“Here we are, thirty years after we wrote the show in 1993, and the culture wars are still taking place,” says Tony Garcia, executive artistic director of Su Teatro. “This is the conclusion of the second year celebrating our fiftieth anniversary, and La Carpa Aztlán was such a significant piece for us. The younger actors talked about how relevant the piece is to today, while also being really funny. It’s obnoxious and political, which is right in our sweet spot. In many ways, I think the times have caught up with our politics rather than the other way around.”
La Carpa Aztlán, which will be performed at Su Teatro from Thursday, June 8, through June 25, takes place in the not-too-distant future, when insecure monoculturalists force those who are different to live outside mainstream society. The world is turned upside down when Alberto (Justin Pappas), a lost field trip student, discovers Don Guillermo Aztlán (Manuel R. Roybal Sr.), who lives in a magical alley. Their amusing interactions force Alberto to consider his identity and purpose in a world that doesn’t understand him.
The show is based on carpa (Spanish for “tent”) theater shows that thrived in Mexico and the southwestern United States during the 1920s and ’30s. Similar to vaudeville, these performances included dance, acrobatics, puppet shows, political satire and comedic sketches. When La Carpa Aztlán first premiered, its blend of comedy, song and storytelling was so popular that it stayed in the theater’s repertoire for five years, toured across the country and has been reproduced numerous times by Su Teatro.
“I believe one of the reasons it has been so successful is that its message encourages people to embrace their culture,” Garcia explains. “We are living in a world where people are encouraged to assimilate and deny the complexity of their identities. Our whole country is exploding over these things, and this play speaks to those feelings in a human way.”
It was originally developed in 1993 through “collective creation” by Roybal Sr., Debra Gallegos, Jose Mercado, Angela Manzanares, Sherry Coca-Candelaria and Robert Mares, written and directed by Garcia and co-directed by Jose Guadalupe Saucedo. The show was created in response to the Official English Movement, which sought to make English the only language used within the United States government by establishing it as the country’s national language.
“Banning people or forcing them to deny their identities has never been successful. The second you try to do that, you bring even more attention to the issues,” Garcia says. “The play essentially argues that if you outlaw us, we will find a way to persist no matter what.”
Manuel R. Roybal Sr. reprises his role as Don Guillermo Aztlán.
Courtesy of Su Teatro
This production is notable for Roybal Sr. returning to his role as Don Guillermo Aztlán, which he originated. Although Roybal Sr. moved to Albuquerque in 2015, he has remained one of the artistic cornerstones of Su Teatro.
“I call him the Clown Prince of Su Teatro,” says Garcia. “He is one of the most unique talents in the entire country; he has a beautiful voice, does impressions and is just a little weird in all the right ways. He used to go through the hallways singing and doing voices, and I thought, ‘You know what? Let’s put him in the shows!’ We are thrilled that Manuel is back to perform this important play with us, because he has played a significant role in our organization.”
“It was a long trip for this play, but I am happy to return to Denver for this role,” Roybal Sr. says. “I am getting back into the character and relearning all the songs. I’ve been having so much fun revisiting Don Guillermo Aztlán, who gets to lead Alberto on this crazy Alice in Wonderland-type adventure to discover his culture.”
The show includes flamenco, Latin-inspired music sung in Spanish. “We have two acoustic guitars, a violin and some kazoos,” Pappas says. “There will be some silly sound cues that are pre-recorded, but we make all the music live. It’s a bit of a challenge because in some places we are playing instruments, singing and dancing, which can be a lot to juggle. Oh, that reminds me, we also juggle! This show is just a blast to perform and has such a timely story.”
Given the current attacks on Black, Chicano and LGBTQ+ history being taught in schools today, La Carpa Aztlán is just as relevant now as it was when it was first penned thirty years ago.
“Unfortunately, despite all the positive changes that occur, so much remains the same,” says Lucinda Lazo, who plays Violetta and other characters in the carpa. “Throughout the rehearsal process, Tony said that all we had to do to update the script was replace the old Rush Limbaugh references with the new media assholes that are part of big corporations today, because we’re moving at a slower pace than we think. That’s unfortunate, but I like how the show uses it as a source of comedy, because it’s important to laugh at yourself. Our art reflects the world’s slow change while keeping things lighthearted with crude humor.”
La Carpa Aztlán‘s blend of heart, humor, political allegory and musical magic is a fitting finale to the theater’s fiftieth anniversary. The show embodies Su Teatro’s mission to produce cutting-edge stories about the Chicano community and is a sentimental homecoming for Roybal Sr.
“It is a tremendous pleasure and honor to be back for the fiftieth anniversary,” Roybal Sr. says. “Su Teatro, the whole institution, lives right here in my corazón. I love this place and am so thankful for this opportunity. Here’s to the next fifty years!”
La Carpa Aztlán Presents: I Don’t Speak English Only, Thursday, June 8, through Sunday, June 25, Su Teatro, 721 Santa Fe Drive. Find tickets, times and more information at suteatro.org.