White Concert Hall Welcomes Comedy Central's 'Super-Estrella'

New York, N.Y. – Jade Esteban Estrada, the man OutLook Weekly calls “one of the finest solo theatre artists of the 21st century,” will return to Washburn University to perform his new solo play “PICO DE GALLO” written by Jade Esteban Estrada (2005 Performance Artist of the Year) and Celeste Angela Estrada at 7:00 p.m. Thursday, September 6, 2007 at White Concert Hall located at 17th Street and Jewel on the Washburn University campus in Topeka, Kansas. The performance is presented by the Department of Multicultural Services. This bilingual performance is wheelchair accessible and appropriate for all ages and linguistic abilities. Running time is 70 minutes with no intermission. Admission is free and open to the public. The celebrated actor will sign autographs immediately after the show. For information log onto www.getjaded.com.

What do illegal immigrants, politicians, ESL kindergarteners, school teachers, unwed mothers, bartenders, flight attendants, Dr. Phil, opinionated grandmothers, cable access talk show hosts and socialist taco vendors all have in common? They make up the face of 21st century Latinos in the United States in the new solo play PICO DE GALLO. Estrada has been praised by critics around the country for his skillful onstage transformations. From one character to the next, he unravels a multitude of stories, songs and humorous contradictions in a celebration of the heartbeat of Latino culture.

Tom Sime of the Dallas Morning News calls him, "funny and irreverent." “Estrada is one of today’s best solo entertainers” states Adam Shapiro of the Bowling Green News. John Haskell of the San Antonio Current calls him a “super-estrella…a legend in San Antonio and beyond.” Roy Proctor of the Richmond Times-Dispatch calls him “the master entertainer.”

Estrada debuted his first solo show “It’s Too Late…It’s Already In Me…” at the Festival de Libre Enganche in 1997 and a decade later has been compared to Ruth Draper, Lily Tomlin and other luminaries in the field of solo theatre. Estrada’s last visit to Washburn University was in November 2005 when he presented the award-winning solo play “Tortilla Heaven” written by his sister Celeste Angela Estrada.

“Jade Esteban Estrada is not an icon by accident,” warns Nicholas Snow of Notes from Hollywood.

Formally the choreographer to television personality Charo and a scratch vocalist for the Back Street Boys, Estrada came to international attention when Out Magazine christened him, "the first gay Latin star" in 2000. Estrada released his debut CD "Angel" (Vicarious) in 2001 and in 2002 took part in the "Being Out Rocks" (Centaur) CD compilation in honor of National Coming Out Day for the Human Rights Campaign.

In October 2006, Kentucky Governor Ernie Fletcher paid tribute to Estrada by commissioning him the title of "Kentucky Colonel," the highest honor awarded by the Commonwealth of Kentucky that acknowledges outstanding ambassadors of goodwill and fellowship around the world. The Texas native joined other honorary colonels which include Winston Churchill, Ronald Reagan, Bob Hope, Joan Crawford, Johnny Depp, Muhammad Ali and Pope John Paul II.

Estrada's television credits include appearances on the Emmy-nominated "In the Life TV" on PBS, and "The Graham Norton Effect" on Comedy Central. His popular Latin dance music can be heard on the Golden Globe and Emmy award-winning police drama, "The Shield" on the FX Network. He has recently returned to work on NBC’s second season of “Friday Night Lights.”

"Most performers would be happy to have a fraction of Jade Esteban Estrada's career," states Marty Rosen of the Louisville Courier-Journal. Hector Saldana of the San Antonio Express-News calls him "a show biz messiah." Roy Proctor of the Richmond Times-Dispatch calls him "a master entertainer."

Estrada’s other solo shows include “Gay Christian, Gay Muslim, Gay Jew,” “ICONS: The Lesbian and Gay History of the World, Vol. 1-3, “TransWorld! The Transgender History of the World,” and “Tortilla Heaven.”

Estrada will begin work on the new film “Callous” directed by Joey Lanai in October 2007.

See the Homovisiones interview at http://youtube.com/watch?v=dBzKsvWPt0I.

For further information or to request high resolution artwork or an interview, please contact Greta Golding at vicariouspr@aol.com, call 646-342-8647 or visit www.getjaded.com.