Proyecto Latina's Radio Project

What I am going to remember and probably miss most about this past summer are my Thursday evenings. These were the evenings dedicated to getting the Proyecto Latina Radio project off the ground. After closing shop I would meet up with my fellow co-producer Diana Pando and we would catch a quick bite to eat at either La Cebollita or Los Comales and then stroll over to the Radio Arte studios to meet up with our other team members: Yolanda Cardenas, Ericka Sanchez and Miranda Gonzalez. Jesus Ortiz, the host of the Urban Alternatives show at Radio Arte patiently guided us through weeks of radio training and tolerated my affinity for freestyle music while enlightening me with some knowledge of hip hop music.

We've been a little quiet about our little Sunday project because we are still refining our radio editing and producing skills. The goal of the radio show is to build upon Proyecto Latina and the programming that we have already been doing with our Open mic and reading series. So far we've had the pleasure of featuring work by local Latinas such as Lisa Alvarado, and Tanya Saracho as well as an interview with Mexican author Elena Poniatowska. We encourage you to tune in on Sundays from 6 to 7 p.m. If you are in the area you can probably pick up the frequency on your radio (90.5 FM) or you can tune into wrte.org to listen as it streams online.

We are working on uploading our radio archives so you can access them any time you like. More on this project coming soon...

I *heart* nuestro teatro....

There is lots going on this fall in Latino theatre for the Chicagoland area. For me, these plays are just as important as the books that tell our stories. Show your support by attending, and helping pass the word along.










Kita y Fernanda
by Tanya Saracho
Kita y Fernanda is a look at class, immigration and women's friendships as it follows the lives of two girls growing up in the same household; one the privileged daughter of a rich Mexican family living in Texas the other Kita the child of an undocumented maid. Playing through October 26th at 16th Street Theatre in Berwyn.














Meet Juan(ito) Doe Directed by Ricardo Gamboa
Developed & Written by Ricardo Gamboa, Manuel Saucedo, Veronika Miranda, Alejandra Garcia and Mario Sanchez
Who is Juan Doe? An original ensemble devised piece by Teatro Americano exploring the realities of Latino youth in contemporary society composed from interviews, personal narratives and recent research. From gang violence to myspace, immigration to love and mix tapes, Teatro Americano has created a work that speaks to our collective and individual experiences as young Latinos. Juanito Doe is a busboy, gang member, a pregnant teen, an illegal student--Juanito Doe is you.

Saturday October 18th 7pm
Little Village Arts Festival
General Wood Boys & Girls Club
2950 W. 25th St
*Free event











Jarred: A Hoodoo Comedy
written by Tanya Saracho, directed by Belinda Cervantes & Tanya Saracho
In search for a cure to her heartbreak after a relationship turns sour, Alicia will try anything to mend her broken heart. When yoga, therapy, meditation (you name it she tried it) don't provide relief, her desperate search leads to a most unexpected practice: Magic. With the help of her friends, and three wise magi, Alicia mines the underworlds of Brujeria, Santeria and Hoodoo for folk magic recipes and ancient jar spells, in a frantic attempt to get her love back.

Begins October 31st, get tickets and details at here.
*Read my thoughts on the reading of Jarred, which I got to see this past summer at the Latino Theatre festival, better yet, see what the Chicago Tribune is saying about Tanya Saracho's work.

Proyecto Latina: September recap

This last Monday we got together for our September '09 edition of Proyecto Latina: we had chismes, open mic and a featured reading by Achy Obejas. The Yollocalli Gallery at Radio Arte, where we hosted our event, is currently decked out in various shades of pink because their current exhibit is about the Quinceanera tradition. I thought it was pretty cool and appropriate that our open mic participants and Achy got to read with a Latina deity of sorts (a student piece) watching over them.

If you missed it, we just want to let you know that copies of Achy's latest titles, This is what happened in our other life and Havana Noir are still available at Tianguis. You can also catch Achy September 26th where she will be having a conversation with Junot Diaz at Instituto Cervantes.

