ISU Spanish Masters Students go “Tras Bambalinas” (Behind the Scenes) of Marisol

This semester in Idaho State University's Department of Global Studies and Languages, Dr. Marin Laufenberg's Spanish Master's students are going "tras bambalinas" (behind the scenes) in her seminar entitled "Theatre and Performance in Latin America." 

The graduate students have been reading texts and watching videos of performances of pieces from the 1950s through the present day, from Puerto Rico, Chile, Argentina, and Mexico, entirely in Spanish.

“Theatre is such a physical and dynamic cultural production,” Laufenberg said, “and while students have been able to watch videos of recorded performances, they have not had the opportunity to be audience members at a live show yet.” 

Upon learning that ISU's School of Performing Arts would be presenting Puerto Rican-Neoyorquino José Rivera´s 1992 piece, Marisol, Dr. Laufenberg asked her students to read the script in preparation for their first opportunity to be live audience members. 

Written in the style of Theatre of the Absurd, Marisol follows Marisol Perez, a young office professional in the Bronx, whose life is changed when she finds herself in the middle of celestial and angelic warfare. Marisol then finds herself trying to survive in an apocalyptic dystopia.

Most of the Spanish Master of Arts students are located all over the U.S., so the students will tune in to the streamed production in order to consider how the script is brought to life on ISU's stage. 

They will consider such questions as how has the director interpreted the stage directions? What do lighting and sound do to accentuate the tone? How does the audience react to the live experience? How is humor perceived? What is the experience like for an online audience member streaming a live show? What influences of Latin American culture and theatre traditions can be read within this production of Marisol? 

The students are well-versed in the absurdist tradition in Latin America, having read pieces by Chilean Jorge Díaz and Argentine Griselda Gambaro, so they will hopefully be able to put this more contemporary US-Latinx piece into dialogue with other works as they understand the influences in Rivera´s work. 

Students will have the opportunity to attend a talk-back with members of the Marisol production including actors and director after the October 14 live show. 

Laufenberg says, “This kind of collaborative learning showcases ISU's ability to prepare our students for an ever more global and intercultural world.”

Marisol will be performed October 14 and 15, 7:30 p.m. at the Stephen’s Performing Arts Center Black Box Theatre. This is an adult show with language and adult themes. Cost is $5-15 for tickets.