Paul Flores and Julio Cardenas in REPRESENTA!
Teatro del Pueblo's Political Theatre Festival 2009
“Tertulia”: A Conversation was a post-performance conversation on the Politics of Social Justice in Latin America at a local coffee shop.
PERFORMANCES
Vivia’s Lament by Matthew Paul Olmos Directed by Hayley Finn: One immigrant woman’s tremendous journey.
R.I.P. by Jose Martinez Quierolo Directed by Carlos Vargas: An odd couple take their own humorous, post-mortem look at classicism based on their own aristocratic status.
La Autopsia by Enrique Buenaventura: A tragic look at one man’s struggle as his duty in society versus his duty to family. Presented in Spanish.
NEW INTERACTIVE PLAY by Dominic Orlando Directed by Brian Balcom: The trail of the century comes to Teatro del Pueblo and puts Social Justice to the test!
REPRESENTA!
REPRESENTA! Bilingual Theatre for the Hip-Hop Generation
Created and performed by Paul S. Flores and Julio Cardenas
Developed and Directed by Danny Hoch
REPRESENTA! is a new bilingual play for the hip-hop generation that combines spoken word poetry with character portrayals that are simultaneously hilariously entertaining and provocative. It explores global themes such as youth culture, immigration, terrorism and Pan-Latino identity through comedy and parody.
REPRESENTA! chronicles what happens when Chicano spoken word poet Paul Flores and Cuban rapper Julio Cardenas meet in Cuba at the Havana Hip-Hop Festival. Despite an atmosphere laden with the stereotypes and anxieties that exist between North Americans and Cubans, the two artists develop a friendship. But their relationship, ideals and dreams are challenged when Cardenas decides to stay in the U.S. while on tour in New York City immediately after 9/11.
The presentation of REPRESENTA! was made possible in part by the Walker Art Center and Macalester College. Presented in Spanish with some English, with English super titles for non-Spanish speakers.