Written by:
Kristin A. Smith
Lesbian choreographer Anne Bluethenthal proves once again that it takes a village to tell a story. And her village is composed of powerful, creative women.
Using her ABD dance troupe, poetry of lesbian icon Judy Grahn, murals by Nadine Gay and the music of Ajayi Lumumba, Melanie DeMore and Mama CoAtl, Bluethenthal’s production explores the complexity of the Spanish word Cariño. “When you enter the theatre,” says Bluethenthal, “you are in an environment of Cariño.”
Literally translated as love, tenderness, affection and caring, Cariño encapsulates what Bluethenthal sees as the “invisible economy of the heart.” The production focuses on an inverted paradigm where the work of caring, primarily done by women, is placed above profit.
The idea for the production stems from Bluethenthal’s own experiences. After caring for two people in her life who became ill, Bluethenthal realized that “there is little time for unwaged caring work” in our life, and she began exploring the universal stories of care.
These stories, told within the backdrop of today’s global devastation, are a reminder that both individual women and groups of women are making a difference. “We are living in a time of monumental destruction and we need to look at the powerful individual actions that are made each day,” says Bluethenthal. Poet Judy Grahn adds that the multi-genre performance creates a “four dimensional performance” where the beauty of the stories rise above the destruction.
Even within the performance, the women are making a difference. Bluethenthal has partnered with Oasis for Girls, an arts-based empowerment program in San Francisco. The Oasis girls incorporate their own ideas of Cariño into the production, and in doing so become part of Bluethenthal’s dynamic village.
Cariño: Economy of the Heart
March 21 - 23 (Fri. - Sun.) and March 27 - 29 (Thurs. - Sat.).
Project Artaud Theatre 450 Florida St. (at 17 St.) in San Francisco
For info call: 415/ 706 -9535 or go to www.abdproductions.org
All performances start at 8:00 pm, except Sun. March 23 at 6:00 pm.
Tix: $25, $20 students/senior, $10 children under 12. CASH ONLY at the door.
Fri. March 21 & Thurs. March 27 are pay what you can nights.
Tickets on sale at http://www.brownpapertickets.com
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