Political theater is a big category, especially if you agree that all theater is political.
But sometimes the diversity of political theater is the point. Such is the case with Teatro del Pueblo’s ninth annual Political Theatre Festival, which gets under way this weekend and continues through March 13.
Seven plays by five playwrights are on the docket. Six of the plays are short, 20-minute pieces that will be performed in groups of three — called “Series A” and “Series B.” They will run in repertory at the Gremlin Theatre in St. Paul, opening Thursday and continuing through March 7. To see a complete performance scheduled, go here.
“Series C,” which gets three performances on March 11 through 13 at Intermedia Arts in Minneapolis, is actually a single one-person show by Teo Castellanos that deals with the diversity of life in Miami’s immigrant communities.
But the overarching theme of this year’s festival is women and immigration. The plays deal with such things as the labyrinthine and frequently absurd complexity of immigration laws, the misconceptions of immigrant women about American culture and the deplorable condition of detention facilities. While that sounds heavy, it’s not — not always. The playwrights represented include Dominic Orlando, who is represented by three pieces, Ignacio Zulueta, Pia Wilson, and Guillermo Reyes. For details about the plays, go here.
St. Paul-based Teatro del Pueblo, which focuses on Latino issues, has been around since 1992. The organization has a strong educational program and promotes cross-cultural exchanges.
Teatro del Pueblo’s ninth annual Political Theatre Festival, Thursday through March 13. Tickets range from $11 to $15, though Thursday’s opening performance and performances on Sunday and March 3 are pay-what-you-can shows that don’t require reservations. For performances that require reservations, go here.
