by Ken Hoyt
A&E | Culture Club
Fiercely New
It’s a great month for theatre that is fiercely new and passionate. Our first stop is to talk with Dañel
Malán about the remount of her popular play, Frida un Retablo.
Our next two shows are part of the fabulous Fertile Ground series that graces our city each January.
These two shows, Sonnetscape and The Godmother have strong ties to the LGBTQ community.
Frida un Retablo
The Godmother
Frida Kahlo was one of Mexico’s most acclaimed artists.
Yet her life was anything but charmed. She endured (and
triumphed through) a tumultuous marriage (to superstar
artist Diego Rivera), childhood polio that left her crippled,
and later, an automotive accident that damaged her for life.
We talk with playwright Sandra de Helen.
Playwright, and Teatro Milagro co-founder, Dañel Malán,
creates a powerful look at the life of Kahlo in Frida un Re-
tablo (a Retablo is a small sacred painting in Mexico). A
trio of actors represents Frida, Old Frida and the Spirit of
Frida. The play itself is written with a good deal of gender
fluidity.
WHAT ATTRACTED MALÅN TO KAHLO?
I felt connected in so many ways. It overwhelmed me that
in 1930 in Mexico this woman could do whatever she
wanted. She could say, “I am a communist, I’m bisexual …
I am Frida Khalo. I think that’s why she’s so iconic, espe-
cially in the lesbian community.
WHAT MADE HER SO ICONIC?
She could be herself, Malân reflects. She visited Tehuan-
tepec (Mexico). There the women are in charge — they
make all the decisions. She thought, Why can’t every place
be like that.
Frida un Retablo runs January 10 - 18 .
milagro.org.
WHAT (OR WHO) INSPIRED YOU TO WORK IN THEATRE?
The women’s movement. When I was at the University of Missouri-Rolla, I was one of
only 500 women in a sea of 5,000 men. I was the first woman to write for the school
newspaper in its 104 year history, and my column got me death threats (seriously) for
my attempts at humor. So, I decided to do feminist theatre when I left there, went to
Kansas City, Mo, met Kate Kasten, and we founded Actors’ Sorority. When I moved to
Portland I founded the Portland Women’s Theatre Company.
WHAT DO YOU HOPE THAT YOUR SHOW WILL COMMUNICATE?
The theme of the play is “family first.” But this is a mob family. So, there may be some
questionable values. We explore them.
WHAT ATTRACTED YOU TO THIS STORY?
I was inspired by two things: One, the estimable playwright Marsha Norman said her
most popular play is the one with a gun in it; and two, an article in the Kansas City Star
about women running mob families — godmothers. I decided to write my own ver-
sion of that story set in Kansas City during prohibition (which meant virtually nothing
there, thanks to the mob) with a lesbian godmother and a mob of mixed ethnicities.
What makes theatre an appealing discipline for you?
I like to play! Theatre is where grownup people use their skills to create make believe
for all of us. We create it together, and it takes all of us to make it happen: playwright,
actors, director, designers, builders, and especially the audience. Theatre needs every
single one of us, and then the magic is real, right there in our laps.”
The Godmother plays January 27 at 8 p.m.
fertilegroundpdx.org
Ken Hoyt is Just Out's A&E Editor. Reach him at Ken@JustOut.com
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JustOut.com
January 2013