page_title: Josefina López
section_title: CASA 0101 Theater
hierarchical_section_title: Josefina López / Career / CASA 0101 Theater
caption_attribution_description: English: Photo of CASA 0101 Theater
context_page_description: Josefina López is a Chicana playwright, perhaps best known as the author of the play Real Women Have Curves. López is also the Founding Artistic Director of the CASA 0101 theater located in Boyle Heights, CA, which began in 2000.
context_section_description: She is also the Founder and Artistic Director of CASA 0101 Theater in Boyle Heights. CASA 0101 was founded by Josefina López in 2000 to fulfill her vision of bringing art and live theater programs to the community she grew up in, Boyle Heights. CASA 0101's mission statement is:
  CASA 0101 is dedicated to providing inspiring theater performances, art exhibits and educational programs – to Boyle Heights, thereby nurturing the future storytellers of Los Angeles who will someday transform the world.
  CASA 0101 operated for 11 years at its original location—a converted former bridal shop—and in September 2011, moved to its new home: a fully equipped 99-seat theater featuring an art gallery and a dedicated classroom. This space is only one block away from its original location—now renamed "Little Casa"—and both spaces are a part of CASA 0101. Mainstage productions and art exhibits featuring Angelino artists are presented year-round at CASA 0101 Theater, while smaller plays and workshop productions are presented at Little Casa. From its humble beginnings operating out of a converted store front, CASA 0101 has established itself as a leading arts venue for Los Angeles' Eastside, presenting theatrical productions, film festivals, and other special events year round.
  At CASA 0101, López's commitment is to teach screenwriting and playwriting and nurture a new generation of Latino artists. According to López,
  Latinos are the majority in Los Angeles, yet our stories do not generally get told at the major theatres. So our mission at CASA 0101 is to represent the reality of Los Angeles and the US. We strive to make theatre accessible to Boyle Heights residents by making it affordable and telling stories that would interest Latinos and women. I am very proud that we are a catalyst in the Artistic Renaissance in Boyle Heights and that we are often taken into consideration by journalists when mentioning Latino theatres that are making a difference.
  Lopez is actively working to create an Artist District in Boyle Heights where theater, arts and music can flourish and create opportunities for the many talented artists who reside in Boyle Heights or grew up in Boyle Heights and want to return to contribute. Lopez opened Casa Fina Restaurant and Cantina in Boyle Heights in 2017 as a way to prevent gentrification and to further the artistic renaissance of the neighborhood.
  In January 2018, Lopez announced that Casa 0101 was in danger of closing its doors due to lack of funding. This was at least partially caused by state regulations requiring the theater to pay theater volunteers as employees (including 3 years of back pay). After a multi-tiered fundraising effort focusing on dedicated membership to the theater, recruiting new board members, and local funding, it was announced in December 2018 that the theater would remain open for a 2019 season.
caption: CASA 0101 Theater in Boyle Heights
exif: {"Image Orientation": "Rotated 90 CW", "Image ExifOffset": "38", "EXIF ColorSpace": "sRGB", "EXIF ExifImageWidth": "3264", "EXIF ExifImageLength": "2448"}