Interview: Larry Martinez Jr And Laura Garza of BERNARDA! at Teatro Audaz

San Antonio’s Teatro Audaz will begin work on a new play, Bernarda!, this summer. This play written by Emilio Williams, is an adaptation of Federico Garcia Lorca’s play, The House of Bernarda Alba. I got a chance to chat with the director of the show, Larry Martinez Jr., along with Teatro’s Executive Artistic Director, Laura Garza, who will be taking on the role of Bernarda. They are extremely excited to get to work on this production and can’t wait for San Antonio to begin experiencing it on opening night, September 19. The production will be at the Carver Community Cultural Center at the Little Carver Theatre. They gave me some insight into the passion behind this project, and here’s what they had to say.

Laura, tell me about your trip to Chicago to see this new adaptation.

One of Teatro’s other co-founders, Paula Rodriguez, sent me the trailer for this play being produced in Chicago. We loved it so much we decided to travel there to see the show together, but she ended up not being able to go. I emailed the playwright, Emilio Williams, to see if I could get a perusal copy of his play. He immediately sent it to me and invited me to come out and see it that very weekend. I was so excited! One of my board members, Ember Miranda, and I went out to Chicago to see the show, and we loved it! It’s a classic and iconic play, but this adaptation is a fresh, new take on it. The moment we walked into the space, we knew we were in a whole new world and in for something special. We were sitting on the edge of our seats for the full 90 minutes of the play. The moment we left, we thought, “we have to bring this to San Antonio.” Emilio was happy to share his script with us and was such a nice person. In fact, he and the entire cast in Chicago, Teatro Vista, and Steppenwolf welcomed us in and gave us an experience like no other. It was honestly surreal. We rushed home on a mission to bring this show to San Antonio, quickly secured the rights, and here we are. 

What would you say is the significance of this new adaptation?

Larry: It’s been 88 years since 1936 when the original play was written. Obviously, we are in a different place and time when it comes to the tyrannical nature of Bernarda. This play is told through surveillance and the watchful eye of technology. That is significant to see how Bernarda is handled in 1936 Spain versus how it’s handled here where there’s not really a central location. We just know that we’re still in this Catholic culture. It really opens up the freedom of it. I also love that it’s told in 90 minutes, so it makes the story very streamlined. I think it says something about modern audiences being able to sit through what would typically be a three act show. How we tell these stories to the audiences is important because things have just gotten a lot faster. People’s attention spans have become shorter. Also, surveillance is a huge thing. Technology is a huge thing, and the characters can use it to their advantage in this play in a way they couldn’t in the original. It’s nice to be able to see the difference in storytelling now than back in 1936.

Laura: What really resonated for me was how the patriarchy of the systems from that time overshadowed the entire family and their way of thinking and these women’s lives all the way to the very end of the play. The very last moment tore my heart out and convinced me that we needed to do this show, because even when I walked out of the show I was feeling that oppressive nature of the patriarchy and those ideals of what women are supposed to do and not do, and what they’re supposed to say or not say, and how they’re supposed to feel about their own sexuality and desires. We have to hide that. Because of that, Bernarda is the way she is, and she is that way with her own daughters. It’s sad, and it’s hard to watch. I grew up in a border town, Eagle Pass, TX, with that same mentality. It doesn’t go away. To this day, I have friends and family members that still live under that very harsh rule of thumb that says, “this is the way a woman is supposed to behave or be in society.” Absolutely not. I guess that’s the way I am and do what I do. I want to make sure that people know that is not the way it’s supposed to be. 

Laura, what inspired you to jump back into acting?

Honestly, it was this iconic role of Bernarda Alba and the show itself. This character is in this position where she lives under the oppressive ideal of what she’s supposed to be as the mother and what her daughters are supposed to do. I couldn’t say no to taking this iconic role that anyone would jump at the chance of taking. Also, as a director, I think it’s important to get back onstage and remember what your actors are going through when you’re asking them to do what they do. If you’re not doing it yourself, you can’t really lead them through it.

Larry, what would you say you’re most excited about in directing this show?

I’m most excited about the collaboration. I’ve worked in both fields for a long time, performance and technical. I’m excited to bring the entire collaboration together and put  my communication to the test in my first professional directing experience. Making sure that the way I talk to the actors is on point and the way we collaborate with the team is on point for production, and that we see something really cohesive. I’m also really excited about working with an all-female cast. As a male director telling this story, bringing my perspective to this story and learning from them through this process. It’s a challenge, but it’s going to be a really fun experience.

Laura: He’s definitely up to the challenge. He has learned from some very great mentors, like Abe Ramirez, and then having him work with me on I-DJ, watching him work with actors and seeing his coaching style, and in other shows as production manager, I knew he was up to the task. I fully believe in him and know he’s gonna do a great job!

What do you hope the audience takes away from this show?

Larry: I hope that they see something of themselves in the story and can resonate with something in the story. I think that’s the goal with every production, especially with what we do at Teatro. We hope that people come away from the show, taking their own experience and showing them in a performance what they’ve already known their whole lives and seeing it being reflected back at them. That’s a real game-changer for an audience, especially when we are talking about our Latinx casting and Latinx storytelling. That they’re seeing those stories reflected in themselves as well. You can’t really control whether an audience is moved or touched, but the goal for me is just that they walk away having something new and having their perspective changed in some sort of way. 

Laura: If we’ve made one person think, then we’ve done our job. We want to entertain but also educate at the same time. It’s not easy. For us, with all of our productions, that is our goal. We’ve all heard the old saying, “women are meant to be seen and not heard.” With this show, it’s important that the audience understands that the complete opposite of that is true.

What should audiences know about this production before they come?

Larry: First, they need to know that it’s going to be very hard-hitting, especially the ending that was written in the original and is now being told here with the idea of surveillance and the idea of things being seen. Second, there will be a lot of lighting and projections, making it a real technical piece to come and witness. Third, they could pull trauma from the way Bernarda speaks to her children and the way she treats them physically. That could be a lot for some people, so we want them to be aware and ready for that.

Laura: While this is a new adaptation, they are gonna see the story of Bernarda Alba. The one that they know. It’s still there. The through line and plot is there. It’s been condensed into 90 minutes and is done very smartly and concisely, but still hits all the right points. The cast is going to be amazing, and our designers are outstanding. People need to be ready for a really great piece of theatre. And make sure to get their tickets as soon as they go on sale! We will have a link up on our website in the next 2-3 weeks. In the meantime, we will be putting out different promos, so people need to be looking out for that and follow us on social media!

Larry, is there anything else you want to say about the show or this experience?

Larry: I think it’s important for people to know that we are bringing in another new work that originated in Chicago. These stories are important. Especially when we’re talking about Lorca and what happened to him. The original House of Bernarda never got to see its full potential because he died before it could happen. It’s important for artists here in San Antonio to see that it’s important to keep on practicing their artistry. Lorca practiced his and was persecuted for it, and now we’re still telling his stories today. This piece is coming from Chicago and bringing that culture over here, providing a great opportunity for Teatro Audaz to branch out and have the interconnection that has always been a part of our mission. We are excited that we are being able to branch out from San Antonio and make these connections.

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