By: Michelle Mercado
East Los Angeles College students were given a preview of Diane Rodriguez’s play, “The Sweetheart Deal” at the Los Angeles Theatre Center. ELAC professors Carlos Centeno, Reanna Gleason and Luis Orozco organized this event for ELAC students to enjoy.
“The Sweetheart Deal” focuses on the Farm Workers Union in the 1970’s. The main characters, Mari and Will move to California to volunteer for an underground newspaper for the United Farm Workers Union called “El Malcriado.”
Along the way, they make new friends and reconcile with old ones. However, Mari and Will make a few enemies while fighting for the farm workers. Mari and Will leave everything behind to put their life on the line in order to fight for something they strongly believed in.
Although the characters in the play are fictional, the United Farm Workers Union was founded by Cesar Chavez, Dolores Huerta and Larry Itliong.
“The Sweetheart Deal” is a must see, and will give viewers a better understanding of this 1970’s political movement. The play’s world premiere was on May 12 at 8 p.m. and will continue on until June 4th. General admission is $48, but students can purchase tickets with valid student identification for $24. For more information, visit thelatc.org.
