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Home › News & Events › News › TFTV student Ollin Acosta lands leading role in Scoundrel & Scamp Theatre’s ‘Alebrijes’

TFTV student Ollin Acosta lands leading role in Scoundrel & Scamp Theatre’s ‘Alebrijes’

October 2, 2024
Just in time for Día de los Muertos, the Scoundrel & Scamp Theatre presents Alebrijes, starring TFTV student Ollin Acosta (right).

Ollin Acosta, a sophomore studying Theatre at the University of Arizona School of Theatre, Film & Television (TFTV), has been cast in his first leading role in the upcoming production of Alebrijes at the Scoundrel & Scamp Theatre.

The bilingual show, created by Georgina Escobar and directed for the Scoundrel & Scamp by Marc Pinate, follows a man who falls deathly ill and has a dream in a mythological forest of creatures. The story is a playful homage to Pedro Linares, the real-life creator of alebrijes, the fantastical creatures made of wood or papier-mâché that have become synonymous with Mexico. Set in present-day San Luis Potosí, in Xochimilco in 1936, and in an afterlife that resembles a psychedelic Oaxacan jungle, young Pedro realizes his artistic potential and creates a cultural legacy.

“It means so much to me to be part of Alebrijes,” says Ollin. “It’s a magical story firmly rooted in Mexico that gives audiences a sense of what it means to be Mexican. And I love the journey that Pedro undertakes, finding his true self – and flourishing.”

Ollin Acosta takes direction from Marc Pinate (left) in a rehearsal of Alebrijes.

Born and raised in Tucson, Ollin was in high school when his dad encouraged him to explore theatre. In his senior year, Ollin was cast in Borderlands Theater’s production of Westside Stories, the site-specific series honoring the stories, people and places that made Tucson barrios vital to the culture of the Southwest, and he was hooked. “I knew leaving high school that I wanted to do this seriously. I want it to be my job in the future,” he says.

“Ollin is such a great example of home-grown Tucson talent,” says director Marc Pinate. “His authenticity on stage is golden and his choices really bring his role to life. I first worked with him in Westside Stories and was impressed with his work ethic and fearlessness on stage. From that experience I knew he could handle the Spanish and I also liked that he matched the real Pedro Linares’ indigenous features. We see so few dark-skinned actors in leading roles.”

Ollin Acosta (left) and Myles Fajardo (right) in Morbid by Francisco Montes, directed by Maddy Rose. Morbid featured in the Spring ’24 edition of the New Directions Festival.

Since commencing his BA in Theatre Arts at TFTV, Ollin has performed in two plays as part of the Spring 2024 edition of the annual New Directions Festival, the series of short works created and performed entirely by students. He is also a member of the Charles Darwin Experience, the University of Arizona’s improv troupe, where he relishes the challenge of interacting with scene partners and developing characters on the spot. Looking ahead, Ollin looks forward to opportunities to collaborate with Film & Television students as a cast member in senior thesis films.

Alebrijes will take place on the mainstage at the Scoundrel & Scamp Theatre from October 17 through November 3. More information is available at https://www.scoundrelandscamp.org/alebrijes.

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IDIWS Sneak Peek: THE GLASS PLANET by Gaël Baup. A young astronaut defies all odds to search for his long-lost father on a perilous, uncharted glass planet—an unforgiving world where no one has ever returned, and where he must confront both the planet’s dangers and the haunting mystery of his father’s disappearance.

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The short film version of THE GLASS PLANET will be premiering at I Dream in Widescreen 2025 - a feature length version is currently in production! More info and tickets at idiw.tftv.arizona.edu.

$5 | May 10 at 7pm | Fox Tucson Theatre
Doors open at 6pm. Arrive early to ensure your seat!
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19 hours ago
IDIWS Sneak Peek: THE GLASS PLANET by Gaël Baup. A young astronaut defies all odds to search for his long-lost father on a perilous, uncharted glass planet—an unforgiving world where no one has ever returned, and where he must confront both the planet’s dangers and the haunting mystery of his father’s disappearance.

It was one of my dream films to make since I was 10 years old ... It is the most ambitious project I have made so far, we got to travel with my crew to Page, Arizona and make our own space suit and shoot in amazing locations with a crew and cast of 4 people, says writer/director Gaël Baup.

The short film version of THE GLASS PLANET will be premiering at I Dream in Widescreen 2025 - a feature length version is currently in production! More info and tickets at idiw.tftv.arizona.edu.

$5 | May 10 at 7pm | Fox Tucson Theatre
Doors open at 6pm. Arrive early to ensure your seat!Image attachment
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Premiering at I Dream in Widescreen 2025! More info and tickets at idiw.tftv.arizona.edu.

$5 | May 10 at 7pm | Fox Tucson Theatre
Doors open at 6pm. Arrive early to ensure your seat!
... See MoreSee Less

2 days ago
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Pizza Guy Returns is a remake of the first short film I ever made: Pizza Guy. When I was 15, my high school friends and I made the original film in my dads garage with an iPhone 6 and old Halloween decorations. I decided to screen the film at a party later that year, and to my complete surprise, my friends and parents loved it. And from that moment on, I have been working on honing my skills as a writer, director, costumer, props master, set designer, and even actor both independently and through my BFA degree here at the U of A. Before I was even accepted into the BFA program, I knew EXACTLY which film I would make as my thesis: Pizza Guy...Returns! With the script pulling thematic inspiration from actual life events that I have endured and through the extreme dedication and creativity of my team, I have been able to bring my dream to life, says writer/director Philip D. Summers.

Premiering at I Dream in Widescreen 2025! More info and tickets at idiw.tftv.arizona.edu.

