CORVALLIS, Ore. - The longest running off-Broadway Spanish language play, now in its 20th season, will be the focus of a public reading on Wednesday, May 4, at Oregon State University. 

"La Gringa" is the story of a young woman from New York who goes to Puerto Rico in search of her roots by finding her extended family. Her over-enthusiasm for what she calls her "homeland" leads to an array of complications and comic dialogue.

A cast of OSU students, faculty, staff and community members will present the reading, which begins at 7:30 p.m. in the Withycombe Lab Theatre, 2901 S.W. Campus Way. It is free and open to the public. Because of the set configuration, latecomers cannot be seated.

The cast includes Mayela Delatorre (Maria), Laura Galindo (Iris), Kerstin Colón (Norma), Oscar Montemayor (Victor), Eldon dela Cruz (Ramon), Steven Evans-Renteria (narrator), and Juan Guzman (Manolo). The reading is presented by OSU's School of Arts & Communication's University Theatre.

"La Gringa" premiered in New York City and is still being presented there by Repertorio Español Theater. The OSU reading is the fourth and final installment of OSU's Latin@ Theatre Project, funded through the Memorial Union Foundation Pepsi Endowment. 

Susana Rivera-Mills, OSU's vice provost and dean of undergraduate studies, said the series has been transformational.

"Theater provides a safe place in which to reflect on one's experience, confront difficult human realities, and challenge our own sense of identity and knowledge of others as not being set in concrete, but always evolving and adapting," Rivera-Mills said. "Latina plays give voice to a population that isn't always seen or heard.

"I believe that these artistic expressions of diverse perspectives will help us better understand the experiences of our various campus communities."

Other plays in the series have been readings of Elaine Romero's "Wetback," Milagro Theatre's "Broken Promises" and Josefina Lopez's "Real Women Have Curves."

 

 

Source: 

Charlotte Headrick, 541-737-4918, [email protected]

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