"jarred" in the most pleasant way

If Tianguis was the bookstore I always wanted to walk into then Teatro Luna was the theatre company that I always wanted to find--and I thank my lucky stars that Tanya Saracho and Coya Paz found each other and then founded it. Its been a love affair for me since I first discovered Teatro Luna when I saw Generic Latina about seven years ago.

I went to see the reading for Jarred last night, its Teatro Luna's next productions--due to open this fall--and part of this years Latino Theatre Festival at the Goodman.

I was left "jarred"(in the most pleasant way). I can't wait for this production to open. Mark your calendars.

Jarred opens November 6th and I'm sure details will soon be posted at the Teatro Luna website soon.

The amazing transformations of Desiree Castro

Desiree T. Castro piqued my interest when she sent word of her most recent project, The Cabrona Chronicles. The last time I had caught Desiree on stage she was in drag and playing Diego, a young boy in the men's bathroom with his dad learning about the rules of using the urinals. Next it was the solo piece that Desiree wrote for the Solo Tu show about motherhood.

Desiree explains that The Cabrona Chronicles is a piece about, "exploration of vital turning points in women's lives and those moments that trigger daughters to avenge their families, wives to leave their husbands, timid girls to have fist fights, students to discipline teachers, and grandmothers to mumble in their sleep,"Te estoy viendo cabrona."

I've had some of those turning points, so I can't wait to see Desiree at the next Proyecto Latina where she will be sharing excerpts from, The Cabrona Chronicles. Ginger Gallardo, Desiree's sister will be joining her with musical selections she's composed as part of the project.

This actress, writer, arts-educator, dancer and mother has a list of impressive accomplishments that include Teatro Luna's award winning show Machos and Solo Tu, she is also a company member for Barrel of Monkeys Theatre Company. You can read Desiree's complete bio here.

Come out and join us on Monday, June 21st at the Radio Arte studios, 1401 W. 18th Street, on the corner of 18th and Blue Island for this event. (Use the 18th street door.) Desiree will be our feature, there will be eight open mic slots and every one's favorite the chisme box.

Proyecto Latina: Redeems and inspires

I first met Josephine Gasca many years back when we both took a Latin American Literature class in college. When we received the syllabus Josephine thought to ask a very important question, "Why is there only one book by a Latina on the reading list?" We read many wonderful books that semester but only one was written by a female writer, with the exception of the authors we chose to write about for our independent projects. Our professor didn't budge and I hesitate to share what this individual answered, but I think you can probably guess what it sounded like. So, some ten years later, being a part of Proyecto Latina is a wonderful privilege and I value the opportunity to learn about and meet so many wonderful, established and emerging Latina writers--its complete redemption for having to sit through that awful class.

The third Monday of every month always inspires me, I would love to share that with you. So, I invite you to join us, Monday, March 17th, our feature is my old friend Josephine Gasca. I'm very excited about Josephine's feature because she will be reading and also doing belly dance performance for us. Remember that we will be meeting at Radio Arte, 1401 W. 18th St, on the corner of 18th and Blue Island. Open mic sign-up begins at 7 p.m. Free and open to the public.

Josephine Gasca graduated from Columbia College with an MFA in Creative Writing. In Chicago, she helped run the family drywall business, raised an amazing daughter, taught in Columbia's Fiction Department and gathered enough material for several novels. She moved to the East Coast a little over four years ago to devote more time to her writing and artistic pursuits. Her teaching repertoire now includes dance. She writes and and book keeps by day and belly dances at night.

February recap: Our February feature was Liz Sandoval. Liz and everyone who joined us, including the Chicago Journal, were wonderful sports and didn't complain much about the last minute venue change. In case you were unable to join us, Liz read a powerful memoir piece, From Zero to Fucked in Six Seconds, that you can go read here- its posted under a different title, White Daisies.

CELEBRATE WITH US! 2nd Anniversary Soiree

Proyecto Latina is brewing a wonderful celebration event for the night of Saturday, January 19th. Stay tuned for a lovely and talented lineup--a best of Proyecto Latina features from the past two years. We are grateful to the help of our friends at Radio Art and Junior's Sports Bar.


