Recuerdos de Broadway-2 September 2011

I realize this entry comes about a month late. My apologies.

While the event Gloria and I attended wasn't necessarily the actual theatrical production of Broadway scenes, there were definitely some theatrical elements that were downright amazing from the singing. Indeed, acting is something we all do everyday. We tailor our voice and our movements based on those around us. Theatre is found everywhere, including in singing performances. This entry is an interdisciplinary approach to theater as will be many other entries soon to come.

The university, Tecnologico de Monterrey, is one of the most prestigious universities here in Guadalajara, Mexico. On 2 September 2011 they held a special event in their new Salon de Congreso.

 This notice says that the "Exatec" choir and Classical Orchestra will hold a concert "Broadway Memories." There will also be the campus of Guadalajara in participation. The Exatecs are the alumni of this university.

 This is one of the side views of their new building-Centro de Congresos

 The front view is beautiful with a facade of glass.

 There are either 3/4 entries into the building through glass doors through these pillars on the left. Gloria and I rode the bus, the 629-B up to the campus. Here are a few pictures of our adventure.

 My lovely wife. I don't know where I'd be right now without her.

 Of course, this wonderful bus ride was very entertaining. The guy in the white shirt decided to play his music so everyone could here it.

While this may look crowded, this is NOTHING compared to how the bus usually is in the morning. Think of about 30 more people and that's how the buses usually are in the morning and after work hours.
The room in which the performance took place was rather small. It was a make-shift conference room turned into an auditorium. The room consisted of two sections of seats, and platforms with chairs for the orchestra and room for the singers. Two screens were positioned on the sides of the singers to display the Broadway show and during the performance photos would be displayed that pertained to that particular show. Here are some pictures of the performance space.

 The room wasn't that full when the performance began, but there were a considerable amount of people. I had a friend, Karen Cano, who performed the flute in the performance, and another friend who sang the lady's part of "Master of the House" when Les Miserables began. Here is a list of the songs performed in the show.

 The truth, in terms of singing, the presentation was spectacular. The vocalists who performed solos and the one duet, were absolutely amazing. They brought together musical-acting techniques to their voices and filled the room with their performance. The one song I was most impressed by was Maria. The person who sung this song was Exatec, or an alumni, who recently graduated. He sang with such technique! I was blown away as he sang high notes, stuck his tongue out and showed his teeth. That sounds a little weird, but if you know anything about singing techniques, then you know how wonderful it was to see that. If you want another example of this, look to Wicked the musical and watch Idina Menzel sing the final notes to "Defying Gravity" on Youtube. I think her performance at the Tony Awards is the one I'm thinking about.
The evening was wonderful. The instruments were in tune, and the lighting affects kept the performance interesting. The performers were dressed formally, as seen in the following picture.

Something I find interesting is the fact that in Mexico, Broadway has made an impact into their popular entertainment. Here in Mexico, especially Guadalajara, there is a lot of theater, and a lot of entertainment. It's a big city, so there's a lot more at your disposal. The thing that gets me, though, is that they sang in English. I know there are translations into Spanish of the musicals, although I haven't heard one yet. The Broadway favorites continue in English in Mexico. That's interesting to me. It just shows the major influence the United States holds over Mexico. This was one performance I understood completely! Though I do hope one day they can hold a concert in their university in Spanish in regards to the arts. I would enjoy to see that as well.
Bravo to a wonderful show! The vocals were outstanding and the orchestra was wonderful. When we left we had our first experience in a Taxi. It wasn't that bad, in fact it was quite enjoyable. I explained to the taxi driver that in America things are a lot more expensive than here, so our money doesn't go as far as they think. We're not all rich in the United States, but when we come to Mexico our money surely goes much farther. We stepped out and walked home. It was too late for the buses to take us the rest of the way home.

Lisistrata-A Hectic and Shortened Evening

     On Thursday 28 August my wife and I made our way downtown to the Teatro Experimental de Jalisco.

