Leading hopeful innocents across treacherous lands, the coyote’s journey kicks up the dust of dried bones scorched from the sun. The wind cries with the corridos of lost souls singing of Santa Muerte and the unbelievable trek of the thousands who marched before them in search of the unattainable. The local coyote makes promises for a price, but are their glorious dreams worth the reality that awaits them cruzando la frontera?
In “Cuentame Coyote,” two cousins are abandoned in the desert, crossing the border with a “Coyote.” In their struggle for survival they encounter coyotes with two legs and four along with a host of other spirits along their journey. The play was developed after an intensive research trip to the Tohono O’odham reservation in Arizona. Sacred stories combined with migrant tales of the dangers of dehydration, snake bites and scorpions in the desolate 100 degree desert heat fuel the storyline of this new Milagro work. Erubiel Valladares joins Milagro this season in the title role of Coyote. Ajai Terrazas Tripathi and Alida Holquín Wilson-Gunn are the two cousins and Mariel Sierra plays various roles.
Bios of Cast and Crew
Alida Holguín Wilson-Gunn (Maria and teaching artist) hails from Arizona, where she has been working as the director of Borderlands Theater’s Education Outreach Programs for the past seven seasons.
Erubiel Valladares (El Coyote and teaching artist) began his performance career as a youth in the streets of his home town of Queretaro, Mexico. Arriving in Oregon at age 18, he went on to receive a bachelor’s degree from Western Oregon University.
Ajai Terrazas-Tripathi (Jose and teaching artist) is originally from Corvallis, Ore., where he graduated from Oregon State University with a degree in theatre arts. This is his fourth year performing in the Milagro touring company.
Mariel Sierra (various roles and teaching artist) began her theatre education in Kirkland, Wash. at Studio East Training for the Performing Arts. Mariel was a founding company member of Post5 Theatre.
Dañel Malán (founding director and playwright) co-founded the Milagro Theatre in 1985 with her husband, Jose Eduardo Gonzalez. Dañel has written and produced several productions in the last 20 years.
(The Bilingual Touring Production of the Milagro Theatre)
Shows at 8 p.m. May 16-17 at the
El Teatro Campesino playhouse, 705 Fourth St., San Juan Baustista. Tickets are $15 general/$10 students, seniors and VA and can be purchased by calling (800) 838-3006.
