El Gran Teatro del Mundo: An Interview with Maru Garcia
Christina Hamlett
August 17, 2009
Back in the spring of 2001, I was researching an article about the future of the American stage, particularly insofar as the impact that technology has had in diminishing the next generation´s exposure to – and appreciation of - the live theater experience. Among the many individuals who responded to my call for interviews was Maru Garcia, an accomplished actress and director who was not only enthusiastic to share her views on how theater is experienced on either side of the border but also how aspiring playwrights can deliver a script that transcends the language barrier.
Her introduction to the performing arts came at an early age in her native Mexico City. From spectator to acting student to university theater major, she now includes a substantive list of directing credits and continues to look for exciting new works that will challenge her performers as well as help bridge the gap in cultural communications.
That I chose Maru for the subject of this feature article is a story in itself. Although it´s not uncommon for friendships to evolve over the course of multiple emails, it´s the second time I´ve been privileged to have her direct one of my own plays. Shortly after the 2001 interview, she mentioned she was looking for a contemporary script with an all-female cast. I had just finished penning a two-act drama about Alzheimer´s called "Muriel´s Memoirs". In the story, the grown daughters of an elderly woman have radically different ideas of how to cope with her mental decline. The older one, Claire, believes that Muriel should be put in a nursing facility; her sibling, Becca, insists on caring for Muriel at home and dutifully recording as many of her mother´s memories as she can before there are no memories left.
Maru´s passion to bring the play to life was unabashed and she requested permission to launch it as a script-in-hand reading. Although I wasn´t able to attend the performance, she graciously provided me with a tape of the show, adding in postscript that one day she´d have her own theater and would give it the fully staged production she felt it deserved.
Earlier this year, she emailed me with the news that she wanted to make good on that promise by including "Muriel´s Memoirs" in her fall line-up of plays at the 73rd Avenue Theatre in Westminster, Colorado (www.the73rdavenuetheatrecompany.com). Not only will this mark the play´s American premiere but will also celebrate the first time I´ve ever met this talented woman in person.
Given the refreshing candor of the comments that follow, there´s little question why I´ve become such a fan of Maru´s work and her approach to life.
Q: You´ve come a long way from the first show you directed in college. Do you remember what the play was and how it felt to be at the helm of a production?
A: I had chosen a play called "Los Mangos de Cain" (Cain´s Mangos) by Albelardo Estorino, a Cuban author. The play is a satire of the biblical story of Cain and Abel treated in a comic way that deals with the injustice of authority. Needless to say that in the beginning, I was afraid of not having the ability to direct, especially something as sophisticated as comedy! As rehearsals went by, however, I discovered I knew how to communicate with the actors and to transmit my ideas to them. Since then I have directed both comedy and drama and in every play I have found something new to learn, some new aspect of the theater to discover.
Q: Did your work as an Assistant Character Coordinator for the Walt Disney Company enrich your ability to direct?
A: On the contrary, directing helped me to do the Disney job better, as I had to deal with actors, costumes, schedules, rehearsals, and audience all the time. (By the way, I loved it!)
Q: In your growing list of credits, which scripts stand out as personal favorites?
A: As an actress, I loved the prostitute character I played in Hayde Boetto´s "Los Limites de la Obscuridad" (The Limits of Darkness), a play about the problems of prostitutes and what happens in the nightclubs. The interesting thing about it was that it was presented in a bar and we had to act among the audience. I also loved playing the character of Madame Arcati in "Blythe Spirit" in 2008 with Gaslight Theatre Company; it is such a fun part to recreate. If I have to choose one as a director, I would say it is "Informacion para Extranjeros" (Information for Foreigners) by Argentinian author Griselda Gambaro. The play deals with the abuses from the government and the ´mysterious´ disappearances of the people involved in politics. I have directed it three different times, one in Mexico, two in Colorado. It is one of the plays that is always changing and always alive.
Q: Having translated plays from Spanish to English and vice versa, which lends itself easier to adaptation—a comedy or a drama?
A: Drama is much easier because many comedies have local or cultural slang and jokes that make no sense in the other language as the cultural ´humor´ is different. For instance, I definitely wouldn´t choose a play like "Five Women Wearing the Same Dress" because, although it is very funny, we don´t have the same wedding traditions in Mexico or any other Spanish-speaking country so the audience wouldn´t relate to any of it. Generally speaking, the situations drama portray are more universal than those of the comedy.