    We had previously purchased tickets to see Lisistrata. We were both a bit scared before attending this show because it has a lot to do with fornication. The plot put simply is in Athens the women take over and refuse to have sex with their husbands until they end their wars. The play was originally witnessed in 411 B.C.  but continues to be a play of significance due to its themes about women and how they are treated in a patriarchal society. Mexico is known for its "machismo" which is basically that men control their women and the women stay at home cleaning and cooking. While it's not the case for all homes, it is of a big enough phenomenon for others to note it in the Mexican culture.
     The trip to the theater was very stressful. There are two locations for the Universidad de Guadalajara in downtown Guadalajara. The first being the main campus, and the other being the historic building located at the heart of Guadalajara. We went to both thinking the theater would be there. It wasn't. I didn't print out the direction, so when I asked those around me if they knew where the Teatro Experimental de Jalisco was located they all responded in the negative. Finally we went to the police and asked them. They told us the main plaza in downtown Guadalajara has Wi-Fi, so we got on Gloria's iPod and looked up the direction. Both police told us a different way to get to Agua Azul and Calzada Indepedencia. I don't know how we ended up making it to the theater, but we got there about 5 minutes late. We crossed a dark park and somehow went straight to the building. Life is so much easier with an iPhone where I can track where we are and where our destination is.
     We walked in after the play had already begun. I felt bad, but we had paid about 77 pesos each to attend, so I didn't feel too bad slipping in 5 minutes late. The performance aesthetics were magnificent. The set was a two dimensional series of pillars, three on each side, with a set of steps leading up to a gateway. They used a fog machine and fantastic masks. The masks covered from the nose up, and made their faces appear much larger. The mouth section was neat. They painted all around their mouth red, to make the lips look big. The clothing was great as well. Knowing they could have made many phallic jokes, since the play deals a lot with old comedy, they opted for a more modest appearance. Their white robes drooped between their legs, and when they made reference to making their "manhood" bigger, all they did was bend over and look surprised.
     I actually understood the Spanish in this show a lot better than in La Casa de Bernarda Alba. Unfortunately what I did hear was pretty immoral. I was putting up with the crude humor until my wife couldn't take any more. She politely stepped out. I followed her example. I let her know before hand that if at any time in any piece of theater, if she felt uncomfortable, that I would support her and leave with her. That is exactly what I did. Thus the evening was cut short about half-way through the performance. There were themes in the show that were note-worthy, though. One of the them is the patriarchal system's abuse of women. This play shows how even in Greek society women yearned for respect and consideration from their husbands and leaders. The topic isn't new. While their way of seeking common grounds is a bit unconventional in today's standards, it nonetheless demonstrates the power women do hold over men.
     We luckily made it home that evening, because our bus back to Patria and Vallarta had stopped running. Though a kind man by the name of Salvador let us on his bus because he was on his way home and he went through all of Vallarta, which meant he would pass Patria. We left just in time to make it home. Lisistrata was a cleverly performed play with wonderful actors who captured their audience. I'm not sure if it was mostly because their masks were so large that when they looked at the audience it was a bit unsettling, or if it was because they dominated their characters so well. I believe the actors were all students at the TEC de Monterrey where I am currently attending.

La Casa de Bernarda Alba-Part Deux

I can finally fill you all in in terms of pictures up to this point. Let me see how this blog works with pictures. Then I'll finish up the evening and move on to the adventure of last week.

Now to the ending and description of La Casa de Bernarda Alba. I had already read this play twice (once in my Spanish 339 class with Dr. Quackenbush and again in my TMA 202 class with Dr. Jones. I feel pretty familiar with the play and the playwright. With that said, it was neat to hear the actors with their spanish accents. Most of the actors had very white skin (I would imagine reflecting the Spanish characters). The set was very minimalist.

     The director is in the last photo. He did an excellent job with this production. Gloria loved Yosi Lugo, found in the second photo from the top of this section right next to the maid in black (to the left of her). Here's another photo for publicity:

     Yosi Lugo's movement's were very calculated as she moved around with a cane. I could tell she moved with purpose. She was a fantastic actress to watch. When she entered the scene all the characters moved towards her as if she was the epicenter of action. The daughters each had their idiosyncrasies and some were more boring than others, but overall each brought to the scene something fresh. I could tell they had done their homework and brought themselves through each person they portrayed. The maid was a terrific actress as well, bringing the servant accent, a lower-class accent, to the stage. I don't really know how to describe this accent except to say it was very distinct from the "proper" accent of the other actresses.
     The play also included a saxophonist. What a neat element. Part of the purpose for this saxophonist was to draw out the mood after a verbal battle. Perhaps the saxophone was meant to keep the mood melancholy, almost without hope. Sometimes it played under the dialogue. I don't think I would have thought about adding music, but it was very creative and added this director's unique touch to a Lorca classic.

