Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with one-act play showcase

Latinas in Media Atlanta’s event will focus on stories of ‘mi familia’

Fast Facts Hispanic Heritage Month

Hispanic Heritage month began September 15, and you can celebrate by supporting up-and-coming Latino writers, directors and actors.

Join Latinas in Media Atlanta and A.I.R. Entertainment for a series of one-act plays, titled "Mi Familia," showcasing Latino talent in the Atlanta area.

Latinas in Media Atlanta is dedicated to building a community of Latinas in performing arts to create a platform and advocate for the representation of “Latinx” talent, according to the organization’s founder and co-producer, Denise Pereira.

The organization uses the term “Latinx” to refer to people of Latin heritage because the term is more inclusive of varying gender identities. “We are focused on being inclusive,” Pereira said.

The showcase debuted last year, but this year will focus on stories of “mi familia,” in English “my family.” “Mi Familia” will feature a collection of diverse stories directed and performed by local talent, and a portion of the proceeds will benefit RAICES, a nonprofit agency that provides free and low-cost legal services to underserved immigrant children, families and refugees.

The performances will be at the Robert Mello Studios in Doraville. The acting studio features "The Blackbox Theater," a space for community theater performances.

“I think when you’re an artist in this particular field, your goal is to really touch people’s lives and to leave them with a message,” Amanda Ortega, director/playwright, told WABE.

Latinas in Media Atlanta said it hopes to continue the performances for years to come.

Details

Mi Familia: A Showcase of One-Act Plays

7:30 p.m. Friday, October 4

7:30 p.m. Saturday, October 5

2:30 p.m. Sunday, October 6

The Robert Mello Studio

4048 Flowers Road Doraville, GA 30360

The One-Act Performances:

Made in America: A mother and her young daughter, fleeing the civil war in their home country of El Salvador, struggle to make a new life in America. Nowhere to turn and unable to speak the language, an unexpected act of kindness from a total stranger alters the course of their lives, forever.

Primavera: At a family funeral, cousins Antonela and Camila attempt to rekindle a close sisterhood that abruptly ended when they were 15. Can their relationship overcome the secrets that led them to fall apart in the first place?

The Worst Argentinian: As the Rossi family gets ready to ring in the New Year, sisters Angela and Cecilia confide in each other about their identity struggles — Angela as a new mom and Cecilia as a Latina actress. Their mother, Graciela, is the glue that keeps this family together, assuaging her daughters' fears and shame and helping her husband, Alberto, find whatever the heck he is looking for.

Sin Palabras: This couple have been married for 10 years, and they are at a standstill in their relationship. It is full of resentment, anger and disappointment. There is no more respect. Only through music can they give a voice to their inner monologue, which is their truth. Without music, they are sin palabras (speechless).

Stuck in the 1940s: Have you ever had a secret you were keeping from everyone, even yourself? Stuck in the 1940s explores and reveals Amy's deepest secret. It may be 2019, but in Amy's family it might as well be the 1940s. Based on moments of a true story.

Secret Family Recipe: When Suzanne has exhausted all other options, she visits a psychic named Madam Christie to attempt to contact her recently deceased sister, Irene. When Madam Christie successfully contacts Irene in the spirit realm, we learn that sibling rivalry is one force that is perhaps stronger than death.