Q: What about instances where there´s a word or colloquialism for which there isn´t a counterpart in the translation?
A: Sometimes you have to sacrifice good jokes in the original language so the content won´t get lost. Other times, there are jokes that have equal expression in the other language. Comedies that are more ´situation´ comedies are easier to translate than the ones that make more use of the words themselves. A well directed play, however, reaches the audience even if you can´t understand the language. The director should be able to use the energy of the actors to transmit situations and emotions. I can give you two examples of this. A few years ago I saw in Mexico City a "Hamlet" that was presented by a Polish company and I can tell you it was great! I also went to see "Ubu Roi" in Ottawa, Canada. It was all in French (at that time I wasn´t good at it) and I was still able to understand everything. In both cases I didn´t understand the words by themselves but I really felt the energy from the stage.
Q: In translating a script, do you work directly with the original playwright in a collaborative effort or is this entirely subject to your own interpretation as a director?
A: I usually work with the original, though sometimes I have to change some things in order to make them understandable in Spanish. I try to modify the play as little as possible. The adaptation would come when I direct the play because there I have to mix the author´s intention with my own concept for a mise-en-scene.
Q: You had mentioned in an earlier interview that you´re receptive to reading new scripts. Do you prefer that they be in Spanish or English?
A: I like to read plays in both languages, and even French or Italian! I haven´t directed yet in French or Italian but I would really like to sometime. I also don´t mind if it´s a comedy or drama as long as it makes you think. When I finish reading a play, I want to be able to continue thinking about the characters, about the possibilities, and about the message.
Q: Are there any themes that you think are being overdone?
A: Not really. From the same situation there can be a million possibilities, from the same theme there can be a million points of view.
Q: Speaking of points of view, you´ve directed productions in both the U.S. and abroad. What kind of differences in perception do you see between respective audiences?
A: In Mexico, people who go to the theater like all kinds of plays and it depends on the level of culture of the audience the kind of play they prefer. Latin Americans are more responsive when going to the theater and you can feel if they are really enjoying the play or not. Americans are more discreet; even if they don´t like it, they will be patient and wait. In my experience, they also like to see the plays they already know and they prefer comedies over drama. They definitely don´t like plays related to political or social topics.
Q: Do you think the American accessibility to the media and, hence, the saturation on daily television and in the newspapers accounts for their opting to see something lighter for entertainment?
A: I think people in general (not only Americans) are tired of the bad news and no one likes to worry more about problems that cannot be solved immediately. But I also think that theater-going Americans live very far from where the problems are and they have a better and more comfortable way of life. Their problems are completely different from those in Latin America or in Africa and though they know about them, most of them are not interested in being closer to them. Plays that make them think are not their first choice. (I´m talking about the average American, not everyone, of course.)
Q: In the arena of art-imitating life, American theater has seen a transition in the past two decades of stronger roles being written for females. Have theatrical productions south of the border evolved in the same way?
A: Actually in both Mexican and Latin theater, the meatier parts usually have been for women, as the society in Latin America revolves around the image of motherhood (i.e., Mexico´s "Virgin of Guadalupe"). If I think of all the plays I know, I can tell you that the roles for men and women are equal.
Q: If you had your pick of any theater script in the world to translate to Spanish, which one would you choose?
A: I´d choose something from Dario Fo. His sense of humor is very appealing to Latin Americans and I love all the plays I have read from him. I think his style is great as it appeals to all levels of audience. Most of his plays are comedies, but they can be understood as lightly or as profoundly as each one of the people seated in the theater wants to understand them. I personally think that is the secret of the great comedies!
Q: Tell us about your new theater venture and what kinds of shows you're doing.
A: I started the theatre company in January of this year as an excellent opportunity for a space was presented to me. My original idea is to create an inclusive theatre company that would cater to different people with diverse cultural backgrounds, ages and taste in theatre. Therefore we are doing shows that appeal to general audience such as comedies, musicals, and dramas; we are doing shows that just appeal to those looking for a different theatre experience (such as Information for Foreigners) and we are doing shows for children. The idea is to include one original play and at least one bilingual play in every season. This year we included "Muriel´s Memoirs" as an original play. We included two plays from Hispanic authors: "Information for Foreigners" (above mentioned) and "Little Red Riding Hood", original of Teresa Valenzuela, translated by me.
