“Frida, un retablo,” the story of Mexican painter Frida Kahlo whose legendary independence inspired generations of feminists, will be performed by Teatro Milagro at Linfield College.
The performance will be Friday, April 5, at 7:30 p.m. in the Marshall Theatre in Ford Hall. In addition, in collaboration with the UNIDOS Bridging Community, local diversity workshops will be held April 3-5 to educate students and community members on cultural history and promote positive social change for the future. The group will work with McMinnville Library’s Intercambio/Language Exchange Program on Wednesday, April 3, at 7 p.m. in the Carnegie Room at the McMinnville Public Library. This event is free and open to the public. Workshops will also be held at McMinnville High School and on the Linfield Campus.
The production, directed by Gabriela Portuguez, intertwines life and art in the story of one of Mexico’s most acclaimed visual artists. The rendition includes three “Fridas” – Tricia Castañeda-González Lee as Frida, Dañel Malán as the spirit of Frida and Ajai Terrazas-Tripathi as Old Frida. Daniel Moreno will play Frida’s husband, artist Diego Rivera.
Castañeda-González Lee received a degree in theatre arts from Linfield in 2009. In addition to performing with Teatro Milagro, she has worked with Defunkt Theatre, Willamette Shakespeare, Portland Playhouse and CoHo Productions.
Malán founded Teatro Milagro, the national bilingual touring company of Portland’s Miracle Theatre Group, in 1989. Teatro Milagro’s mission is to share the diversity of Latin America and advocate for global unity through theatre. In addition to her role as the spirit of Frida, Malán is Teatro Milagro’s artistic director and playwright for this production. She has also written and produced “B’aktun 13,” “Duende de Lorca,” “El Ultimo” and “Zapatista,” and worked collaboratively to design bilingual curriculum for schools, colleges and community groups.
This production and the UNIDAD residency are sponsored by The Lacroute Art Series: The Arts and Social Change. Additional support is provided by Oregon Arts Commission Arts Builds Communities Grant, Juan Young Trust, Willakenzie Estate, Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of McMinnville, the Linfield Office of Multicultural Programs and the Department of Theatre and Communication Arts.
The Lacroute Arts Series at Linfield College is made possible by the generosity of Ronni Lacroute, Linfield College trustee and arts benefactor. The series, sponsored by the Lacroute Arts Fund at Linfield College, is dedicated to helping the college present art events and activities for the campus and community. It provides programs featuring artists in the areas of music, art and visual culture, and theatre and communication arts.
The performance is free and open to the public. For more information, call 503-883-2802 or go to www.linfield.edu/arts.
