In recognition of Women’s History Month, the Water People Theatre is bringing a trio of plays written by Latina playwrights to Chicago’s Goodman Theatre. The theatrical concert series, Mujeres Creando, includes three plays from Argentinian, Chilean and Venezuelan writers and directors.
Founded by Venezuelan actress, journalist and playwright Rebeca Aleman, the Water People Theater is a nonprofit organization led by Latina and immigrant women. Over the course of 23 years, the company has produced 39 plays, some of which cover social issues like media censorship, violence against women and journalists in Latin America.
Mujeres Creando includes topics like political exile, sexual violence against women and multigenerational narratives.
“The three works selected by the jury showcase our commitment to defending human rights through theater,” said Rebeca Aleman, founder and executive artistic director for the Water People Theater.
Partir(se), an Argentinian play written by Belen Galain and directed by Sonya Madrigal, started off the concert on March 10. The play follows a woman, Marlies, and her daughter, Ana, as they flee Argentina and struggle to settle into their new home in Germany.
The second play, Conty, will take place on March 17. Conty follows the story of a low-income queer woman with a dream to become a professional soccer player. Despite her ambitious goals, she finds herself in prison for killing a man who attempted to sexually assault her. The play is written and directed by Chilean creatives Claudia Vargas and Raquel Torre, respectively.
Concluding the three-part concert series is Rotas, a Venezuelan play written by Krisel Noguera and directed by Iraida Tapias. The play introduces viewers to “three women from different eras and cultures whose lives are marked by suffering, loneliness and the fight for survival,” according to the Water People Theater’s website.
All three plays were competitively selected by an international jury of theater, academic, poetry and literature professionals to recognize Latina playwrights with a “deep commitment to human rights through the transformative and unifying power of theater,” according to the Water People Theater.
“Together we continue to create spaces for dialogue to amplify female voices in the city,” said Aleman. “We look forward to the audience that will join us for each of the performances.
Mujeres Creando began on March 10 and will host two more plays on March 17 and 31. Find more details about Mujeres Creando here.
