While Oaxaca is filled with music, art, and dance, it hasn’t been known for its contribution to live theater. However, there are signs that this may change. In August, the cultural monthly journal, El Jolgorio featured theater in Oaxaca. One of the articles explained, that thanks to the work of Teatro Juárez and the Fundación Cultural Crisol, a drama workshop was established in Oaxaca and in three years, fifteen plays have been written, with eleven being presented in Oaxaca and Mexico City. As ex-pat playwright Kurt Hackbarth asked at the press discussing his newest play, El Ostrakón, “Oaxaca is a destination for art. Oaxaca is a destination for music. Why not now make Oaxaca as a national destination for original theater…?”
By the way, you may remember Kurt Hackbarth from my post on his comedy, La [medio] diezmada. This time around he penned a well received drama, El Ostrakón, that premiered on August 29, 2012 and ran through September 2 — a long run here! It “is a contemporary tragedy which, by using elements of farce and social criticism, tells the story of Gabriel, a homeless youth, and his attempts to avoid the traps laid by the chameleonic narrator, the incarnation of a hostile society.” (translated from El Ostrakón Facebook page)
If you missed it the first time around (or would like to see it again) and will be in Oaxaca on Monday, October 15 at 6 pm, you are in luck. El Ostrakón will be performed at the beautiful Teatro Macedonio Alcalá as part of the inauguration of the Oaxaca State Theater Festival. And, the performance is free, though a 5 peso (that’s only about 40¢ US!!!) donation is requested to help support the festival. El Ostrakón is in Spanish, but English-only language speakers can download an English language synopsis from the website.
Full disclosure: I designed the El Ostrakón website.
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