A new play by Raul Garza. Directed by David Yeakle.
November 5-16, 2008 at the Long Center for the Performing Arts,
Rollins Studio Theatre
$14-$18
call 512-474-LONG or visit THE LONG CENTER WEBSITE.
Fantasmaville humorously examines the love/hate relationship Latino-Americans have with the ghosts of past people and places. When a world-weary Latina, Celeste, and her Anglo husband, Martin, desire to experience a sense of community, they return home to the urban neighborhood where they both grew up. They resist the surge of gentrification. Colorful local characters, including an advice-spinning “Mexican Spirit Guide” who takes on the form of a human-sized raccoon, complicate the couple's return. While facing the threat of a yuppie-centric Dog Park encroaching on her neighborhood, Celeste discovers the secret of her heritage, her purpose, and her longing for a sense of home.
Fantasmaville is the winner of the 2007 National Latino Playwriting Award.
“Fantasmaville is a hilarious play about the cost of urban blight on the Latino soul,” said Arizona Theatre Company’s Playwright-in-Residence Elaine Romero, “The judges were won over by Raul Garza's fresh comedic voice. One gets the sense that Garza intimately knows the characters he writes. Garza writes with a fluent Chicano tongue, dancing effortlessly between English and Spanish. With a strong dose of irony, Garza captures the plight of urban Chicanos caught between their treasured cultural past and their assimilated present.”
Teatro Vivo provides a window into a shared humanity, addressing critical social issues by producing culturally relevant theatre about the Latino experience.
Whether presenting a full-length play, conducting a theater workshop, collaborating with community organizations or teaching in after-school programs, Teatro Vivo artists seek to open a unique window into the Latino culture and build a bridge to understanding the humanity we all share. Click to visit their website.