Q: What attracted - and maintained - your interest in "Muriel´s Memoirs"?
A: From the first moment I read the play I could see its full potential. All the characters are so alive and with so many emotions, and, unfortunately, Alzheimer´s is a disease that affects our society in such a powerful way. This is one of the stories that I JUST HAD to see on stage. I am very excited that we are the first ones to produce it.
Q: If you weren't directing it, which role would you want to play?
A: I would love to play the character of Claire…so many colors!
Q: Which is more challenging for you as a director - to do a script in hand show or a full production?
A: The script on hand is much more difficult because not all the actors are used to this style of stage readings and the energy can get lost.
Q: Tell us about the actors who are in this show and what roles they're playing.
A: Our cast is filled by four excellent actors, all of whom have had plenty of experience. Muriel is portrayed by Lorraine Scott, Becca by Jessica Mason, Claire by Clara Evans, and Stella by Geri Crawley. They immediately fell in love with the script and they are really bringing the characters to life. Jessica has previously been involved in the company as the Tin Lady in "Wizard of Oz". Clara has been involved in the productions of "Mary, Mary" and "Information for Foreigners". Lorraine is scheduled to direct our alternative production for next summer, "Monologues" by Dario Fo.
Q: What's next on your plate?
A; Well, immediately speaking, I am directing "And Then There Were None" by Agatha Christie; it opens October 16. I am also launching our touring company with shows for children that can be presented at schools and parties. I am organizing our season for 2010 in which we will have 6 shows for adults, 5 for children, and 5 alternative (these are shows presented at different times or with difficult topics). We are also planning to include drama and dance classes very, very soon and a full summer camp for next year.
Q: Any parting advice for readers who have a script in their heads and a dream of Broadway in their hearts?
A: I think writers should think about the production itself and try to write a play that will require a low budget and only a few actors. Regardless of the subject (any theme is interesting at a certain point for certain people), much of the decision of producing a play rests on the economic restrictions that we as directors have to face.
Author's Note: Maru Garcia can be reached by email at marialaris@aol.com. As with any script submission, it´s best to query first with (1) a brief synopsis of the play, (2) staging and budget particulars pertinent to your production, and (3) an introductory letter on your background as a writer. For more information about the company visit: www.the73rdavenuetheatrecompany.com.
"Muriel´s Memoirs" will be performed September 4th through October 4th. Theater companies that are interested in performance rights for this production as a fundraiser for Alzheimer´s research can contact the author directly at authorhamlett@cs.com.
Her introduction to the performing arts came at an early age in her native Mexico City. From spectator to acting student to university theater major, she now includes a substantive list of directing credits and continues to look for exciting new works that will challenge her performers as well as help bridge the gap in cultural communications.
That I chose Maru for the subject of this feature article is a story in itself. Although it´s not uncommon for friendships to evolve over the course of multiple emails, it´s the second time I´ve been privileged to have her direct one of my own plays. Shortly after the 2001 interview, she mentioned she was looking for a contemporary script with an all-female cast. I had just finished penning a two-act drama about Alzheimer´s called "Muriel´s Memoirs". In the story, the grown daughters of an elderly woman have radically different ideas of how to cope with her mental decline. The older one, Claire, believes that Muriel should be put in a nursing facility; her sibling, Becca, insists on caring for Muriel at home and dutifully recording as many of her mother´s memories as she can before there are no memories left.
Maru´s passion to bring the play to life was unabashed and she requested permission to launch it as a script-in-hand reading. Although I wasn´t able to attend the performance, she graciously provided me with a tape of the show, adding in postscript that one day she´d have her own theater and would give it the fully staged production she felt it deserved.
Earlier this year, she emailed me with the news that she wanted to make good on that promise by including "Muriel´s Memoirs" in her fall line-up of plays at the 73rd Avenue Theatre in Westminster, Colorado (www.the73rdavenuetheatrecompany.com). Not only will this mark the play´s American premiere but will also celebrate the first time I´ve ever met this talented woman in person.
Given the refreshing candor of the comments that follow, there´s little question why I´ve become such a fan of Maru´s work and her approach to life.
Q: You´ve come a long way from the first show you directed in college. Do you remember what the play was and how it felt to be at the helm of a production?
