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Off-Broadway Makes Room for a House of Desires, Jan. 6-28
By: BWW News Desk Dec. 15, 2005
"House of Desires delivers romantic mayhem to the doorstep of brother and sister Don Pedro and Dona Ana who find themselves entangled in a comic mess: Don Pedro loves Dona Leonor who loves Don Carlos, who is fancied by Dona Ana but betrothed to Don Juan. The play is a bawdy, starry-eyed tale of confusion and mistaken identities rich with wily servants and groping suitors. Written by a 17th century feminist, House of Desires examines the idea of free will for women at a time when her worth was defined by society's strict moral code. With honor and desire at stake, will the lovers' whims lead them to happiness?," ask production notes.
Directed by Peter Dobbins (the artistic director of The Storm Theatre), this production will feature Michael Cajigao, Amanda Cronk, Michael Daly, Christopher Kale Jones, Jamil Mena, Caitlin Mulhern, Jessica Myhr, Joshua Vasquez and Gabriel Vaughn with set by Todd Edward Ivins, costumes by Erin Murphy and lighting by Michael Abrams.
Born in 1648 in a small village near Mexico City, Sor Juana Inés de La Cruz rose from humble beginnings to one of the most renowned Baroque literary figures, acclaimed widely in Spain and Spanish-speaking colonies. A gifted scholar, mostly self-taught, she was considered a prodigy. She gained attention from the Spanish royal court in Mexico City where she served as a maid-in-waiting to the Vicereine, all the while demonstrating aptitude in disciplines including theology, mathematics, philosophy and literature. In 1669, she entered the Convent of the Order of St. Jerome where she remained until her death in 1695. While at the convent, she held intellectual 'salons'. During this period she wrote carols, poems and secular and sacramental plays; an anthology of her poetry is published in Spain. Criticized by the archbishop of Mexico, she famously defended the education of women and its benefit to both women and society in her letter, "Reply to Sor Philotea." In 1693, for reasons not fully known but stemming from pressure from the archbishop, Sor Juana stopped writing.
Catherine Boyle received a BA in Modern Languages from the University of Strathclyde, and her MA and PhD at the University of Liverpool in Latin American studies. Her doctoral thesis was a study of theatre production during the Pinochet regime, and Chilean Theater, 1973-1985, "Marginality, Power and Selfhood" was published in 1992. She is co-founder and her work has been published widely on Latin American theatre and working with professional theatre companies in the translation and production of Spanish and Spanish American drama.
"The Storm Theatre, established in 1997, is a not-for-profit company that strives to have a meaningful impact on the lives of its audience. Utilizing classics, under-acknowledged gems from the world repertory, and vigorous new visions of life today, The Storm offers audiences compelling documentations of what it means to be human and aims to rouse the awe-inspiring truths of our shared humanity, its beauty and its potential." Past productions include: The Salvage Shop, Twelfth Night, The Last Starfighter: A New Musical, Noah, Spokesong, The Tempest, The Power and the Glory, Stravogin's Confession and Murder in the Cathedral, among others. The Storm Theatre's 2005-2006 kicked-off with Jim Nolan's The Salvage Shop and this Spring will feature the Pope Festival 2006, exploring and celebrating the plays of Karol Wojtyla (Pope John Paul II).
House of Desires will play as follows at The Storm Theatre: Wednesday – Saturday at 7:30 PM, with Saturday matinees at 2:00 PM. PLEASE NOTE: Additional performances are scheduled for Sunday, January 8 at 2:00 PM & Monday, January 9 @ 7:30 PM.
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