UPCOMING NEXT!
La Lucha Arts presents: La Paloma Prisoner was programmed as part of the Next Door series with New York Theatre Workshop for a full theatrical run, directed by Estefania Fadul. ORIGINAL DATES POSTPONED DUE TO COVID, NEW 2023 DATES TBA
La Paloma Prisoner Project: La Paloma Prisoner is a theatre project by Raquel Almaƶán about the reclamation of identity by incarcerated and formerly incarcerated women in the prison system. Developed from her longstanding work with incarcerated and impacted communities, alongside a series of initiatives aimed at raising awareness and inciting action towards the end of global mass incarceration. The project includes programs designed to uplift the voices and narratives of current and formerly incarcerated women-identified folx of color through workshops in prisons, conversation circles, advocacy and panel discussions leading up to the production’s run.
MORE ABOUT LA PALOMA PRISONER HERE
2022 EVENTS
AUGUST 4TH @ 2PM
La Paloma Prisoner By Raquel Almazan
Directed by Estefania Fadul
Live scoring by Lisette Santiago
Movement by Ensemble
Join us for an (Open Rehearsal)
Featuring work-in-progress excerpts from the play as we conclude our workshop @ Chelsea Factory
RSVP via this LINK: https://ci.green.prod.ovationtix.com/36523/performance/11129224
JULY 25TH @ 7:30PM
ONLINE PANEL DISCUSSION ADDRESSING MOTHERHOOD’S INTERSECTION WITH THEATREMAKING.
Almazan opens up about her new role as a mother and how she is integrating motherhood with her theatremaking. BOOK TICKETS HERE: https://irondale.org/on-women-festival/
Re-entering the theatre space with a Chelsea Factory residency: upcoming sharing Sunday February 6th @ 2pm. Join us! Free rsvp: https://ci.ovationtix.com/36523/performance/10983665?performanceId=10983665
Works in progress theatre sharing:
EL ODIO DE UN PAIS/ The Hate of a Country
(part of the Latin is American play cycle) by Raquel Almazan
Resident Chelsea Factory artist presentation
Date and Time: Sunday February 6th @ 2pm
House opens at 1:45pm.
Venue: Chelsea Factory 547 West 26th street New York, NY 10002
Ticketing: Free admission. Limited seating.
Social distanced seating. Proof of vaccination and mask required for entrance.
EL ODIO DE UN PAIS/ The Hate of a Country by Raquel Almazan
Directed by Gineiris Garcia
Original Sound and Music by Sinuhe Padilla Isunza
EL ODIO DE UN PAIS/ The Hate of a Country, explores the conditions of women through the dramatization of violence contrasted with the actions of healing and solidarity within female communities. Rape culture becomes personal Costa Rican mythology: A missing arm in the sugar cane fields, a mother and daughter climb the mango tree of dangerous memories in the jungle, imprisoned men swear their innocence to the Crimen de Colima. An autobiographical and biographical series of scenes that explore the mainstream history of Costa Rica from the perspective of family lineage. This play challenges the male and colonial gaze by revealing the destructive impact of oppression on the individual, positioned as a metonym for Costa Rica itself.
Stage Management: Martha Lorena Preve Ayora
Movement: Raquel Almazan and Vangeline Theater / New York Butoh Institute
Environment Design: Charlie Chauca
Featuring cast members:
Raquel Almazan
Carlos Andrickson
Yadira De La Riva
Santiago Andres Piña
Maribel Martinez
Mel Nieves
Daniela Thome
Efrén Olson-Sánchez
Lenny Urbaez
2021 HIGHLIGHTS
NOVEMBER 15TH FROM 7PM – 8:30PM CST TIME -ONLINE VIA ZOOM with The Playwrights Center
Submitting Series Part II: The Artistic Statement taught by Affiliated Writer Raquel Almazan
“If we do not define for ourselves who we are, what is important to us and why, others will define this for us.”
—Raquel Almazan
CLASS DESCRIPTION
Who are you as an artist? Why do you create stories for the stage? This class is designed to help you reshape and articulate how to express your artistic goals and expression with an artistic statement. Together we will workshop how to develop your own artistic statement, resume/bio, and play synopsis in preparation for submissions.
MORE ABOUT THE COURSE AND REGISTRATION: https://pwcenter.org/event/online-seminar-submitting-series-part-ii-artistic-statement
SEPTEMBER 16TH
As the practice of female genital mutilation continues, how do survivors and those at risk protect themselves and future generations of women? This 13 min documentary We Will Not be Tamed is directed by New York City teenage survivor Jibeh Fatty as she highlights her narrative within a global context. Featuring survivor Gnama Griffin and Imam Mohammad Abdoul and a platform that connects an international movement breaking the silence of victimization where women share their personal stories to create political and social change.
Directed by Jibeh Fatty
Content Direction and Produced by Raquel Almazan
Associate Director and Additional Editing: Suzette Burton
City Lore Education Program, Urban Explorers Films
Funded by: The Pinkerton Foundation
Join us for the world premiere screening and vital conversation on how we can come together as a united global community towards eradicating female genital mutilation.
View the film: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lco2U7uLGiY&list=PL4slyQodoIv3AtQt8qH1U9Hn5v5LTG9qm&t=2s
PRIDE STORIES FILM RELEASE: June 2021, Life Jacket Theatre partnered with the Queer Detainee Empowerment Project to support LGBTQIA+ immigrants share their urgent stories with a series of short docs. Storytelling Coaches: Raquel Almazan & Drew Drake. Video: Jeremy Kotin. Support: Alliance of Resident Theatres/New York – Funds for Anti-Oppression Work. Watch the films: http://www.lifejackettheatre.org/pride
April 2021
Newly commissonied poem, “Ripped” exploring radical new ways of loving for Love Redefined: Ritual.
March 2021
A new poem honoring Angela Davis – all sacred womxn! Presented by Nuyorican Poets Cafe. Celebrate Women’s History Month, creating the live streamed show “Women Making Herstory”! A line up of powerful women writing about the women who inspired them!
HIGHLIGHTS 2020
La Paloma Prisoner Project on the Kilroys List honoring canceled or postponed productions due to the COVID-19 pandemic written by woman, trans, and gender non-binary writers. Incredible company to be in, our work will live on!
Kilroys site: https://thekilroys.org/list-2020/
American Theatre Magazine Article:
A reading of the Spanish translation of La Paloma Prisoner by Mariana Carreño King and Raquel Almazan was presented virtually by Repertorio Español on June 16th 2020. Directed by Estefanía Fadul. Cast: Zuelma Clares, Dalia Davi, Gladys Perez-Mojica, Zuleyma Guevara, Monica Steuer, Teresa Yenque, Andrea Abello, Francisco Arcila, Gerardo E. Gudiño.
As a survivor and advocate, I’m honored to be part of this vital conversation with Marin Ireland. Join us April Tuesday 28th from 3pm to 4pm. Host: Kathleen Chalfant: Guest Speaker: Lia Avellino, Bea Hanson, Raquel Almazan. With Playwright/ Actor Marin Ireland. Rattlestick Playwrights Theater
Please join Relational Psychotherapist, Lia Avellino and Executive Director of the NYC Domestic Violence Task Force, Bea Hanson, and theater artist Raquel Almazan in discussing the increase of domestic violence during this time of COVID.
Marin Ireland will read an excerpt from her new Preexisting Condition during this event. Preexisting Condition is a play about learning how we move on. How we move on from an act of violence. A woman tries and tries again. Who do we turn to, and why. What questions do we need to ask, and how do we begin.
For information on attending Almazan’s performances and residency activities- CONTACT HERE.
