Displaying items by tag: Sonya Madrigal

Instituto Cervantes of Chicago (31 W. Ohio St.), the city's primary non-profit center for Spanish language and cultural exchange, is pleased to present, in collaboration with Water People Theater, the theatrical concert series "Creating Women" | "Mujeres Creando." This series features six new works written by playwrights from Latin America and Spain exploring the theme of human rights. Each play will have a single presentation at Instituto Cervantes of Chicago. All presentations will be in Spanish with English subtitles. Admission is free but an RSVP is required. Patrons can reserve their ticket at waterpeople.org/mujeres-creando.

Water People Theater put out a call for original scripts written by female playwrights from Latin America and Spain last year and received 47 submissions that were read and judged by a jury comprised of five renowned female professionals in Hispanic theater with Venezuela, Mexico, Chicago, Spain and Argentina represented. Five participants were ultimately selected to have their plays staged at Instituto Cervantes for the "Mujeres Creando" series and each received a prize of $300.

The series will commence on Wednesday, March 27 to celebrate "World Theatre Day" with the premiere of the play "On Your Wings" | "Sobre Tus Alas" by Spanish-Mexican writer Amaranta Osorio and featuring Rebeca Alemán. "Sobre Tus Alas" is directed by Water People Theater's Iraida Tapias, who was recently nominated for a Jeff Award for best director, and is not one of the works selected in the contest.

Complete programming and show descriptions below: Please note: these works contain adult themes and language.

Wednesday, March 27 (7 p.m.)

"ON YOUR WINGS" (Autofiction) | "SOBRE TUS ALAS"

By Amaranta Osorio

Directed by Iraida Tapias

After the sudden death of her mother and while emptying her house, the young woman discovers secrets, stories, and a life she didn't know about her mother. Sometimes forgiveness isn't easy. Featuring Rebeca Alemán

Monday, April 1 (7 p.m.)

"CHRYSALIS" | "CRISÁLIDAS"

By Women in Construction

Directed by Rinska Carrasco

"CHRYSALIS" delves into the essence of real women. Each of them embodies various female stances towards abuse, rape, violence, abortion, and social inequality. Featuring Ana María Álvarez, Valeria Rosero, Sofía Tew.

Monday, April 8 (7 p.m.)

"THE ANEMONE AND THE BOAR" | "LA ANÉMONA Y EL JABALÍ"

By Mónica Maffía

Directed by Melissa Lorraine

Madrid, 1936. Two actresses and broadcasters with opposing ideologies clash while competing on a radio program in times of censorship. The inclusion of a Latin American sound technician intensifies the situation, but music, poetry, and radio theater pave the way for sisterhood alliances that will weave together in moments of danger for the Spanish Republic.

Monday, April 15 (7 p.m.)

"SORORAL ECHOES" | "ECOS SOROROS"

By Estefanía Mena

Directed by Sonya Madrigal

Three women from different parts of the world - Paulina (Mexican), Marwa (Palestinian), and Sofia (Guatemalan) - emerge as powerful testimonies of resistance and redemption against gender-based violence. Featuring Estefanía Mena, Allix Rhode, Yourtana Sulaiman.

Monday, April 22 (7 p.m.)

"DE(PARTED)" | "PAR(TIDO)"

By Belén Galaín

"I am the age you are now. I have two children, a car, a partner in life. I have to change this piece of paper. I have to put something else, another name, another jurisdiction. I have to go." Elena leaves again and again. The political party and having been part of the struggle broke her forever.

Thursday, April 25 (7 p.m.)

"THERE IS NO TOMORROW" | "NO HAY MAÑANA"

By Gladys Silione

Directed by Iraida Tapias

Virginia, a successful lawyer, and Fabián, a law student, are a fairly normal couple. One day Fabian starts competing with his girlfriend, disguising his resentment with "love." In the end, we are all guilty of femicide.

About Water People Theater

Water People Theater is a non-profit organization led by Latinas who believe in the transformative power of theater. For over two decades, they have been dedicated to producing socially inclusive bilingual theater for diverse audiences. Their mission is to harness the power of high-quality performances and educational offerings to pave the way for defending human rights and promoting social values and defending. Their goal is to inspire diverse audiences to become agents of change contributing to a more equitable, just, and inclusive world. Water People Theater is the resident theater group of Instituto Cervantes of Chicago.

About Instituto Cervantes
Instituto Cervantes is a public not-for-profit institution created by Spain in 1991 to universally promote the teaching, study and use of Spanish and contribute to the dissemination of Hispanic cultures abroad. Reporting to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation of Spain, it collaborates with prestigious institutions, both national and international, public and private, with the aim of ensuring that products and services related to Spanish are governed by quality criteria and to promote the meeting and exchange of Spanish and pan-Hispanic culture with other cultures of the world.

In its activities, the Instituto Cervantes fundamentally addresses the linguistic and cultural heritage that is common to the countries and peoples of the Spanish-speaking community. It is present in more than 90 cities in 45 countries, through its centers, classrooms and extensions, on five continents. In addition, it has two headquarters in Spain, the headquarters in Madrid and the headquarters in Alcalá de Henares.

America was a different place in 1965. Jim Crow was alive and well in southern cities, American schools were still on the way to being integrated, African-Americans were getting their heads busted in trying to cross the Edmund Pettis Bridge in Alabama, there were race riots in major northern cities, the Andy Griffith Show and The Beverly Hillbillies were the top shows on television and in New York City Day of Absence was being staged by the newly formed Negro Ensemble Company.

Day of Absence, written by Douglas Turner Ward in 1965, is a reverse minstrel where the white residents of a Southern town wake to find all the black people gone. All the roles are played by Black people in white face. The caricatures are broad and cartoonish. It was written to make white audiences squirm while laughing. The script won the Vernon Rice and Obie Awards.

Fifty-five years later, America has changed. And Congo Square Theatre Company has upped the ante. Instead of Black people disappearing, all people of color (known as “Pox” in this iteration) disappear. The script has been updated to include racial slurs and stereotypes of Hispanics, Asians, East Indians, and everyone not white, with uproarious results.

Anthony L. Irons, a master physical comic himself, has directed this multiracial cast with energy and an eye towards razor sharp comic timing. The cast is phenomenal. Jordan Arredondo, Ronald L. Conner, Meagan Dilworth, Ann Douglas, Bryant Hayes, Sonya Madrigal, and Kelvin Roston, Jr. all play multiple parts, easily shifting from one character to another. The bare bones modular set by Sydney Lynne Thomas was the perfect background for the makeup, costumes and wigs by the talented Rueben D. Echoles.

Of note is Douglas’s Mayor Lee, a cross between Boss Hogg of “Dukes of Hazzard” and Marge Schott (the Owner and CEO of the Cincinnati Reds who infamously called her players "million-dollar n*ggers.”) As the events in the play become dire, she makes a television appeal that will have you crying with laughter. Along with her assistant Jackson (Conner), they steal the scenes they are in with a physicality that is unmatched.

When Douglas Turner Ward wrote Day of Absence his intention was to put a mirror to white people and make them feel uncomfortable. Congo Square’s production doesn’t so much indict white people, but makes fun of ignorant stereotypes, and we all hold ignorant stereotypes, whether we’d like to believe it or not. This is America 2020.

Special Note: It was great to see Derrick Sanders back at the helm of Congo Square Theatre Company. His artistic vision is unparalleled.
Day of Absence by Congo Square Theatre continues through March 22 at the Richard Christiansen Theater at Victory Gardens, 2433 N. Lincoln Ave. Tickets are $35 ($25 for seniors and students) for performances Friday-Sunday.