Cara Mía Theatre Company
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The Cara Mía Theatre Company is a Dallas-based company dedicated to highlighting the Latino experience in the United States through theatrical productions and educational programs. Adelina Anthony and Eliberto Gonzalez founded the company in 1996 in hopes of illuminating the untold stories of Mexican-Americans on Dallas stages and making Latino literature more accessible. Since its start in 1996, Cara Mía has expanded both artistically and through the Latino community, especially since the arrival of Executive Artistic Director David Lozano in 2002.[1]
Currently, the company produces around 4-5 pieces each year, from classic Latino literature to new works by some of the most popular Latino writers, including Sandra Cisneros, Jimmy Santiago Baca, and Cherrie Morraga.[2] Some successful past productions include Zoot Suit and Deferred Action, which went on tour as a result of its popularity.
Collaboration and expansion[]
David Lozano[]
Ever since the arrival of current Executive Artistic Director David Lozano, the Cara Mía Theatre Company has expanded in many ways. A Mexican-American himself, Lozano speaks passionately about the importance of embracing one's roots and understanding the "emotional history of the generations of Latinos in the US who came before."[3] He sees Latino theater as not just a mode of representation or political performance, but also as a necessary opportunity for Latino artists and audiences to reflect on their roots and identity.[3]
While his arrival did not mark a significant shift in the company's focus on underscoring the works of Latino writers and giving a voice to the voiceless, their approaches to this goal have grown through the adoption of different approaches and collaborations. Lozano's emphasis on collaboration comes from the idea that diversity and inclusions should be "less cosmetic and more profound."[3] Drawing from his experiences with physical theatre techniques from around the world, Lozano formed a resident ensemble dedicated to devising new work and putting on unique, bilingual theatre.[2] Through the integration of clown, mask, and poetic movement techniques, the 16 member ensemble is able to put on full productions with the goal of highlighting the Latino community.[2] Since 2015, Lozano has led the company into a forward-moving mindset, asking the question "How are we going to evolve?"[4]
Notable collaborations[]
Much of the Cara Mía Theatre Company's recent endeavors have sprung from various collaborations with other theatre groups and companies. In 2015, the company collaborated with Jeff Colangelo's Prism Co., which resulted in a series of warehouse performances and "pushed them into the experimental arena of non-verbal, physical theatre."[4] In that same year, Cara Mía worked with the AT&T Performing Arts Center in the Elevator Project, an initiative that allows small companies to produce shows in the Wyly Theatre for limited runs.[5] This opportunity lead to the production of Lydia, one of the company's most notable plays which centers around an undocumented maid. The company's later collaboration with the Dallas Theater Center made one of its most well-known productions, Deferred Action, possible.[4]
Notable productions[]
Crystal City 1969[]
In 2009, the company opened Crystal City 1969, a show the Dallas Morning News considered "one of the best original works of the year." The show essentially saved the theatre company, as Cara Mía was on the verge of closing down in 2008 before Raul Trevino reached out to Lozano about a potential project: a play based on his uncle, Mario Trevino, and his involvement in a school walkout against "unequal treatment for Mexican American students."[6] Lozano decided to pursue the project, even though the future of the company was uncertain and there were "no expectations other than to just tell the story."[6] Through a series of interviews and in depth research, Crystal City 1969 was developed and opened on December 9, 2009––the 40th anniversary of the school walkout it is based on. During its first run, the show sold out nearly all performances.[6] As a result of the success, the company was able to grow "from a $2,000 bank balance to its current $417,000 annual operating budget."[6]
The play was revived by the Cara Mía Theatre Company in 2016, just before the presidential election, keeping the theme of "Latinos and the struggle for justice" alive.[6]
The Magic Forest: An Amazon Journey[]
In 2014, the Cara Mia Theatre Company produced The Magic Forest: An Amazon Journey by Latino playwright Jose Gonzalez, a story based on the lives of real immigrants. The family-friendly play follows the journey of three mothers and their hardships as they travel from El Salvador to the United States in hopes of finding a better life for themselves and––most importantly––their children.[7] Its incorporation of fantastical design elements, masks, puppetry, and music impressed many audiences and critics, including Theater Jones critic Teresa Marrero who wrote that The Magic Forest "brings the wonder into wonderful."[8]
Zoot Suit[]
In 2014, despite the large Latino population in Texas, Cara Mía became the first company to bring Luis Valdez's Zoot Suit to the state.[9] The musical comedy is based on the Los Angeles race riots and Sleepy Lagoon murder trial of the early 1940s. Critic Jerome Weeks noted that the 2014 production of a 1978 drama still had "pointed relevance."[9] The production marked Cara Mía's first attempt at a musical.[4]
Lydia[]
In 2015, the Cara Mía Theatre Company produced Lydia by Octavio Solis as a part of the AT&T Performing Arts Center's Elevator Project. Often compared to iconic American family dramas such as Death of a Salesman, the play is set in El Paso, Texas and centers around the bond between an undocumented maid and her boss's disabled teenage son.[10] The production received praise from Theatre Jones critic Mark Lowry, who described Lydia as "challenging theatre."[11] After opening at the Wyly Theatre as a part of the Elevator Project, the production moved on to the Latino Cultural Center. It received praise from critics and was considered "a high water mark in their history."[4]
Deferred Action[]
Perhaps one of the company's most successful productions was Deferred Action, a powerful drama that addressed the heavy political topic of immigration policy.[12] The story follows Javier Mejia, a child of immigrants, and his journey as he grows up in America. Although his life is filled with many successes, and his disposition seems incredibly optimistic, a somber shift in the story eventually creates a need in Javier to see a change or a "paradigm shift."[12] His personal conflicts and struggles are underscored by a heated presidential election that unfolds throughout the play.[12]
The idea for Deferred Action was born out of a partnership with Kevin Moriarty, who was inspired to work with Cara Mía after watching their earlier political drama Crystal City 1969.[12] The show served as a second part to a 2013 Cara Mía production called Dreamers, a Bloodline. Eventually, David Lozano and Kevin Morality landed on the topic of the DREAMers immigration experience and drew from real Latino activist experiences to create Deferred Action along with co-writer Lee Trull.