$5 | May 10 at 7pm | Fox Tucson Theatre
Doors open at 6pm. Arrive early to ensure your seat!Image attachment
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Premiering at I Dream in Widescreen 2025! More info and tickets at idiw.tftv.arizona.edu.

$5 | May 10 at 7pm | Fox Tucson Theatre
Doors open at 6pm. Arrive early to ensure your seat!
... See MoreSee Less

3 days ago
IDIWS Sneak Peek: PLAY PRETEND by Jordan Fouts. A down on her luck party princess is given one more chance to keep her job after a gig goes horribly wrong.

For my thesis film, I wanted to tell a story that reflected something significant to my college experience. Being a party princess has been a major part of my journey at the University of Arizona - for the past three years I have been part of a student organization that strives to bring the type of performance seen in my film to children in our Southern Arizona community. But I knew my film couldn’t be just about bright colors and fancy ball gowns. I wanted it to speak to something deeper ... so in this film, through the lens of this party princess, I hope to celebrate the lesser known artist, the one who may not be the most recognized, but whose art has more value and impact on the people around them than they realize, says writer/director Jordan Fouts.

Premiering at I Dream in Widescreen 2025! More info and tickets at idiw.tftv.arizona.edu.

$5 | May 10 at 7pm | Fox Tucson Theatre
Doors open at 6pm. Arrive early to ensure your seat!Image attachment
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Thank you to our friends at Arizona Public Media for the wonderful preview of I Dream in Widescreen 2025! Last week Arizona Spotlight host Mark McLemore sat down with senior filmmakers Cosmo Brusa Zappellini, Philip D. Summers, and Daniel Cadena to talk about the upcoming premiere of their senior thesis films. Also in the segment, film critic Chris Dashiell gave thoughtful reviews of films by Neylani Castro, Jordan Fouts, and Xander Maniece.

Listen the full interview and reviews: radio.azpm.org/p/radio-azspot-splash/2025/4/30/224643-5-1-25/.

These films, along with those of their peers, will premiere at I Dream in Widescreen on Saturday, May 10 at the Fox Tucson Theatre at 7pm, tickets are $5 general admission. More information and tickets are available at idiw.tftv.arizona.edu.
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3 days ago
Thank you to our friends at Arizona Public Media for the wonderful preview of I Dream in Widescreen 2025! Last week Arizona Spotlight host Mark McLemore sat down with senior filmmakers Cosmo Brusa Zappellini, Philip D. Summers, and Daniel Cadena to talk about the upcoming premiere of their senior thesis films. Also in the segment, film critic Chris Dashiell gave thoughtful reviews of films by Neylani Castro, Jordan Fouts, and Xander Maniece. 

Listen the full interview and reviews: https://radio.azpm.org/p/radio-azspot-splash/2025/4/30/224643-5-1-25/. 

These films, along with those of their peers, will premiere at I Dream in Widescreen on Saturday, May 10 at the Fox Tucson Theatre at 7pm, tickets are $5 general admission. More information and tickets are available at idiw.tftv.arizona.edu.Image attachmentImage attachment
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I Dream in Widescreen Sneak Peek: PEOPLE FOR PAWS by Cody Rivera. Rivera’s film explores the Humane Society of Southern Arizona and the incredible staff and volunteers who devote their lives helping animals find a better home.

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Tune in to News 4 Tucson - KVOA at 5pm today, when Cody speaks about the process of making this film. PEOPLE FOR PAWS premieres at I Dream in Widescreen 2025! More info and tickets at idiw.tftv.arizona.edu.

$5 | May 10 at 7pm | Fox Tucson Theatre
Doors open at 6pm. Arrive early to ensure your seat!
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“The Humane Society is a vital part of Tucson’s Community,” says writer/director Cody Rivera. “The amount of time and resources that they devote to sheltering, providing medical care, and training with the goal of finding loving homes for every animal is extremely admirable. I wanted to shine a greater light on not only the animals, but the caring and supportive people involved as well.”

Tune in to News 4 Tucson - KVOA at 5pm today, when Cody speaks about the process of making this film. PEOPLE FOR PAWS premieres at I Dream in Widescreen 2025! More info and tickets at idiw.tftv.arizona.edu.

$5 | May 10 at 7pm | Fox Tucson Theatre
Doors open at 6pm. Arrive early to ensure your seat!Image attachment
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IDIWS Sneak Peek: NO ONE CAN HEAR YOU FOR MILES by Allie Cincera. In the aftermath of a paranormal event, two sisters must battle madness, fervor, and isolation in a post-apocalyptic world.

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Premiering at I Dream in Widescreen 2025! More info and tickets at idiw.tftv.arizona.edu.

$5 | May 10 at 7pm | Fox Tucson Theatre
Doors open at 6pm. Arrive early to ensure your seat!
... See MoreSee Less

6 days ago
IDIWS Sneak Peek: NO ONE CAN HEAR YOU FOR MILES by Allie Cincera. In the aftermath of a paranormal event, two sisters must battle madness, fervor, and isolation in a post-apocalyptic world.

“My dad passed down his love of horror films to me, and I knew that my last film at the U of A would be a love letter to my favorite atmospheric horror films, says writer/director Cincera. As someone with a twin and two older sisters, writing and directing a relationship between two characters who are sisters within this isolated, post-apocalyptic world felt deeply personal and challenging but also new and exciting at the same time.

Premiering at I Dream in Widescreen 2025! More info and tickets at idiw.tftv.arizona.edu.

$5 | May 10 at 7pm | Fox Tucson Theatre
Doors open at 6pm. Arrive early to ensure your seat!Image attachment
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