Native Gardens
May 24 – June 16, 2024
Monroe Stage
by Karen Zacarías
Good Fences Make Good Neighbors…Don’t They?
“A true breath of comic fresh air… Beyond snappy one-liners and garden hose fights, the play challenges audiences to look beyond petty differences and rediscover our shared decency.”—DC Theatre Scene
“Native Gardens is a big, funny show. Karen Zacarías pokes fun at things we shy away from but not in a mean-spirited way. She gives us permission to laugh.”
—Beulah Vega, Director
The Story
Pablo Del Valle (Lorenzo Alviso), a rising lawyer, and his very pregnant wife, Tania (Lexus Fletcher), a doctoral candidate, stake their claim on the American Dream when they purchase their first house next door to Frank (Ron Smith) and Virginia Butley (Sheila Lichirie) in Washington D.C. Frank and Tania discover a shared passion for gardening but soon find they have vastly different horticultural philosophies and practices. Frank spends his retired days fastidiously manicuring his well-established, formal garden and dreaming of winning the Potomac Horticultural Society’s annual gardening contest. Earth-friendly Tania has plans to create a garden filled with regional indigenous plants to attract beneficial insects.
Both couples are happy to replace the eye-sore chain link with a wood one before Frank’s contest and a barbecue Pablo is hosting for his law firm, but the friendly neighbors soon spiral into a feud when the truth about the fence line is unearthed, exposing both couples’ notions of race, taste, class and privilege.
Featured Cast
Lorenzo Alviso
Lorenzo Alviso (Pablo Del Valle) is a Sonoma County-grown Bay Area actor and vocalist who has performed on 6th Street stages as Georg Nowack in She Loves Me, Nigel Bottom in Something Rotten, Duarte in The River Bride, Sebastian in Illyria, and Jean-Michel in La Cage Aux Folles. Other favorite roles include Raoul in The Phantom of the Opera, David in Company, Brad Majors in The Rocky Horror Show, and John Ernest Worthing in The Importance of Being Earnest.
Lexus Fletcher
Lexus Fletcher (Tania Del Valle) is making her 6th Street Playhouse debut. You may have seen her at Left Edge Theatre last year when she played Kat/Amelia in Mary Jane. Lexus started her theatrical journey in her hometown of Sacramento, where playing Reggie Flutty and Romaine Patterson in The Laramie Project, made her want to take on the world of theater.
Ron Smith
Ron Smith (Frank Butley) has been in several 6th Street Playhouse productions, most memorably in August, Osage County. He has appeared in theatres throughout Sonoma County. Ron began his theatrical career in the St. Louis, Missouri area, where he danced across the stage at the Muni Opera.
Sheila Lichirie
Sheila Lichirie (Virginia Butley) Some favorite roles at 6th Street Playhouse include Linda in Death of a Salesman and Mrs. Tilford in The Children’s Hour. You may have seen her as Mrs. Reynolds in The Wickhams, Christmas at Pemberley at Spreckels; Polly in Other Desert Cities at Pegasus Theater; Gabrielle in When the Rain Stops Falling at Roustabout Theater; and Mrs.Graves in Enchanted April and Jeanette in The Full Monty at Sonoma Arts Live.
Sergio Diaz
Sergio Diaz (Ensemble) is a Bay Area-based actor who got his training at CSU Chico with roles in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, American Idiot: The Musical, and The River Bride. You might have seen him play Sebastian in Jacobethan Theatre Workshop’s production of Twelfth Night at the Arlene Francis Center, last year.
Bianca Trentadue
Bianca Trentadue (Ensemble) is excited to begin her acting journey with her debut at 6th Street Playhouse. While she participated in high school productions several years back, she hadn’t pursued acting further… until now!
Malia Abayon
Malia Abayon (Tania Del Valle Understudy) is back at 6th Street Playhouse after her roles as Alice Hemminges and Susannah Shakespeare in The Book of Will. She was Audrey’s Understudy and Swing in Little Shop of Horrors and a Kit Kat Girl in Cabaret. Malia was recently in Guys and Dolls at SF PLAYHOUSE, playing five different characters.
Ismael Armando Ramos
Ismael Armando Ramos (Gardner Understudy) is a 4th year Acting Major at SSU. Most recently he’s enjoyed his role as the music director for 6th Street Studio’s Spamalot. When he isn’t in school or working at the Playhouse, he is the lead singer and songwriter of the local band “No Vice.” He is honored to be the understudy for the role of Gardener.