Tag Archives: Aguijón Theater

A Jeff Recommended theater play for 2021 International Education Week

Posted on November 8, 2021 by | Leave a comment

TO CELEBRATE 2021 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION WEEK, the Chicago Chapter of the Fulbright Association invites you to a reception followed by the Jeff-recommended theater play, “La gran tirana (Descarga dramática)” produced by Aguijón Theater of Chicago.

With the reopening of theaters we are getting together to rejoice with this show that presents the gripping story of Ana Morgana (Ana Santos-Sánchez,) an immigrant and an artist who transcends her everyday reality by imagining herself a star: La Lupe. Singing the famous woman’s songs, retelling the diva’s troubled life as if it were her own, Morgana creates her identity by remembering someone else’s.

Ana Santos-Sánchez as Ana Morgana in “La Gran Tirana (Descarga Dramática)” Aguijón Theater

Conceived and directed by Sándor Menéndez, written by Rey Andújar, and inspired by the life of the incomparable Lupe Victoria Yolí Raymond, better known as La Lupe, the Queen of Latin Soul, La gran tirana (Descarga dramática) explores the journey of this artist through poetry and music, becoming a love letter to the rhythms and sounds of the Caribbean.

The play is presented in Spanish with English supertitles.

WHEN Saturday, November 20, 2021
TIME Reception 6:15 -7:45 pm  | Play: 8:00-9:30 pm
WHERE Aguijón Theater
2707 North Laramie Ave. Chicago, IL 60639

COST Ticket Price $30 [Fulbright Alumni & Friends of Fulbright]
Free Admission [Current Scholars* & Consular Corps]
Purchase Tickets HERE
RSVP by November 14, 2021 [This is a Limited Capacity event]
Click to RSVP

Additional tickets [without reception] for the play can be purchased HERE.

COVID-19 Event Protocol: Please present a vaccination card or most recent COVID-19 PCR negative test upon check-in.
Please adhere to the state mask mandate for indoor/outdoor sections of the venue.
*One free admission per student/scholar

Santos-Sánchez’s soulful, passionate, leave-it-all-in-the-road performance, balanced by Menéndez’s wry irony, creates a near-seamless dynamic. And by the end, we realize that it doesn’t really matter if we know all the facts about La Lupe’s life. We know her truth. “My life is the obstacle, not the spectacle,” she tells us. But this is a show that manages to be both intimate and spectacular.

—Kerry Reid, Chicago Reader

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This weekend a night of theater for $10; only for Fulbrighters!

Posted on November 14, 2019 by | Leave a comment

“Exquisita Agonía” by Nilo Cruz, directed by Marcela Muñoz, Aguijón Theater.

IF YOU ARE A FULBRIGHT student or scholar, or a member of the Chicago Chapter of the Fulbright Association, you can come and see “Exquisita Agonía” this weekend (Friday 15, Saturday 16 or Sunday 17) for only $10! The play by Pulitzer-Prize winner Nilo Cruz, directed by Marcela Muñoz, is opening the 31st season of Aguijón Theater.

You only need to use the code FULBRIGHT when purchasing your tickets HERE.

DATES | TIME Friday, November 15, 2019, 8 pm. Saturday, November 16, 2019, 8 pm. Sunday, November 17, 2019, 6 pm.

LOCATION Aguijón Theater | 2707 North Laramie Ave., Chicago, IL 60639

COST $10 with code FULBRIGHT. Get your tickets HERE.

The play is presented in Spanish with English supertitles.

In “Exquisita Agonía,” world famous soprano Millie Marcel is unable to return to her elegant jet setting life after the death of her equally sophisticated and famous composer husband. An obsession with knowing exactly who received her husband’s heart leads Millie on a relentless pursuit to meet its recipient and, inadvertently, uncovering devastating truths within her own family.

Aguijón Theater is the oldest Latino theater company in Chicago and during the past 30 years has produced over 160 artistic events that include theater plays, monologues, music, poetry and dance shows, colloquia, recitals, staged readings, acting workshops, exhibitions, round tables, and book presentations.

The cast of “Exquisita Agonía” includes Cuban Sándor Menéndez (Imanol,) Colombian Andrea Leguizamón (Romy,) Mexican Víctor Salinas (Tommy,) Venezuelan Israel Balza (Amér,) Peruvian Elio Leturia (Dr. Castillo,) and Colombian Rosario Vargas (Millie.)

Check out what the Chicago Reader and Windy City Times had to say about “Exquisita Agonía.”

