In the fall of 2012 the Multicultural Office, the Department of
Global Languages, and the Theatre Program came together to present an original
multicultural work: Frida Kahlo: A Portrait
I was both the author and director of the play, and because this was a very personal project, I traveled to Mexico City, the state of Michoacán, and the state of Oaxaca, in order to research the life of the Mexican painter, as well as the life and customs of the Mexican people of those regions.
For this production I decided that authenticity was key and should
reflect the life and times of Friday Kahlo as a painter, as a woman, and as a
Mexican.
70% of the costumes and props for this production came directly
from Mexico, which were then altered by the costume designer. A local artist
designed the wigs; a student designed the makeup, and a music technology
student composed 90% of the music utilized in the production.
The hard work and dedication of this production paid off artistically, economically, and educationally. All shows were sold out, which brought a significant amount of revenue, and most all the students involved in the production were nominated for regional awards at the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival, Region IV. At the end the stage manager took 3rd place at the regional level while the sound designer took 1st place at both the regional and the national levels.