A: I had chosen a play called "Los Mangos de Cain" (Cain´s Mangos) by Albelardo Estorino, a Cuban author. The play is a satire of the biblical story of Cain and Abel treated in a comic way that deals with the injustice of authority. Needless to say that in the beginning, I was afraid of not having the ability to direct, especially something as sophisticated as comedy! As rehearsals went by, however, I discovered I knew how to communicate with the actors and to transmit my ideas to them. Since then I have directed both comedy and drama and in every play I have found something new to learn, some new aspect of the theater to discover.
Q: Did your work as an Assistant Character Coordinator for the Walt Disney Company enrich your ability to direct?
A: On the contrary, directing helped me to do the Disney job better, as I had to deal with actors, costumes, schedules, rehearsals, and audience all the time. (By the way, I loved it!)
Q: In your growing list of credits, which scripts stand out as personal favorites?
A: As an actress, I loved the prostitute character I played in Hayde Boetto´s "Los Limites de la Obscuridad" (The Limits of Darkness), a play about the problems of prostitutes and what happens in the nightclubs. The interesting thing about it was that it was presented in a bar and we had to act among the audience. I also loved playing the character of Madame Arcati in "Blythe Spirit" in 2008 with Gaslight Theatre Company; it is such a fun part to recreate. If I have to choose one as a director, I would say it is "Informacion para Extranjeros" (Information for Foreigners) by Argentinian author Griselda Gambaro. The play deals with the abuses from the government and the ´mysterious´ disappearances of the people involved in politics. I have directed it three different times, one in Mexico, two in Colorado. It is one of the plays that is always changing and always alive.
Q: Having translated plays from Spanish to English and vice versa, which lends itself easier to adaptation—a comedy or a drama?
A: Drama is much easier because many comedies have local or cultural slang and jokes that make no sense in the other language as the cultural ´humor´ is different. For instance, I definitely wouldn´t choose a play like "Five Women Wearing the Same Dress" because, although it is very funny, we don´t have the same wedding traditions in Mexico or any other Spanish-speaking country so the audience wouldn´t relate to any of it. Generally speaking, the situations drama portray are more universal than those of the comedy.
Q: What about instances where there´s a word or colloquialism for which there isn´t a counterpart in the translation?
A: Sometimes you have to sacrifice good jokes in the original language so the content won´t get lost. Other times, there are jokes that have equal expression in the other language. Comedies that are more ´situation´ comedies are easier to translate than the ones that make more use of the words themselves. A well directed play, however, reaches the audience even if you can´t understand the language. The director should be able to use the energy of the actors to transmit situations and emotions. I can give you two examples of this. A few years ago I saw in Mexico City a "Hamlet" that was presented by a Polish company and I can tell you it was great! I also went to see "Ubu Roi" in Ottawa, Canada. It was all in French (at that time I wasn´t good at it) and I was still able to understand everything. In both cases I didn´t understand the words by themselves but I really felt the energy from the stage.
Q: In translating a script, do you work directly with the original playwright in a collaborative effort or is this entirely subject to your own interpretation as a director?
A: I usually work with the original, though sometimes I have to change some things in order to make them understandable in Spanish. I try to modify the play as little as possible. The adaptation would come when I direct the play because there I have to mix the author´s intention with my own concept for a mise-en-scene.
Q: You had mentioned in an earlier interview that you´re receptive to reading new scripts. Do you prefer that they be in Spanish or English?
A: I like to read plays in both languages, and even French or Italian! I haven´t directed yet in French or Italian but I would really like to sometime. I also don´t mind if it´s a comedy or drama as long as it makes you think. When I finish reading a play, I want to be able to continue thinking about the characters, about the possibilities, and about the message.
Q: Are there any themes that you think are being overdone?
A: Not really. From the same situation there can be a million possibilities, from the same theme there can be a million points of view.
Q: Speaking of points of view, you´ve directed productions in both the U.S. and abroad. What kind of differences in perception do you see between respective audiences?
A: In Mexico, people who go to the theater like all kinds of plays and it depends on the level of culture of the audience the kind of play they prefer. Latin Americans are more responsive when going to the theater and you can feel if they are really enjoying the play or not. Americans are more discreet; even if they don´t like it, they will be patient and wait. In my experience, they also like to see the plays they already know and they prefer comedies over drama. They definitely don´t like plays related to political or social topics.
Q: Do you think the American accessibility to the media and, hence, the saturation on daily television and in the newspapers accounts for their opting to see something lighter for entertainment?
