"Father of Chicano Theater" to Speak at CSUSM

California State University San Marcos (CSUSM) will welcome internationally-renowned playwright, director and social rights activist Luis Valdez for a guest lecture on Tuesday, May 1 at 6 p.m. in Arts 240 to discuss the birth of the Chicano theater movement and its continued relevance nearly 50 years later. Held in honor of International Workers’ Day, the event is free and open to the public.Born in Delano, California in 1940, Valdez is the founder of the El Teatro Campesino (translation: The Farmworkers Theater) and is revered to be the father of Chicano theater in the United States. In 1965, he joined César Chávez in his effort to educate and organize farmworkers into a viable union, where Valdez wrote and performed brief satirical sketches and plays relevant to the civil rights struggles of migrants. His plays deliver powerful social or political messages and frequently infuse humor to attack the opposition. His published plays, actos and films include Zoot Suit, La Bamba, La Pastorela and I Am Joaquín, among others. He is most notably known for Zoot Suit, which debuted on Broadway in 1979 making Valdez the first Chicano director to premiere on the Broadway stage. The play was later adapted into a film in 1981.Valdez’s visit to campus is sponsored by CSUSM’s Arts and Lectures series, the Theatre Arts Program, Social Justice & Equity Project, Center ARTES and National Latino Research Program. Admission is free and open to the community, although space is limited.For more information, contact Marilyn Huerta at 760-750-8889.   What: CSUSM to host lecture by renowned playwright, director, activist    and ‘Father of Chicano Theater’ Luis Valdez   When: Tuesday, May 1 at 6 p.m.   Where: California State University San Marcos, Arts Building, Room 240   333 South Twin Oaks Valley Road, San Marcos   For directions and parking information, visit www.csusm.edu/guide About California State University San MarcosCalifornia State University San Marcos combines the ambiance of a mid-sized, personal, modern campus with the unequaled value of the California State University. Since its founding in 1989, the campus has distinguished itself. Students benefit from the latest facilities and equipment, a superb faculty that enjoys teaching, and a rigorous academic program that prepares students for a successful life in and out of the workplace. A recent survey reported that our annual spending in the region was $189.2 million, generating a total impact of $228.6 million on the regional economy. 85 percent of CSUSM’s alumni stay in the region. CSU San Marcos is located on a 304-acre hillside overlooking the city of San Marcos. It is 15 miles east of the ocean; just 30 miles north of downtown San Diego.