The El Teatro Campesino actors and singers for this year’s
production of La Virgen Del Tepeyac are making their final
preparations for the production that opens Friday.
La Virgen del Tepeyac, which is performed every other year,
tells of the four appearances of Our Lady of Guadalupe to the newly
baptized Indian Juan Diego, in 1531, and the growth of Christianity
in Mexico that followed.
The El Teatro Campesino actors and singers for this year’s production of La Virgen Del Tepeyac are making their final preparations for the production that opens Friday.
La Virgen del Tepeyac, which is performed every other year, tells of the four appearances of Our Lady of Guadalupe to the newly baptized Indian Juan Diego, in 1531, and the growth of Christianity in Mexico that followed.
The play dramatizes the Virgin Mary speaking to Diego in his native Aztec language. She asked him to give the Bishop of Mexico a message that a temple be built in her honor on Tepeyac Hill, where people had worshiped Tonantzin for centuries before the arrival of the Conquistadores.
The bishop was reluctant until Diego presented him with roses wrapped in a shawl with an image of Mary on it, the story goes.
The play is mostly done in Spanish, but actors also speak Nahuatl, an Aztec dialect. Accompanying librettos are provided for English audiences.
The Nahuatl language posed a little bit of difficulty for the actors, who were given pronunciation guidelines in their scripts.
“Some people in South America and Mexico still know the language, but you can’t take a class in it,” said El Teatro Campesino spokeswoman Sarah Guerra. “Most of it is sung, so it is not that hard to learn.”
Rosa Maria Escalante plays Citlamina, the leader of the village, and has the most Nahuatl dialogue, Guerra said.
About 60 actors from ages 23 to 65 began practicing about three weeks ago for the performance. The choral group includes about 40 people ages from ages 5 to 50. The actors and singers practice Monday through Thursday, then all day on Saturday and Sunday.
“It’s fun to hang out with people you know,” said actor Anahuac Valdez, who plays the friar Pedro de Gante, who taught indigenous people in Mexico for 50 years. “It’s certainly like a family reunion, so it doesn’t seem hard at all. The Christmas show is very community supported. We rely mostly on volunteers.”
This year’s performance is dedicated to actors Graciela Olivar from Watsonville and Armando Quintana from Hollister, who both passed away recently. They were involved in the production for about 10 years each.
The play was adapted by assistant director Luis Valdez from a 17th century text. Valdez helped translate the text, providing actors with pronunciation keys.
The play was directed by Kinan Valdez and and choreographed by Janet Johns. It marks the 33rd year of El Teatro Campesino’s Christmas productions in the 200-year-old Mission San Juan Bautista mission.
For more information, go to www.elteatrocampesino.com or call (831) 623-2445.
What:
El Teatro Campesino presents ‘La Virgen Del Tepeyac’
When:
Nov. 26 – Dec. 19; Thursday-Saturday, 8pm; Sunday matinee, 4 and 8pm
Where:
San Juan Bautista Mission, 2nd and Mariposa Streets, San Juan Bautista
Tickets:
Adults $20; Seniors and students $16; Children $12
Charge by phone (831) 623-2444 or in person at the El Teatro Campesino Playhouse 705 Fourth Street, San Juan Bautista.
