Dive Bar’s world premiere at CASA 0101 Theater in Boyle Heights is a story many people in midlife and beyond can relate to. Life happens, and we don’t always reach our goals. It’s easy to become paralyzed and in a rut to the point of wondering why you are here in the first place. That is, until a crisis snaps you back to reality and makes you realize that if you don’t make changes, you are on your way to the grave.
Dive Bar, written by Chris Banda and directed by Miguel Angel Delgado, stars Vance Valencia, Martín Morales, Gilbert Reynoso, Oscar T. Basulto, and Arezu Tavakoli.
Morales plays Charlie, who owns the bar and is despondent over the tragic death of his wife in an accident. He feels lost without her as she was his “everything.”
His two friends and bar regulars are Goose, played by Gilbert Reynoso, and Willie, played by Oscar T. Basulto. Goose is loud, combative, and a compulsive gambler whose marriage and lifestyle were destroyed by his narcissistic and irresponsible behavior. Willie is more docile and emotes an inner sadness. The waitress, Sam, played by Arezu Tavakoli, aspired to become a singer but has found herself stuck in a go-nowhere thankless job.
Helicopters are buzzing overhead, attempting to track down a dangerous criminal who has killed several people.
An old man enters the bar dressed in a dark suit and bow tie. He is a stranger, and his appearance, quiet demeanor, and even the drink he orders make him even stranger to the bar’s regulars. Goose is curious and peeks into the man’s briefcase when the man goes to the bathroom. He pulls out a notebook with a list of names. One of them is the bar owner’s wife, Vee.
After a confrontation and suspicion that he may be the murderer, the man reveals that each of the people in the bar is doomed to die in 20 minutes because their names suddenly appeared in his notebook. He becomes sort of an angel of death.
Each person in the bar must assess their lives and fight to live.
The cast is one of the most professional I’ve seen at the theater so far. Each actor lives the nuances and emotional depth of their characters authentically and powerfully. The writing is succinct, and the play’s length of 90 minutes is perfect for the story.
Dive Bar runs through November 1, 2026.
CASA 0101 Theater – 2102 East First Street, Los Angeles, CA 90033
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