La Pastorela – Si Lucifer fuera mujer: Mexican Folk Drama in Tennessee
From Dana Everts-Boehm, Folklife Program Assistant
Cazateatro Bilingual Theatre recently performed Si Lucifer fuera mujer (If the Devil was a Woman), their own hilarious, provocative version of La Pastorela, a traditional Latin American folk drama that is especially widespread in Mexico. I was fortunate to attend this delightful Christmas play on Friday, December 18, 2015, at Memphis’ Evergreen Theater.
Founded in 2006 by Gio López, Cazateatro is currently under the inspired direction of Mónica Sánchez. The group’s mission “to spread and share our Latin American culture through the scenic arts in order to create a unifying bridge for our wide-ranging community, stressing the importance of being bilingual and the richness of our diverse cultures,” is realized through a series of wildly entertaining plays performed annually in Memphis and at events such as the Hola Festival in Knoxville. In 2015 alone, the group had over 20 performances in and around Memphis.
With the rapid growth of the Latino population in Tennessee has come a wealth of artistic expression enhancing the rich cultural diversity of our state. One of these artistic genres now gracing our region is Latin American folk drama, and Cazateatro is among several groups in Tennessee that adapts and presents this traditional material for new audiences.
La Pastorela, also known as Los Pastores (“The Shepherds”), is a popular folk drama with thousands of different versions that are performed annually by community groups and popular theaters alike throughout Mexico, Guatemala and other Latin America countries around Christmas. Recounting the shepherds’ pilgrimage to Bethlehem in search of the Christ child, the drama has its roots in medieval European “miracle” or “mystery” plays introduced by the Catholic Church in the eleventh century to teach basic Bible stories to a largely illiterate populace. Spanish colonizers brought these dramas with them to the New World, both the authorized clerical versions and the popular comical, folk versions. The latter often depict the shepherds as bumbling idiots easily led astray by devilish plots and requiring angelic intervention to reach their destination. Stock characters in these folk plays generally include the Devil, Archangels Gabriel and Michael, the reluctant shepherds and, finally, Mary, Joseph and the Baby Jesus.
At least two Pastorelas were performed in Tennessee in December, 2015 that I know of: Cazateatro’s in Memphis, and The Emanuel Group’s in Knoxville.
Directed by Monica Sanchez, Si Lucifer fuera mujer retains the basic plot in which the Devil, Lucy-Fer (a woman) tries to block the shepherds from accomplishing their mission by appealing to their weaknesses, forcing angelic intervention. Head angel Gaby (Gabriel) is portrayed as an executive secretary at her white desk making frequent calls on her feathered phone to “the Boss.” This eleventh century mystery play stays relevant with topical political jabs such as Luzbelina’s bright idea to “build a wall so they can’t find them!,” eliciting Lucy Fer’s retort, “We’ve already got Trump on that.” One of the angels, Divino, is a parody of a Mexican celebrity norteño musician: decked out in white cowboy hat, cowboy boots, huge silver belt, and a swagger, Divino is swooned over by angels and devils alike and flirts outrageously with both sides. The new Star Wars movie, just opening in theaters at the time of this performance, was referenced in one of the scenes in which Gaby and Lucy-Fer challenge each other with lightsabers. Each shepherd is identified with one of the seven deadly sins, which are illustrated in distinctly modern, accessible ways. The boy playing Vanity, for example, is addicted to snapping selfies on his cell phone, while Anger is depicted as a nagging mother trying to force her adolescent son, Laziness, to get out of bed.
The Holy Family introduces a note of reverence and gravity to the ridiculous antics of the angels, devils and shepherds. When Mary, Joseph and the Donkey appear on stage, feisty devils cringe and are easily outsmarted, the boisterous Gaby is respectful, and Divino stops strutting around. Once the shepherds realize they’re being manipulated, own up to their peccadillos, and finally make it to the manger, they encounter Mary and Joseph and the baby Jesus (played by a real, incredibly adorable baby in Mary’s lap). The wise men appear and the play ends with a young girl stepping up from the audience to lead everyone in singing traditional Christmas carols in Spanish.
As always with Cazateatro, the dialogue bounces back between English and Spanish in a casual, conversational manner, bridging gaps between audience members with limited English proficiency and those with limited Spanish. The important thing is, everyone feels included and welcome to this warm, exuberant folk drama that both pokes fun at and ultimately reaffirms the human spirit.
The cast features (Angels): Mónica Sánchez as Gaby, Lucero Cárdenas as Querubina, and Jorge Acosta as Divino; (Devils): Dorimar Ferrer as Lucy-Fer, Mirna Fernández as Luzbelina, Diane Thornton as Shadow, and Mehraj Hudani and Eduardo Tellez as devils; (Shepherds) Laxia Roa as Greed, Valentina Henao as Anger, Gina Villalobos as Lust/Gluttony, Iker Castillero as Vanity, Gustavo Otero as Laziness; (Holy family) Emily Loa R as The Star; Mia Castillero as Mary; Christofer Loa R as Joseph, Heidy Roman as the Donkey; and Mateo Loa R as the Baby Jesus. The play was directed by Mónica Sánchez.
