Photo by Melyssah Jade

The title My Tidy List of Terrors may mislead some to expect a play full of whimsical worry à la Shel Silverstein. Nothing could be further from the show on stage at the South Dallas Cultural Center.

Local playwright Jonathan Norton settles the pain and paranoia caused by the Atlanta Child Murders on the characters and audience alike. Inside his pressure-cooking fish bowl, a simple coming of age tale takes on epic proportions.

Director Cora Cardona mixes in ritual dance, mask and projections seamlessly. The result of this recipient of the 2010 Diaspora Performing Arts Commission is a story that commands reflection and respect.

From the summer of 1979 to the spring of 1981, some 30 people from Atlanta were abducted and killed. Most were children and adolescents and all were African-American.

In the middle of this terror, Vara (Nadine Marissa) is trying to raise her son, Ishmael (Joshua Darius Jackson). Fortunately, the affluent family that she has cooked for has agreed to let her move in temporarily. This sets the stage for intra-racial tensions caused by socio-economic divisions and differing styles of parenting.

Charles (Douglas Carter) and Gabby (JuNene K) have a son, too. Stevie (Timothy Owens II) is 9, where Vara’s son is 14. Put them under the same roof and the clashes begin.

To complicate matters more everyone comes to the table with their own baggage. Charles is a pastor who has lost his flock. Gabby mourns the loss of her role as the preacher’s wife. Ishmael is tormented by being 14 and not baptized yet. But the biggest burden belongs to Vara. She blames herself for the disappearance of her cousin Reva’s (Renee Miche’al) child to the snatcher.

Photo by Melyssah Jade

Norton writes the play like a game of solitaire leisurely combining the characters, confident in the Atlanta Child Murders’ backdrop to tie it all together. The result is a pretzel of plotlines peppered with some powerful scenes.

Nadine Marissa plays Vara as the archetypal single mother trying to do what is right.  Her authentic nobility stands in contrast to the assumed superiority of affluent employer, Gabby.  Junene K creates a Gabby bent on belittling Vara. Their relationship evolves as they work out the difference in their stations.

Likewise former Pastor Charles and Ishmael work on his evolution to manhood and pursuit of salvation. Douglas Carter and Joshua Darius Jackson establish a relationship with such a strong father/son dynamic their discussion of baptism is not only believable but also real and immediate.

The best work of the show is when Ishmael finally gets Vara to talk to Cousin Reva. Renee Miche’al and Nadine Marissa, in their climactic reconciliation, show how the paralysis of grief and guilt can begin to ebb.

The play ends with resolve but not resolution. It seems to say that making it through is about making do. The murders aren’t solved but the relationships are sound again. And that’s what’s important. After all, burdens bared are burdens shared. 

Eliberto Gonzalez is a proud Latino-American, fully embracing the culture and speaking the language. At one point he was spanked for being bilingual.

Stirring a glass of sweetened iced tea at a Dallas IHOP recently, Gonzalez smiles to himself as he remembers the racism he felt in his Port Isabella, Texas Elementary School. If anyone was caught speaking Spanish, they received a spanking.

“We were targeted because we were Mexican-American,” said Gonzalez after taking another sip. “I wondered why everyone was so angry.”

Eliberto Gonzalez

Gonzalez, now 60, grew accustomed to the racism in Port Isabella and was shocked to find more positive experiences in the bigger cities that he lived in as an adult, including Austin. As the population of Latino-Americans grew across the U.S., so did the amount of literature Gonzalez found celebrating his culture. The Physical Education major from The University of Texas Pan-American was especially drawn to theater and plays that depicted his culture.

“I wasn’t a theater artist, but I was already hooked by the power of it as a young man in school,” said Gonzalez. The only problem was that no one was producing Latino-American plays. That’s when Gonzalez took it upon himself to start the Cara Mia Theater Company in Dallas in 1998.

Cara Mia, currently performing in the Latino Cultural Center, is the only company in Dallas exclusively producing plays about the Latino-American experience in the U.S. The necessity for theater of this kind comes in response to the culture’s growing presence in the Dallas community.

