1998

CALLING ALL FRIENDS…

SO WE’RE THINKING OF YOU!

1999

8th

Season


II Festival

Argentina

México

Costa Rica

Paraguay

Spain

Puerto Rico

Guatemala

USA

Manual de Instrucciones para el Ultimo Porteño

(Instruction Manual

For The Last Porteño)

Argentina

May 29 & 30

Coop. de Teatro "La Paternal"

by Bernardo Cappa

directed by Luis Roffman

About the Play: After an interminable rain, Buenos Aires disappears beneath the waters. There are only two survivors, Celina and Eloy, determined to preserve a doubtful memory of bolero-like tangos, electronically rebuilt bars and cloned custard. Locked in some hermetic place which protects them from the water, our characters minutely and tirelessly repeat a ritual that they believe will be the embryo of a future Buenos Aires. Yet something starts to crack that apparent equilibrium, the barking of dogs which slowly draws Eloy’s attention, leading him to question the apparent reality he’s accepted for so long. This, in turn, leads us to reflect on what it means to be a “porteño” and some of its component characteristics, as well as particularities of the performance.


Yepeto

Costa Rica

May 8 & 9

Teatro Nacional de Costa Rica

by Roberto Cossa

directed by Alfredo Catania

 

Nico Se Divierte

(Nico Amuses Himself)

Spain

May 13 & 14

Teatro del Sol

by Inés de la Cuadra

directed by Magna García Arenal

About the Play: Nico is a boy like any other. He’s naïve and curious, and would like to be brave like his friend Bruno. People always tell him he’s empty-headed or has his head in the clouds, or even worse, in putziplatz! My heavens! What’s that? It doesn’t matter where he is, Nico finds out everything, and knows where his bed and his books are, and how to brush his teeth, but especially how to play with his imagination. That’s why he dreams of adventures with his friend Bruno, with the Complaining King, with White Feather, with the curious Comet…and with other lovable characters in his fantasy world!


Trafalgar

Spain

May 15 & 16

Teatro Guirigai & Algarabía Teatro

by Agustín Iglesias

directed by Agustín Iglesias

From the Author/ Director: Writing this version took some work, but I can assure you that dreaming about a work for years helps considerable, and we must remember that Shakespeare already told us about several battles. Cervantes about the walls of Numantia, Brecht gave us some ideas on contemporary epic theatre.  Peter Brook examples of theatrical poetry, and what can we say  about Luca Roncoroni, Darío Fo, etc. in any event, we have masters – our daring and bold actors, who, more than anything , want to devour scenery and spectators (theatrically, of course…). You will understand that the author and director of this production did not lack for encouragement, energy and friends in plunging into this new theatrical voyage. I invite to you join me in combat!


María Estuardo

(Mary Stuard)

Guatemala

Mayo 27 & 28

Grupo Rayuela

by Dacia Maraini

directed by Julio Miranda

About the Play: Mary Stuart covers a 19–year period, during which the Queen of Scotland was the prisoner of Elizabeth of England. Two actresses on stage, each interpreting a Queen and the other Queen’s Lady-in-Waiting who exist only by the grace of their Queens. The Queens and their servants are forced to deny their bodies and have all been exposed to physical and psychological loneliness, despite their profound social differences. The play ends when Mary is beheaded, thinking that she will thus be freed. Elizabeth not only kills her cousin, she also kills her own feelings of what it means to be a woman.


Historias de Amor

(Love Stories)

México

May 6 & 7

Teatro de la Rendija

by Raquel Araujo

directed by Raquel Araujo

About the Play: LOVE STORIES is a play about the struggle among three women to define – from their individual perspectives – how love becomes an egg or a piece of meat. Bodies and desires fragmented by everyday desires which are often so impersonal and empty. LOVE STORIES is like a collection of short tales about other women and about ourselves. Stories of women to be told to other women, and to certain men so that they won’t fear being compared to or replaced by a piece of meat.


Trocito Cielo

(A Little Bit of Heaven)

Paraguay

May 21

Ballet Nacional

by Ramón Oller

directed by Ramón Oller

About the Play: “A LITTLE BIT OF HEAVEN” consists of slices of life, separate images brought together by a common reality. A human being’s feelings, and the physical, emotional and intellectual resistance in confronting the wear and tear caused by the passage of time. “Time goes by furtively, dissembling, we don’t see its footsteps. But suddenly we turn around and we find images that move behind us, fixed photographs with no time frame.” To grow is to begin to draw apart from others, to recognize that distance and accept it, to disappear with time leaving only remembrances in our memory.


La Madona con

el Corazón de Piedra

(The Madonna With the Heart of Stone)

Puerto Rico

May 1 & 2

Producciones Aleph

by Abniel Marat

directed by Carmelo Santana Mojica

About the Play: Marat reveals to us the world of intrigues and power struggles in the San Juan of 1558. Bishop Alonso Manso obtains a permit to found the First Convent of the Barefoot Carmelites for his niece, Sister María of the Sorrows. Uncle and niece, both corrupt and ambitious, represent the political structure of a Medieval Catholic Church. Fray Lorenzo Javier is the Bishop’s personal secretary. The Slaves represent popular values; one remains tied to her ancestral beliefs while the younger one is filled with a pure, simple and profound Catholic Faith. The appearance of a gold-lettered parchment, a gift from the Black Virgin of Monserrat to the slave and mystic known as Pilar, unleashes passions buried and hidden for years. The Spanish Inquisition investigates the event, opening the floodgates of Tragedy, whose waters will sweep away everything: only one character will survive.


Las Aventuras

de Pinocho

(The Adventures of Pinocchio)

USA

May 3, 4 & 5

Teatro de la Luna

adapted by Jacqueline Briceño

directed by Jacqueline Briceño

About the play: This theatrical experience is a voyage through one of the most recognized stories of fantastical literature, PINOCCHIO, by the Italian storyteller, Carlos Collodi, in a staging designed for young actors who bring to life several characters, dances and songs, putting into practice their skills and their playful and creative impulses. Four actors introduce to the audience the tender story of Papa Gepetto and his wooden doll, who one day comes to life to learn about lying and human ambition, as well as respect and love, in a game of good and evil which allows the children in the audience to draw their own conclusions and express them along with the actors.