Guillermo Calderón, Chile’s foremost contemporary
playwright and an acclaimed chronicler and critic of contemporary Chilean
politics and society, is coming to Portland for the first time. Reed College,
in association with local theatre producer Boom Arts, will host the playwright on
campus for two days, introducing him and his theatre and film work to Portland
audiences and to Reed students, who will have special opportunities to interact
with him through in-class visits and informal conversations on campus.
Guillermo Calderón’s plays have been translated and
produced by major US and international theatres and have toured under his own
direction to venues and festivals around the world. His plays have covered
ample political ground in Chile, addressing issues from Michelle Bachelet’s
presidency to widespread student demonstrations to the legacy of the Pinochet
dictatorship. Calderón speaks about his work in clear terms: “Theatre is a
battlefield,” he told The New York Times
in March 2013, when his play Neva received
its US premiere at New York’s Public Theater.
produced by major US and international theatres and have toured under his own
direction to venues and festivals around the world. His plays have covered
ample political ground in Chile, addressing issues from Michelle Bachelet’s
presidency to widespread student demonstrations to the legacy of the Pinochet
dictatorship. Calderón speaks about his work in clear terms: “Theatre is a
battlefield,” he told The New York Times
in March 2013, when his play Neva received
its US premiere at New York’s Public Theater.
Free Public Events in Reed College’s new Performing Arts Building:
Theatre Performance: Tuesday, April 22, 5pm
A staged reading ofCalderón’s play Villa, in an English translation
by William Gregory. In the play, three young women debate the
future of the site of a former villa turned into a torture barracks by the
military dictatorship. Originally performed inside the infamous Villa
Grimaldi, this “spare, intense” play grapples with the legacy of
atrocity using “stark lyricism and dreamlike imagery” (LA Times). Villa will be introduced by Dr. Kate Bredeson (Asst. Professor of Theatre,
Reed College) and performed by Portland
actresses Cristi Miles, Dana Millican (Portlandia), & Rebecca
Lingafelter. Followed by a Q
& A with Guillermo Calderón with Dr. Pancho Savery (Professor of English
and Humanities, Reed College) and Dr. Mariela Szwarcberg (Asst. Professor of Political
Science, Reed College).
In the Performance Lab.
atrocity using “stark lyricism and dreamlike imagery” (LA Times). Villa will be introduced by Dr. Kate Bredeson (Asst. Professor of Theatre,
Reed College) and performed by Portland
actresses Cristi Miles, Dana Millican (Portlandia), & Rebecca
Lingafelter. Followed by a Q
& A with Guillermo Calderón with Dr. Pancho Savery (Professor of English
and Humanities, Reed College) and Dr. Mariela Szwarcberg (Asst. Professor of Political
Science, Reed College).
In the Performance Lab.
Film Screening: Wednesday, April 23, 7pm
A screening of the feature film Violeta Went to Heaven, in Spanish with
English subtitles; screenplay co-written by Guillermo Calderón. The film tells
the life story of Chilean folk music legend Violeta Parra (1917-1967). The
screening will be followed by a Q & A with Guillermo Calderón and Dr. Morgan
Luker (Asst. Professor of Music, Reed College).
In the Music Rehearsal Room.
English subtitles; screenplay co-written by Guillermo Calderón. The film tells
the life story of Chilean folk music legend Violeta Parra (1917-1967). The
screening will be followed by a Q & A with Guillermo Calderón and Dr. Morgan
Luker (Asst. Professor of Music, Reed College).
In the Music Rehearsal Room.
No reservations are necessary for these
events; please check events.reed.edu or www.boomarts.org for updates and more
information.
events; please check events.reed.edu or www.boomarts.org for updates and more
information.
Calderón’s visit is
co-sponsored by Reed’s Division of
Literature and Languages and the Departments of English, Music, Political
Science, Spanish, and Theatre. It is supported by the Office of the Dean of the Faculty and
the Office for Institutional Diversity and produced by Boom Arts by special
invitation from Reed College.
co-sponsored by Reed’s Division of
Literature and Languages and the Departments of English, Music, Political
Science, Spanish, and Theatre. It is supported by the Office of the Dean of the Faculty and
the Office for Institutional Diversity and produced by Boom Arts by special
invitation from Reed College.