El Teatro Campesino presents "Popol Vuh"

Three World-Premiere - Plays Adapted from Mayan Creation Stories



Centuries in the making, the summer's most exciting epic is not available in cinemas and must be experienced live.

El Teatro Campesino presents a unique live theater experience with an original three-part adaptation of "Popol Vuh," the sacred creation book of the Quiche Maya. This cycle of three World-Premiere plays bring to life the major narrative portions of the Mayan text in colorful spectacles of pageantry, puppets, original music, and costumed characters-staged with the style, humor, and flair that El Teatro Campesino has become known for worldwide in its 46-year history of inspiring social action and cultivating cultural celebration.

The first two shows in the cycle will be presented in July and August as FREE family-friendly shows outdoors in historic San Juan Bautista. The third part will be presented in September as a ticketed performance in the in the ETC Playhouse. Adventurous theatergoers can experience the entire three-part "Popol Vuh" cycle daily in back to back presentations over the course of Labor Day Week-end on September 3rd, 4th, and 5th.

The first part of the Popol Vuh cycle will be "Heart of Heaven." This tale of the creation of the world comes to life with large-scale puppetry, captivating masks, colorful pageantry, and dance as the Creator Gods make their attempts to create a being who will worship and revere them. The animals can't speak, the mud people can't walk, and the wood people have no hearts. The Creators must race the impending first dawn to find the right formula for humanity. "Heart of Heaven" will be performed trilingually in Spanish, English, and Quiche-the ancient Mayan language that embodies the oral tradition that has kept this story alive for centuries."Heart of Heaven" is a family-friendly show and will and be performed for free at the San Juan Soccer Field at 100 Nyland Drive in San Juan Bautista on July 23, 24, 30, 31 at 4pm, and Labor Day week-end, September 3, 4, 5 at 12pm.

Next up, ETC will present the second part of the "Popol Vuh" in a new production of "The Story of Seven Macaw." In the days between this world and the last, the arrogant Seven Macaw adorns himself with glimmering jewels and jade and claims to be a golden god and the light of the sun itself. His worshippers believe him too-until the creators of the world send the clever Hero Twins to humble Seven Macaw and show people the true way of reverence. "The Story of Seven Macaw" features lively original music, stunning costumes and scenery, humor, dance and a simple message that all can take to heart. Appropriate for all ages, "The Story of Seven Macaw" will be performed for free at the San Juan Soccer Field at 100 Nyland Drive in San Juan Bautista on Aug. 6, 7, 13, 14, at 4pm and Labor Day week-end, September 3, 4, 5 at 4pm.

In late summer, El Teatro Campesino presents the third and final installment of the "Popol Vuh" cycle with "The Magic Twins "which will be performed indoors at the ETC Playhouse. Set in contemporary times, darker and more provocative than the first two stories of the "Popol Vuh," "The Magic Twins" follows the tale of modern twin brothers, One Hun and Ix Swift as they journey into their subconscious and travel into a parallel ancestral Mayan existence. There, the twins must confront themselves and enter the underworld of Xibalba, where the dark lords of the realm oblige them to play a metaphorical ball game, with which they gain personal retribution and redemption. This contemporary adaptation of the Quiche Mayan myth will challenge and immerse audiences into a sensory, hybrid theatrical experience through the use of innovative puppetry, stirring soundscapes, and mesmerizing lighting by a team of award winning designers.

Note: "The Magic Twins" will not be suitable for children."The Magic Twins" will run as a ticketed performance at the ETC Playhouse at 705 Fourth Street in San Juan Bautista from Sept. 1 through the 5 at 8pm for labor Day week-end, and continuing September 8th through September 25th with performances Thursdays through Saturdays at 8pm, and Sundays 2pm. Ticket prices for "The Magic Twins" range from $12-20. Tickets are available online at www.elteatrocampesino.com or by calling the ETC Box Office (831)623-2444.

A team of talented and vibrant writers, performers, designers, puppeteers, choreographers and musicians are hard at work crafting what promises to be a spectacle of cosmic proportions. ETC's core creative and performing teams will be joined by a series of guest artists who specialize in puppet-making, costume, sound, and scenic design for an unprecedented and amazing theatrical treat that is not to be missed.

San Juan Bautista, the "City of History" and home of El Teatro Campesino for forty years, is the perfect place to experience this cosmic pageant. The picturesque village has a colorful history all its' own-as Native American settlement, Mission-town, old west stagecoach stop, and climactic setting of Alfred Hitchcock's classic 1959 suspense film "Vertigo." Today, visitors can come and soak in all the vestiges of the town's history by strolling the streets, shopping for antiques and treasures, and enjoying a meal at one of the town's excellent restaurants, providing a perfect opportunity to "come for the play and stay for the day."

Don't worry about 2012-El Teatro Campesino's adaptation of "Popol Vuh" invites you to instead celebrate the Mayan vision of the beginning of the world.

The development of "Popol Vuh" is made possible by a grant from the James Irvine Foundation with support from the National Endowment for the Arts and the California Arts Council.

More information is available at www.elteatrocampesino.com
High resolution photos and video trailers, are available at http://www.elteatrocampesino.com/News/sevenmacaw.html

-30-

Arizona's Next Scandal? Tea Party State Official Says Ethnic Studies Violates Ban

[Click on header to check out the rest of the story at the Huffington Post website.]

Arizona could have a new Ethnic Studies scandal on its hands, though not with the students or teachers.

