| PERFECTPITCH
DIVERSE FLAIR
BY PAT R I C K D. M C C OY
L
ocal playwright Karen Zacarías, 46, talks about the world premiere
of her play “Destiny of Desire” while demystifying stereotypes in the
theater and giving voice to the Latin American community.
WASHINGTON LIFE: You’re no stranger to
the Washington theater scene. How did you
come to Arena Stage?
KARENZACARÍASI had done some work
in the education department there and they
knew about my plays. Director Molly Smith
approached me about doing a commission
that turned out to be the play “Legacy of
Light” that she directed in 2010. Then I was
invited to be the first playwright in residence
at Arena … that’s how I became part of the
Arena Stage family.
WL: What is the inspiration behind your
latest work, “Destiny of Desire?”
KZ One of the most popular forms
of storytelling in Latin America is
the telenovela, which is kind of like a soap
opera, but is actually a mini-series because
it has a beginning, middle and end. They
have huge cultural impact in their countries
and are some of the biggest cultural
exports that Latin America has. A lot of
times, people see a play or drama written
by a Latino or Latina playwright and they
will say “that sounded like a telenovela,” but
they are wrong. So, I decided that I would
both celebrate and educate by writing the
best telenovela, adding music and having
what would happen in a year happen in two
hours on stage. It’s pretty juicy.
WL: Although the cast is all Latino, could
you speak a bit about the cross-cultural and
racially transcendent appeal of this work?
KZ First of all, it’s a Latino cast, but drama,
betrayal, love and yearning are all universal
feelings. I think there is a moment in
everybody’s life, no matter what walk of life
you come from, what color, class or gender
you may be, where it feels like a soap opera.
I think what people will start to realize is that
96
there has been a very narrow depiction
of what Latino means in the news, TV or
movies, usually seen in small roles and
characters. Seeing these full characters
in all their glory is going to be fun.
WL: What will be unique about this
production’s staging?
KZ The set is more minimal because
it is play that is going to evoke a lot
of imagination and there are a lot of
poetic gesture s. It is a play that moves
very quickly so it has a very elegant
and eloquent aesthetic. It’s not about
mechanical but about the talent of the
people working on stage.
Arena Stage’s inaugural resident playwright Karen Zacarías
(Photo courtesy Arena Stage)
WL: Of all the subjects that get touched upon
in this particular drama, which is the most
controversial?
KZ The biggest one is what happens when
women take destiny into their own hands,
and what kind of world that creates. What
happens at one point is that there are two
plays going on at the same time. The play
itself starts finding its destiny under the
leadership of the women in
the play. Comedy allows you
sometimes to go to places that
are darker, more provocative
and controversial allowing us
to engage in conversation on
changing dialogue about the role
of women.
WL: How do you see this play
as a “bridge” in the effort to
demystify racial stereotypes in
the theater?
KZ It is historic. I don’t think
Arena Stage has put an allLatino-cast play on for ten years.
It is a huge statement for the Women’s Voices
Theatre Festival; I am the only Latina playwright
and this is the only all- Latino cast during the
entire festival. My play, as entertaining as it is,
is also political. I am unapologetically taking
the telenovela, something that is very Latin
American, and celebrating it instead of being
ashamed of it.
Performances of Destiny of Desire continue at
Arena Stage through October 18.
Elia Saldaña and Esperanza America in “Destiny of Desire.”
(Photo by Tony Powell)
WA S H I N G T O N L I F E
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