Teatro Luna

Teatro Luna is an all-Latina theatre ensemble based in Chicago. The group was founded by Coya Paz and Tanya Saracho in 2001 in response to their experiences with a lack of representation of Latinas in the media and theatre scene.[1] Teatro Luna focuses on creating work with other Latinas that reflects a variety of Latina experiences. Since 2001 the group has created over 13 collaborative productions, including Generic Latina (2001) and MACHOS (2007). The company has performed in a variety of theatres across Chicago, and expanded to a location in Los Angeles in 2014.

History

In 2000 Coya Paz and Tanya Saracho met at an audition and began discussing their observations of a lack of spaces for Latina actresses in the Chicago theatre scene and beyond. This led to a later meeting at a coffee shop where they discussed the idea of forming an all Latina theatre group that would create its own works based on Latina experiences.[1] The original company consisted of Paz, Saracho, and ten women from varying Latina backgrounds. Together the company worked to put together shows that consisted of stories of each of the women that reflected the multitudes of stories and experiences in the Latina community. These pieces spoke against the stereotyping of Latinas into a few specific roles and experiences in the wider theatre community.[2][3]

Collaborative process

The collaborative process of creating pieces includes seven different steps in which the members of the group share their different ideas and experiences with the group and then come back with more structured research or scripts. They then work these pieces and ideas in smaller groups and approach the piece from multiple different angles. They then present these different approaches to the other members, who are welcome to try out their own ideas, and the group decides on the preferred approach. One member then scripts the 'official' version, but changes are continually made throughout the rehearsal and performance process.[4][5]

Productions

The first collaborative piece the company performed was Generic Latina in 2001. The play consists of 20 vignettes based on the personal experiences of the company member and each provide a different take on what it means to be a Latina.[6] In 2003 the company performed their first single author play, Kita Y Fernanda, by founder Tanya Saracho. The company developed one of their hit shows, MACHOS, in 2007 in which they examined traditional Latino male gender roles and what it means to be a Latino man. The play was developed after conducting hundred of nationwide interviews with Latino men, but was performed by the all female company.[7] In 2009 founder Coya Paz left the company and in 2010 she was followed by fellow founder Tanya Saracho.

In 2010 Teatro Luna performed GL 2010: Not Your Generic Latina to reassert themselves under new administration as well as address the changes in the lives of Latinas in the ten years since the company's founding. In 2013 the company partnered with playwright Emilio Williams to perform their first show written by a man, Your Problem With Men, at the world premiere in Chicago. Teatro Luna took this show with them to their new location in Los Angeles, Teatro Luna West, in 2014 for the west coast premiere.[8] [9]The company then took their collaborative show Luna Unlaced on tour across the nation to different colleges and theaters in 2013. In 2015 Teatro Luna premiered Generation Sex at their Los Angeles location after a year long workshop tour.[10] In 2017 the company returned to Chicago to perform Lovesick, a collection of stories about the violence inflicted on Latina bodies as a part of the Chicago International Latino Theater Festival: Destinos.[11]

Other projects

In addition to their collaborative shows, Teatro Luna also supports individual works. In the company's early days they implemented SÓLOS Latinas Project in which they fostered the efforts of local Latina writers. This program was a collection of workshops in which the women worked on their own individual works and several were selected to be produced in the SÓLOS Latinas production in 2005. This project was followed by a second installment of workshops and stories in SÓLO Tú (2008).[12]

The company also offers numerous labs for directing, new works, producing, and PlayLab for developing new playwrights. Teatro Luna also offers different workshops and classes year round in an effort to increase the availability of creative resources and training to Latinas. They also have labs and classes available for youth in the community.[13]

The company also takes their shows and workshops on tours nationally and internationally in order to spread their message and increase awareness nation and world wide. Teatro Luna will visit a variety of locations such as universities, festivals, and private settings.

