Texas Border Business
One of only six in state selected to perform
McAllen, Texas McAllen High School’s play, Luchadora!, is one of only six plays selected to be performed at the Texas Thespians State Festival in Grapevine, Texas, next week. Every year, Texas Thespians hosts a statewide festival, which includes over 7,000 delegates. As one of the largest annual Thespian festivals, students and their troupe directors celebrate an entire weekend of theatre.
This year, the festival will be held November 15-17. It is an opportunity for students to learn from professionals and to attend workshops and master classes. Individual competitions are held, as well, and the seniors will have college auditions for admissions and scholarships to a variety of theatre schools. The biggest draw is going with your troupe to see shows performed by your fellow Texas Thespians.
At the Texas Thespians State Festival, there are opportunities for schools throughout Texas to showcase their plays. Any thespian troupe wishing to perform had to complete their show by a specific date, register, and submit a video recording of the performance to Texas Thespians. Texas Thespians then chose the top six. McAllen High School Theatre will perform along with Colleyville Heritage High School, JJ Pearce High School, Tuloso Midway High School, Grapevine Faith Christian High School, and Brennan High School.
Jayden Prater, a senior at McHi, McHi’s Theatre Troupe president, and a qualifier for state as an actor in the Texas Forensics Association, said, “I started attending this festival a couple of years ago. One of the best aspects of the festival is watching the shows. It never crossed my mind that we could be performing on that stage, and now we are. The theatre community in the Valley has long known we have been doing great work. Now we have the opportunity to let the rest of Texas know.”
Luchadora! is a memory play–a recounted story simultaneously told in present day and acted out in the past–about a woman named Lupita. As a teenager, she sets out to learn about her deceased mother but instead finds out a secret about her father’s past. Not only was he a renowned Luchador, but he is planning to come out of retirement to accept a challenge from the world champion, despite his constant struggles with back pain. Lupita knows this and immediately begins to train to take his place.
“I’m thrilled that our students were selected to perform,” said Jason Barrera, McHi theatre director. “Not only do they deserve this opportunity, but what motivated us, the team of directors, to submit the performance was the potential of sharing this story with hundreds of students from across the state. Luchadora! inspires me to love my culture, to appreciate the stories of our elders, and to never, ever assume the strength of someone based on his or her age and/or gender.”
McAllen High School Theatre would like to thank principal Albert Canales, Fine Arts Director Jim Egger, Superintendent of Schools Dr. Jay Gonzalez, McAllen ISD’s board members, McAllen High School theatre alumni, parents, and supporters of McAllen High School Theatre.
For more information about Luchadora! and the Texas Thespians State Festival, please contact Jason Barrera at 956.566.1496.