     The set was magnificently minimalistic. The essential was used so that the dialogue was the focus of the play. I enjoyed that aspect. It seemed to say that the play was of utmost importance and that what Lorca had written was universal and important to say. The bare poles in the back of the stage represented corridors where people would pass and eavesdrop. The couches in the front were the bare essential so that the interaction of all characters could focus on the dialogue. The dialogue is important because one of the highlights of this show is the fact of gossip. This is one of the signs of repression. Talking openly about problems and seeking solutions in a democratic way was out of the question in the times of Lorca. Thus the people had to spread rumors and talk in secret in order to relieve themselves. La Casa de Bernarda Alba is a perfect example of Spain under a dictatorship (aka-Bernarda). Right when the play is supposedly written Francisco Franco takes power. He was Spain's dictator from 1936-1975.

     The skeletal structure on the stage left section of the stage was used for the "room" of the crazy grandmother, the room where Bernarda gossips with the mother of the woman who is stoned (if I interpreted the play correctly), and the barn where Adela hangs herself, though the actual hanging action occurred from the top of the curtain, showing only the legs falling. It appeared like a prison cell, which was a wonderful touch to the play's aesthetic feel.
May I add here a complaint. I'm not sure if this is a Mexican theater etiquette problem, or if it's because the audience didn't value a performance for only 90 pesos, or if they just didn't like the play, but come on! where is the respect the theater deserves? People were making their way to their seats probably 30 minutes into the play. I recognize the concept of time in Latino America is different than in the United States, but it doesn't count for the disrespect shown to the actresses. A "chavo" held a conversation on his phone in the actual theater. I couldn't believe it! I was completely disgusted by the lack of respect. Other than that the only other complaint was the sound system. When the actresses began using a louder voice, even shouting, the sound system began to fail and it was hard to discern what they were actually saying. Other than that it was a very enjoyable and humbling experience. When the performance ended the director called out a few famous people in the audience, including famous actors in Mexico. A beautiful evening with its good and bad.

La Casa de Bernarda Alba-Part 1, the events leading up to the performance with a few cultural details

