DOMINIZ

UELAN

PRESSKIT | MEDIAKIT | dominizuelan.comPRESSKIT | MEDIAKIT | dominizuelan.com

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DOMINIZUELAN

What in the hel l d o e s d o m i n i z u e l a n m e a n ? –––––––––>

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Do·min·i·can [də´minikən]Dominicans plural– noun

1. A native or national of the Dominican Republic2. A member of the Roman Catholic order of preaching friars

founded by St. Dominic, or of a religious order for women founded on similar principles

– adjective1. Of or relating to St. Dominic or the Dominicans

Ven·e·zue·lan [ven-ə-zwey-luhn, –zwee–]Venezuelans plural– noun

1. A native or inhabitant of the republic of Venezuela.– adjective

1. of or pertaining to the republic of Venezuela.

Do·min·i·zue·lan [də´min-ə-zwey-luhn]Dominizuelans plural– noun

1. A comidic team or comic duo with a Dominican Republican and Venezuelan female team.

– adjective1. of or pertaining to the female comidic team of a Dominican

and a Venezuelan.

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Dominizuelan Bios | comedians, writers, actors + moms

Tall BioLorena Díaz is a tall Latina, to say the least. At 5’10 this ac-tress has been liv-ing in Chicago, acting and improvising since 2005. Before moving to Chicago, Lorena was a successful ac-tor in Miami, winning the Carbonnell Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in “Betty’s Summer Va-cation.” Lorena was also chosen as Best Supporting Actress for the Miami New Times’ “Best Of” issue. She was also a featured performer with the TBS Just for Laughs Festival in 2009, ’10, and ’11 as well as at the Chicago Improv Festival. Recently, Lo-rena was cast in Gi-gantomachia, an in-dependent film made and produced in Chi-cago. Other than that, you can find Lorena around the city mak-ing people laugh as the other half of both Dominizuelan and Tall Hispanic, Short His-panic Productions, and she wouldn’t have it any other way.

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Short BioWendy Mateo is a short Latina and a New York na-tive who studied acting in South Florida where she completed a conserva-tory program and fell in love with improv com-edy. Since then, improv became her “method,” and preferred weapon of choice. In 2005, Wendy moved to Chicago to continue her improv edu-cation and has since im-mersed herself in the vi-brant theater city. Since becoming a Chicagoan, she has performed with the Second City’s Educa-tional Touring Company, joined improv and acting groups around town and, of course, gives it every-thing she’s got with her heart and soul in Domi-nizuelan. Wendy is the co-owner of Tall Hispanic, Short Hispanic Produc-tions with her Dominizu-elan partner, and together they produce video con-tent for UrbanoTV and more. Wendy has partici-pated in comedy festivals such as the TBS Just for Laughs Festival in 2009, ’10, and ’11; the Fringe-NYC and The Chicago Im-prov and Sketch Festivals.

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You know Mr. John Leguizamo don’t you?! A phenomenal actor, comedian, and entrepeneur who has launched a media company by Latinos for Latinos called UrbanoTV. Dominizuelan is currently the Number #1 channel viewed on the site and has also been compared to the esteemed performer by TimeOut NY!

Rehash with Wendy & Lori is a weekly recap of the hottest pop culture mishaps. A little cheeky a little defiant - making fun of celebrities is always fun when Dominizu-elan pulls out those outrageous characters the duo is known for.

And BEWARE.... Your Tweets and Facebook comments are subject to use!

ReH@sh with Wendy & Lori

ReH@sh | with Wendy & Lori

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Dominizuelan’s unique comedy perspective comes from their multicultural, second gener-ation American upbringing. They capture the essence of urban life from Chicago, Miami, and New York and serve it in a way that every-one can relate to. Dominizuelan’s character work is at the heart of what they do and they don’t stop there. They bring those characters to life from the page, to the comedy stages, to your computer screen, to the small screen, and stay tuned...these girls have plans for the big screen as well. Dominizuelan’s drive is unmatched and they are determined to to live up to the phrase, “The Future of Latino Comedy” as described by Latina Magazine.

Tall Hispanic Short Hispanic Productions is the hot new company housing Domi-nizuelan, #Re-H@SH w/ Wendy & Lori, “People in the City”, and ton of other new

projects coming ‘atcha soon.

Love the feeling you get when you sit around with your friends and laugh until it hurts? That’s what these girls are all about. Part of Dominizuelan’s charming mojo is the ability to bring laughter and a relaxed quality to all who come to check out the performances. Don’t believe us? Keep reading and see what the critics are

saying about Dominizuelan!

Comedic Duo

TALL & short

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To inform, provoke and create. That’s the sweet stuff Dominizuelan is formed on. Part of their charm has been the ability to bring laughter and a ralatability factor to all who come to check out the performances. Laughter doesn’t discriminate and neither do we.

