Foto-estáticas.
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 a choreographic version of 'Foto-Estáticas.' A collaboration between Márquez and renowned Puerto Rican artist Antonio Martorell, the piece was originally created in 1985 with students of the course Drama Activities at the University of Puerto Rico (Humacao campus) as a performance to complement Martorell's art show 'Álbum de Familia' (Family Album). The piece has since then been restaged several times by the Teatreros Ambulantes de Cayey, touring internationally. The present iteration of the piece is a choreographic version created in collaboration with Puerto Rican contemporary dance company Andanza, directed by Lolita Villanúa. Before the piece starts, the audience is invited to join the artists onstage in creating the characteristic costumes of 'Foto-Estáticas, ' an array of garments and props made out of recycled newsprint. Hemispheric Institute of Performance and Politics