TEMPE/TUCSON, Ariz. – Arizona Theatre Company (ATC) will honor Puerto Rican playwright Edwin Sánchez as the recipient of the 2025 National Latine Playwrights Award (NLPA) for his powerful new work Lottery Boy. ATC’s annual NLPA Ceremony & Festival will recognize Sánchez’s achievements and present a staged reading of the play at the Tempe Center for the Arts (TCA) on Saturday, October 4.

 

Martin Sensemeier will join the cast and crew as a special guest performer for the staged reading of Lottery Boy. Sensmeier is a member of the Tlingit and Koyukon/Athabaskan tribes of Alaska. His upcoming feature film roles include: Wind River: Rising, Ice Fall, and The Isolate Thief. His recurring TV roles include: Taylor Sheridan's highly acclaimed series 1883, Westworld, Alaska Daily, Yellowstone, and La Brea. His upcoming TV roles include: Amazon hit series The Terminal List (a recurring role). His past film roles have included: The Magnificent Seven, Wind River, 9 Bullets, Ice Road, Netflix's Frybread Face and Me for producer Taika Waititi, Beyond The Sky, and Cottonmouth.

 

Sensmeier (playing Phil), will make his ATC debut for this NLPA special performance by joining Lottery Boy cast members including Camren Martinez (Paco), Luz Navarro (Connie), Angelica Saario (Molly), James Kelley Carroll (Blake), Jonathan Heras (Randy), and Samantha West (Bettina).

 

Now in its 29th year, the National Latine Playwrights Award celebrates Latine voices in American theatre and recognizes outstanding achievement in playwriting. Sanchez’s work was chosen from more than 78 entries. Lottery Boy features a life transformed by money. At just 15 years old, Paco suddenly finds himself the winner of one of the largest lottery jackpots ever. But more money means more problems, more betrayals, and Paco finds that he is no longer sure which world he belongs in.

 

The community is invited to attend the 2025 National Latine Playwrights Award Ceremony & Festival at TCA which will include a staged reading of Lottery Boy, an awards ceremony honoring Sánchez, and a post-show roundtable discussion. The reading will be directed by Jerry Ruiz, Associate Professor at ASU’s School of Music, Dance, and Theatre. The event will be emceed by President & CEO of the Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Monica Villalobos. Supporting partners include AZHCC, Xico, Arizona-Mexico Commission and Tempe Center for the Arts.

Tickets are free with a suggested donation of $10 to support community programming. Visit atc.org/nlpa for more information and to RSVP.

 

WHAT: National Latine Playwrights Award Ceremony & Festival

 

WHERE: Tempe Center for the Arts

700 W. Rio Salado Parkway

Tempe, AZ 85281

 

Parking: Available in public lots and covered garage located adjacent to the TCA

 

WHEN: Saturday, October 4, 2025

● Check-in 5:00 P.M.

● Program 5 - 9 P.M.

➢ Reception | Featuring performance by Mariachi Rubor

➢ Welcome | Monica Villalobos

➢ Congressional Awards Presentation | Office of Rep. Greg Stanton

➢ NLPA History | Matt August, Elaine Romero

➢ Lottery Boy Play Reading

➢ Awards Presentation | Matt August, Elaine Romero

➢ Artist Message | Edwin Sanchez

➢ Roundtable Discussion | Edwin Sanchez, Jerry Ruiz, Elaine Romero

➢ Closing

 

WHO: Arizona community members, performing artist, ATC patrons

 

COST: Tickets to the event are free with a suggested donation of $10

 

INTERVIEW OPPS:

● Edwin Sanchez, 2025 National Latine Playwrights Award recipient

● Matt August, Kasser Family Artistic Director & Executive Director, Arizona Theatre Company

● Elaine Romero, Playwright-In-Residence, Arizona Theatre Company

● Pat Engels, Chair of the Board of Trustees, Arizona Theatre Company

● Monica Villalobos, President & CEO, Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce

 

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