Confessions of A Mexpatriate
Play written by Raul Garza
performed by Mical Trejo with live music by Davíd Garza
Tuesday, April 19, 2016, 7.30pm (doors at 7pm)
Crowley Theater
Free
Marfa Live Arts’ 2016 playwright-in-residence Raul Garza presented his play Confessions of a Mexpatriate on Tuesday, April 19, at the Crowley Theater at 7.30pm (doors at 7pm.) The show was performed by actor and comedian Mical Trejo, and musician Davíd Garza.
Confessions of a Mexpatriate follows the journey of Samuel, a modern-day, media-minded Mexican American who travels to Mexico to try to unplug from his American side and connect with his roots in the land of his ancestors. His account of what happens is both funny and fearful—and may say as much about the land he left behind as the one he has entered. Actor Mical Trejo performs the solo show. Trejo is active in the theater scene in Austin with St. Edwards University, Latino Comedy Project, and Hyde Park Theatre. This was Trejo’s seventh time on stage bringing Garza’s character Samuel to life with past performances in the US and Mexico in Austin, Chicago, Albuquerque, Santa Fe, and San Miguel.
For the performance in Marfa, musician and the playwright’s brother Davíd Garza performed an original live score. Davíd is no stranger to Marfa as he is a veteran of the Trans-Pecos Festival of Music and Love hosted annually by El Cosmico. Raul was thrilled to bring his brother to Marfa for this collaboration, he said, “Davíd is an important part of all my work, because we share a life as brothers. His work as a musician is textured and insightful. He’s offered to lend his talents to Confessions of a Mexpatriate by composing an original score that he’ll perform during the show. It will be a backdrop for the story, and a treat for the audience who gets to experience Garzas “in stereo.”
Playwright Garza, a National Latino Playwriting Awardee, found his inspiration for the play during a four-week writing residency in Oaxaca, Mexico, says, “When a lot of Mexican Americans go to Mexico, I think they see the layers separate. Here in the U.S., it’s like you’re this mezcla of both culturas. When you go down there you can really separate this and say, ‘This is the American side of your brain; this is the Mexican side.’ You see where they conflict and where they complement.”
During his time in Marfa Raul also taught Marfa Live Arts 5th Annual Playwriting Workshop with Marfa High School students April 18-22. His work with Marfa Live Arts in collaboration with Marfa Independent School District was the primary reason Garza was in Marfa. He worked one-on-one with students in their English classes helping them write their own plays. He said of his upcoming work with the youth in Marfa, “I’m looking forward to experiencing the empowerment that comes with telling your unique story in your own voice. I can’t wait to see the students discover this for themselves.” Plays written by Marfa students during the Playwriting Workshop will be performed by area actors and staged at the Crowley Theater on Tuesday, May 3, 2016.
The performance of Confessions of a Mexpatriate in Marfa was produced by JD DiFabbio.
The program is free and open to the community.
LINKS:
Interview by The Austin Chronicle of Raul Garza.
"Mexpatriate’ explores our need to discover just where we fit in” - review in the Albuquerque Journal.
Arizona Public Media coverage of Raul Garza as the winner of the 2007 National Latino Playwriting Award.
Marfa Live Arts and Confessions of A Mexpatriate are generously supported by the 2016 Season Sponsors, The Meyer Levy Charitable Foundation, and City of Marfa. The 5th Annual Playwriting Workshop is generously supported by the Texas Women for the Arts, Kirkpatrick Family Fund, and the Marfa Education Foundation.
Graphic design by TKO Advertising. The official accommodations sponsor for Confessions of A Mexpatriate is El Cosmico. Visit Marfa is a useful resource for planning your travel and time in Marfa. The closest airports are El Paso and Midland, both approximately three hours away by car.
In-kind support provided by Frama Coffee House, Big Bend Coffee Roasters, and Marfa Brands. Special thanks to Jessica Allen, Julie Bernal, Big Bend Sentinel, Linda Ojeda and Andrew Peters of Marfa Independent School District, Cara Crossley, Tim Crowley of Crowley Theater, Mayor Dan Dunlap, Katy Rose Elasser, Minerva Lopez, Sara Melancon and Tom Michael of Marfa Public Radio, Robert Saltonstall, Dan Shiman, Dona Roman of Sul Ross, Gory Smelley of Marfa Recording Co., Sarah Vasquez, and Cory Van Dyke.
Special thanks to Jessica Allen, Big Bend Sentinel, Andrew Peters of Marfa Independent School District, Cara Crossley, Tim Crowley of Crowley Theater, Mayor Dan Dunlap, Minerva Lopez, Sara Melancon and Tom Michael of Marfa Public Radio, Robert Saltonstall, Dan Shiman, Dona Roman of Sul Ross, Gory Smelley of Marfa Recording Co., Cory Van Dyke, and Cate Cole Schrim & Jennie Lyn Hamilton of Marfa Live Arts.
