Crossing Borders Festival At Two River Theater Kicks Off With El Nogalar

When we hear the word border, our mind immediately jumps to that vast stretch of land that separates the US from Mexico; a place of struggle, controversy and emotion.

This is the literal meaning, but borders can be symbols for so many of life’s situations—the border between two cultures, two identities, two different ways of life. They are there to “keep out” or “prevent” others from crossing over or getting into our mind and hearts. Can these imaginary borders ever really be torn down? And if they were, would we recognize in each other the same deep rooted qualities that inevitably make us human once our differences are deconstructed?

These issues, and more, are explored by Tanya Saracho in the play El Nogalar, which was presented on Thursday night in a black box style play reading during the Crossing Borders festival at Two River Theater.

Saracho introduces us to family living separate lives while struggling to maintain a connection to each other. Valeria, played by Shirley A. Rumierk, has stayed behind in Mexico to care for her formerly wealthy family’s house while her mother and sister made a new life in the United States. Disconnected from the harsh realities of everyday life in their respective countries, the family feels more than literal distance pushing them apart. 

Valeria is trying desperately to hold onto her family’s orchard amidst a country deteriorating into violence brought on by powerful drug cartels. Deep in debt and unable to make her mother understand, Valeria had managed to hold on to only one of their former employees, a fiery, confident assistant named Dunia, played by Tracey Perez. She also has a close relationship with Lopez (Carlo Alban), an old family friend who is now in tight with the cartels and ensures the family’s safety as much as possible.

When Valeria’s neurotic mother, Maite, (Paula Pizzi), returns to Mexico with her daughter Anita (Sofia Jean Gomez), she struggles with the news that she will possibly loose her land, her identity and heritage. Anita feels the pain of “not belonging,” having felt “too Mexican” in America, but “too American” in Mexico.

Even with a stripped down, bare set, the play held the audience’s attention with its engaging, realistic characters. The emotions were real, raw and on display. The audience could make a clear connection with each individual character and their struggles with identity, family, holding on and letting go. Each character was fully alive on the stage; Dunia with her fiery, determined way, Lopez, able to embody both the sensitive kid that everyone grew up with and the show off, big time cartel member.

It is hard not to love Anita, who stays guarded with her dry, sarcastic remarks, but is multilayered; showing her sensitivity and her uncertainty about who she really is. Maite was unforgettable with her over the top personality and disconnectedness from reality and the everyday world. Together, these characters built life into the excellent writing of Saracho, who manages to make a commentary on the world as a whole and the world of the individual though heartfelt and realistic dialogue.

The idea that “everything stays the same” is echoed by characters throughout the play.  It is brilliantly revealed to the audience, however, that everything actually changes. The dual sided vision illustrates how sometimes when we are stuck in something; it is hard to see the other side. 

The Crossing Borders Festival will run through Sunday, June 19th. Please visit http://www.trtc.org/ for plays and show times.