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PLAY GUIDE · Brian Jerome Peterson Sound Designer Bruno Ingram* Production Stage Manager *Denotes...
Transcript of PLAY GUIDE · Brian Jerome Peterson Sound Designer Bruno Ingram* Production Stage Manager *Denotes...
PLAY GUIDE
2018 2019
SCENE IN AMERICA
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CONTENTS
Contents ....................................................................................................................................................................... 1
About ATC .................................................................................................................................................................... 2
Introduction to the Play ............................................................................................................................................... 3
Note from the Playwright ............................................................................................................................................. 4
Cast and Creative ......................................................................................................................................................... 5
Historical Context – Mariachi in the USA ................................................................................................................... 6
Works Cited .................................................................................................................................................................. 7
Glossary of Spanish Terms ......................................................................................................................................... 7
Secondary Classroom Guide .................................................................................................................................... 10
American Mariachi Play Guide by Cameron Abaroa
For questions about the guide, please contact [email protected]
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ABOUT ATC
The mission of Arizona Theatre Company is to inspire, engage, and entertain –
one moment, one production, and one audience at a time.
Under new leadership – and now celebrating its 52nd-season – Arizona Theatre Company is truly
“The State Theatre.” Our company boasts the largest subscriber base of any performing arts
organization in Arizona, with more than 130,000 people each year attending performances at the
historic Temple of Music and Art in Tucson, and the elegant Herberger Theater Center in
downtown Phoenix.
Each season of carefully selected productions reflects the rich variety of world drama – from
classic to contemporary plays, from musicals to new works – as audiences enjoy a rich emotional
experience that can only be captured through live theatre. ATC is the preeminent professional
theatre in the state of Arizona. Under the direction of Artistic Director David Ivers in partnership
with Managing Director Billy Russo, ATC operates in two cities – unlike any other League of
Resident Theaters (LORT) company in the country.
ATC shares the passion of the theatre through a wide array of outreach programs, educational
opportunities, access initiatives, and community events. Through the schools and summer
programs, ATC focuses on teaching Arizona’s youth about literacy, cultural development,
performing arts, specialty techniques used onstage, and opens their minds to the creative power of
dramatic literature. With approximately 450 Learning & Education activities annually, ATC
reaches far beyond the metropolitan areas of Tucson and Phoenix, enriching the theatre learning
experience for current and future audiences.
The Temple of Music and Art: The home of
ATC productions in downtown Tucson
The Herberger Theater Center: The home
of ATC productions in downtown Phoenix
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INTRODUCTION TO THE PLAY
By JOSÉ CRUZ GONZÁLEZ
Directed by CHRISTOPHER ACEBO
A vibrant new comedy from the mind of former Childsplay (Tempe, AZ) playwright-in-
residence José Cruz González. Spending her days caring for her ailing mother, Lucha yearns to
break her monotonous routine. Here’s a wild idea: an all-girl mariachi band! But it’s the 1970s,
and girls can’t be mariachis … or can they? As Lucha and her spunky cousin hunt for bandmates,
dodge disapproving relatives, and bring mom along for the ride, they wonder: Will the band
actually come together? As they practice, perform, and break with tradition, their music sparks a
transformation in the lives of those around them – especially Lucha’s parents. American
Mariachi is a heartwarming and hilarious new comedy about music’s power to heal and connect,
and the freedom to dream big. It features gorgeous live mariachi music that will send your heart
soaring and put a bounce in your step. Share this show with the ones you love and let its vibrant
music transform your lives too.
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NOTE FROM THE PLAYWRIGHT “Mariachi has been with me my whole life. When my mother cleaned the house on Saturdays,
we’d hear the music on her little record player. It was always in my family, but it wasn’t until
about nine years ago that I started studying it. I teach at Cal State Los Angeles, where I decided
to take a mariachi course. The play’s music director, Cindy Reifler Flores, taught the class. Little
by little, I reconnected with the joy of the music. It was out of studying with Cindy and other
mariachi teachers and listening to their stories that this journey began. American Mariachi is the
story of Lucha, who spends her days caring for her ailing mother but yearns to break her
monotonous routine. Here’s a wild idea: an all-girl mariachi band! But it’s the 1970s, and girls
can’t be mariachis...or can they? American Mariachi is a heartwarming and hilarious comedy
about family, progress, and the freedom to dream big that will send your heart soaring.”
