José Luis Valenzuela
Headshot by Latino Theater Company
José Luis Valenzuela is the Artistic Director of the Latino Theater Company (LTC) and the Los Angeles Theatre Center (LATC). He is a UCLA Distinguished Professor Emeritus and served as head of the MFA directing program at UCLA’s School of Theater, Film & Television. Valenzuela is an award-winning theater director and has been a visionary and advocate for Chicanx/Latinx Theater for over 40 years. His artistic career is rooted in art and service to the Los Angeles community. He has directed critically acclaimed productions both internationally and nationally including at the LATC where he created the Latino Theatre Lab in 1985 (now the Latino Theater Company) and the Mark Taper Forum where he established the Latino Theater Initiative in 1991. Now in its 40th year, the Latino Theater Company is considered one of the best ensembles in the American Theater and runs one of the most vibrant theater centers in the country.
As the Artistic Director of the Latino Theater Company and the LATC, he has developed its artistic vision and organizational mission of producing programming that represents the diversity of Los Angeles on and behind the stage and its groundbreaking initiatives in support Latinx theater companies, playwrights, and students. These initiatives include the National Latinx Theater Initiative, Circle of Imaginistas, Impact Theater Initiative and a robust theater education and training program for college and high school students. He envisioned and led the National/International theater festivals Encuentro 2014, Encuentro de las Americas in 2017 and Encuentro 2024. He has inspired countless theater makers with his innovative approach and created traditions such as the annual holiday pageant, La Virgen de Guadalupe, Dios Inantzin at Our Lady of the Angels Cathedral now in its 21st year, free for all Angelenos.
He directed Macbeth at Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Destiny of Desire at Arena Stage, South Coast Rep, The Goodman Theatre, Oregon Shakespeare Festival and Cincinnati Playhouse. At the Mark Taper Forum he directed Bandido by Luis Valdez under the Artistic Directorship of Gordon Davidson. International directing credits include Manuel Puig’s Kiss of the Spider Woman at the National Theatre of Norway and Ibsen’s Peer Gynt at the Ibsen Theater of Norway.
At the LATC: Whittier Boulevard, American Mariachi, Sleep with the Angels, The Mother of Henry (LADCC Ted Schmitt Award), Members Only, Dementia, La Olla – Plautus’ The Pot of Gold for the Getty Villa Theater Lab Series, Premeditation, Melancholia, A Mexican Trilogy: Faith, Hope and Charity, (LADCC Ted Schmitt Award), Habitat, La Victima, The Promise, Roosters, August 29, A Bowl of Beings, The Mission, A Burning Beach, Dementia, (GLAAD Award for Outstanding Theater Production in Los Angeles). He also assisted his late mentor, Norwegian director Stein Winge, with Hamlet, The Glass Menagerie, Barrabas, Pantagleize, Die Walkurie, The Inspector General and The Wild Duck.
Valenzuela’s film directing credits include Moe, the award-winning film Luminarias for Sleeping Giant Productions and Distributed by New Latin Pictures; How Else Am I Supposed to Know I’m Still Alive? for Universal’s Hispanic Film Project, Una Vez Al Año Para Toda Una Vida, La Redada and A Bowl of Beings, for PBS’ Great Performances.
His artistic vision and community commitment has garnered distinction from the City of Los Angeles and the State of California; and the Ann C. Rosenfield Distinguished Community Partnership Award and the Hispanic Heritage Month Local Hero of the Year Award sponsored by Union Bank and KCET – both awards recognize distinguished individuals for their contributions to improving the quality of life throughout their respective communities. Valenzuela also serves on the national Steering Committee of the Latinx Theatre Commons.
To view the press release for this award please click here.