For the past 15 years, Gonzalez’s theater has carved out a place on the Dallas theater scene.

“We’ve always had a solid audience following,” said David Lozano, the Artistic Director of Cara Mia. “In the past couple years, we’ve sold out the Latino Cultural Center with almost every production.”

“We’re very small, but we’ve already made an impact,” said Gonzalez.

Lozano attributes his company’s success to people who share Gonzalez’s vision. With little money and publicity, the company is funded mostly by grants, donations, and money that Gonzalez makes from his own roofing business.  Lozano says that it’s the community that keeps them together and makes the shows worth it.

“Our audience members feel they need our productions,” said Lozano. “They leave our shows exhilarated that their lives are being portrayed on that stage.”

According to Robert Kemper, Professor of Anthropology at SMU, Dallas County grew by about 150,000 people in the past 10 years, with about half the new growth being from Hispanics. That means the Latino culture has changed the face of Dallas over the past decade. Gonzalez’s goal was to finally give a voice to this new population, even if his was not the first Hispanic theater in the city.

Teatro Dallas, established in 1985, is dedicated to presenting all styles of theater that reflect the Latino community.  “Our mission is to bring theater from a wide range of Latin cultures to this Dallas audience,” said Cora Cardona, the Managing Artistic Director of Teatro Dallas.

So, what was the need for Cara Mia Theater if the Latino community was already represented?

The answer lies in the difference between “Latino” and “Latino-American.” Gonzalez contends that “Latino” includes just about every Spanish speaking country, which is what he saw represented on any of his numerous visits to Teatro Dallas. Shows about the Latino-American, who grew up in the United States, however, were few and far between. Lozano said that there is merit in what each theater focuses on.

“Their focus is to look at literature from Latin America and abroad,” said Lozano. “We need that.”

Lozano brings Latino-American plays to life with the help of a small group of Hispanic actors from vastly different backgrounds.  Ana Gonzalez, an actress in the company, is a student at Richland College who was not very proud of her Latin roots growing up in Dallas.

“I used to feel ashamed to say I’m Mexican,” said Gonzalez peering over her caramel macchiato at a local coffee shop one recent afternoon.

She was one of only three Mexicans in her second grade class and was ridiculed for being different. She even failed Spanish tests on purpose to try and fit in, but it didn’t work. Looking back on it, Gonzalez knows that working with Cara Mia helps her to take pride in her heritage and hopes it gives other people encouragement too.

“We need more positive things about the Mexican community,” said Gonzalez, now 24. “We don’t usually get to see it.”

Priscilla Rice, another actress in Cara Mia, agrees that working in the company has built up pride in herself, but is touched even more by the effect the plays have on the community. Cara Mia also conducts workshops and theater camps for kids who want to learn about theater.

“We teach them that it’s okay to be themselves,” said Rice. “It’s really a blessing.”

Manuel Pecina brings his son to ballets and theater shows across Dallas and has recently added Cara Mia to his list. In the last two years, Pecina witnessed numerous performances and involved his son in the theater camp.

The next Cara Mia production will be an original work co-written by David Lozano and Jeffery Farrell called “Nuestra Pastorela”, a family-friendly spin on the Mexican folk tale. Performances will run December 2-17 at the Latino Cultural Center. Information about tickets and upcoming performances can be found on caramiatheater.com or by calling 214-717-5297.

Nick Cains is a senior Theater major at SMU with a minor in Convergence Journalism. Nick wrote the show “How to be Black” which was produced for the SMU’s campus.

The Mountain View College Theatre Department is proud to announce the conclusion of its 2010-2011 Season with the Anna Deavere Smith’s theatrical documentary, Twilight: Los Angeles 1992.

