Romeo(s) y Julieta(s).
Summary: Rosa Luisa Márquez (www.marquezmartorell.org) is a Puerto Rican theater artist and pedagogue. Founding member of the theater group Anamú in 1971, she holds a Master's degree from New York University and a Doctorate from Michigan State University; she specializes in contemporary theater. Rosa Luisa started her teaching career at the Theater department of the University of Puerto Rico in 1978. She developed the current curriculum of Drama Activities, which she teaches in her workshops at schools, prisons, rehab centers, women's shelters, nursing homes and community centers. Her directing projects include 'Romeo(s) y Julieta(s), ' 'Historias para ser Contadas, ' 'La Leyenda del Cemí, ' 'Procesión, ' 'Waiting for Godot, ' 'Jardín de Pulpos, ' 'Absurdos en Soledad, ' 'El León y la Joya, ' among others. In conjunction with Puerto Rican visual artist Antonio Martorell, she created the concept of Itinerant Performers (1987-1990) resulting in twelve productions. Published books include 'Brincos y saltos: el juego como disciplina teatral' and 'Historias para ser contadas, montaje de Rosa Luisa Márquez.' She is a member of the board of directors and pedagogical team for the EITALC's International School of Latin American and Caribbean Theater. Ongoing artistic collaborators include Gilda Navarra and Antonio Martorell (Puerto Rico), Grupo Malayerba (Ecuador), Grupo Yuyachkani (Peru), and directors Peter Shumann (Bread & Puppet Theater, U.S.A.) and Augusto Boal (Theater of the Oppressed, Brazil). This video documents the theater piece 'Romeo(s) y Julieta(s), ' created collaboratively by Márquez with her students of the course of Experimental Theater
Summary: at the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras campus. Based on Pablo Neruda's version of the classic Shakespearean tragedy, the play crystallizes a year-long investigation on the creative links between theater and visual arts, in homage to renowned Puerto Rican scenographer José 'Checo' Cuevas. Antonio Martorell collaborated with this elaborated version of 'Romeo and Juliet, ' where the classic feud between Montagues and Capulets echoes the current political climate of colonialism, warfare, and 'an eye for an eye' political mentality affecting American foreign affairs, with concrete resonances with the Iraq War as well as with social and political violence at play in Puerto Rico.
Credits: University of Puerto Rico (Río Piedras campus) Drama Dept., producer ; Rosa Luisa Márquez, producer, director ; William Shakespeare, original text ; Pablo Neruda, translation/version ; Checo Cuevas, Antonio Martorell, set design ; Omar Silva, music director ; Javier Cardona, choreographer ; Carmen Acevedo, music consultant ; Gilda Navarra, movement consultant ; Paola Marchena, Javier González, Mila Aponte-González, asst. directors ; Checo Cuevas, lighting design ; Miguel Vando, costume design ; Experimental Theater students, props ; Edgar Garayúa and performers, makeup ; Mila Aponte-González, masks ; José Cotté, graphic design ; Miguel Villafañe, videographer.
Credits: Julio César Morales, Giuseppe Vázquez, Nami Helfeld, Cristina Pérez, Mariel Acevedo, Tania del Pilar Molina, Yaremis Félix, Axel Pacheco, Juan Pablo Díaz, Dharma Padrón, Mayra Acevedo, Jaime Zayas, Jessica Rodríguez, Javier Cardona, Carlos Alexis Cruz, Coquí Robles, Javier González, Lixandra Merced, Armando García, Veraalba Santa, Joaquín González, Jennifer de Jesús, Darién Acevedo, Francisco Iglesias, Arlene Martínez, María Pilar Aponte, Omar Silva, Mila Aponte-González, Emily López, Marcos Toledo, Reinaldo Rodríguez, Naomí Bonafoux, Jerry Soto, UPR High School Brass Ensemble.