Latino Theatre Initiatives: Amplifying the Voices at and Across Our Border
Story by Nina Alegre
Edited by Abigail Vela
From theatre in the lower Valley to the upper Valley, the Rio Grande Valley (RGV) offers a space for people interested in performance arts. There is a large interest in theatre in the RGV, and we often hear stories of people from the Valley going on to put the RGV in the spotlight.
But whether it is a seasonal play, such as A Christmas Carol, or an adaptation of it, the RGV knows how to bring a well-rounded story into the fantastic and magical world of theatre.
Such is the case with the talent of the Latino Theatre Initiatives (LTI), an organization at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) that provides opportunities for Latinos through the UTRGV theatre department. In conversation with Karina Molina (she/her), a UTRGV theatre student and the president and production manager of LTI, we are able to showcase the massive talent that Latinos have not only at UTRGV but across our border.
An International Theatre Festival For Everyone
On May 2 and May 3, LTI hosted its 6th Annual International Theatre Festival. Attendees enjoyed two days of live theatre performed in Spanish by groups from the RGV, Reynosa, Monterrey, and Torreón, Mexico. The festival was free of cost, dinner was provided, and it also included two interactive children’s shows.
During LTI’s two days of live theatre, there was something for everyone to enjoy. The shows included “Ya lo sé que tú te vas” and “La flor con menos pétalos,” which were suited for adult audiences due to the heavy and serious themes that were spread throughout both plays. Meanwhile, “Ruly’s y betocles” and “La lente maravillosa” were suited for children due to the engaging themes in both plays. One play showed children a great time, while the second taught them about the importance of hygiene.
Molina, LTI’s production manager and president, mentioned she was also directing a play at this year’s annual festival: “La lente maravillosa” or “The marvelous lens.” Molina has been a part of LTI for a long time. She first joined LTI by auditioning for one of their children’s shows that they were going to tour and take to New Orleans. “La lente maravillosa” is the last show that Molina will direct before graduating in May. Molina says it’s very special to her because children’s theatre is where she started, bringing her to a “full-circle moment.”
The storyline of “La lente maravillosa” tells the story of an old man teaching children about invisible germs. The old man uses a large magnifying glass to show them what germs look like. However, the story takes a magical turn when the magnifying glass is flipped, causing the germs to come to life and terrorize the children. The play’s narrative emphasizes the importance of hygiene as the means to defeat the animated, monstrous germs.
Molina also discussed the value of children’s theatre and hygiene. She said, “The reason I wanted to do a children’s show is because […] not only are we performing it at the festival, we’re touring it to some [elementary schools], so that they can experience Spanish theatre, and also there’s a message behind it. I know it’s cheesy, staying clean, but especially […] post-COVID, it’s very important for children to understand hygiene.”
Navigating a Post-COVID World and Difficult Topics
The opening night’s two plays, “Ya lo sé que tú te vas” and “La flor con menos pétalos,” left many attendees with tears in their eyes or laughter bubbling out of their mouths. What is true is that the stories both plays told left powerful messages beyond their 60-minute duration that marked the souls of LTI’s supportive audience.
Not so long ago, the COVID-19 pandemic took the lives of many, and the entire world struggled to get back on its feet. The play “Ya lo sé que tú te vas” is about a woman who tells her story of losing a loved one to COVID-19. Despite the play’s heavy theme, the play encapsulated all of life and the pain and joy that come with being alive. The young actress, Neixa Rodriguez, a UTRGV student from Reynosa, showed her talent through each emotion she portrayed, not only with her facial expressions but with her whole body. The set design was unique and resembled a living room, with a sofa, a coffee table, and photographs attached to strings with various clips.
As Rodriguez introduced herself and her story, she often broke the third wall and then restored it, almost as if the audience was a band-aid that she peeled and attached to herself as a way to heal. Although the play’s theme involved death, there was also comedy. Throughout the play, the Rodriguez chose three audience members, one after another, after she shared a letter she wrote or prayed for her father to get better, they all sang Juan Gabriel songs such as “El Noa Noa,” “Buenos Dias Señor Sol,” and “Ya Lo Sé Que Tú Te Vas,” which was the closing song.
The second play of the opening night was by Teatromorfosis, titled “La flor con menos pétalos,” which followed the theme of death, yet created something new and refreshing. It is the story of Ana María Morimoto, who travels to the other side of the world in an effort to understand the ties with the people she has most admired and most detested. In this second play, there were three actresses on stage: Grace Stephanie, Evelyn Reyes, and Diana Espinosa, who sang, danced, and portrayed every emotion you could think of in “La flor con menos pétalos.”
The set design aligned with the theme of Japan, where Ana María travels to find the man she believes is her father, but also decides to travel to this country with the intention of committing suicide. With many teenagers considering attempting suicide, when we talk about difficult topics through theatre, we can open up the portals toward healing for ourselves and others.
At the end, Ana María learns the truth and brings closure to herself with a letter she writes, leaving behind all the pain she is carrying. She goes back home, and as the play ends, Ana María is forever changed and grown. As we say goodbye to Ana María, we learn to let go of our pain as well.
Support Latino Theatre Near You!
Through the magical world of theatre, we can experience many emotions and peek inside the characters’ lives, which can remind us of ourselves or those we know.
By showcasing the 6th Annual International Theatre Festival, LTI was able to reach an audience and make an impact without creating a barrier for anyone who wants to experience a theatre festival in the Valley. Since LTI is also a free event, it gives us the opportunity to show up and support LTI and Latino theatre near our communities.
Lastly, Molina shared her thoughts on the theatre at UTRGV and in the Valley, “The theatre scene at UTRGV and in the Valley is so different. It’s so niche, but it’s also so important. It’s different than what you would see in commercial theatre. There’s a lot of heart in it, and in our area, we don’t have a lot of opportunities to do theatre. So, the hunger to do it is always there. So, whenever there is a production, everybody involved is putting their everything into it and their love and their hard work, and it creates community and it boosts morale and it creates a sense of […] family. Yes, it’s dysfunctional, but at the end of the day, we all have the same goal, which is to put on a good show and tell a story.”
Hopefully, Molina’s words can encourage you to support LTI at their annual festival next spring!