Twilight: Los Angeles 1992 gives the audience a glance into civil unrest and the events separating Los Angeles in the wake of the Rodney G. King beating and the verdict of the first trial. Created by over two hundred interviews conducted by Smith herself, this mosaic of pontificating voices reflects the tension of a city in turmoil, avoids using blame for what happened, and attempts to aid the process of healing through a kaleidoscopic of language and class. Twilight ruthlessly offers a rendering of complex social, economic and political issues surrounding the catastrophic event that remain prevalent today.

The performance features an ensemble of 21 students and guest artists playing over fifty diverse voices affected by, involved in, or related to the conflict. The cast includes MVC students Sharonda Anthony, Shenequa Crockett, Julie Curtis, Samantha Gutierrez, Milan Hughes, Edgar Ipina, Paula Jiminez, Jessica Kozlik, Jocelyn Michelle, Courtney Moore, Angel Moreno, LaKenya Moss, Robert Natal, Yilleni Nino, Amir Razavi, Reba Scott, Maggie Simmons, and Dontae Square.  The cast is rounded out by guest artists Bobby Anderson and Professor Mika Rogers.

Adjunct professor Akin Babtunde directs this production. Mr. Babtunde is an accomplished action, director, writer, and coach whose career spans the regional to Off-Broadway to international stages of the world. He has been a resident company member of several prestigious theatres – Trinity Rep, Alley Theater, La Mama NYC, Florida Stage, and the Dallas Theater Center. He is the recipient of several awards, most recently the Audelco for Best Director of a Musical.

The performance will take place in the MVC Performance Hall and will run Wednesday through Sunday, June 22, 2011 through June 26, 2011.  We are located at 4849 W. Illinois Avenue, and the performance hall is located on the east side of the campus.

Wednesday through Saturday evening performances will be at 7:30 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday matinees will be at 2:30 p.m. For more information and to make reservations, contact the Mountain View College Fine Arts Department at 214-860-8671.  Please be advised that this production contains strong language and adult content which may not be suitable for children under the age of 12.

L to R: (standing) Edgar Estrada (sitting) Armando Monsivais, Lydia Enriquez, Juan Pedro Cano, (standing) Sergio Rodríguez, and (sitting) Marti Etheridge

Teatro Dallas presents the American premiere of Arístides Vargas’ The Maiden of the Used Books April 22-May 29. Performances are Fridays and Saturdays at 8:15 p.m. and Sundays at 3:00 p.m.

The Maiden of the Used Books, is a dark, absurd comedy and commissioned translation by TD. Telling the story of a father who is responsible for assaulting and allowing others to assault his own family, the play exposes the horrors of dictatorships that take place in both Latin America and around the world.

L to R: Edgar Estrada, Marti Etheridge and Sergio Rodríguez

Vargas’ writing reflects his experiences during the “Dirty War” of Argentina when thousands of civilians were tortured and “disappeared.” His sarcastic and poetic text promises to entertain, move, and make you laugh. Teatro Dallas is proud to have Vargas’ unique and imaginative work return to their stage. His play Octopus’ Garden was one of TD’s greatest hits.

Translation: Sara Cardona
Direction: Cora Cardona
Staring: Marti Ethridge as the Maiden, Juan Pedro Cano, Lydia Enriquez, Edgar Estrada, Armando Monsivais, Sergio Rodríguez,and Laura Watson.
Lighting design: Jeff Hurst
Set design: Nick Brethauer.
Photography: Leticia Analiz

Performances take place at Teatro Dallas, 1331 Record Crossing Road Dallas, TX 75235.

Pilar Ortiz-Groseclose (L) as Older Esperanza and Ana Gonzalez (R) as Young Esperanza. Photo by Fabián Aguirre of Sauros Digital.

Interesting things are happening inside the theater at the Latino Cultural Center on Live Oak. Cara Mia Theatre Company, a nonprofit organization founded in 1996, has been bringing a broad understanding of Chicano and Mexican-American culture to the stage.

Saturday was the preview for their newest production of Sandra Cisneros’ novel; The House on Mango Street. The novel is composed of short vignettes that do not necessarily connect with one another and told from the perspective of a young Chicana girl named Esperanza. The play is told from the point of view of an older Esperanza, played by Pilar Ortiz-Groseclose, remembering her past.  The scenes represent the memory of her past where a younger Esperanza (played by Ana Gonzalez) picks up the narrative.  Director David Lozano had been looking to produce this play since 2006.