The show was revived by the Cara Mía Theatre Company shortly after its world premiere, during their 2017-2018 season. For this revival, the production toured through several Dallas theatre venues, Houston, and Los Angeles's Encuentro de las Americas International Theatre Festival.[13]
Youth outreach and education[]
The Cara Mia Theatre Company is also dedicated to positively influencing and encouraging the community of Latino youth in Dallas through after school programs, residencies, and touring productions.[2]
The School of YES![]
The company developed The School of YES!––an arts academy with the mission of giving "young people the skills to say 'yes' to a future of their choice rather than feel pressured into a future defined by their environment."[1] The four-week, free summer program allows young artists to learn from professionals that are not only well-respected, but also "look like the students they are teaching."[1] The program is divided into two age levels. Those in the 7-14 age range are considered students, while high school teens in the 15-18 age range have the opportunity to work as paid student leaders. The packed daily schedule of the program involves workshops and classes in a variety of artistic disciplines––acting, dance, music, film––with the goal of teaching and encouraging community leadership.[14] According to School of YES! co-director Frida Espinosa Müller, they "teach children how to observe and share their ideas and realize that other people's ideas are good."[14]
Workshops and residencies[]
Cara Mía also reaches out to young artists through its various workshops and residencies that cover a wide range of topics such as puppetry, writing, drumming, and masks. These programs are offered throughout the year and reach out to children of all ages, from first to twelfth grade.[1]
Bilingual touring productions[]
The company also tours various bilingual shows across the Dallas area. Many of the shows are educational, addressing topics such as Texas history, Mayan culture, and the Mexican Day of the Dead tradition.[1]
References[]
- ^ a b c d e "Cara Mía Theatre Co". Cara Mía Theatre Co. Retrieved 2018-06-05.
- ^ a b c d "Meet Ariana Cook of Cara Mía Theatre Co. in City Center and South Dallas - Voyage Dallas Magazine | Dallas City Guide". Retrieved 2018-05-24.
- ^ a b c "Giving Voice to Our Community — TCG Circle". www.tcgcircle.org. Retrieved 2018-06-14.
- ^ a b c d e "Dallas Latina/o Theatres: Dynamic Collaborations and Audience Expansion". HowlRound Theatre Commons. Retrieved 2018-06-04.
- ^ "Next up at AT&T Performing Arts Center's Elevator Project Cara Mia Stages Octavio Solis' Lydia". Arts & Culture Texas. 2015-03-30. Retrieved 2018-06-04.
- ^ a b c d e "'Crystal City': How a play about a 1969 walkout for justice saved Cara Mia Theatre Company". Dallas News. 2016-09-29. Retrieved 2018-06-04.
- ^ "At Cara Mia Theater In Dallas, Latino Arts Take Center Stage". NBC News. Retrieved 2018-05-24.
- ^ Marrero, Teresa (2014-06-02). "Review: The Magic Rainforest: An Amazon Journey | Cara Mia Theatre Company | Arts Mission Oak Cliff". TheaterJones.com. Retrieved 2018-06-04.
- ^ a b "Review: Cara Mia's 'Zoot Suit' | Art&Seek". Art&Seek. 2014-12-15. Retrieved 2018-06-04.
- ^ "Next up at AT&T Performing Arts Center's Elevator Project Cara Mia Stages Octavio Solis' Lydia". Arts & Culture Texas. 2015-03-30. Retrieved 2018-06-04.
- ^ Lowry, Mark (2015-04-16). "Review: Lydia | Cara Mia Theatre Company". TheaterJones.com. Retrieved 2018-06-04.
- ^ a b c d "Not Willing to Wait for It: 'Deferred Action' Tackles Immigration". AMERICAN THEATRE. 2016-05-03. Retrieved 2018-05-24.
- ^ Lowry, Mark (2017-08-02). "TheaterJones | 2017-18 for Cara Mía Theatre". TheaterJones.com. Retrieved 2018-06-15.
- ^ a b Hibbs, Shelby-Allison (2015-06-15). "TheaterJones | Learning To Say YES". TheaterJones.com. Retrieved 2018-06-14.
- Theatre companies in Dallas