- José Cruz González
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CAST AND CREATIVE CAST
Satya Jnani Chavez Hortensia “Boli” Perez
Danny Bolero* Federico Morales / Choir / Chuy
“Pepe” Bravo
Diana Burbano* Amalia Morales / Doña Lola
Sol Castillo* Mino Avila / Padre Flores / Customer
/ Holy Roller
Christen Gee Celaya* Lucha Morales
Alicia Coca Isabel Campos / Party Guest
Osiris Cuen Gabby Orozco / Berta / Customer
Esteban Dagnino Mariachi-Trumpet
Eduardo Enrikez*
Mateo Campos / Drunk Uncle / Choir
/ Holy Roller / Los Muchachos / René
/ Rubén
Francisco Javier Molina Mariachi-Violin
Stephanie Swift Molina Tía Carmen
Marlene Montes* Soyla Reyna / Sister Manuela / Party
Guest / Holy Roller
Ali Pizarro Mariachi- Vihuela
Antonio A. Pró Mariachi-Guitarrón
CREATIVE
Christopher Acebo Director
Cynthia Flores Music Director
Efren Delgadillo Jr. Scenic Designer
Kish Finnegan Costume Designer
Brian Jerome Peterson Sound Designer
Bruno Ingram* Production Stage Manager
*Denotes members of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage
Managers in the United States.
Denotes artists included in the ATC’s Arizona Artists Initiative.
ARIZONA ARTISTS INITIATIVE is a new initiative that furthers ATC’s commitment to our community
and the artists who live in Arizona, were born in Arizona, return or move to Arizona, or write about
Arizona. As the Official State Theatre of Arizona, we celebrate the impact Arizona has on the arts.
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HISTORICAL CONTEXT – MARIACHI IN THE USA The tradition of Mariachi has its roots in music older that the United States itself, and much like
the Americas, it developed with the intersection of cultures.
With the colonization of the Americas by Spain throughout the 15th and 16th century, western
music was brought to the indigenous peoples such as the Aztecs, who mixed European styles and
tribal music. With the arrival of African slaves during the Spanish occupation, African musical
traditions mixed yet again with those of the Europeans and of the indigenous peoples.
The first instance of the word “Mariachi” to describe this unique blend of musical styles appears
in the writings of Father Cosme Santa Anna in 1852. By then, of course, the U.S. had acquired
much of Mexico in the Mexican-American War, and many of the former residents of Mexico
were now U.S. Nationals, officially bringing Mexican traditions, including mariachi, to the
United States of
America.
Mariachi as we know
it today, with the
famous trajes and
five-person groups,
really developed in
the 1920s-1930’s in
Mexico City, which
spread quickly
through Mexico and
the American West,
and became
internationally
recognized through
the dissemination of
movies, television, and
radio.
According to Mariachi Music, the official site for Mariachi Vargas, the leading mariachi network
in the U.S., “Mariachi Uclatlán, founded in 1961 at the University of California at Los Angeles
(UCLA) Institute of Ethnomusicology, pioneered the academic mariachi tradition, and today
educational institutions throughout the Southwest offer classes in mariachi music. Mariachi
Cobre, the first prominent Mexican-American mariachi group, was founded in Tucson, Arizona
in 1971 (Mariachi Music in the U.S., n.d.).”
“In 1979, a U.S. mariachi movement was born at the First International Mariachi Conference
held in San Antonio, Texas. Since then, mariachi festivals and conferences have proliferated in
the United States; Mexico celebrated its first international mariachi festival in 1994. Linda
Members of a mariachi band march in the Fiestas Patrias Parade in Seattle,
Washington, in 2015. Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.
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Ronstadt's 1987 album, Canciones de mi padre, heralded the creation of a new audience for
mariachi music among non-Hispanics,” reports West Music (West Music, n.d.).
Mariachi has become a symbol of Mexican and Mexican-American tradition and pride. Today
throughout the U.S. and Mexico, Mariachi groups remind us of the blend of cultures, nations,
and peoples that have joined together to create music.
