Courtesy SRJC theatre arts department

SRJC Theatre Arts presents “Stand and Deliver,” based on the true story of an East LA high school teacher who inspires his drop-out prone students with unconventional teaching methods, premiering Sept. 30 at Luther Burbank Auditorium.

Santa Rosa Junior College’s Theater Arts department premiers a new show Sept. 30 based on the true story and Academy Award-winning film “Stand and Deliver” about Jamie Escalante, a math teacher at an East LA high school who transforms his students’ lives with unorthodox teaching methods.

The SRJC theatre arts department will hold a pre-premier reception honoring Maestro Roberto Ramirez, a Sonoma County math teacher who — like the show’s main character — has been teaching math and inspiring Latinx students for decades. The reception starts at 6:30 p.m. on the Burbank Studio Theater Terrace; the show opens at 7:30 p.m. at the Burbank Auditorium Studio Theater.

“Stand and Deliver” is part of the Herencia Series, a month-long group of events at SRJC promoting Latinx and Indigenous culture.

Director Elizabeth Dale hopes to use “Stand and Deliver” as inspiration for overcoming social injustices facing the Latinx community.

“I want the audience to come away with this sense of ‘I too can do this! I can do this! I can help teach people how to stand and deliver, and I myself can stand and deliver,’”Dale said.

SRJC alumnus and Sonoma Valley High School graduate Danny Banales is giving back to the college community by playing the starring role.

The play will run at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 1, 5, 6, 7 and 8 and 2 p.m. Oct. 2, 8 and 9. Tickets are $20 for students, seniors and youths or $25 for general admission and can be purchased online, through email at [email protected], by phone at (707) 527-4307 or from the box office an hour before showtime. Stage Manager Grace Reid said the estimated run time is 2 hours and 15 minutes with a 15-minute intermission.