Texas Border Business
Wendy B. Lara from Hidalgo stars as Teresa Pacheco in the comedy play Una Huelga Singular (A Singular Strike), written by José Manuel Álvarez. She also co-directs the production with Pharr’s Pedro García.
“Teresa is someone who has allowed herself to be manipulated by her family throughout her marriage of almost 25 years. Everyone abuses her, not physically but verbally, including her husband Rafael, her teenage children, her friend Gloria, and even her mother-in-law…and when she cannot stand it any longer, she decides to change her situation,” Lara commented.
The play features nine characters in total, played by talents from the RGV.
“Fortunately, I have a talented cast in a well-rounded play that encompasses comedy, anger, affection, surprises, and triumph… and I think everyone who sees it will be talking about it for days to come,” said Lara.
Conzuelo Arrellano, from Mission, who plays Gloria, the family friend, tries to destroy the marriage…with her sexy moves, her perfume, and her pretensions of being the ideal woman.
“To prepare, I read the entire script to understand the story and my character. From there, I analyze my movements and my dialogue so my character flows.”
Carlos J. Cuadros, from Pharr, plays the annoying husband, a Mexican macho.
“Rafael is a gentleman, an exemplary husband, not just any man,” Cuadros commented with a sinister grin. “He’s a hard worker, and he’s really the victim in his home. Everyone who lives in his house wants to take everything that belongs to him,” he added.
Longtime Pharr Community Theater (PCT) producer Pedro Garcia says they’ve been rehearsing the production since late May 2025.
“We have talent from Hidalgo, Harlingen, Edinburg, Pharr, McAllen, Brownsville, and Mission who came to auditions and won their roles. At Pharr Community Theater we practice everything from getting to rehearsals on time to how to interpret the characters and their situations. We’re like a drama school. Our focus isn’t just on entertaining the audience and telling the story, but also on educating the talent. For 17 years, PCT has put on three plays each year, and anyone can try to win a role through auditions.”
A Singular Strike features very diverse characters, including Mireya Smith of Harlingen, in the role of Adela, Teresa’s mother-in-law.
“I love the role of Adela. She’s a woman with many emotions, a little conceited but very interesting. She shows all her feelings—her loyalty, her love for her son, her self-respect and, indirectly, she humbly accepts her mistakes.”
A Singular Strike is the story of Teresa Pacheco and her family, and how she gets everyone’s attention when she organizes her own protest strike from her home against her family. They treat her like a domestic machine. And everyone has their own point of view!
“The play is considered a comedy, not necessarily because of its plot, but because of how Álvarez defined his characters with their self-aggrandizing attitudes, because in reality, marital inequality isn’t a laughing matter,” García concluded.
A Singular Strike, entirely in Spanish, will have seven performances in Pharr from July 23 to August 3. The first five performances will be at the Pharr Community Theater at 213 W. Newcombe Ave., Pharr, from July 23 to July 26, Wednesday through Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, July 27 at 3:00 p.m. Then touring to two more venues, the show will open on Saturday, August 2 at the DRC in south Pharr at 850 W. Dicker Rd., at 7:30 p.m., and the final performance will be on Sunday, August 3 at Pharr One at 1121 E. Nolana Loop in Pharr, at 3:00 p.m.
TICKETS:
Tickets are only $8 in advance online (plus a small surcharge) and $12 at the door on the day of the performance, if not sold out. The first PCT venue seats only 55 people at each performance, and the DRC and Pharr One venues seat 100 people at each performance. It’s recommended to secure your seat by purchasing your ticket in advance online at www.pharrcommunitytheater.com, where you’ll also find more details. Or, text 956-655-7915 or 956-655-9308.
