- By Cornell Performing And Media Arts
- Entertainment
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"Habla/Speak" is a family-friendly exploration of what it means to be Latino or Latina in our community. The storytellers are sometimes heart-rending, sometimes heart-warming, and take the audience through public events and private musings on what Latinidad means to them in this snowy upstate town. Performers tell stories from their lives, share music, dance, poetry, and invite the audience to have tamales in a family celebration of a young girl's quinceañera (turning fifteen).
Collaborators on this show include children, young adults, and elders from downtown Ithaca, as well as student co-creators from Ithaca College and Cornell. IC Teatro, helmed by professor Annette Levine, and Teatrotaller, advised by professor Debra Castillo, join with Cornell's Department of Performing and Media Arts to present this show, which is the result of a year-long project to gather stories from a wide range of community members through story circles and theatrical games and workshops.
The play is directed by Cornell alumna and community member Ana Florencia López Ulloa '11 and includes actors ranging from ages 5 to 65+. The play has bilingual elements, but Spanish is not required to fully enjoy the performance.
"Habla/Speak" is suitable for all ages. Performances are in the Schwartz Center for the Performing Arts' Black Box Theatre February 28 at 7:30 p.m.; March 1 at 5:00 p.m.; and March 2 at 2:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
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