performance | writing | direction

LA NEGRA

Almazan as LA NEGRA

LA NEGRA (full length) BRIC Arts Residency, Reading at Lincoln Center with The Classical Theatre of Harlem – Future Classics Series, Iati Theatre, New York City. La Negra excerpt performance at Columbia Stages. Scratch Lab Residency with Hi-Arts, works in progress presentation. Staged reading with Lone Star Theatre Company and La Lucha Arts.

Most recent: A theatrical Installation / An event to Honor your Dead. Presented by Bric Arts and Raquel Almazan’s La Lucha Arts.

BRIC TV Premieres BK Stories Featuring La Negra, a new documentary tracing the development process of the play.

Directed by Mei Ann Teo.

Cast:   Raquel Almazan, Bobby Plasencia, Dana Watkins, Yadira De La Riva, Nicolle Marquez and Alica Ceron.

Ofrenda Istallation Art – Benjamin Rojas

Lighting Design – Daisy Long

Sound Design – Drew Weinstein

Projection Design – Izmir Ickbal

BRIC Arts Images: HERE

Broadwayworld article: HERE

As the Day of the Dead approaches, Drug Cartel Queen LA NEGRA takes a ritualistic journey from child prostitute to Patron Saint of Mexican outcasts- Santa Muerte. Siete, her top drug pusher lover, a Gringo tourist painter, and hundreds of street children inhabit her world towards light and peace. The citizens of Tijuana, police officers and skull figures of the night force her to face her relentless darkness. These light and dark symbolic forces within her battle for the future of Mexico itself.

LA NEGRA- What are you drinking?’ A hundred year old tequila of course. It courses through my veins. My veins the roads that stretch out through Mexico. The entire Tijuana lives in my elbows. Nogales my shoulder. Ciudad Juarez my brain, that explodes images of hundreds of those ninas muertas—their bodies bashed— bashed heads of mothers against their graves. Chihuahua my mouth, so that I could scream out the names of the dead girls. Hermosillo my eyes. So that I can see across the country to Nuevo Laredo, Monterrey, Saltillo. Matamores my nose to smell the Gulf of Mexico sea water salt. Tampico, Madero my arms.

SIETE – Virgin Mary with a knife—

SKULL FIGURES – Flower for a mouth—

SIETE – High heel on tomb—

LA NEGRA – My tits breathe—

SIETE – Los ninos call—

SKULL FIGURES – To join your husband father, the Dark One te llama!—

SIETE- Sway your branches—

LA NEGRA- To the sun—

SIETE- Your painted face in light—

LA NEGRA -My babies on my back?

SIETE – Here– come —here—

SKULL FIGURES – Cigars will burn you stillllllllllllllll

5 actors minimum