     On Thursday last my wife and I decided to attend the final showing of "La Casa de Bernarda Alba" at the Teatro Degollado in downtown Guadalajara, Mexico. The process for obtaining a ticket in Mexico is a bit different than in America, or at least what I have thought as the norm. Here in Mexico Ticketmaster is a very strong company. In order to buy our tickets to this event we needed to enter www.ticketmaster.com.mx. The .mx is the sign at the end of every website that originates in Mexico. The ticket prices were all 90 pesos with a 9 pesos fee for processing online. They don't really have a "will-call" like in America. There will-call is different, as will be shown. They charge 35 pesos for an international or domestic will-call. 35 pesos is the equivalent of a little less than 3 dollars, give or take the exchange rate for the day. The current exchange rates vary between dollars and pesos at about 12 pesos to one dollar. Once the ticket is bought on Ticketmaster the purchaser must then go to a designated Ticketmaster location to retrieve the tickets. The location closest to where we live is the Office Depot at the Cordilleras Plaza. I had to show my passport and the card I used in order for them to print out a ticket. The tickets are super fancy. Once I get the cable to download my pictures I'll show you a copy of a Ticketmaster ticket in Mexico. Once obtained I walked back to the apartment and we prepared ourselves for a night downtown.
     Since my wife and I are visiting Mexico, we don't have a car at our disposal. The main way we go about traveling in Guadalajara is by bus. The bus system here is very economical and very oft-used. I have to admit my first experiences on a Guadalajaran bus have forever changed my perspective of how wonderful the buses are back in Utah. I would take a picture of the congestion on a bus, but I think that might make me look WAY like a tourist and it might offend others, so I'll have to catch a bus when it stops and put that here. We live about 15 minutes by walking, south of Vallarta, which is one of the principal roads in Guadalajara. We live off Patria which is another principle road. There is one bus that goes up and down Patria, and for that reason, it is almost always crowded. In fact, in the mornings when I'm in a hurry sometimes I'll take the 632 bus north to Vallarta. Lately, though, I have changed my opinion about taking that bus in the morning to save time. One morning 5 buses passed those of us waiting at the stop because they were extremely full. When I say full I mean there is no way another person can even stand in the entryway to the bus. There have been times the busdriver has had to tell-off someone to make them get out because the door didn't close and they were persistent in being on that bus. Needless to say the bus is a very common mode of transportation here in Mexico's 2nd largest city.
     Since it was around the evening time the bus is less crowded. Gloria and I paid each 6 pesos (about 50 cents, a little less than a dollar in total) and boarded the 632 towards Vallarta. Once at Vallarta we crossed Patria towards the area where the buses load and unload. It's a main intersection where many buses pass. Honestly, it's a very economical way of transportation. Many people, including my wife, are scared about the buses here in Mexico, but as far as I've seen, nothing really happens. Of course I take my precautions like putting my back pack in front of me and trying to always stay at the front by the bus driver. The bus that takes me to the university (Tecnologico de Monterrey) is 629-B. There is a similar bus that passes towards the central part of downtown Mexico numbered 629-A. I have to be careful to look for the B and the signs of destination before I board in the mornings. Gloria and I climbed on to the 629-A bus and headed east towards the central part of downtown Guadalajara, where the Teatro Degollado is located. We drove through a lot of construction as Guadalajara is preparing itself in October for the 2011 Panamerican Games, an American Continent version of the Olympics. May I just add here that all the schools in Guadalajara are taking a week off to attend these games, except my school. Aren't I the lucky one!
     The bus took us downtown, a few blocks away from the theatre. We stepped down into the busy market area where there are vendors, street sellers, tourists, and just about anything else imaginable in a downtown area. The University of Guadalajara is a very old and beautiful stone building located at the heart of Guadalajara. What constitutes the central area of Guadalajara is the Catholic Cathedral. It is a masterpiece of art, built originally in 1618, but having received many revisions because of earthquakes and fires afterwards. Next to the cathedral are the Guadalajara government offices and the Teatro Degollado. There is a huge plaza in front of the entrance to the cathedral and between the cathedral's rear and the Teatro Degollado. The architecture in the downtown area is a very Baroque/Colonial. What I love about the architecture here is that the older buildings are preserved for future generations, unlike in many parts of the United States where when a building starts to fade it is demolished and a contemporary building replaces the former structure. Guadalajara is a sight to behold.
     Gloria and I had some time to spare to breathe in the downtown experience. We had previously passed through the area with some family friends the first couple days after we landed in Mexico. We walked through the streets and looked at the shops. We stopped for some ice cream (6 pesos each for a small cup of vanilla ice cream topped with chocolate). We sat at a small park just south of the the theater. There was a monument to Pablo Neruda that we read. Gloria likes Pablo Neruda. We noticed as we sat there, that there is a macrobus that is like the Trax system in Utah, run by rail and only on two rails (one north-bound and one south-bound). There is a lot of economical transportation here. It's a great example of the potential infrastructure many downtowns could implement in the United States in terms of public transportation.
     We then walked towards the theater and waited outside for awhile. Gloria bought a coke (about 7 pesos) and then we waited. Luckily, Gloria was standing right where the line was forming so we found our spots to go in. It was a fast moving line. We probably waited less than 10 minutes to enter.
     I have never entered a theater like this one. It is a breathtaking piece of art. The Teatro Degollado was first dedicated on 13 September 1866 with Lucia di Lammermoor as its opening opera (which I might add is one my favorites for the "pyscho" aria). The entrance is full of columns, representing a certain Greek element to the theatre, perhaps recognizing the birth of western theatre in its Grecian roots. There is a beautiful chandelier as you enter, followed by statues and other pillars. It looks as if the theatre was renovated because it is impeccable on the inside as well as on the out. Then the real treat: we entered the principal auditorium.
     Having seen these kinds of theaters only in textbooks I felt tremendously honored to be inside a theatre of such exquisite beauty. All along the side walls and the back wall were balconies, like those in the Phantom of the Opera and in many theaters during the Renaissance. We sat facing the stage in row L, seats 25 & 26. The ceiling was ornately painted to represent the beautiful Grecian thinkers and gods/goddesses. The main curtain was elaborately painted to show a scene of woman, perhaps during Grecian times as well. I will definitely post these pictures as soon as possible so you can actually see what I saw, though you will have to come and experience it for yourself to really gain the complete perspective. We sat in our seats, thrilled for a new experience in such a beautiful theatre. After three curtain calls the lights dimmed as people made their way towards their seats.