Strange Fruit #108: "Emigrados" Brings the Universality of Immigrant Experiences to the Stage

This week we meet Haydee Canovas, the director of a Spanish-language play called "Emigrados," running March 12-21 in Louisville. Part of the theater of the absurd tradition, the play observes two immigrant men, in a basement, on New Year's eve, and explores their relationship. While the actors in this production are both Mexican, the script itself doesn't specify a country of origin for its characters - nor does it tell us the country they're currently in. Canovas says this allows the play to comment on the experiences immigrants have in common. "Immigration is a universal theme," she says. "It's been happening since the beginning of time. If somebody doesn't feel safe where they're living, they're going to preserve themselves and their family, and they're going to move to a place that's safer." We talked to Canovas about the theater company she co-founded, Teatro Tercera Llamada, and their mission. She says not only is it theater with a social conscious, but, "theater that Latinos are experiencing." (For information about "Emigrados," which will be presented with English supertitles, click here: https://www.facebook.com/events/1394438230861407. If you're interested in getting involved with Teatro Tercera Llamada, contact them at 502-386-4866 or [email protected].) We're also joined this week by Marion Dries, whose voice you may recognize from our sister station, WFPL. Marion is a bookworm with lots of connections to the world of LGBTQ publishing houses, so she'll be joining us periodically with book reviews and author interviews. This week we hear a snippet of her conversation with KL Rhavernsfyre (hear the full interview here: https://soundcloud.com/strangefruitpod/strange-fruit-marion-dries-interviews-lesbian-fiction-fantasy-authors-kl-rhavensfyre) And in Juicy Fruit, it's been a bad week for white women. Patricia Arquette used her backstage Oscars interview to suggest that LGBTQ and people of color owe their support to the wage equality movement. Giuliana Rancic of E! Network's "Fashion Police" implied that dreadlocks smell like patchouli oil and weed. And a news anchor from Ohio said Lady Gaga plays "jigaboo music."