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Classic Spanish Soap Opera comes to Mars Hill
by Paul Annas
Photos by Josh Doby
Click to open photo gallery
The House of Bernarda Alba
by García Lorca |
Bernarda....
Maria Josefa....
Poncia....
Augustias....
Magdalena....
Amelia....
Martirio....
Adela....
Servant....
Prudencia....
Beggar Woman....
Little Girl....
Mourners....
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Mandy Sayles
Aimee Bohner
Jennifer Ariel
Heather Grainey
Amber Watson
Amy Thrift
Joan Wilkerson
Ashley Manning
April Graham
Myriah Clifton
Myriah Clifton
Emilia Gregg
Tenzie Burns, Soeren Pfadt, Christopher Dean, Crystal Alleyn, Aimee Bohner, Myriah Clifton
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The House of Bermarda Alba, a play by the Spanish writer Federico García Lorca, will open in Owen Theatre on Thursday April 17, and will run through Sunday.
Associate Professor of Theatre Bill Gregg and Senior Robert McDaniel will be co-directing the play.
The play is about a woman named Bernarda Alba who has five daughters. After her husband's death, she locks her daughters and all her housemaids in the house to suffer alongside her.
The oldest daughter is given permission to court nobleman Pepe el Romano. The consequences of their relationship fall through the family as the man-starved sisters fight over Pepe's affection.
The play is set in a rural Spanish town in the 1930's, but Gregg says it has "all the drama of a modern day soap opera, with gossip, jealousy of a boy friend, and an overbearing mother."
One of the main themes is the suppression of women. In traditional Spanish culture men were considered to be superior to women. There was also a belief that a woman cannot be without a man.
Another theme is that such strict systems don't exist without hypocrisy. According to Gregg, "We keep a happy face when things fall apart." This is universal because relationships and emotions are universal--love, hate, happiness, bliss, regret, jealousy.
In the first act a statement is made that, "Gossip is our problem." The sisters, the servants and especially the mother are so caught up in gossip that they don't see the truth. Hidden emotions of grief and hurt propel the story to its tragic end.
The play was written for an all-female cast. Pepe is never actually seen in the play. He is just talked about. Because of a shortage of women to act all the parts, three male stand-ins play some minor women's roles.
Mandy Sayles plays the part of Bernarda Alba. Her mother is played by Aimee Bohner. The five daughters are Ashley Manning, Joan Wilkerson, Heather Gainey, Amber Watson, and Amy Thrift. Poncia, the head servant, is played by Jennifer Ariel.
The play will be on April 17, 18, and 19 at 7:30 pm and April 20 at 2:30 pm. Admission is free for students on Thursday night and Sunday. Faculty get in free on Friday. Otherwise, tickets are $5.00 for students and $7.00 for adults.
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