the worst tour guides, in ‘Simple Mexican Pleasures’!
Featuring: Marcia Aguilar, Ricardo Cortes, Alex Rodriguez, and Edric Young.
DISCOUNT to Latin Bay Area followers!
Also, as a first time welcome to Latin Bay Area’s followers, please us discount code for 15% off tickets for our readers/followers for performances of Simple Mexican Pleasures between April 30-May 9 only.
- (full run of show is April 18-May 11).
- Enter code: LatinBA (not case sensitive) during checkout at nctcsf.org/simple-mexican-pleasures
Production photos:
From-the-heart writing – Stage Scene LA
Eric’s writing is simultaneously bawdy and hilarious but also deeply introspective and personal – NCTC Founding Artistic Director Ed Decker
Press release:
NEW CONSERVATORY THEATRE CENTER ANNOUNCES THE WORLD PREMIERE OF ERIC REYES LOO’S HEARTFELT AND MYSTICAL FAMILY GATHERING, SIMPLE MEXICAN PLEASURES
New Conservatory Theatre Center is elated to announce the World Premiere of Eric Reyes Loo’s wonderfully bewitching family dramedy, Simple Mexican Pleasures.
Presented in NCTC’s Walker Theater, Simple Mexican Pleasures runs April 18 – May 11, 2025. Audiences are in for a fanciful voyage and a humorous and mystical family affair, penned by award-winning playwright and TV writer, Eric Reyes Loo.
Heartbroken from a breakup, Eric does what many do – deny the pain and skip town. But he finds it’s hard to enjoy a pozole in peace when the spirits of your ancestors are squabbling in both ears. Through raucous conversation with his ghostly guides and a surreally hot hookup, Eric’s impulsive trip to Mexico City awakens his need for identity, familial ties, and a deeper connection to his roots.
Simple Mexican Pleasures plays April 18 through May 11, 2025. NCTC is currently offering a variety of 24-25 Season flexible subscription packages as well as single ticket sales. Tickets are $25-$72.50 (costs include fees) and are on sale now at nctcsf.org, by emailing boxoffice@nctcsf.org, or by calling (415) 861-8972.
Eric Reyes Loo (Playwright, pronouns: he/him) first joined NCTC as a writer on the hit podcast In Good Company. His play This is Only a Test was produced to acclaim by Broken Nose Theatre in Chicago. His autobiographical play Death and Cockroaches was produced in 2018 by Chalk Rep in Los Angeles. In addition, Eric is a television writer/producer on Guidance for AwesomenessTV/Hulu, and A.J. and the
Queen on Netflix.
Evren Odcikin (Director, pronouns: he/him) is a Turkish-American director, writer, and arts leader with a commitment to advocating for historically-excluded stories and voices in the American theater. Directing credits include work at Oregon Shakespeare Festival (OSF), Marin Theatre, Profile Theatre, Northern Stage, Woolly Mammoth, PlayCo, A.R.T., Guthrie, Berkeley Rep, South Coast Rep, InterAct, Cleveland Public Theatre, Playwrights Foundation, and Magic Theatre. As a playwright and translator, he has been commissioned and produced by Cal Shakes, NYU Abu Dhabi, Golden Thread, Crowded Fire, and Custom Made.
The cast of Simple Mexican Pleasures includes Marcia Aquilar (Mom/Aurora), Ricardo Cortes (Mauricio /Tupoc), Alex Rodriguez (Eric), and Edric Young (Pat/Chino). The creative team includes lighting design by Cassie Barnes, set design by Kate Boyd, props design by Jenna Forder, production management by Toni Guidry, costume design by Jorge R. Hernandez, stage management by Rachel Grace Reyes Mogan, sound design by Lana Palmer, and dramaturgy by Alice Tuan.
New Conservatory Theatre Center has been San Francisco’s premier LGBTQ+ and Allied performing arts institution and progressive arts education conservatory since 1981. NCTC is renowned for its diverse range of innovative, high-quality productions, touring productions and shows for young audiences; its foundational anti-bullying work with youth and educators through YouthAware; and its commitment to developing new plays to continue expanding the canon of queer and allied dramatic work.
Supported in part by The Bernard Osher Foundation, Horizons Foundation, Grants for the Arts and the generosity of NCTC’s individual donors.
###
Simple Mexican Pleasures
FACT SHEET
WHO:
Written by Eric Reyes Loo (pronouns: he/him)
Directed by Evren Odcikin (pronouns: he/him)
Lighting design… Cassie Barnes (pronouns: she/her)
Set design… Kate Boyd (pronouns: she/her)
Props design… Jenna Forder (pronouns: she/her)
Ed Decker Barbara Hodgen ARTISTIC DIRECTOR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Production management… Toni Guidry (pronouns: she/her)
Costume design… Jorge R. Hernandez (pronouns: he/him)
Stage management… Rachel Grace Reyes Mogan (pronouns: she/her)
Sound design… Lana Palmer (pronouns: she/her)
Dramaturg… Alice Tuan (pronouns: she/her)
CAST:
Mom & Aurora… Marcia Aquilar (pronouns: she/they)
Mauricio & Tupoc… Ricardo Cortes (pronouns: he/him/El)
Eric… Alex Rodriguez (pronouns: he/him)
Pat & Chino… Edric Young (pronouns: he/him).
