It is an unusual place for tensions over immigration and cultural identity.
Monday, September 10, 2018
Foreign Actors On Mexico's Theater Stage Stir Resentment Behind The Scenes
It is an unusual place for tensions over immigration and cultural identity.
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3 comments:
While reading this article I learned about some conflicts that have occured, and are slowly being accounted for, in the theater world of Mexico. Recently Argentinian, Brazilian, and Spanish actors are being more and more casted in productions than Mexicans. Some brought up the concern of the actors being casted in terms of look. According to the article, the casted actors, being Argentinian, Brazilian, and Spanish are contrasted by their “fair skin” and “tall” look. Although, yes, directors have a set image of what an actor should look like to fit the role, these requirements are ones that seem segregational. There has been a lot of tension with Mexico City’s theater company on this subject, as there should be in my opinion. Also, as clearly stated in the article, Mexico City’s theater and productions are some of the most influential. In the article, and Argentinian actress even said, “Mexico is without a doubt the Latino version of Broadway and there are a lot more opportunities here”. Though the article stated that these issues are slowly being solved, there is a lot of evolving to do in the industry.
I completely understand the frustration Mexican theater artists are feeling. Consciously and sub-consciously, we have been conditioned to think that the fairer it is, the more socially acceptable it is (not just in America, but globally). In article, there is a reference to a quote by Jerry Velasquez that I agree with. The quote is "It felt as if we were not enough. As if our country didn't have the people who could do the job." The same fight that theater artists who are part of minority groups are fighting in other countries should not be fought in their home countries. If they cannot be seen for who they are and the talent that they possess in their own country, that presents a big problem that needs to be fixed immediately. Home is where you should be celebrated, seen and at peace not a place where you would have to fight for the same things if you were not home.
This article was a bit upsetting, as I definitely understand the resentment that the Mexican performers are feeling. The entire issue honestly reminds me of an issue I heard a lot about at a regional theatre near my house: basically, there were many actors and actresses that had been training with this regional company since they were very young, and then quite a few new performers came to join the theatre, right around the time they were all upperclassmen in high school. This is the time for these students where they finally have a chance at the big lead roles in the main stage productions, yet the newer students that came in were being casted over the ones that had been training with the company their whole lives. The whole issues focuses on the concept of "should we reward the most dedicated or the most deserving?" Overall, I understand why the Mexican theatre community is upset, but I really liked the quote by Juan Carlos Araujo: "...my response has always been why don't we treat them the same way that we would like to be treated when we travel abroad and when we find success in other cities, like we do."
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