UPDATE:
Its a night to put your pen and papelitos away, and instead whip out your dancing shoes, and open up to inspiration. Proyecto Latina invites you to join us and celebrate our 2nd Anniversary on Saturday, January 19th 2008 at Junior's Sports Bar, 2058 W. Cermak Rd. (In Pilsen and a couple of blocks away from Tianguis.) We're bringing back highlights--crowd favorites of course--from our past features list to help us mark this wonderful occassion with amazing words, music and dancing. And we are super excited to cap the night off with two Proyecto Latina newcomers our two featured DJ's to put more groove in our night: La Primitiva and Spacerwoman.*

We get started at 7 p.m. Free admission and antojitos (while they last).

Silvia Rivera	Amanda Torres
Wendy (Gwen) Vargas	The Luna Blues Machine
La Primitiva	Spacerwoman

We owe a very BIG thanks to Radio Arte and Junior's Sports Bar.

*No open mic for this January event. We will be bring back the open mic with the February edition of Proyecto Latina.

This November Teatro Luna presents Machos

Teatro Luna, our co-collaborators for Proyecto Latina, have completed their next production. I'm super excited and can't wait to see Machos!

Tickets are already on sale and can be purchased directly from the Teatro Luna website.

MACHOS: Be a Man?...
Men. Women. Women dressed as men. Teatro Luna, Chicago's All-Latina Theater Company, announces the world premiere of MACHOS, an interview based play about contemporary masculinities. As always, Teatro Luna is cheeky, straightforward, and willing to ask even the most hard hitting questions: exactly how did you learn to use a urinal? MACHOS is presented In English with a sprinkle of Spanish.

LUNATIC(A)S, Teatro Luna's new show

Our friends over at Teatro Luna are once again doing what they do best. We went to see this show last Friday. I cried, I laughed, and laughed so hard I cried.

Don't miss the CRAZIEST show of the season! Teatro Luna's LUNATIC(A)S. That crazy stuff you don't want to admit you do? We'll confess it for you - you can just sit back and RELATE! I promise.

LUNATIC(A)S
June 7-July 15
@Chicago Dramatists
Thurs @ 7:30, Fri/Sat @8pm, Sun @ 3pm
$15 general admission/$10 students
For tickets and info call 773-878-LUNA or e-mail info@teatroluna.org




update: REVIEWS ARE IN!

Don't miss Teatro Luna's latest show, LUNATIC(A)S. Audiences love it and the critics do too! Here's a sampling of what they have to say:

JEFF RECOMMENDED

THE TRIBUNE:
Few theatrical endeavors capture the essence of the modern-day female better than Teatro Luna... This is chick lit without the bad writerly flourishes; Cosmo magazine without the quizzes or the how-to-please-your-man confections. Teatro Luna, of course, brings a funky Latina point of view to the table, and its shows are executed with a precision and liveliness that is hard to resist...the show as a whole contains some of the strongest observational humor you will find this side of "Sex and the City,"

TIME OUT CHICAGO
funny feministas....blistering, hilarious honesty about the everyday insanities they experience as women and as Latinas...

EPOCH TIMES
...this is pure comedy with a capital "C"."

XOXO, Teatro Luna's Valentine's Party

Tickets on sale @ Tianguis, 2003 S. Damen.













We hope you join us this weekend.

Featuring a special encore performance of S-e-x-Oh!, live music from The Luna Blues Machine and Nuestro Tambo

Saturday, February 10th, 7:30 p.m.
@ BOX CO, 4440 S. Ashland, 2nd Floor
$15 in advance/$20 at the door (suggested donation)

B.Y.O.B, bake sale, photo booth, and the chance to meet your secret admirer!

Texas, here they come!

"Hola to our Texas friends! Please SAVE THE DATE(S) : January 24-29th. Teatro Luna will be in San Antonio performing S-e-x-Oh! at the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center on Friday and Saturday night and showing a Probadita of our MACHOS show on Saturday and Sunday afternoons. MACHOS will be FREE and S-e-x-Oh! will be about $10 (I think). Times TBA, but PLEASE spread the word. We'd love to see you and your friends and your family and your neighbors and your coworkers there!" --Teatro Luna

For more info: www.teatroluna.org or myspace.com/teatroluna