BUILDING THE WALL, THE MERMAID HOUR and More Set for Borderlands Theater's 2017-18 Season

Borderlands Theater announces its 2017-18 Season, the third under artistic director Marc David Pinate.

The five-play line-up includes two National New Play Network rolling world premieres and the anticipated second installment of the Barrio Stories Project, Borderlands' highly successful, site specific heritage experience focusing this time on Barrio Anita. The first iteration of Barrio Stories in 2016 introduced Borderlands' community-based events, which are presented in conjunction with the general season of plays.

This year's plays take an intimate look at issues of the day. We peer into a devastating near future in the Trump regime in Building the Wall by Pulitzer Prize and Tony award winning playwright Robert Schenkkan. Building the Wall is currently running in New York after ending an extended run in Los Angeles.

The family friendly, 22nd Annual, A Tucson Pastorela by Milta Ortiz and the ghost writers, pokes fun at 2017's pop culture happenings and blunderings, of which there will be plenty! Following is the hilarious tour de force that is Marga Gomez in Latin Standards - about the lesbian daughter (Gomez) that follows in her immigrant father's entertainer footsteps.

The Mermaid Hour by David Valdes Greenwood looks into the complicated realities of parenting a transitioning child. Closing the season is Barrio Anita: a Barrio Stories Project, which aims to create high quality theater with and for the community. Marc David Pinate writes and directs.

These plays wrestle with conventionality. At times they thrust us into the darkness to ignite a deeper understanding of the light. This year Borderlands ponders, how do we move forward in our changing world, hold on to our moral compass, and maintain our humanity?

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GENERAL PLAY SEASON:

Building the Wall

Written by Robert Schenkkan

Directed by Marc David Pinate

Temple of Music and Art Cabaret

September 27 - October 15, 2017

NNPN Rolling World Premiere of Building the Wall - The newest play by Robert Schenkkan(The Kentucky Cycle, All the Way, Hacksaw Ridge), directed by Marc David Pinate. It's the very near future, and the Trump administration has carried out his campaign promise to round up and detain millions of immigrants. Now, a writer interviews the supervisor of a private prison as he awaits sentencing for carrying out the federal policy that has escalated into the unimaginable. This riveting, harrowing and illuminating drama delivers a powerful warning and puts a human face on the inhuman, revealing how when personal accountability is denied, what seems inconceivable becomes inevitable.

Building the Wall will be produced at Borderlands Theater as part of a National New Play Network Rolling World Premiere. Other partnering theaters are The Fountain Theatre (CA), City Theatre (FL), Curious Theatre (CO), and Forum Theatre (DC), with support from Paul Prokop. For more information please visit nnpn.org.

A Tucson Pastorela

Written by Milta Ortiz and the Ghosts Writers

Directed by Marc David Pinate

Location TBD

Dec 14 - Dec 17, 2017

Come be merry at this family friendly Tucson holiday tradition! Shepherds make the harrowing journey to find el baby Jesus. Generously infused with farcical satire lampooning 2017's biggest political and pop cultural events.

Latin Standards

Written and Performed by Marga Gomez

Directed by David Schweizer

Location TBD

February 15 - 18, 2018

In Latin Standards an adult child of a Cuban entertainer defies reason, attempting to honor her macho immigrant dad by launching a hipster comedy night at the struggling but legendary San Francisco Latino drag club, Esta Noche. "Latin Standards" is a hybrid of stand-up and poignant autobiography peppered with unforgettable characters, physicality and commentary on displacement and resilience. Marga revisits the triumphs and demons of her father Willy Chevalier: comedian, producer, songwriter, Cafe El Pico spokesperson, and prominent figure in the golden era of New York's Latino variety shows. It's an energetic, funny and poignant story of perseverance and creative addiction passed down from immigrant father to lesbian daughter.

Latin Standards has been workshopped in 2016 in New York at Dixon Place and in San Francisco/Bay Area at "One For All Festival," at Douglas Morrison Theater Hayward, Art Saves Lives Gallery on Castro, Lunada at Galeria De La Raza, The Marsh, Brian Copeland's Best Of Solo San Francisco Series, Solo Sundays at StageWerx and Sparkarts Gallery.

The Mermaid Hour

Written by David Valdes Greenwood

Directed by TBD

Temple of Music and Art Cabaret

March 15-April 1, 2018

For Pilar and Bird, navigating their tween daughter Violet's transition is tricky as they juggle not only their own opposing parenting styles but her impulsive nature. Vi is just as concerned about her best friend Jacob, who she wishes was her boyfriend, and when nothing is going as she wants, she makes a YouTube video that pushes everyone's buttons. As her parents wrestle with all of Vi's choices, they confront the gaps between them as a couple--and which they'll have to overcome to see them all through.

The Mermaid Hour will be produced at Borderlands Theater as a part of a National New Play Network Rolling World Premiere. Other partnering theaters are Miracle Theater Group (OR) and Actors Theatre of Charlotte (NC).

COMMUNITY BASED EVENT:

Barrio Stories in Barrio Anita

Written and directed by Marc David Pinate

Site specific in Barrio Anita

April 18-21, 2018

Barrio Stories celebrates and preserves the history and heritage of Tucson's historic Mexican-American barrios. Using a cross-sector process involving anthropologists, historians, youth, theatre makers, and community, the project is collecting oral histories from elders of "Barrio Anita" to create a site specific performance. The spectacle-based performance will be a walking tour through the barrio where audiences walk through a series of theatrical installations.

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Flex passes will be available for purchase June 1, 2017. Flex pass holders get priority seating (reserved seats) and 10 % discount on ticket prices. Four types of passes available: Premium pass $108, General $97, Senior pass $79, and Value pass $72. Community based event Barrio Stories is not included in the flex pass as it's part of our making theater accessible initiative. For more information or to purchases flex passes visit us online at www.borderlandstheater.org/tickets or call us at (520) 882-7406.

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