Upstream Theater Presents THE DEATH OF ATAHUALPA, Closes 4/17

Never before presented in English, this historical-folklorical tragical-comical reenactment of The Death of Atahualpa will be making its world debut in St. Louis this April. For centuries this tale of regicide has enthralled audiences in the Andes Mountains where some 7 million people speak Quechua, the ancestral language of the Incas. (That's more than speak Danish, Hebrew, or Slovak.) Plays depicting the Spaniard Pizarro's conquest of the majestic Inca Empire have been orally handed down through the generations, and now English-speaking audiences will have the unique opportunity to witness a work never before performed in the United States.

There is great significance to this work as both preservation and promotion of these indigenous peoples' stories and culture. St. Louis is privileged to play host of the introduction of The Death of Atahualpa, to English-speaking audiences.

Members of local Latin band Son de America will be accompanying the hour-long show, playing traditional Andean music throughout the spectacle.

Audiences can witness the grand tragedy, the collision of cultures, the end of an empire as part of our rustic pageant featuring The Players: Bethany Barr*, Eric Conners*, R. Travis Estes*, William Grivna*, Dennis Lebby*, and Amy Loui*. (*indicates member, Actors' Equity Association)

Directed and adapted from the traditional oral drama by Philip Boehm. Set and lighting by Patrick Huber. Costumes by Michele Siler. Props by Bonnie Taylor. Dance consultant: Carmen Dence.

Performances will be at the Kranzberg Arts Center, 501 N. Grand Ave., St. Louis, MO 63103. Show runs April 1-3, 7-10, and 14-17.

All performances at 8 PM except Sundays: April 3 and 10 at 7 PM and April 17 at 3 PM.

Tickets $25 reg/$20 senior (65 and over)/$15 full-time students with valid ID.

About Upstream: Upstream Theater is a professional Production Company dedicated to presenting new works and inventive stagings of classical plays, with a special focus on joint ventures involving artists from other countries. Our goal is to move you, and to move you to think.

About Philip Boehm: Philip Boehm studied at the State Academy of Theater in Poland and has directed extensively on both sides of the Atlantic. Produced original plays include Mixtitlan, Return of the Bedbug, and Amerika. He is the author of numerous translations of Polish and German prose and plays, most recently Kalkwerk for the Lincoln Center Theatre Festival, and Herta Müller's Nobel Prize acceptance speech. His work has earned various honors, including awards from the Austrian Ministry for Culture, the UK Society of Authors, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Texas Institute of Letters.

Additional ticket and group rate information is available at www.upstreamtheater.org or by email at upstreamtheater@sbcglobal.net.

Support for this project comes from a number of sources including a special grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, as well as program funding from the Missouri Arts Council (a state agency), the Regional Arts Commission, the Whitaker Foundation, the Trio Foundation of St. Louis, the Kerr Foundation, the Fox Performing Arts Charitable Foundation, the Hispanic Arts Council, and many generous individuals.

To post a comment, you must register and login.