People in the City: Bodegas, Beisbol, and the American Dream is a 50 minute romp through your city streets, based on the familiar strangers you pass on the sidewalk everyday. We play 20 different characters, allowing for the audience to use their imagination to implant scenes, neigborhoods, and even each characters distinct features. Performed multiple times on the legendary iO Theater stage in Chicago and the Chicago Center for the Performing Arts, this set of sketches can be called the very first masterpiece for us, partners-in-crime. People in the City was originally directed by improv comedy’s godmother, Charna Halpern.

PEOPLE! Why are we here?

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But don’t take our word for it... | Dominizuelan

Like we said, we have a knack for making audiences of all backgrounds feel right at home with us. We’ve even won over the critics! Let’s see what they have to say.

Lori and Wendy in the midst of a piñata jungle at Ducelandia in Logan

Square Chicago.

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SAY WHAT! | But don’t take our word for it...

Latina Magazinelatina.com

We just recently got some love from the prestigious Latina Magazine! They named us the “future of Latino comedy”. And we were like, “Whoa!” when we were mentioned in the article with some of our comedy mentors like Desi Arnaz, John Leguizamo, and George Lopez.

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REDEYE

lWEDNESDAY,NOVEMBER23,2011

45

theater

Cameron Esposito

30

The asymmetrically hairstyled

El Circo Cheapo Cabaret ring-

master, Windy City Rollers com-

mentator and Lincoln Lodge

producer turned her trademark

storytelling-style stand-up

into a solo show, “Side Mullet

Nation,” which premiered—

and sold out—at July’s Just

for Laughs Festival. And did

we mention she does well for

herself outside of the Chicago

confines? Esposito recently

performed at the prestigious

Aspen Rooftop and Bridgeview

comedy festivals and toured

with Maria Bamford.

See her: Through Dec. 15 in

“Side Mullet Nation” at The

Comedy Bar (Ontourage),

157 W. Ontario St. ($10)

Laughs

on track

7 rising comedy acts

to watch in 2012

Seth and Kellen

Seth Dodson, 29, and Kellen Alexander, 26

“Impress These Apes” Season 3 champ

Dodson, who moved from Texas in

2003 “because I wanted to see snow,”

and Alexander, who moved from

Ohio the same year “to prove to the

University of Chicago how wrong they

were to accept me,” made a splash

with their “1,2,3, Fag!” improv show

and “Qweirdo” LGBT comedy show-

cases. Their newest series, “NEDtalks:

Spreading Worthless Ideas,” a parody

of the “TED Talks” tech conferences,

features “lectures” by comedic guest

“presenters.”

See them: Dec. 11 in “Nedtalks:

Spreading Worthless Ideas” at Hideout,

1354 W. Wabansia Ave. ($5)

By Julia Borcherts

FOR REDEYE

Sure, Chicago’s famous for big

shoulders, but from the early

vaudeville days to the ground-

breaking ’50s and ’60s comedy

scene to today’s wealth of stand-

up, improv and sketch shows, Chi-

cago’s also famous for belly laughs.

With dozens of shows across town

every night, how do you choose

where to go in the Chi-Chi for a

ha-ha? These rising stars will keep

you slapping your knees. JULIA

BORCHERTS IS A REDEYE SPECIAL CONTRIBUTOR.

Brian Babylon

30-something

Despite the Chicago-born Babylon’s

slew of high-profile gigs—panelist on

NPR’s “Wait Wait … Don’t Tell Me!” quiz

show, host and producer of Vocalo-

FM 89.5’s “The Morning Amp” radio

show, MC at Jokes and Notes and The

Moth StorySLAM—it’s not all glamour

and glitz. “I did a total atomic crap

bomb at a show in London,” the 2009

New York Comedy Contest finalist

said. “And this was the show for black

people!”

See him next: Tuesday at The Moth

StorySLAM; Martyrs’, 3855 N. Lincoln

Ave. ($8)

Tim Baltz

30

“I was terrible—fart humor, pandering,

not taking any risks,” the Joliet native

said of early comedy gigs on his el-

ementary school bus. “But that’s how

you learn—be awful for a while and

still love it.” Baltz’s character work in

The Second City e.t.c.’s “The Sky’s the

Limit (Weather Permitting)”—including

a socially awkward guy on a first date,

a horny Baltimore Oriole and a spot-

on Rahm Emanuel impression—just

scored him a “Best Actor” Jeff Award.

