El Teatro Campesino Gives Performance La Carpa De Los Rasquachis in Aromas 4/11

El Teatro Campesino presents the world renowned ‘La Carpa de los Rasquachis,' written by Luis Valdez-for a free performance for the Aromas community on Sunday April 11 at 2pm at the Aromas Grange Hall.

Luis Valdez' ‘La Carpa de los Rasquachis' is essentially an immigrant's story-the epic tale of the Chicano farm worker in the United States of America.

‘La Carpa' unfolds with the struggles, frustrations and ultimate victory of Jesus Pelado Rasquachi in a rich saga is brought to life with Mexican ballads known as corridos. Corridos are earthy narratives often sung to celebrate life's triumphs and tribulations-usually with ironic humor and a rollicking Tex-Mex beat.

This production of El Teatro Campesino's seminal classic is directed by Kinan Valdez and features ETC veteran performer, Noe Montoya.

‘La Carpa de los Rasquachis' portrays the life of Jesus Pelado Rasquachi. The audience travels with Pelado on his journey after he decides to leave his mother in Mexico with hopes of "getting rich" as a bracero in the United States.

Misfortune and fate stalks Pelado in the guise of El Diablo-the Devil, portrayed by Adrian Torres and La Calavera-Death, portrayed by Christy Sandoval. Continually tricked and betrayed, Pelado becomes a pathetic and comical figurine in the hands of manipulative growers, contractors, social workers and finally, the undertaker.

‘La Carpa de los Rasquachis' invokes the Carpa or tent shows-popular in the 1930s-40s-which would travel and perform in the areas around the U.S.-Mexico borderlands. Drawing on this tradition, El Teatro Campesino has brought ‘La Carpa' back to many of these border towns with a mission to entertain, inspire and organize audiences to social action. It is a mission that the new generation of El Teatro Campesino hopes to continue.

This free performance of ‘La Carpa de los Rasquachis' is part of El Teatro Campesino's Educational Outreach Program. It is the mission of the education program to bring free Teatro performances to as many communities as possible. If you would like to make a donation to support free theater programs you may send donations to El Teatro Campesino, PO Box 1240, San Juan Bautista, CA 95045-ETC is a 501c3 non-profit organization and all donations are tax-deductible.

The free performance of Luis Valdez' 'La Carpa de los Rasquachis' is scheduled for Sunday April 11, at 2pm at the Aromas Grange Hall located the corner of Rose and Bardue in Aromas. The free performance is open to anybody who would like to attend.