Borderlands Theater Proudly Presents GUERA: A Daring and Truthful Experience

Borderlands Theater proudly presents Guera written and performed by Lisandra Tena. International director Rebeca Mayorga directs. Guera runs February 1-12, 2017.

THE PLAY

Structurally innovative and emotionally riveting, Guera is the nuanced, unflinching story of one young woman's struggle to survive while growing up with a drug-addicted mother and an overwhelmed, alternately tender and violent father. Drawing on years of supporting herself as a waitress, Tena sets her story in a Mexican restaurant. As the waitress, she banters with the audience, inviting them to choose the evening's scenes from the menu: from chips and salsa to dessert. Will it be "Mom's Yard Sale" or "Promises, Promises?" "El Mexicano" or "The Talk?" With each selection she serves up a vignette from her life, moving seamlessly from engaging hostess to the characters that defined her life.

No matter the combination of choices the play has an arc, and the audience gets the same story, albeit through different vignettes.

Each performance is different depending on the scenes selected. Every performance is a riveting, emotionally charged experience, celebrating the tenacity and triumph of the human spirit.

THE POWER OF A PERSONAL STORY

"Lisandra Tena is an uncompromising actress who understands the power of a personal story." Chris Jones Theater Critic for the Chicago Tribune aptly wrote in a review of Guera. In sharing her truth, Tena transcends her plight as just another unfortunate statistic. In overcoming unbearable circumstances Tena gives us hope in the human capacity for resilience. Her story serves as inspiration for facing life's struggles. Like her reality growing up, Guera is dark and funny, heartwarming and harsh. This personal story resonates with any one who has had to over come family dynamics and beyond. It explores the darker side of humanity while being wildly entertaining.

A BOLD ONE WOMAN SHOW

There's been much discussion in the past couple of years about how male-dominated theater is and how white women account for most of theater's audience. It's an odd equation and many theaters around the globe are making an effort to bridge the gap. Borderlands Theater has a long history of standing in opposition to those statistics. Over the past seven years at Borderlands, women have written at least half of the plays produced. Guera is timely and exciting in that it's a Latina boldly sharing her deepest darkest secrets. Part of Guera's originality and charm is that it finds humor in the most unlikely places. It's on the cutting edge not only in structure but also in perspective and by whom we see on stage.

MORE ON THE PERFORMER/PLAYWRIGHT:

Lisandra Tena was born and raised in Albuquerque, New Mexico. She began her training at Working Classroom in Albuquerque and graduated magna cum laude from the prestigious Theatre School at DePaul University. Chicago credits include Crime Scene: A Chicago Anthology and This Is Not a Cure for Cancer (Collaboraction Theater Company), Augusta and Noble (Adventure Stage). Additional credits include her self-written one-woman show Guera(Collaboraction, MPAACT, Working Classroom), and Your Problem with Men (Los Angeles Theatre Center). She has been in numerous short films, commercials, voiceovers, and appeared as Lina Ochoa on the NBC television show Chicago P.D.

In June 2015, she was a Fellow at the Women's International Study Center where she revised Guera in preparation for a national tour and appeared inMother Road by Octavio Solis at the Goodman Theater November 2015.

MORE ON THE DIRECTOR:

Rebeca Mayorga, originally from Jalisco, Mexico, received her BFA from the University of Miami where she was honored with the 2001 and 2002 Outstanding Design Student Award. She currently lives in Madrid, Spain and is the founder and artistic director of Teatro EterNEO. She began her training at Working Classroom where she studied with Steve Wangh, Moises Kaufman, Ann Cusack, Brendan McCalland KJ Sanchez and also directed Federico Garcia Lorca's Once Five Years Pass, No Swamp Like Home by Monica Sanchez and Night Train to Bolina by Nilo Cruz. Additional U.S. credits include Naomi Iizuka's ALOHA, Say the Pretty Girls and Andarse por las ramas by Elena Garro at the National Hispanic Cultural Center in Albuquerque. As artistic director of Teatro EterNEO, she has directed The Pelican and Playing with Fire by August Strindberg. She is a founding member and artistic director of Sprouts International Ensemble Theater.

PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE AND TICKET INFORMATION

Temple of Music and Art Cabaret Theater, 330 S Scott Ave, Tucson, AZ 85701. Tickets: $7-$26 with various discounts.

2/1 - 7:30 pm Preview (HALF OFF All tickets $7/$12!)

2/2- 7:30 pm Preview (HALF OFF All tickets $7/$12!)

2/3- 7:30 pm Opening Night Celebration: With light refreshments plus meet and greet the actor. ($26/$14)

2/4 - 7:30 pm ($14/$19.50/$23.50)

2/5 - 2 pm Matinee ($14/$19.50/$23.50)

2/8 - 7:30 pm ($14/$19.50/$23.50)

2/9 - 7:30 pm ($14/$19.50/$23.50)

2/10 - 7:30 pm ($14/$19.50/$23.50)

2/11- 7:30 pm ($14/$19.50/$23.50)

2/12 - 2 pm Matinee ($14/$19.50/$23.50)

FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TO PURCHASE ADVANCE TICKETS:

PLEASE CONTACT BORDERLANDS THEATER BOX OFFICE AT (520) 882-7406.

In person at 4O W. BROADWAY, TUCSON 85701.

ORDER TICKETS ONLINE: www.borderlandstheater.org

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