See him: Thursdays-Sundays in “The

Sky’s the Limit (Weather Permitting)”

at The Second City e.t.c., 1608 N. Wells

St. ($22-$27)

Dominizuelan

Lori Diaz, 30; and Wendy Mateo,

“don’t-worry-about-it-ty”

Venezuelan-born Diaz and

Dominican-American Bronx na-

tive Mateo moved to Chicago in

2005, and their debut sketch show,

“People in the City: Bodegas, Beisbol

and the American Dream,” earned

them a showcase audition for “SNL.”

But what are they most excited

about? “It’s a tie,” they say, “between

Latina Magazine recognizing us as

‘the future of Latino comedy’ and

John Leguizamo giving us a Twitter

shout-out.”

See them next: Dec. 4 at Comedy

Picante; Joe’s Bar, 940 W. Weed St.

($10-$12)

Ever Mainard

25

The native Texan, who moved

to Chicago in 2007, hosted

Maria Bamford at Mayne

Stage last month (“My heart

did cartwheels because I look

up to her so much”) and ap-

pears in more than a dozen

shows this month, in addition

to hosting her weekly comedy

showcase.

See her: Monday at The S***

Show; Shambles, 2050 W.

Division St. (Free!)

Urlakis and Cusick

Dave Urlakis, 30; and Sean Cusick, 32

Local actor Urlakis and upstate

New York 2001 transplant Cusick

co-starred in the hit religious satire

“Best Church of God” and gained

recognition for solo projects—Cusick

co-created Annoyance’s “Sodomites!

The Musical” and directs for The

Second City. ComedySportz ensem-

ble member Urlakis’ YouTube channel

“Awkward Spaceship” went viral this

fall.

See them: Through Dec. 17 at Stage

773, 1225 W. Belmont Ave. ($15)

REDEYE

lWEDNESDAY,NOVEMBER23,2011

45

theater

Cameron Esposito30

The asymmetrically hairstyled

El Circo Cheapo Cabaret ring-

master, Windy City Rollers com-

mentator and Lincoln Lodge

producer turned her trademark

storytelling-style stand-up

into a solo show, “Side Mullet

Nation,” which premiered—

and sold out—at July’s Just

for Laughs Festival. And did

we mention she does well for

herself outside of the Chicago

confines? Esposito recently

performed at the prestigious

Aspen Rooftop and Bridgeview

comedy festivals and toured

with Maria Bamford.

See her: Through Dec. 15 in

“Side Mullet Nation” at The

Comedy Bar (Ontourage),

157 W. Ontario St. ($10)

Laughs on track7 rising comedy acts to watch in 2012

Seth and KellenSeth Dodson, 29, and Kellen Alexander, 26

“Impress These Apes” Season 3 champ

Dodson, who moved from Texas in

2003 “because I wanted to see snow,”

and Alexander, who moved from

Ohio the same year “to prove to the

University of Chicago how wrong they

were to accept me,” made a splash

with their “1,2,3, Fag!” improv show

and “Qweirdo” LGBT comedy show-

cases. Their newest series, “NEDtalks:

Spreading Worthless Ideas,” a parody

of the “TED Talks” tech conferences,

features “lectures” by comedic guest

“presenters.”

See them: Dec. 11 in “Nedtalks:

Spreading Worthless Ideas” at Hideout,

1354 W. Wabansia Ave. ($5)

By Julia Borcherts

FOR REDEYE

Sure, Chicago’s famous for big

shoulders, but from the early

vaudeville days to the ground-

breaking ’50s and ’60s comedy

scene to today’s wealth of stand-

up, improv and sketch shows, Chi-

cago’s also famous for belly laughs.

With dozens of shows across town

every night, how do you choose

where to go in the Chi-Chi for a

ha-ha? These rising stars will keep

you slapping your knees. JULIA

BORCHERTS IS A REDEYE SPECIAL CONTRIBUTOR.

Brian Babylon30-something

Despite the Chicago-born Babylon’s

slew of high-profile gigs—panelist on

NPR’s “Wait Wait … Don’t Tell Me!” quiz

show, host and producer of Vocalo-

FM 89.5’s “The Morning Amp” radio

show, MC at Jokes and Notes and The

Moth StorySLAM—it’s not all glamour

and glitz. “I did a total atomic crap

bomb at a show in London,” the 2009

New York Comedy Contest finalist

said. “And this was the show for black

people!”

See him next: Tuesday at The Moth

StorySLAM; Martyrs’, 3855 N. Lincoln

Ave. ($8)

Tim Baltz 30

“I was terrible—fart humor, pandering,

not taking any risks,” the Joliet native

said of early comedy gigs on his el-

ementary school bus. “But that’s how

you learn—be awful for a while and

still love it.” Baltz’s character work in

The Second City e.t.c.’s “The Sky’s the

Limit (Weather Permitting)”—including

a socially awkward guy on a first date,

a horny Baltimore Oriole and a spot-

on Rahm Emanuel impression—just

scored him a “Best Actor” Jeff Award.