Production history
Production History
Play Playwright Director Theatre Year
Probadita Teatro Luna Collaboration Arati Kasturirangan Victory Gardens 2000[12]
Mas Probadita Teatro Luna Collaboration Arati Kasturirangan Victory Gardens 2000[12]
Generic Latina Teatro Luna Collaboration Arati Kasturirangan Phoenix Ascending Theatre 2001[12]
Generic Latina Teatro Luna Collaboration Tanya Saracho Teatro Luna at Pilsen in Chicago 2002[12]
Dejame Contarte Teatro Luna Collaboration Alexandra Lopez Storefront Theatre, Chicago 2001[12]
Otra Probadita Teatro Luna Collaboration psNBC at HERE, NYC 2002[12]
Kita Y Fernanda Tanya Saracho Marcela Muñoz Teatro Luna at Pilsen in Chicago 2003[12]
The Maria Chronicles Teatro Luna Collaboration Coya Paz and Tanya Saracho Goodman Theatre July 2003[12]
The Maria Chronicles Teatro Luna Collaboration Coya Paz and Tanya Saracho Teatro Luna at Pilsen in Chicago Oct.-Nov. 2003[12]
The Maria Chronicles Teatro Luna Collaboration Coya Paz and Tanya Saracho Theatre-on-the-Lake, Chicago August 2004[12]
Sólo Latinas Readings SÓLO Latinas Workshop No Exit Café, Chicago August 2004[12]
Sólo Latinas Miranda Gonzalez, Diane Herrera, Tanya Saracho, and Marisabel Suarez Chicago Dramatists January 2005[12]
Adnakiel (Reading) Tanya Saracho with Chicago Dramatists February 2005[12]
Probadita de S-E-X-Oh!* Teatro Luna Collaboration Coya Paz and Tanya Saracho Athenaeum Theatre (PACedge), Chicago March 2005[12]
Sólo Latinas Miranda Gonzalez, Diane Herrera, Tanya Saracho, and Marisabel Suarez Theatre-on-the-Lake, Chicago June 2005[12]
S-E-X-Oh! Teatro Luna Collaboration Coya Paz and Tanya Saracho Chicago Dramatists 2006[14]
Quita Mitos Tanya Saracho Viaduct Theatre Nov-Dec 2006[15]
LUNATIC(A)S Tanya Saracho Tanya Saracho Chicago Dramatists June-July 2007[16]
MACHOS Teatro Luna Collaboration Coya Paz Chicago Dramatists November 2007[17]
MACHOS Teatro Luna Collaboration Coya Paz 16th Street Theatre Jan.-Feb. 2008[18]
SÓLO Tú Teatro Luna Collaboration Tanya Saracho Chicago Dramatists 2008[19]
Jarred (Reading at Goodman Latino Theatre Fest)* Tanya Saracho 2008
Jarred: A Hoodoo Comedy Tanya Saracho Chicago Dramatists Nov.-Dec. 2008[20]
S-E-X-Oh! (The Remix) Teatro Luna Collaboration Yadira Correa and Dana Cruz 16th Street Theatre 2009[21]
Probadita de Luna* 2009
LUNATIC(A)S Tanya Saracho Tanya Saracho Chicago Dramatists Nov.-Dec. 2009[22]
GL 2010: Not Your Generic Latina Teatro Luna Collaboration Miranda Gonzalez Chicago Dramatists June-July 2010[23]
Lullaby Diane Herrera Maria Enriquez and Miranda Gonzalez Greenhouse Theater Center 2010[24]
THE NORTH/SOUTH PLAYS collaboration with Teatro Luna and Bailiwick Chicago Chicago Center for the Performing Arts Oct.-Nov. 2011[25]
CROSSED Probadita* Teatro Luna Collaboration 2011
CROSSED: Immigrant = Mexican? (World Premiere) Teatro Luna Collaboration Miranda Gonzalez Luna Central, Chicago Feb.- March 2012[26]
Living Large in a Mini Kind of Way Diane Rodriguez Diane Rodriguez The Viaduct Theatre May-June 2012[27]
Solo Tres, Three full length Solo Plays: Cry Wolf, Sexomedy, and PUTAS! PUTAS! - Liza Ann Acosta

Cry Wolf - Kristiana Colón

Sexomedy - Melissa Duprey

 PUTAS!- Alexandra Meda

Cry Wolf-Coya Paz

 Luna Central, Chicago Oct.-Nov. 2012[28]
A Very Luna Christmas Paula Ramirez, Abigail Vega, and Teatro Luna Ensemble Paula Ramirez and Abigail Vega Luna Central, Chicago December 2012-January 2013[29]
Your Problem With Men (World Premiere) Emilio Williams Alexandra Meda Stage 773 March-April 2013[30]
Your Problem With Men (West Coast Premiere)

Part of Encuentro 2014*

 Emilio Williams Alexandra Meda Los Angeles Theatre Center 2014[31]
Generation Sex (World Premiere)* Teatro Luna Collaboration Alexandra Meda Los Angeles Theatre Center April-May 2015[10]
Talking While Female Solo stories Milagro, Portland June 2017
Lovesick Teatro Luna Collaboration Alexandra Meda Victory Gardens Theater/ Richard Christiansen Theater October 2017[11]

*indicates Probaditas or workshop performances

Tours and workshops
Tours and Workshops
Tour Location Year
Generation Sex Workshop March 2013
Luna Unlaced National Tour 16 cities across Southwest, West Coast, and New York City and Boston June-Aug. 2013
Luna Unlaced International Tour Edinburgh Fringe Festival, The Republic of Ireland, and Dublin Aug.-Sept 2013
Generation Sex Workshop Remix Chicago Fringe Festival Sept.-Oct. 2013
Generation Sex National Development Tour Texas, Louisiana, and Connecticut March-April 2014
Generation Sex Workshop Tour Fools Fury Factory Ensemble Festival July 2014
Generation Sex Full Workshop Instituto Cervantes June 2014

