JON LAWRENCE RIVERA is the recipient of the first Career Achievement Award from Stage Raw, a NY Fringe Festival Award, an LA Weekly Award, and is a five-time Ovation Award nominee. He is the founding Artistic Director of Playwrights’ Arena. Previous collaborations with Mr. Alvarez: BLOODLETTING (also at the Kirk Douglas Theater), DALLAS NON-STOP, and RUBY, TRAGICALLY ROTUND. Most recently, Rivera directed the following critically-acclaimed world premieres for Playwrights’ Arena: BABY EYES by Donald Jolly, I GO SOMEWHERE ELSE by Inda Craig-Galván, LITTLE WOMEN by Velina Hasu Houston, BILLY BOY by Nick Salamone, THE HOTEL PLAY (performed in a hotel), THE END TIMES by Jesse Shao (co-production with Skylight Theatre Company), @THESPEEDOFJAKE by Jennifer Maisel, CIRCUS UGLY by Gabe Rivas Gomez, PAINTING IN RED by Luis Alfaro, and THE ANATOMY OF GAZELLAS by Janine Salinas Schoenberg). Other recent works include: BINGO HALL by Dillon Chitto, FAIRLY TRACEABLE by Mary Kathryn Nagle, CRIERS FOR HIRE by Giovanni Ortega, STAND-OFF AT HWY #37 by Vicky Ramirez, FLIPZOIDS by Ralph B. Peña (also in Manila).
