NEW YORK -- Diverse City Theater Company announces that former "Miss Saigon" Rona Figueroa will play the female lead in its production of "The Female Heart" by award-winning playwright Linda Faigao- Hall. The play will run at Theatre Row's The Clurman Theatre from February 24 to March 13, 2005. "The Female Heart" is being produced in association with Ensemble Studio Theatre. As previously announced, noted director Jamie Richards will direct.

Figueroa will play Adelfa, the Filipino heroine in Faigao-Hall's "The Female Heart." She last appeared on Broadway in the recent revival of "Nine" that starred Antonio Banderas, directed by David Leveaux. Among her other theatrical credits include the widely popular role of Eponine in Les Miserables; Jessica Hagedorn's "Dogeaters" at The Public Theater, directed by Michael Greif; "The Caucasian Chalk Circle" at The Vineyard Theatre; "Turandot" at La Mama; and "The Wild Party" at New York Theatre Workshop.

Set in the late 1980's, "The Female Heart" tells the story of two siblings -- Anghel and Adelfa -- living in "Smokey Mountain," the infamous mountain of garbage outside Manila. Confronted by extreme poverty and her brother's ailing health, Adelfa agrees to become a mail-order bride to Roger, an American man from Brooklyn who is willing -- at a price -- to support her family and pay for Anghel's medical expenses.

As previously announced, Obie Award recipient Ching Valdes Aran will play the role of Rosario, the mother of Anghel and Adelfa.

Victor Lirio will play Anghel, Adelfa's brother. He recently appeared in the workshop production of Chay Yew's "The Long Season" at The Public Theatre directed by Peter Dubois. Among his other theater credits include lead roles in Ensemble Studio Theatre's Octoberfest such as "Samuel & Salkow," "Immaterial Implications," and "Larry My Friend." He also appeared in the first national tour of Christopher Renshaw's acclaimed revival production of "The King & I," Howard Korder's "Boys' Life," "Seatbelts and Big Fat Buddhas," the workshop of "Lone Star Love" directed by Michael Bogdanov, and the special presentation of Ralph Pena's "Noli Fantasya" -- an adaptation of Dr. Jose Rizal's "Noli Me Tangere" -- with the Obie-winning Ma-yi Theatre Company.

"The Female Heart" will play for a limited three-week run from February 24 to March 13, 2005. Tickets can be purchased through Ticket Central by calling 212-279-4200 or online at http://www.ticketcentral.com. Tickets are $15.00.

ABOUT DIVERSE CITY THEATER CO.:
Diverse City Theater Co. Inc., is an independent not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization that focuses on promoting diversity in the theater arts. Its mission is to commission, develop and produce original plays that portray social, cultural, lifestyle and demographic diversity, thereby creating multiculturally fluent theater audiences as well as advocate the non-traditional casting of actors.

Formed in 2003, Diverse City Theater Co., Inc. is based in New York City. For more information, visit the organization's website at http://www.diversecitytheater.org.

Contact:
Liz Casasola
212-309-9018
liz@diversecitytheater.org