References
  1. Latorre, Sobeira, Mitchell, Joanna L (2006). "Performing the 'Generic Latina': A Conversation with Teatro Luna". Meridians: Feminism, Race, Transnationalism. 7 (1): 19–37. JSTOR 40338715 – via Project Muse.
  2. Castañeda, Mari (Fall 2014). "La Lucha Sigue: Latina and Latino Labor in the US Media Industries". Kalfou. 1 (2): 203–220. doi:10.15367/kf.v1i2.41 – via Publisher's Ejournals.
  3. Klein, Emily (2011). "Spectacular Citizenships: Staging Latina Resistance through Urban Performances of Pain". Frontiers: A Journal of Women Studies. 32 (1): 102–124. doi:10.5250/fronjwomestud.32.1.0102 – via Project MUSE Premium Collection.
  4. Palmer, Tanya (2011). "Inside the Violence: An Interview with the Playwright." American Theatre. 28.6 (2011): 70 - via Gale Cengage Academic OneFile.
  5. "- Teatro Luna : el process -". www.teatroluna.org. Retrieved 2018-05-30.
  6. "History". teatroluna.org. 2011-09-28. Retrieved 2018-05-30.
  7. 1973-, Rudolph, Jennifer Domino (2012). Embodying Latino masculinities : producing masculatinidad. New York, NY: Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN 9781137022875. OCLC 778244973.CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  8. reporter, Nina Metz, Chicago Tribune. "Teatro Luna comedy just as deliriously messy as a real breakup". chicagotribune.com. Retrieved 2018-05-30.
  9. "Your Problem With Men". teatroluna.org. 2012-09-12. Retrieved 2018-05-30.
  10. "Generation Y Feminism at Teatro Luna". HowlRound Theatre Commons. Retrieved 2018-05-30.
  11. "Chicago International Latino Theater Festival | Victory Gardens Theater". victorygardens.org. Retrieved 2018-05-30.
  12. "- Teatro Luna: La Historia-". www.teatroluna.org. Retrieved 2018-05-30.
  13. "Luna Institute Overview". teatroluna.org. 2012-09-08. Retrieved 2018-05-30.
  14. "S-e-x-Oh! - Chicago Dramatists - Chicago". www.theatreinchicago.com. Retrieved 2018-05-30.
  15. "Quita Mitos | Chicago | reviews, cast and tickets | TheaterMania". TheaterMania. Retrieved 2018-05-30.
  16. "Lunaticas - Chicago Dramatists - Chicago". www.theatreinchicago.com. Retrieved 2018-05-30.
  17. "Dead-on 'Machos' has a woman's touch". tribunedigital-chicagotribune. Retrieved 2018-05-30.
  18. "Machos – 16th Street Theater". 16thstreettheater.org. Retrieved 2018-05-30.
  19. "Ordinary stories let down 'Solo Tu'". tribunedigital-chicagotribune. Retrieved 2018-05-30.
  20. "Teatro Luna | Currently Playing". www.teatroluna.org. Retrieved 2018-05-30.
  21. "S-E-X-OH! The Remix | Chicago | reviews, cast and tickets | TheaterMania". TheaterMania. Retrieved 2018-05-30.
  22. Desk, BWW News. "Teatro Luna Presents LUNATIC(a)S Through 12/20". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 2018-05-30.
  23. Desk, BWW News. "Teatro Luna Presents GL 2010: NOT YOUR GENERIC LATINA 6/5-7/11". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 2018-05-30.
  24. Desk, BWW News. "Teatro Luna Presents LULLABY, 10/4-17". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 2018-05-30.
  25. Desk, BWW News. "Bailiwick Chicago & Teatro Luna Present THE NORTH/SOUTH PLAYS". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 2018-05-30.
  26. "CROSSED". teatroluna.org. 2011-09-29. Retrieved 2018-05-30.
  27. Desk, BWW News. "Teatro Luna Premieres LIVING LARGE IN A MINI KIND OF WAY, Beginning 5/6". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 2018-05-30.
  28. "Solo Tres". teatroluna.org. 2012-09-12. Retrieved 2018-05-30.
  29. Desk, BWW News. "Teatro Luna Presents A VERY LUNA CHRISTMAS, Now thru 1/6". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 2018-05-30.
  30. Desk, BWW News. "Ladies of Teatro Luna Open YOUR PROBLEM WITH MEN at Stage 773 Tonight". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 2018-05-30.
  31. Gelt, Jessica Gelt, By Jessica (2014-10-15). "L.A. to host the ambitious Latino theater festival Encuentro". latimes.com. Retrieved 2018-05-30.
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