WORKS CITED Mariachi Music in the U.S. (n.d.). Mariachi Music in the U.S. Retrieved from Mariachi Vargas:
https://mariachimusic.com/about/history/us-mariachi-music/
West Music. (n.d.). A Brief History of the Mariachi Tradition. Retrieved from West Music:
http://content.westmusic.com/resources/brief-history-of-mariachi/
GLOSSARY OF SPANISH TERMS
GLOSARIO DE PALABRAS ESPAÑOLAS
José Cruz Gonzáles, the playwright, uses many common Spanish expressions to highlight the
reality of living bilingual,that is, fluently speaking two languages at the same time.
Doña – Mrs. In this case Mrs Cuqui, a neighbor of the Morales
Vieijto- “Little Old One”, a kindly diminutive referring to Mr. Sanchez.
Ama – an informal address for Mother (similar to the term “Mom”)
Donde está mi Tia Carmen? – “Where is my aunt Carmen?”
Cuando Viene? – When is she coming?
Tengo que cocinar – I must cook
La cena no ‘sta lista – the dinner is not ready ( ‘sta is used as a colloquialism of está)
Tu, quien eres? – who are you?
‘Apa – an informal address for Father (similar to the term “Dad”)
Que’s esto? - What is this? (note that Que’s is a contraction of que “what” and es “is”)
Que no la estabas cuidando? – You weren’t watching her?
Tienes solo una responsibilidad – You have only one job
Chamba – a gig
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Mi’ja – my daughter, a contraction of Mi Hija
Prima – a female cousin
Chilaquiles – a traditional Mexican dish consisting of tortillas, a red salsa or mole, and pulled
chicken. It also happens to be the preferred traditional dish of the author of this Study
Guide .
Traje – suit, used in the play to describe a traditional Mariachi suit.
Muy Guapo – Very Handsome
Fregona – literally “mop”. Used here as a term of endearment.
Mamita – literally “little mama”, used here as a term of endearment.
Chisme – gossip
Musica – Music
otra, otra! – another, another!
Mentirosa – liar, literally a female liar
por vida – for life
Gringos – Americans, specifically white Americans
Mariachi es tradicion, amor, y familia – Mariachi is Tradition, Love, and Family
Que estan haciendo? – What are you doing?
YA BASTA – stop it now!
Calmate, mi bella, calmate – literally “calm down, my beautiful one, calm down”
Despiertate, Lucha, Chingao! – Wake up Lucha! Come on!
Mujeres – Women
Demonios – Demons
Ay Dios Mio – Oh my god
Orale – Whoa!
Escuchame – listen to me
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ELEMENTARY CLASSROOM GUIDE Discussion Questions
1. What does Lucha want? Why does she want it?
2. Which of the band members do you most relate to, why or why not?
3. Why is Federico so against the mariachi band? What causes him to change his mind?
4. What is the biggest lesson you learned from this play?
Classroom Activities
Cuenta Tu Historia
Have students draw or act out their own experiences with discrimination or dealing with the
illness of a family member, whichever is most relevant to them. How did they handle the
challenge? Is the challenge still ongoing?
Mixing Cultures
Mariachi was developed from a mix of cultures. Using the information presented in the
Historical Context, start a discussion with your students about how working together, differences
can create incredible art and music.
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SECONDARY CLASSROOM GUIDE Discussion Questions
1. Why do Lucha, Boli, Isabel, Gabby, and Soyla join the band? How does each of them
change because of their involvement?
2. Which of the band members do you feel most connected to? Why?
3. What impact does Amalia’s demetia effect and change each character?
4. How does the use of Spanish impact each character’s interactions? How does this relate
to how we interact with those around us?
Classroom Activities
Mixing Cultures
Because Mariachi is a mixture of indigenous, European, and African music, it is a direct result of
colonization. Using mariachi as a base, track the colonization of Mexico and the United States,
and discuss how each culture arrived in the Americas. Let this be a springboard for a larger
discussion on mixing cultures and globalization today.
Compare and Contrast
Using the play, have students compare their own experiences with those of Lucha and the other
band members. Since the 70’s, what has changed? What has stayed the same?
Cuenta Tu Historia
Have students discuss or write about their own experiences with discrimination or dealing with
the illness of a family member, whichever is most relevant to them. How did they handle the
challenge? Is the challenge still ongoing? If a student cannot or would prefer not answer these
questions, have them answer instead “How am I like Federico? How am I like Lucha? What do I
need to do to overcome my own prejudices?”