The show opened its 31st season on October 17 as part of the third edition of the Destinos Chicago International Latino Theater Festival organized and produced by the Chicago Latino Theater Alliance (CLATA) and runs through November 24 at Aguijón Theater, located at 2707 North Laramie Avenue in Chicago’s Belmont-Cragin neighborhood.

If you will be using public transportation, you can plan your trip with the CTA Trip Planner: www.transitchicago.com

 

 

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International theater for only $5 for student Fulbrighters!

Posted on March 20, 2015 by | Leave a comment

Elio Leturia as Dolores and Oliver Aldape as María in Orchids in the Moonlight by Carlos Fuentes, directed by Sándor Menéndez.

Elio Leturia as Dolores and Oliver Aldape as María in Orchids in the Moonlight by Carlos Fuentes, directed by Sándor Menéndez.

By Elio Leturia— TWO POOR CHICANAS living in Venice, California imagining they are in the Italian Venezia. One thinks she is Dolores del Río; the other, María Félix, the most revered Mexican film stars of all times. Dolores started her career in Hollywood, and María worked Spain and France. Both were top stars during the Mexican Golden Cinema Era.

In this play, they are not women but transvestites who live their lifes through their idols movies.

“Orquídeas a la Luz de la Luna” (Orchids in the Moonlight) by Carlos Fuentes, directed by Sándor Menéndez celebrates the 25th anniversary of Aguijón Theater.

Students get $10 off with the code FULBRIGHT when you come to see the play this and next weekend (March 20, 21, 22, 27, 28, 29); only six shows left (that means students only pay $5!)

Adults get $5 off, which means they only pay $20 when using that code.

Fridays and Saturdays, 8 p.m. and Sundays 6 p.m.

The play has supertitles in ENGLISH.

Aguijón Theater is located at 2707 North Laramie Ave, Chicago. Phone 773-637-5899.

Come see the play, support the arts and celebrate the spring! Check out the video:

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Free tickets for “La Fulana Respetuosa” theater play (with English supertitles)

Posted on March 26, 2014 by | Leave a comment

“LA FULANA RESPETUOSA” theater play is being presented by Aguijón Theater from March 14 until April 13.

Elio Leturia, vice president of the Chicago Chapter of the Fulbright Association, is performing in the play and has donated 10 tickets to be used by Fulbright students. The dates? Friday March 28 and Friday April 4, 2014 both at 8 p.m.

If you want a ticket, contact Elio Leturia immediately at eleturia[at]colum[dot]edu with your name and school, and the date you would like to attend.

The play, written by Jean Paul Sartre (The Respectful Prostitute) and directed by Cuban Sándor Menéndez explores topics such as racism, abuse of power and sex through the story of Lizzie MacKay, a white prostitute targeted by police and politicians to collaborate in framing a black man for a crime he did not commit.

Aguijón’s production re-imagines the script with a musical dimension, featuring songs interpreted by well-known local singer Alba Guerra throughout the piece. Guerra functions as a kind of narrator for the piece, giving musical voice to Lizzie’s conscience, past, hope and pain.

“La Fulana Respetuosa” is presented in Spanish with English supertitles.

Aguijón Theater is located at 2707 N. Laramie Avenue, Chicago, IL 60639,
ph: 773-637-5899

Street parking available. Additional free parking available at Grace English Lutheran Church lot (2725 N. Laramie Avenue—entrance on Parker).

For mature audiences. Sexual content, strong language and violence.

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Theater with Passion

Posted on July 25, 2011 by | Leave a comment

After the "La Pasión Según Antígona Pérez" theater performance, from left to right, Elio Leturia, Ana Gil-García, Javier Ruiz-Tagle, Leslie Parragüez, Vínicius Miranda Bragança and Márton Siklós.

On April 15, 2011, five Fulbright students and board member Dr. Ana Gil-García were invited to “La Pasión según Antígona Pérez,” (The Passion According to Antigone Perez) theater play.  Performed by Aguijón Theater, the play written by Puerto Rican author Luis Rafael Sánchez, is inspired by the original Sophocles Greek version of “Antigone.”

Taking place in a dictatorship in a Latin American country, the play directed by Marcela Muñoz, situates the performance in an impressive setting (newspaper front pages) that represents the control of the media by the dictator, Creón Molina.

Our Chicago Chapter Fulbright Association President Elio Leturia invited the group. In addition to being a college professor at Columbia College Chicago, Leturia is also an active actor in this theater organization.  With 22 years of existence, Aguijón Theater is the oldest continuously operating theater company in Spanish in Chicago.

Raúl Romero as the Generalísimo Creón Molina and Elio Leturia as Monseñor Bernardo Escudero in a scene from "La Pasíon Según Antígona Pérez" by Aguijón Theater.

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