Subversive Theatre

October 15 - November 7, 2009
at the Manny Fried Playhouse

the regional debut of

WIDOWS
by Ariel Dorfman

Sponsored by Buffalo's El Buen Amigo Latin American Cultural Association

"Resounds with moral thunder . . . moves as if in a dream of outrage among its tombs of love."
-- Alan Cheuse, NEW YORK TIMES

"Lyrical and even elegiac . . . Dorfman gives flesh to a human rights issue of our time."
-- CHICAGO TRIBUNE

For the second production of our 2009-2010, we were very proud to have the opportunity to bring to life WIDOWS, an almost completely overlooked supernatural drama by world-renowned Human Rights advocate Ariel Dorfman (who himself narrowly escaped Chile's 1973 military coup) that offers a searing testament to the power of the most downtrodden of people to resist the most vicious repression.

Click below for more info...
-- About the Author -- About the Cast -- About the Crew -- About this Play's Production History -- Production Photos -- Return to WIDOWS Mainpage RELATED INFORMATION: -- Playwright's Notes -- History of Chile's Military Coup

     The story takes place in an unnamed Latin American country in a small village where all of the men have been "disappeared" -- dragged away by the forces of an unnamed military dictatorship. The women of the village are left to eek out a desperate existence wondering, worrying, and waiting for news of their loved ones.
     But when a reform-minded military officer announces his intention to usher in a new era of reconciliation and the town's half-crazed matriarch dares to speak out for justice, the situation quickly turns into an electrifying battle of truth vs. power.
     To bring to life the extensive ensemble of this epic-scale drama, we were very pleased to feature one of the most talented casts Subversive Theatre has ever assembled. Buffalo theatre veteran Arlene Clement mustered a gut-wrenchingly

powerful performance as our story's defiant widow opposite a no less impressive portrayal by Victor Morales of the war-weary officer who will stop at nothing to maintain his authority.
     Also boasting the talents of noted film and television actress Diane Gaidry, WIDOWS featured a along with a long list of respected area actors including Jack Agugliaro* (who demonstrated enormous range playing four wildly different roles), Joy Scime, Bethany Sparacio, and even emerging young theatre artists such as sixteen-year-old Marisol Torres and fourteen-year-old Elijah Tyner.
     Directed by Subversive Theatre's Founder & Artistic Director Kurt Schneiderman*, our rendition of this larger than life tale offered a hauntingly rich atmosphere thanks to a breath-taking original score of classically-inspired guitar ballads by Paul Kozlowski, a dizzying array of hand-crafted Latin American costumes by Mindy Herington, and the hypnotic use of light and shadow by Jessica Fialko cloaking this graphic play's twisted corpses and painful ruminations in the spellbinding power of flickering lanterns and dancing candle light.
     We were also honored to have our production sponsored by Buffalo's El Buen Amigo Latin American Cultural Association whose owner, Santiago Masferrer, is a survivor of Chile's 1973 military coup. Mr. Masferrer and his wife Eugenia lead an absolutely extraordinary discussion after one of our performances of WIDOWS about the terrifying reality of their personal experience of Chile's military clampdown. This event proved to be perhaps the single most electrifying unification of the arts with political awareness that Subversive Theatre has ever had the privilege to host.
     Here's a more detailed rundown on who did what:

THE CAST
Sophia Fuentes . . . Arlene Clement
Alexandra Fuentes . . . Diane Gaidry
Yanina Fuentes . . . Bethany Sparacio
Fidelia Fuentes . . . Marisol Torres
Alexis Fuentes . . . Elijah Tyner
Alonzo Fuentes . . . Jack Agugliaro*

Women of the Valley
Teresa Salas . . . Sandra Gilliam*
Katherina . . . Joy Scime
Rosa . . . Hanna Lipkind
Mariluz . . . Jenna Winnett

Cecilia Sanjines . . . Joanna Farrell

Philipe Kastoria . . . Jack Agugliaro*
Beatrice Kastoria . . . Joy Scime

Father Gabriel . . . Jack Agugliaro*

The Army
The Captain . . . Victor Morales
The Lieutenant . . . Julian Perez
Emmanuel . . . Justin Fiordaliso
The Doctor . . . Jack Agugliaro*
First Soldier . . . Anthony Orlowski
Second Soldier . . . Kevin Dennis*

THE CREW
Director . . . Kurt Schneiderman*
Sound Design . . . John Shotwell*
Costume Design . . . Mindy Herington
Set & Light Design . . . Jessica Fialko
Poster Design . . . Melissa Grosse
Stage Manager . . . Rachel Zeller*
Dialect Coach . . . Megan Callahan
Fight Captain . . . Bethany Sparacio
Make-Up Consultant . . . Kelly Beuth*
Photography . . . Lawrence Rowswell*
Publicity . . . Lizz Schumer*

Original Score Composed and Performedby Paul Kozlowski

October 15 - November 7, 2009 at the Manny Fried Playhouse

October 15 - November 7, 2009
at the Manny Fried Playhouse