When: June 24th:   6pm cash bar,   7pm dinner and entertainment

Where: MEGAS RESTAURANT, 402 Danforth Ave, near Chester Station in Toronto

The Menu:

Appetizers – taramosalata, homus, yayiziki, babaganouch dips with pita bread

Main dish – 1 souvlaki, l dolmade, 1 spanakopita, rice, potatoes, Greek salad (tomatoes,
cucumber, onion, olives, feta cheese)

1 glass of wine/ soft drinks   -  sweets   -  coffee

Dora Award Nominations

Every year, as the regular theatre season closes and  summer begins, Toronto honours the acheivements of its performing artists.  This year, Aluna Theatre’s production of  La Comunión, our story of a girl soldier in search of a better life, is up for 5 awards in the following categories:

Outstanding New Play – Beatriz Pizano

Outstanding Set Design – Trevor Schwellnus

Outstanding Lighting Design – Trevor Schwellnus

Outstanding Sound Design – Thomas Ryder Payne

Outstanding Costume Design – Andjelia Djuric

Find out more at the end of the month!

IXOK’ is a Maya-Quiché word that means WOMAN. In this solo dance/theatre piece, Mayahuel Tecozautla depicts the story of an indigenous woman who flees to the jungle seeking safety for herself and her child. It is based on the stage play by Edgar Flores and Carmen Samayoa, two Guatemalan theatre artists living in exile in France, and is based on the testimonies of Guatemalan refugee women who survived the war. The play tackles the military conflict in Guatemala from 1960 to 1996, and specifically talks about the Mayan genocide that occurred between 1978 and 1984 with more than 250,000 victims, of whom over 45,000 are still missing today.

IXOX’ es una palabra Maya-Quiché que significa MUJER. Este monólogo de danza y teatro encarnado por Mayahuel Tecozautla habla de la historia de una mujer indígena que huye a la selva para salvar su vida y la de su hijo. Está basada en la obra escrita por Edgar Flores y Carmen Samayoa, dos artistas Guatemaltecos exiliados en Francia. IXOX´ está inspirada en los testimonios de mujeres Guatemaltecas refugiadas en México, sobrevivientes de la guerra. La obra habla sobre el conflicto armado en Guatemala desde 1960 hasta 1996, particularmente del genocidio Maya ocurrido entre 1978 y 1984 donde hubo más de 250, 000 víctimas de las cuales más de 45,000 aún están desaparecidas.

In the Theatre Passe Muraille Backspace:

Homegrown

The subject of our 2008 production, Madre, Julia died at 81 years of age after contending with Alzheimer’s for many years.  Her family was with her in her final days.

Her daughter, writer / director Beatriz Pizano, wishes to extend thanks to her Doctor,  Jorge A. Gómez Calle, for his care, guidance, and attention to her comfort and dignity.  Also thanks to her family in Medellin, especially Marcela Calle, who has lovingly spent endless hours with Julia over the past six years.

We have wrapped up La Comunión, but are hoping to bring it out again sometime in the future – thanks to everyone who participated in any way – it truly took the work of two communities to bring this piece to the stage. We have had more people see this show than any of our previous works – hopefully a sign that the audiences are becoming aware of the powerful perspective of local artists from across the Americas.

Aluna is now going to spend time preparing for our next year of work – we are beginning a two-year creation process on a new work as part of our Residency at the Theatre Centre. Many discussions about process and creation to follow.

For now: one more look at the view from a young woman caught in the Land of Forgetting:

written and directed by Beatriz Pizano.

Starring: Micheline Calvert, Zarrin Darnell-Martin, Carlos Gonzalez-Vio, Rosa Laborde, Sam Malkin, Natalia Naranjo Moncada, Marilo Nunez, Michelle Polak, and introducing Carlos Arellano and Luis Delgado.

Scenography: Trevor Schwellnus
Sound Design: Thomas Ryder Payne
Costume Design: Andjelija Djuric
Stage Management: Sandy Plunkett

January 12 – 31, 2010
at Buddies in Bad Times Theatre, 12 Alexander St.