‘Latinidades Festival’ @ Cara Mía Theatre Co. (Latino Cultural Center)
Photos courtesy of Cara Mia Theatre Company
—Teresa Marrero
On September 27, Cara Mía Theatre Company’s 6th Annual LATINIDADES FESTIVAL got off to a magnificent start, full of of shared creativity and community—and free!
The evening kicked off in the open-air plaza of the Latino Cultural Center, with music, theatre, food, and an open-air market.
The all-evening events started out with a sold-out house in the LCC’s intimate Black Box space, where Barcelona, Spain´s Escultores del Aires (Scuptors of Air) and a Cara Mía ensemble created five magical vignettes using the techniques of mime and physical theater, a minimalist stage design, and spot-on on lighting. Words were often unnecessary. At times, Spanish and/or English were used sparingly. This is storytelling at its best, proof positive that the best stories are the ones that prompt our imagination.
The first vignette, Historias Fantásticas, featured Escultores del Aire artists Mai Rojas (creator) and Kim Guerin (choreographer of the entire series), and Mai´s young son, Leo Rojas. It presented a beautiful rendition of an encounter between Big Me and Little Me—as in Father and Son, or perhaps Adult Me and Child Me. Mirroring the struggle to see and harmonize with one another, this first piece was profound, simple and introspective with an astounding level of physicality for both Mai and Leo Rojas.
The second vignette featured the Cara Mía ensemble, focusing on an angry, pig-tailed Alondra Estremera refusing to celebrate her birthday as she waits for the next train. Featuring Nicolás Catañeda, Frida Espinosa-Müller, Bismark Quintanilla, Julia Landey, Lucila Rojas and Gabriel Scampini, the dancers moved around the recalcitrant Estremera until an off-stage phone call from her father finally broke down her protective shell. She realized what being at the station really meant, and what the people around her meant to her. The stage palette and costumes were dark, with a minimalist suitcase serving as the single prop. Totally effective!
The third vignette told the story of a woman, here brilliantly performed by Frida Espinosa-Müller (with the ensemble circling her), who cannot overcome the pain of losing the love of her life. Acting against the single prop of a coat and hat on a hanger, she pulls one arm into the coat to create the impression that “he” is still present, holding her. The resolution came when Cara Mia executive artistic director David Lozano came forth as his physical manifestation—love and pathos at its basic simplicity!
During the fourth vignette, Mai and Leo Rojas returned to the stage illuminated by a single spotlight and a floating red balloon. With clown make up and later a clown nose, the father and son (or adult/child alter egos) perform the ultimate silent dance. Mirroring each other, the balanced choreography favored neither the adult nor the child, but set them up as equals. Beautiful.
The fifth segment (in English) staged a frustrated Bismark Quintanilla as a writer struggling with a block and imposter syndrome. The staging featured crumpled papers strewn all over, a single typewriter, and the cast circling him attempting to offer ideas. This piece reminded me of Pirandello´s “Six Characters in Search of a Writer,” and reaffirmed the role of creatives, no matter their struggles.
After that the audience was marched out of the Black Box, onto the plaza, and then paraded into the LCC’s Main Stage by the Dallas-Puerto Rican group Bombazo DFW.
In our seats, we awaited the last part of the night’s performances, led by DaVerse Lounge Bilingüe. Founders Will Richey and Alejandro Perez, who host DaVerse Lounge´s performance events, guided attendees to create and share their poetry. They kept energy high with a spontaneous showcase of spoken word poetry in English and Spanish, live music, singers, and dance-theatre. These folks certainly know how to generate joy, creativity and positive self-affirmation through the foot-stomping, hand-clapping, finger-snapping repetition of this powerful phrase: ¨My words have power to speak my truth and share my light. First, I see it, then I say it, then I do it!¨ Their dynamic session had the entire house involved. No small feat when we are talking about a 300-seat facility.
To sum up, I would describe the “kickoff” opening of the 6th Latinidades Festival as an affirmation of creativity and community in our lives.
Next up:
The Delicate Tears of the Waning Moon, Water People Theater, Chicago, Oct. 2-5, 2025. Inspired by real events, this powerful new play tells the story of Paulina, a Mexican journalist who fights for justice for femicide victims. In Spanish with English subtitles.
WHEN: September 27-October 12, 2026
WHERE: Latino Cultural Center, 2600 Live Oak Street, Dallas
WEB: For schedule and info: https://caramiatheatre.org/latinidades-festival/
Teresa Marrero is Professor of Spanish at the University of North Texas. She specialized in Latin American and Latine Theater in the United States. https://class.unt.edu/people/m-teresa-marrero.html