L-R Ileana Alcala, Kimberly Gutierrez and Patricia Gaytan during intermission of The House on Mango Street (Photo by Jovana Sanchez-Melendez)

Saturday’s preview was highly anticipated by many within the Latino community.  According to audience member Patricia Gaytan, Cara Mia did a good job of promoting the play which followed its acclaimed production Crystal City 1969 in December. Gaytan, a school teacher plans to read the novel to her fourth grade class.

The story is one many Chicanos and Mexican-Americans can easily relate to. Esperanza is a preteen coming of age in a neighborhood full of different personalities. She struggles to understand her changing body and find her voice within the ever present landscape of poverty and male oppression.

Cara Mia is putting forth a view of young Hispanic Americans that is the most honest and truthful I have ever seen. “I find that our plays represent the Latino / Chicano experience that is almost never fairly represented in mainstream theater, film or TV,” said Director David Lozano.

Years ago, the few Latinos in prominent TV shows were typecast as the conga player, handy man or the sultry next door neighbor. Latino children had nowhere to turn to view a character they truthfully could relate to.  Spanish language programing offered less hope as novelas imported from Latin America showed a lifestyle far different from ours here.

But The House on Mango Street addresses far more than Chicano culture.  Esperanza subtlety hints at a male dominated world on Mango Street where women are domineered by their husbands and fathers. Esperanza struggles to understand the attention her physical changes receive from boys and men.

“I felt that the main character Esperanza is really crying out for guidance in a world in which adults don’t address sexual issues directly but young people learn about in places like the “Monkey Garden” where her friend Sally has an encounter with three boys,” said Lozano.  “I knew that I had to direct this play to reveal this aspect of the story. I hope I was able to do that effectively,” he said.  These topics directly parallel real life and Lozano taps into the audience’s understanding successfully.

Everyone who attends will be able to relate to a character or moment within the play. The Chicano experience was depicted so precisely that many scenes seemed to be taken from personal story lines.

A scene where Esperanza’s father (played by Ivan Jasso) alerts her that his father has passed is an example of this.  Esperanza has to tell her siblings they cannot play outside or listen to music.  The scene brought chills to my spine because the same thing happened the day my grandfather passed away. We, just like the characters in the play, were unaware that the mourning process was supposed to be solemn. Jasso convincingly portrayed a distraught father and reminded me of my parents’ reaction.

The House on Mango Street brings to light the little told story of machismo and other barriers for women in the Hispanic community. “Many of us have mothers, grandmothers, and aunts who were unable to fulfill their dreams because of the machismo in traditional Mexican culture, because of language barriers, or even illness,” said Lozano.  He wants the audience’s lasting impression of the play to stay with characters which were never able to leave Mango Street.

The play’s story line is solid enough to be enjoyed in any setting.  But placed in the context of what Cara Mia Theatre is trying to accomplish makes it more of an experience than just a show.  Opening night for The House on Mango Street is Thursday, March 31^st. Those interested in seeing the seldom told story of how Chicanos experience their upbringing in America should purchase their tickets soon.

On Feb. 25, DaVerse Lounge, a spoken word showcase for ages 21 and under, kicked off its sixth season with an amazing collaborative show, hosted by spoken word artist Will Richey. Held at Life in Deep Ellum, more than 250 young people—ranging in age from toddlers to college students—experienced the arts first hand through an interactive evening of spoken word, music and visual art.

As always, teens from around the metroplex blessed the mic with their creative talents, including past participants from Carter High School in Dallas and Austin Middle School in Irving. Also on hand were students from the Thriving Minds After-school clubs at Cary, Hill, Comstock, Long and Stockard middle schools; as well as groups from St. Phillips School in South Dallas and Promise House.