Nearly one year ago, extremist Tea Party state senator John Huppenthal ran for Arizona's superintendent of education post with an inflammatory campaign to "stop la raza" and terminate Tucson's acclaimed Ethnic Studies/Mexican American Studies (MAS) Program.

At one of the most Orwellian press conferences in recent memory, Huppenthal kept his political campaign promise on Wednesday, June 15, at the Arizona Department of Education in Phoenix, declaring the Ethnic Studies/MAS Program to be out of compliance with the state's controversial ban. Huppenthal introduced a long-awaited and costly audit as proof that the MAS Program promoted resentment towards a race, was designed primarily for a particular ethnic race, and advocated ethnic solidarity. Within a few minutes, Huppenthal and his associate superintendent hastily exited the press conference for other engagements.

Just one glitch: On closer review, the audit -- which admittedly visited only 37% of the classes in the affected Tucson schools for a single 30-minute inspection -- contradicts most of Huppenthal's illusive claims and ultimately finds the MAS Program to be in compliance.

Not that the facts appear to bother the Tea Party politician, a featured speaker at Tea Party rallies that have catcalled President Obama as a "Communist" and "Nazi," or echoed Huppenthal's rants on the Senate floor that undocumented immigrants "nuclear-bombed" parts of Arizona's neighborhoods.

"This decision is not about politics, it is about education," Huppenthal read nervously from a printed statement. He proclaimed his "responsibility to uphold the law and a professional imperative to ensure every student has access to an excellent education."

In truth, the audit questions Huppenthal's own judgment: According to the audit, students in the MAS high school program "graduate in the very least at a rate of 5 percent more than their counterparts in 2005, and at the most, a rate of 11 percent more in 2010." The audit added:MASD programs are designed to improve student achievement based on the audit team's finding of valuable course descriptions aligned with state standards, commendable curricular unit and lesson plan design, engaging instruction practices, and collective inquiry strategies through Approved State Standards.

[Click on header to check out the rest of the story at the Huffington Post website.]

-30-

Latina Students Land Gallery Row Exhibit for Their Interpretation of Historic Olvera Street

This month Cobá will open its headquarters to expose Art Walk attendees to a photography collection from students involved in Las Fotos Project, a non-profit, community-based program that seeks to empower Latina youth through photography. The collection of photographs is from “Nuestra Placita Olvera,” a project in which the young women captured the culture and life of the city’s historic landmark, Olvera Street, by documenting its annual celebrations.

Headquartered in the heart of the arts district in downtown Los Angeles, Cobá wanted to respect the culture of the neighborhood and thus transformed their office into a gallery featuring the work of various accomplished, local artists. Last month, Cobá featured the work of Yolanda Gonzalez, whose bold use of color and texture reflects her family’s long heritage of artists. In April, José Ramirez’s sociopolitical paintings, rich with images of Chicano culture, were a hit.

The Las Fotos Project encourages young women to express their individuality and creativity and hone their artistic talents with photography training, mentoring and field projects. On display will be the work of Valerie Beltran, age 16, Julie Cabral, age 18, Civil Hernandez, age 16, Jessenia Pineda, age 14, and Yoali Sayago, age 17. According to Las Fotos Project founder Eric V. Ibarra, “The students took a photojournalistic approach to this project by documenting historical celebrations that may be forever changed in the future. Their ability to create this beautiful installation full of color, culture, and life was very inspirational to the Las Fotos Project community and we are all very proud that their hard work and amazing accomplishments will be shared with such a large audience.”

Cobá CEO, Arnulfo Ventura stated, “Art Walk is a great venue and opportunity for these students to display their best work and I know how much this means to them.” Later adding, “Orozco’s murals in Guadalajara made an impact on me as a child and today, I see Yolanda (Gonzalez) and José (Ramirez) as some of the greats of our time. Arts have a rich history in the Latino culture and I’m just glad we’re able to provide a forum to keep celebrating these fabulous artists.”

The event takes place the evening of Thursday, June 9 during the general hours of Art Walk. Cobá, the first ready-to-drink all-natural aguas frescas company, will be providing samples of their authentic aguas frescas sweetened with organic agave.To learn more about Cobá and its work with local artists, please go to www.drinkcoba.com. For more information about Las Fotos Project, visit lasfotosproject.org.

-30-

Blood Daughters: A Romilia Chacón Novel

A Novel by Marcos M. Villatoro

A child dies on the border between California and Mexico. This is nothing new: immigrants die crossing the border all the time, escaping from poverty and violence in Latin America. They bake in the desert. But this death is different. Someone has taken body parts from the child.

FBI Agent Romilia Chacón, a Salvadoran American, follows this case into a world that swallows her with its horror, a world that exists alongside ours, where children are bought and sold like cattle and shipped to men all across the country. The dealers in this blackest of markets have no moral barometer, only the lust for cash. And one among them has taken murder to a level beyond serial killing.

Romilia comes to this case already broken: the man she loved and yet had to hunt—drug runner Tekún Umán, a regular on the FBI’s Most Wanted List—is gone. Romilia has two friends, her partner Nancy Pearl—who lives a double life between the Feds and the cartels—and a bottle of booze. Romilia’s mother is on her back to get sober; her son drifts further away. And the killer is taking away pieces of Romilia’s life, day by day.

Blood Daughters: A Romilia Chacón Novel

A Novel by Marcos M. Villatoro

ISBN: 978-1-59709-426-9

5.5 x 8.5; Tradepaper

232 pages

Price: US $21.95

Scheduled Release: October 1, 2011

-30-