Cast of "Letters from theWall - Cartas del Muro"
Enrique Morones
nos vemos este sabado
Hola Cast and support crew of “Letters from the Wall - Cartas del Muro”
I am so incredibly thankful for all of your support in putting this together! Also, thank you to everyone for standing by while the United States Border Patrol, kept rejecting this play, saying we couldn’t do it right at the actual wall as we originally intended. This was due to the title of the play and it’s content. Enrique and I finally decided to do this play as written approximately 50 yards north of the wall on the U.S. side under the canopy in Border Field State Park. As for the Mexico side, It will have to be determined by Mexico side director, Bryant Hernandez the morning of (with the help of those on that side of course).
Here is a run down on how everything will hopefully go.
Call Time:
U.S. Side: 10:00am. This will give us an opportunity to get good parking at Border Field State Park Parking lot (1500 Monument Rd. San Ysidro) as well as give us time take the 35 minute walk to get to the venue under the canopy overlooking the beach and border wall.
TJ Side: 10:00am. This will give director, Bryant Hernandez an opportunity to go over the performance with the cast. Work the play, Rehearse it, then be prepared to run it.
Clothing:
All actors on both sides of the border please wear white shirts and jeans. Shirts can be long or short sleeve t-shirts or button up. Please no logos or designs on the shirts. Jeans can be blue, black or faded. comfortable walking shoes or tennis shoes. color does not matter.
Border Angels Volunteers, Deported Veterans and any other support groups are encouraged to wear there support group t-shirts or uniforms.
U.S. Side 11:00am
At 11:00am, audiences and press should be ready for Enrique Morones’ meet and greet speech he does before taking tour groups into Border Field State Park. At 11:15 they will start the 35-40 minute walk to the play venue. Enrique and Border Angels volunteers along the way will point out the experiences of someone making the trip across the border. I would like to have some Border Angel Volunteers positioned along the way at certain points of interest like, discarded clothing, rug slippers, dried out water bottles etc. possibly holding signs with facts about those making the trip across the border-desert. Everyone will hopefully all arrive by 11:45 giving them time to use the restroom, get a drink and find a place to sit.
Noon Both Sides U.S. & TJ
“Letters from the Wall - Cartas del Muro” begins. If there are any speeches made before the show starts, they must be finished before noon. They may be a brief welcome or introduction by Enrique Morones on the U.S. side or by the directors, Bryant Hernandez and Dave Rivas.
“Letters from the Wall - Cartas del Muro” is made up of three, 10 minute plays. These plays are only 3 or 4 pages long. Rehearsal before we begin will be needed to get the feel of timing and pace on the each play.
Order of Plays:
> 1. Mother Lion/Mama León - an adaptation of a children’s story. Part of the “Cuentos Para Dormir” collection by Sofia Sobko. Should be read and performed like s bedtime story.
> 2. Coming Home - based on the actual stories of multiple Deported Veterans. Very serious, somber, reflective tone.
> 3. Muddy Shoes - based on two or three letters written to Enrique Morones & The Border Angels and the experiences of a few others.
Casting:
U.S. Cast: I have cast how I think may work best. We may make adjustments as needed.
TJ Cast: This will be completely up to Bryant Hernandez and decided during the morning rehearsal time. I have only made a few casting suggestions based on those I know.
1. Mother Lion/Mama León
U.S. Cast:
Reader: Sylvia Enrique
Mother Lion: Sandra Ruiz
Hilda Cub/Hyena: Mila Daniels
Emmanuel Cub/Hyena: Paul Araujo
Raymond Cub/Hyena: Bernardo Mazón
Andrew Cub/Hyena: Gabby Nelson
Shooter/Hyena: Dave Rivas
**Wall: audience members
TJ Cast:
Reader: Gabriela Cortes?
Mama León:
Hilda Cub/Hyena:
Emmanuel Cub/Hyena:
Raymond Cub/Hyena:
Andrew Cub/Hyena:
Shooter/Hyena:
**Wall: audience members or other groups there
2. Coming Home
U.S. Cast:
Reader: Dave Rivas
Veteran: Bernardo Mazón
Recruiter/Dad/Soldier: Paul Araujo
Mother/Soldier: Sylvia Enrique
Sister/Soldier: Gabby Nelson
Girlfriend/Soldier: Mila Daniels
Friend/Soldier: Sandra Ruiz
**Border Angels or other support groups may be chosen to participate forming around the sides or behind actors as in a militant support, standing at parade rest stance
TJ Cast:
Reader: Bryant Hernandez
Veteran: Rene Alejandro Jester
Recruiter/Soldier: Rick Zazueta
Dad/Soldier: Agustin Castaneda
Mother/Soldier:
Sister/Soldier:
Girlfriend/Soldier
Friend/Soldier
**ACTUAL DEPORTED VETERANS MAY PARTICIPATE BY FORMING AROUND THE SIDES OR BEHIND ACTORS DURING THIS PIECE IN PARADE REST STANCE. AT END DEPORTED VETERANS MAY CHOOSE TO LAY DOWN, SALUTE OR WHATEVER THEY CARE TO DO.
3. Muddy Shoes
U.S. Cast:
**Border Angels: played by Border Angel Volunteers
Reader: Gabriela Nelson
Twin Brother: Bernardo Mazón Twin Sister: Sandra Ruiz
Father: Dave Rivas
Mother: Mila Daniels
Coyote: Paul Araujo
Twin kids at end: Sylvia & Paul
TJ Cast:
**Border Angels: played by Border Angels volunteers or other support groups there
Reader:
Twin Brother:
Twin Sister:
Father:
Mother:
Coyote:
Twin Kids at end:
End of Play
These three stories should be done hopefully no later than 12:45pm. After a cast bow. The actors will be introduced to the audience. There may then be final statements by Enrique Morones or directors, Dave Rivas & Bryant Hernandez. There will then be a Question and Answer, discussion period for audience and press. After this, the TJ Side will be done. Actors on both sides may choose to leave after bows. They are not required to stay for the discussion but people may have questions for the cast.
U.S. Side Return Walk to Parking Lot
Again, I would like to have Border Angels volunteers positioned at certain places along the way at points of interest or at random places holding signs with information on immigration, deportation or border wall or border crossing facts. At the toll booth or somewhere along the way I would like a volunteer holding sign, stating they are a “Coyote” and one or two facts about that. At a location very near to the parking lot, I would like two or three volunteers standing together forming a human wall with a sign stating, “They are the Border Wall”. All of those that have been walking all day to and from the play will not be allowed to pass this point. (unless they have proper documentation or a passport). The sign will say something to the fact that even though, they have come a long way and they must be tired, hot and hungry, and even if they can see their cars, their life, their families, jobs, future just a few yards away, they must return back to where they came and not allowed to pass. Of course the audiences returning to their cars can pass. This will be our final fact for audiences to experience for real. Hopefully the entire day at Border Field State Park and watching, “Letters from the Wall - Cartas del Muro” will give our audiences and press some thoughts to take home with them.
Again, Thank you all from the bottom of my heart for being part of this wonderful, potentially life changing event! We hope to continue this play as an ongoing series. Each time we will deliver new letters, new plays and experiences for all.
I am once again attaching a copy of the three plays, the press release and the posters. Sylvia Enrique will be emailing this group the plays translated into Spanish as soon as she finishes them, hopefully sometime Friday.
If you have any questions, comments, concerns or ideas please don’t hesitate to contact me. My info is at the bottom. For Español por favor contacte Bryant Hernandez o Sylvia Enriqe.
Muchas Gracias a todos!!
Dave Rivas
Actor - Voice Over Artist
Cell: (619) 300-4761
