Talk a little about the original production of the play.

The original play, Esperanza and Luz: A Tale Of Two Immigrant Women, written by Agustin Lira and produced by Patricia Wells Solorzano, ran an hour and a half with sound effects and music and was performed at the Tower Theater in 2001 during the Tamejavi Festival. Two other theatrical groups and a host of multi-ethnic performances were also presented in this event. The cast of 14 which had no acting experience in the beginning was recruited directly from the community and trained in theater in a year long project. Our students learned quickly taking lead roles, assuming responsibility. The rehearsals took place wherever we could find a friendly sponsor who wasn't intimidated by our progressive thinking or by our brand of theater. Our theatrical group is grassroots oriented, community based and we use the arts as a springboard for social change.

Why did you decide to revive the play?

When the decision was made to build the wall all along the border between Mexico and the United States to supposedly curb illegal immigration, it made me tremendously angry and later sad. The U.S. government was again beating the hate drums, encouraging the American people to buy into it and the world as well; Coaxing them into blaming a helpless, destitute Mexico and its people which it desperately needs at home to help shore up the sagging economy upholding jobs that Americans themselves shun. The wall is a smokescreen engineered to divide, to confuse, to create fear, to hide the real issues: global warming, poverty and disease, lack of water and arable land, a failing economy. Of all the plays we have produced thus far Esperanza and Luz best addresses many of the issues dealing with immigration providing possible solutions to these problems.

How is the situation for immigrants today compared to when the play first came out
in 2001? Is it better or worse?

When we first produced the play in 2001 a great wave of hatred toward undocumented immigrants was sweeping the land. Many reports of violence against not only undocumented immigrants but Latinos as well of all walks of life were reported by the media which had itself stoked the flames of discontent. At that time immigrants in this country were faceless and silent, afraid to speak out. But on May 1, 2006 millions across the nation marched protesting for their rights making their presence felt. Since then despite the raids carried out by local, state and federal (Homeland Security, ICE) officials, these actions have not stifled or daunted their spirit or desire for freedom. Of course conditions for Mexican and Latino immigrants are deplorable today. Many Americans still view immigrants as terrorists and a threat to the national security; immigrants have become the scapegoat of choice for the media and politicians. The cold winds may change however since our new President Obama has stated publicly that he is interested in creating a general amnesty for the 12 million undocumented. However, he has not yet ended the raids.

Did any of the cast members in this production appear in the original?

Patricia Wells Solorzano, Agustin Lira, Merlinda Espinosa and Margaret Delgado appeared in the original production of Esperanza and Luz: A Tale of Two Immigrant Women. Patricia played the lead role of Esperanza; Lira, the unscrupulous villain, Don Coyote, a part-time labor contractor and trafficker of undocumented workers. Merlinda Espinosa portrayed Luz, a young Salvadoran refugee who immigrates to Matamoros, Mexico where she meets Esperanza. Margaret Delgado was the costumes manager and performed in the play as well.

Have you made any updates to the play?

Many updates have been made to the play, in fact so many that I don't believe I'll ever find the time to include them all. Vicente Fox, former president of Mexico who originally appeared as one of the characters, has been updated to Felipe Calderon in this years' production. President Bush also appears but since the play was written during his administration he will not be upgraded to President Obama. Many of the improvisations where the real humor and creativity lie have not yet been written into the final script as yet. They are however alive in the minds and hearts of the Teatro Inmigrante actresses and actors for they have memorized them all. But the improves are not lost and the public will definitely experience them during the upcoming live performances.

For those who aren't familiar with Teatro Inmigrante, describe the creative process for a production such as this.

Teatro Inmigrante, (Immigrant Theater) composed mostly of women, was founded in 2001 by Agustin Lira and Patricia Wells Solorzano. Inmigrante dramatizes the life and death issues confronting undocumented immigrants through its original plays; highlighting the contributions and accomplishments of Latino women, demonstrating that immigrant energy builds and nourishes this nation, vitalizing, instead of draining it. The creative process for a production such as Esperanza and Luz begins with discussions and meetings with Teatro Inmigrante members and new recruits to determine how the real life issues facing immigrants can be turned into possible dramatic material that will end up in the form of a play. Once an issue has been chosen to become a new play, a search is launched to find factual material that will become the basis. From these meetings, discussions, searches and gathering of material the play will be born. Candelaria Arroyo: The Music of Life, one of our earlier productions, co-written by Lira and Wells, came to life this very same way; adapted from interviews with Mrs. Arroyo a labor leader in the Fresno area. At the end of long rehearsals and development of the play, performance dates are chosen at local venues and the group races to make the deadlines.

In a similar vein, explain how you use your style of theater-satire, slap-stick, comedy, pantomime and mime- to make important points.

To begin with most of the characters that we create in our plays are stereotypical, cartoon-like, larger than life types. For example Coyota, who is fashioned after a character I developed in my Teatro Campesino days, is part animal and part human. She howls, scratches herself and runs, never walks, across the stage; Coyota has a fascination with money believing that it is a cure all, she loves power madly and enjoys its pursuit with her tongue hanging out leaving a trail of misery. Like the rebel theaters of Europe during the Middle Ages, which made fun of the upper classes, kings, queens, their armies and laws, we too make fun of the ivory white towers of power which seem indestructible from a distance; but up close, we delight in pointing out the long, jagged cracks running the length and breadth continuously springing forth seemingly from nowhere undermining the noble structures. To show complicity between nations in our current play, Esperanza and Luz, the two leaders Presidents Bush and Calderon romantically waltz together, lusting after each other, behaving lewdly in public. Another of our characters an assembly type crew boss in a factory barks and snarls at his workers pressuring them to produce more. His name? Perro (Dog). Though the issues that we deal with through our plays are serious by nature, we could not possibly perform them in that vein. No one wants to see and experience theater that makes you feel down, that does not give you hope. We liven everything up making fun first of all of ourselves, our culture, our language, demonstrating that we do possess a sense of ourselves, a sense of what changes should take place, a sense of pride, a sense of humor. In our performances there are some tears for sure, but laughter is also a staple.

As the years progress, do you think it's harder these days to get theater audiences to think about serious issues? Compared to your early days with El Teatro Campesino.

Because of the lack of real information on television, in newspapers and other media sources, I find that audiences today are hungry for information that reflects more of reality, more of the truth about the human condition and our world in general. The individuals which comprise our audiences have experienced great changes in a short period of time becoming more politically aware, more sensitive to social change, less fearful of controversy and differing points of view. They have survived Bush's bizarre reign and because of this experience have voted for radical change electing the first African American in history to the office of the Presidency of the United States.

What do you most hope audiences walk away with after viewing the play?

I hope audiences gain an appreciation for the people who through their sweat and hard labor make vegetables and fruit cheaply available to the American people. These same immigrants are also involved in many other facets and levels of American life: they lay roads, work on construction, in meat processing plants; they construct new buildings, make clothes, drive the trucks laden with foods and goods, they are entrepreneurs and jacks of all trades. In other words they are a physical reality, one that contributes daily to the fabric of this nation. I hope that this play creates a sensitivity in our audiences who have become accustomed to hearing immigrants referred to as terrorists and national threats to security. I hope our play dispels some more of those persistent myths about immigrants stealing American jobs and being on welfare draining the government payroll. Most of all I hope the play builds a bridge, a connection; that will lead audiences to want to be involved, to become pro immigrant. To become activists.