Aluna Theatre brings acclaimed Salvadoran drama On the Other Side of the Sea to The Theatre Centre
iPhoto caption: Poster courtesy of Aluna Theatre
This February, Aluna Theatre will present the Canadian premiere of On the Other Side of the Sea by acclaimed Salvadoran playwright Jorgelina Cerritos.
Winner of Havana’s prestigious Casa de las Américas Prize for drama in 2010, On the Other Side of the Sea examines identity — not as a cultural construct, but as existential angst. In the humorous, lyrical work, two strangers meet on an abandoned beach. The twist? Neither realizes that their futures depend on the encounter.
Frequent Aluna collaborator Soheil Parsa will direct, with scenography by Trevor Schwellnus, sound design by Thomas Ryder Payne, and costume design by Niloufar Ziaee. The two-hander stars Aluna artistic director Beatriz Pizano, along with Carlos Gonzalez-Vio.
“The themes, poetic beauty, and unique theatrical style attracted me to want to explore this play,” said Parsa in a press release. “In this extraordinary work, Cerritos explores the concept of human loneliness and the lost or forgotten identity. The play is also about hope. The characters constantly oscillate between dream and reality and yearn for rebirth and renewal.”
The production marks Aluna’s first time producing a work by a Latin American artist not residing in Canada. “For over 20 years Aluna has been producing new works from the trans-American diasporic artists who live here. We are thrilled to be producing a play from El Salvador,” said Pizano. “Although On the Other Side of the Sea was written over 10 years ago, the disconnection, fragmentation, and the characters’ urge for authenticity [continue] to resonate deeply today.”
On the Other Side of the Sea runs at The Theatre Centre from February 7 to 25. Tickets are available here.
Liam Donovan
Liam is Intermission’s senior editor. He lives in Toronto. His Substack newsletter is available at loamdonovan.substack.com.
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