A: I think people in general (not only Americans) are tired of the bad news and no one likes to worry more about problems that cannot be solved immediately. But I also think that theater-going Americans live very far from where the problems are and they have a better and more comfortable way of life. Their problems are completely different from those in Latin America or in Africa and though they know about them, most of them are not interested in being closer to them. Plays that make them think are not their first choice. (I´m talking about the average American, not everyone, of course.)
Q: In the arena of art-imitating life, American theater has seen a transition in the past two decades of stronger roles being written for females. Have theatrical productions south of the border evolved in the same way?
A: Actually in both Mexican and Latin theater, the meatier parts usually have been for women, as the society in Latin America revolves around the image of motherhood (i.e., Mexico´s "Virgin of Guadalupe"). If I think of all the plays I know, I can tell you that the roles for men and women are equal.
Q: If you had your pick of any theater script in the world to translate to Spanish, which one would you choose?
A: I´d choose something from Dario Fo. His sense of humor is very appealing to Latin Americans and I love all the plays I have read from him. I think his style is great as it appeals to all levels of audience. Most of his plays are comedies, but they can be understood as lightly or as profoundly as each one of the people seated in the theater wants to understand them. I personally think that is the secret of the great comedies!
Q: Tell us about your new theater venture and what kinds of shows you're doing.
A: I started the theatre company in January of this year as an excellent opportunity for a space was presented to me. My original idea is to create an inclusive theatre company that would cater to different people with diverse cultural backgrounds, ages and taste in theatre. Therefore we are doing shows that appeal to general audience such as comedies, musicals, and dramas; we are doing shows that just appeal to those looking for a different theatre experience (such as Information for Foreigners) and we are doing shows for children. The idea is to include one original play and at least one bilingual play in every season. This year we included "Muriel´s Memoirs" as an original play. We included two plays from Hispanic authors: "Information for Foreigners" (above mentioned) and "Little Red Riding Hood", original of Teresa Valenzuela, translated by me.
Q: What attracted - and maintained - your interest in "Muriel´s Memoirs"?
A: From the first moment I read the play I could see its full potential. All the characters are so alive and with so many emotions, and, unfortunately, Alzheimer´s is a disease that affects our society in such a powerful way. This is one of the stories that I JUST HAD to see on stage. I am very excited that we are the first ones to produce it.
Q: If you weren't directing it, which role would you want to play?
A: I would love to play the character of Claire…so many colors!
Q: Which is more challenging for you as a director - to do a script in hand show or a full production?
A: The script on hand is much more difficult because not all the actors are used to this style of stage readings and the energy can get lost.
Q: Tell us about the actors who are in this show and what roles they're playing.
A: Our cast is filled by four excellent actors, all of whom have had plenty of experience. Muriel is portrayed by Lorraine Scott, Becca by Jessica Mason, Claire by Clara Evans, and Stella by Geri Crawley. They immediately fell in love with the script and they are really bringing the characters to life. Jessica has previously been involved in the company as the Tin Lady in "Wizard of Oz". Clara has been involved in the productions of "Mary, Mary" and "Information for Foreigners". Lorraine is scheduled to direct our alternative production for next summer, "Monologues" by Dario Fo.
Q: What's next on your plate?
A; Well, immediately speaking, I am directing "And Then There Were None" by Agatha Christie; it opens October 16. I am also launching our touring company with shows for children that can be presented at schools and parties. I am organizing our season for 2010 in which we will have 6 shows for adults, 5 for children, and 5 alternative (these are shows presented at different times or with difficult topics). We are also planning to include drama and dance classes very, very soon and a full summer camp for next year.
Q: Any parting advice for readers who have a script in their heads and a dream of Broadway in their hearts?
A: I think writers should think about the production itself and try to write a play that will require a low budget and only a few actors. Regardless of the subject (any theme is interesting at a certain point for certain people), much of the decision of producing a play rests on the economic restrictions that we as directors have to face.
Author's Note: Maru Garcia can be reached by email at marialaris@aol.com. As with any script submission, it´s best to query first with (1) a brief synopsis of the play, (2) staging and budget particulars pertinent to your production, and (3) an introductory letter on your background as a writer. For more information about the company visit: www.the73rdavenuetheatrecompany.com.
"Muriel´s Memoirs" will be performed September 4th through October 4th. Theater companies that are interested in performance rights for this production as a fundraiser for Alzheimer´s research can contact the author directly at authorhamlett@cs.com.