With the help of ArtLoveMagic, a local nonprofit that creates live interactive arts experiences, attendees tried their hand at visual art in different mediums—from airbrush and acrylic painting to cartooning and collage—and musical improvisation with 3121, a trio of local musicians who led a jam session complete with drums and turntables.  In the main lounge, a steady stream of spoken word artists took to the mic, accompanied by local reggae/hip hop band, Melody Memory.
DaVerse Lounge returns with a second show on May 6 from 7-9 p.m. at Life in Deep Ellum. The event is presented by local creative education nonprofit Big Thought. For more information, call 469-916-9835.

Last Saturday Dallas enjoyed the harmonic sounds of Take 6 and the angelic voice Yolanda Adams at the beautiful Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center.  It was the perfect setting for the Jazz Meets Gospel concert, which was part of Larry Rosen’s Jazz Roots Series. Take 6 wowed the audience with their a cappela stylings from all of their albums past and present.

Not only do they have incredible voices, but it was amazing to witness Take 6 transform their singing voices into musical instruments to include the bass, drums, trumpets and trombone.  They can beat box with the best of them.The musical journey took us  from their humble beginnings up to today, and shared with us some of the artists that influenced them, including Nat King Cole, Earth/Wind & Fire, and everyone’s favorite…Prince all in one night.

Take 6 did exactly what they were supposed to do…get the crowd ready for the lovely singing voice of Yolanda Adams. And Yolanda did not disappoint. She gave the crowd every bit of everything she had in her.  Adams captivated us with her testimony, reminding those of us in the audience to let our inner lights shine.

She also offered advice and spiritual guidance by reminding us what God has already placed in us. Along with singing some of her best known songs like, ”Be Blessed” she left the crowd wanting more after ministering through one of her best known tunes, “Open My Heart.”

Select members of the community and youth were able to meet, speak and take pictures with both Yolanda and Take 6. Yolanda Adams and Take 6 mesmerized Dallas with their awesome vocals and testimonies.  I hope that they would come back to bless us again.

Ebony Emeralds Classic Theater returns to South Side on Lamar to perform “Three Tales of Black History” Monday, February 28 at 7:30 p.m. in the Blue Room.  Directed by Akin Babatunde and hosted by Liz Mikel, this theatrical performance celebrates Black History Month by sharing three extraordinary stories of three seemingly ordinary individuals in the black experience.

Get a glimpse of history through Annie Adair’s “To Gram With Love,” Marjie Johnson Reese’s “Rainy Saturday Nights In Lagos,” and a piece from Akin Babatunde’s amusing comedy “The Obituary.” It will be a night full of great story telling, discovery and laughter… Have fun and pay tribute to such a special month.

Who:               Ebony Emeralds Classic Theater
What:             Three Tales of Black History performance
When:            Monday, February 28, 2010, 7:30 p.m.
Where:           Southside on Lamar – Blue Room, 1409 S. Lamar Street Dallas
Cost:               Free admission

Auditions for “The Maiden of the Used Books”, a humor, absurd drama by Arístides Vargas, will take place Monday, February 21 and Tuesday, February 22 from 7-9 p.m. To make an appointment please contact Erica Herrera at 214-689-6492. All actors should prepare a monologue of his or her choice and bring a headshot and resume. Actors will be paid an honorarium (more details will be given at call backs).

We are looking for actors of all ethnic backgrounds who can demonstrate change in voice, age, and physical appearance. All performers except for the “Maiden” play multiple roles.

Roles available:

• The Girl of the Used Books- female between the ages of 16 and 25 who can pass as a 14- year-old

• Male actors between the ages of 30 and 60

• Female actresses between the ages of 20 and 50

Rehearsals will take place starting Thursday, March 10 and will continue Mondays through Fridays from 7-11 p.m. and Saturdays from 10a.m.-1p.m. The show runs April 15-May 22 Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8:15 p.m. and on Sundays at 3:00 p.m.

All auditions and performances will take place at:

Teatro Dallas
1331 Record Crossing Rd.
Dallas, TX 75235
214-689-6492
www.teatrodallas.org