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Poetry, science and history meld as famed 17th century poet Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz crosses paths with a contemporary realtor and her pool contractor husband. Set in Phoenix, Arizona, Properties of Silence centers around a contemporary couple who meet Sor Juana in a surreal dream landscape inspired by her most significant poem, “Primero Sueño” (“First Dream”). As Barbara and Tom come to grips with their troubled marriage, the Catholic Church is forcing Sor Juana to silence her pen and her scientific inquiries. Properties of Silence features original compositions by vocal artist Julie Adler. Black and white video by ...Read More
Poetry, science and history meld as famed 17th century poet Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz crosses paths with a contemporary realtor and her pool contractor husband. Set in Phoenix, Arizona, Properties of Silence centers around a contemporary couple who meet Sor Juana in a surreal dream landscape inspired by her most significant poem, “Primero Sueño” (“First Dream”). As Barbara and Tom come to grips with their troubled marriage, the Catholic Church is forcing Sor Juana to silence her pen and her scientific inquiries. Properties of Silence features original compositions by vocal artist Julie Adler. Black and white video by Janice Tanaka emulates the Golden Age of Mexican Cinema to underscore Sor Juana’s life story. Original prints created by artists from the first Maestra Atelier at Self Help Graphics & Art in tribute to Sor Juana will be displayed in The Carrie Hamilton Theatre lobby. Each performance will be followed by a “Post-Silence” event in tribute to Sor Juana’s legacy as the first feminist writer.
Properties of Silence is the third piece in a trilogy that deals with the inner voice as a possible source of personal, spiritual and political truth. When and how does the inner voice conflict with socially determined definitions of “the normal” and “the acceptable”?
“The play takes place in a fevered dream, in the 17th century and in present day,” explains writer and director Theresa Chavez. “One of the things we explore is how people make contracts — social, legal, marital — and how those contracts conspire to silence the inner voice. What happens when the outer trappings no longer add up to what’s inside us? The play lives in a contemporary time, but everything is taken from Sor Juana’s writings and her biography.”
“The juxtaposition of historical and contemporary characters allows us to look at current issues in a new way,” suggests co-writer Alan Pulner. “Sor Juana has many things to say to us today.”
Properties of Silence and the “Post-Silence” Salon Series runs Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m from Feb. 28 through March 29, with one weekday matinee on Wednesday, March 25 at 2 p.m. (dark Sunday, March 22). Four preview performances take place on Saturday, Feb. 21 at 8 p.m.; Sunday, Feb. 22 at 3 p.m.; Thursday, Feb. 26 at 8 p.m.; and Friday, Feb. 27 at 8 p.m. The matinee on Sunday, March 8 will be a benefit for About…Productions and will include a post-play reception. Tickets are $30, except preview tickets which are $15 and the March 8 benefit performance which is $60. Student tickets (with valid ID) are $15 (except March 8). The Carrie Hamilton Theatre at The Pasadena Playhouse is located at 39 S. El Molino Ave., Pasadena CA 91101. For reservations and information, call (626) 396-0920 or visit www.aboutpd.org. Check the website for a schedule of salon events.
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