Vancouver Playhouse – Vancouver, BC
Anywhere But Here
A new play by Carmen Aguirre (raps created with Shad Kabango)
Produced by Electric Company Theatre in association with Playwrights Theatre Centre
Co-presented with PuSh International Performing Arts Festival
World Premiere: Feb 4-Feb 15, 2020 - The Playhouse Theatre, MST Territories/Vancouver
A family. A border wall. A million memories and the quest for home.
It's 2020 at the US/Mexico Border in Trump's America. It's 1979, and a family drives back towards Chile from Canada. With past, present, and future encircling their journey, this profoundly poetic story is about the universal quest for home – in whatever form that takes. Spanning multiple timelines and spaces, Anywhere But Here introduces us to a host of fantastical characters who have experienced the pull of home, the ache of displacement, and the harsh realities of the border as they attempt to cross, guard, or survive it.
With its spellbinding blend of dark comedy and magical realism, Anywhere But Here is a vibrant celebration of Latinx theatre that chronicles the many paths, real and imagined, we take to discover the truth — about who we are, and where we may be headed. With rap pieces and compositions inspired by 1970’s disco, the batucada and the blues, the musicality of the piece carries the characters and audience across timelines and histories.
Anywhere But Here is a psycho-social-spiritual-physical journey based on the relationship to land; it could only take place at the U.S./Mexico border during the world’s current refugee crisis. It is a play that celebrates working-class Latinx culture, spotlighting the invisible, undocumented brown workers that people the Americas. It honours the richness of Latinx culture and the strength of its resistance, neither of which are accidents.
Development support from
Additional support provided by:
Canada Council for the Arts, British Columbia Arts Council, the City of Vancouver, The Province of BC, Vancouver Civic Theatres, the Georgia Straight, The Province of British Columbia, MJY Fabrication Deux Mille Foundation, Hamber Foundation, McLean Foundation, Vancouver Latin American Cultural Centre, Latincouver, Cloverdale Paint, Associated Plastics, The Lazy Gourmet
Credits
Playwright
Carmen AguirreRap Creator
Shad KabangoDirector
Juliette CarrilloDramaturg
Heidi TaylorComposer / Music Director
Joelysa PankaneaScenic Designer
Christopher AceboCostume Designer
Carmen AlatorreLighting Designer
Itai ErdalSound Designer
Eli HaliguaProjection Designer
Candelario AndradeAssistant Director
Pedro ChamaleStage Manager
Joanne PB SmithProduction Manager
Adrian MuirAssistant Stage Manager
Rebecca MulvihillAssistant Scenic Designer
Rick AndersonAssistant Technical Director
Gustavo CunhaAunt Lili (and others)
Augusto BitterArcangel (and others)
Alen DominguezCarolita
Alexandra LainfiestaYoung Man with Guns (and others)
Shawn LallPhillip Manuel (and others)
NadeemLaura (and others)
Christine QuintanaGeneral Juana (and others)
Michelle RiosLupe (and others)
AJ SimmonsTeenage Girl (and others)
Manuela SosaOriginal Recorded Music performed by
Robin Layne, Michael Simpsonelli and Johnny WahProduced in association with
Playwrights Theatre CentrePresented with
PuSh International Performing Arts FestivalMedia
“It’s dramatic. It’s funny. And the set is gorgeous…This is a desert in more ways than one.”
“Aguirre’s think piece is a time-defying meditation on essential journeys of the heart.”
“I rocketed out of my seat for the ovation at the end. And the production is always bracingly vibrant and confident.”
"It was fabulous! I only wish I could have a recording of it, as I’d love to rewind and watch some sections over again to understand more of its meaning."
"Deep. Provocative. Beautiful. Moving. Well written. Amazing acting. A spectacular show."
"This performance exceeded all my expectations! I loved the space and time concept and the magic realism involved. It touched on so many powerful current issues like gender equality, feminism, racism, sexism, parenting styles, border issues, politics etc. All the Chilenismos were amazing and the reference to “Negro Matapacos” was the highlight for me because I just came back from living in Chile for 5 years and have been involved in the current social uprising in Chile. Thank you so much for this amazing show. It made me laugh and cry!!!"
"Such a thought provoking experience to be immersed in this wonderfully acted and stage production!"
"Three of my family members and a good friend from Taiwan were lucky enough to be able to obtain tickets and all of us loved the show. What a powerful, moving piece — and wickedly funny. My husband and I vividly remember the murders and brutality of the Pinochet era but the younger two only learned via Wikipedia and some quick tutoring on our part just before the show. However, the story worked for all of us equally well and we have been discussing it ever since. I think it was a combination of humour, compelling characters, a terrible history and magic realism that made the experience equally powerful for all of us no matter our age or background, and the playwright left lots of opportunity for audience members to debate competing interpretations later. I fell in love with the arts again, remembered my activist soul that has felt a bit battered lately, and emerged back onto Hamilton street feeling in awe of Carmen Aguirre’s talent as well as the performers’."
"What a ride- completely engrossing and beautiful to watch. The music was excellent, the raps made me shiver! He was such a compelling performer. Definitely wish I was closer to centre- might go again just to see all the projections head on."
"A Daring, magical, great ensemble piece and made me think of home, exile, belonging, finding one’s truth, justice and to call out atrocities and the right of all humans to live without fear and have freedom of expression! As a bit of a quantum physics nerd — I LOVED the cosmology element and the multiple time zones that existed together. Thank you — more bold theatre!???? Best regards to the talented cast and playwright."
"Encouraging to see diverse voices and creatives on a major Vancouver stage. I’d like to see more stories showcasing the works of local people of color."
"This show was a whirlwind, so much was happening and it was all so interesting! I feel like I need to watch it again to absorb more of what was said and done. It was nothing I could have prepared for. One note, I was sitting in the 11th row and found it hard to hear when actors were speaking from the back of the stage. The first rap was also hard to hear. Overall we enjoyed the experience and really appreciated all of the history!"
"Special attention to one of the daugthers (Alexandra). Very well delivered"
"What I found delightful was the humour. For such a depressing topic given the state of those in exile today it was wonderful to be able to laugh and cry. The acting was great as well. Thank you!"
"Have seen a number of Electric Company shows. Love the creativity and the innovation. This show is no exception. Thanks for what you do."
"The show was fantastic all around, but every soliloquy felt wayyyyyy too long. It was such a beautiful play, but at those moments I accidentally disengaged and would find myself thinking of something else, catch myself, and the soliloquy would still be going on. As someone who auditioned for the show, I thought that casting was near perfect."
"It was a beautiful performance. The actors were outstanding. The writing was playfully funny, political, feminist while showing some of the timeless terrors of what it means to be an immigrant. As an immigrant, the metaphor of the magnets almost brought me to tears. Thank you for such a powerful performance, and for making the invisible visible."
"The casting was excellent, there were so many beautiful moments that brought me to tears and the man who played the father was exceptional. Loved all the different elements added to the show. The magical fantastical of it was really well done. Had little bit of everything and was extremely entertaining."
"More power to you Electric Company for doing what you do — creating exciting, challenging, boundary-pushing new theatre."
"The play was amazing, a little long – the rap and the long monologue in the second half could have been shortened a little, but the story, stage design, costumes and acting were incredible, well done!"
"Thank you Electrics for not dissapointing with this show."