See him: Thursdays-Sundays in “The

Sky’s the Limit (Weather Permitting)”

at The Second City e.t.c., 1608 N. Wells

St. ($22-$27)

DominizuelanLori Diaz, 30; and Wendy Mateo,

“don’t-worry-about-it-ty”

Venezuelan-born Diaz and

Dominican-American Bronx na-

tive Mateo moved to Chicago in

2005, and their debut sketch show,

“People in the City: Bodegas, Beisbol

and the American Dream,” earned

them a showcase audition for “SNL.”

But what are they most excited

about? “It’s a tie,” they say, “between

Latina Magazine recognizing us as

‘the future of Latino comedy’ and

John Leguizamo giving us a Twitter

shout-out.”

See them next: Dec. 4 at Comedy

Picante; Joe’s Bar, 940 W. Weed St.

($10-$12)

Ever Mainard25

The native Texan, who moved

to Chicago in 2007, hosted

Maria Bamford at Mayne

Stage last month (“My heart

did cartwheels because I look

up to her so much”) and ap-

pears in more than a dozen

shows this month, in addition

to hosting her weekly comedy

showcase.

See her: Monday at The S***

Show; Shambles, 2050 W.

Division St. (Free!)

Urlakis and CusickDave Urlakis, 30; and Sean Cusick, 32

Local actor Urlakis and upstate

New York 2001 transplant Cusick

co-starred in the hit religious satire

“Best Church of God” and gained

recognition for solo projects—Cusick

co-created Annoyance’s “Sodomites!

The Musical” and directs for The

Second City. ComedySportz ensem-

ble member Urlakis’ YouTube channel

“Awkward Spaceship” went viral this

fall.

See them: Through Dec. 17 at Stage

773, 1225 W. Belmont Ave. ($15)

rants and raves | SAY WHAT!

RedEyeredeyechicago.com

The love keeps spreading. The latest clip, from the largest daily morning free commuter news paper in Chicago, the RedEye, gives us props.

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Dominizuelan | In The Press

“Whether playing young or old, male or female, straight or gay, white or African American, both women are captivating...”

“...think John Leguizamo in female bodies”

“(Dominizuelan) contains the kind of sharply honed humor that isn’t afraid to stare down cultural stereotypes-even stereotypes other than their own”

“[Mateo & Diaz] are excellent actresses, and they have a real talent for creating fully real-ized characters”

“Lorena Diaz and Wendy Mateo bring to life a variety of fresh, believable Chicago char-acters in this robustly entertaining sketch revue directed by Charna Halpern...Scenes sweet, tragic, and astutely observant...”Dominizuelan was named in the Chicago Reader “Best of 2010” - Best Sketch/Improv Troupe

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kind words | Pressing Matters

Feature Article by Christina Rodriguez

“Being Latinas has been at the root of their hard work and ambition, especially in a com- edy world with very little Latino participation. References to other well-known actresses would emerge during auditions, and that made them work harder to be who they are and to be comfortable in their own skin.

The duo’s Latino culture doesn’t play as vital a role in their show as does their experiences. They’re actors that happen to be Latinas. “We’re not trying to put the fact that we’re [Latinas] all over it,” says Diaz. “We’re [Latina] but we’re also American.”

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Online | blogs

We not only like to make you laugh on stage but, we like to make you laugh at the comfort of your own computer too!

The blog world loves latinadenial.com

Latina Denial is about you and me, Ms. Latina USA. It’s about all the little things that make us hear our mothers voices in our heads… for good, bad or ugly. We are in this marriage with our culture and sometimes it’s a beautiful thing, and sometimes… we’re swimming in a sweet pool of denial sipping on a cocktail of lies while working the flirty eyes at “I don’t want to hear it.”

Still can’t get enough of us?!

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live on stage | ¡Fiestas!

We’ve had the pleasure of gracing the stages and garnering the support of some of the most prestigious comedy and theater festivals in the country:

2009 TBS Just for Laughs Festival Chicago2009 New York Fringe Festival2010 TBS Just for Laughs Festival Chicago2010 Chicago Sketchfest2010 Chicago Improv Festival2011 Chicago Sketchfest2011 TBS Just for Laughs Festival: Chicago

Festivals we’ve been in!

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Contact Us | email/text/twitter/facebook/voice/messenger pigeon?

web: www.dominizuelan.com email: dominizuelan@gmail.com twitter: twitter.com/Dominizuelan facebook: facebook.com/Dominizuelan online TV: urbanotv.com/DOMINIZUELAN text/voice: 773-255-1161