Texas Border Business
The title of Pharr Community Theater’s newest play, Estoy en el Rincón, prompts many people to sing a famous Mexican song by Jose Alfredo Jimenez, Tu Recuerdo y Yo. The phrase is part of the song’s lyrics. In the opening scene the character Narrator-Calavera, performed by Marco Morales, belts out the tune as he introduces other characters in the story and serves as the lingering, narrator helping unfold the tale accompanied by a guitar and numerous Jose Alfredo songs.
Three generations of the Manzanares family from Albuquerque, NM, where the story is set, have a long history of dealing with alcoholism and substance abuse. The family patriarch Eddie, played by Mario Alberto Leal from Mission, TX, never had good luck, growing up in poverty and in a society and era he believes will not support his kind. His solution is to turn to heavy drinking that ultimately provokes domestic abuse.
His wife Beatrice, played by Ruby E. Garcia, prays daily for him to change his ways, but once his oldest son dies in a car crash to consequences of drinking his habit worsens. His two younger kids especially Flaco, played by UTRGV graduate Danilo Zepeda, are taking up after him. Tragedy after tragedy occurs and all is about to blow up. The question is: Is there any hope?…Is there a glimpse of a new beginning, or will death do it’s part again before time time runs out?
The play is directed by Seres Jaime Magaña from McAllen, TX and was written in 1993 by New Mexican Singer, Actor, Playwright, Director & Producer Salomé Martínez Lutz.
“The story was written in response to a growing concern in the community on just what are the factors that maintain the high rates of alcohol and substance abuse in our neighborhoods. We are still trying to determine the place of music, alcoholism, abuse and it’s relationship to violence, hate and ultimate death” said Martinez-Lutz.
In it’s first run in the spring of 1993, more then 10,000 people throughout New Mexico saw the show, produced at the time by La Compañia de Teatro de Alburquerque.
Estoy en el Rincón plays at Pharr Community Theater from April 25, 2019 through May 5, 2019, with a cast of 9 local actors, Thursday through Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 3:00 p.m. (8 shows total) Tickets are only $8 for students, veterans and senior citizens and $10 general admission. The show is bilingual although predominately in English. Tickets may be purchased in advance by calling tel:956-239-0412 and will be sold at the door starting one hour before curtain. The theater seats 55 persons at a time and is located at 213 W Newcombe Ave, Pharr, TX. The play is rated equivalent to a PG-13 movie for brief, harsh, language, situations and violence.
SALOME MARTINEZ LUTZ received a B.A. double major in Theatre & Secondary Education from the College of Santa Fe; an M.A. from UNM in Theatre Arts emphasis in Directing and Acting; attended Juilliard School of Music Graduate Extension Division in NYC; debuted a classical program at Carnegie Recital Hall; was a lead soprano with NYC Repertorio Espanol’s Zarzuela for five years. She is a member of Screen Actors Guild & American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, formerly with NYC Actor’s Equity Association and has appeared as principal actor in three films; awards include Bravos Award for Excellence in Theatre; the United Nation’s Medallion for Cultural Exchange and the Reader’s Digest Award in Playwriting for cultural exchange with Guadalajara, Mexico.
