On the Road to Joy & Freedom

Join us in talking with Carmen Aguirre -  a Chilean-Canadian, award-winning theatre artist and author who has written and co-written over twenty-five plays, including Chile Con Carne, The Refugee Hotel, The Trigger, as well as the #1 international bestseller Something Fierce: Memoirs of a Revolutionary Daughter. We talk about the role of race in Canadian theatre, and how systems of oppression have been transformed over recent years.

Well hello there! Today we've got a great show with the wonderful Anna Lee Wright - An Asian American actor, dancer, singer, and choreographer. She gives us the low down on what it's like being forced off of touring during a pandemic, how important it is to check in with your emotions, and what it's like getting "in the feels" coaching when we're all online. Life's hard, let's talk about it. Check out Anna Lee's bio and more @ TheDTI.org

Why Hello There, are you reading this? Maybe you are, maybe you're not, I won't judge you, but here we are, you've already read this far, you might as well continue to read... On today's we talk with Jesus Reyes, the Community Partnerships Director at Center Theatre Group in Los Angeles. He gives us insights into what it's like bringing theatre into the communities, and what it took for him to be where he's at today. I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did!

Boom Shocka Locka - ohhhhh my goodness have we got an episode for you today. Join us as we discuss the cultural transitions from Argentina to the US of A with special guest Malcolm March. Born and raised in Buenos Aires Argentina, he came to the states to learn about new forms of performance and stayed for the cultural immersion. Today he is the founder of Cuchame Theatre Company, and the new Executive director for HOLA– The Hispanic Organization of Latin Actors. This is an episode that you won't wanna miss!

As always, be sure to check out our partner The Diverse Theatre Initiative @ TheDTI.org

Join us in listening to Anthony Aguilar as we delve into the world of playwriting, finding your voice, and what it means to pull inspiration from your roots. You don't want to miss today's episode of On The Road to Joy & Freedom. https://www.thedti.org/on-the-road-to-joy-and-freedom

*This episode was recorded live as a part of the UofR's Oralé! club to showcase a local artist from the Redlands community* In honor of National Hispanic Heritage Month, today's show is a special episode showcasing Carmelo Barrera Cruz. While not a traditional performing artist, Carmelo's interview speaks to the same social injustices faced by artists of color. He is a third year Johnston student at the University of Redlands in southern Califonia and his emphasis is titled “Channeling Experiences into forms of expression.”  Join us as we hear his story as a first-gen college student attempting to work with a Predominantly White Institution. 

Join us in listening to Robert Jerome Pagan as he brings us into the world of community theatre and running the the largest Rennaisance Faire in Northern California. We discuss his nomadic path through performance programs, some unfamiliar artists that you should look into, and what a truly inclusive cultural celebration could look like, (and what It's definitely not!). You don't want to miss today's episode of On The Road to Joy & Freedom. https://www.thedti.org/on-the-road-to-joy-and-freedom

Join us in listening to Aléxa Anderson, née Sessler as she brings us on the journey of becoming a world-touring Opera singer; from growing up in Scranton, Pennsylvania (Yes, that Scranton) to her work with underprivileged youth, her travels through musical academia and the side-eye looks you get when you're a white-passing Greco-Puertorriqueña and much much more!

In honor of National Hispanic Heritage Month, today's show is a special episode on the work of Ruben Dario- Félix Rubén García Sarmiento (January 18, 1867 – February 6, 1916),  a Nicaraguan poet who initiated the Spanish-American literary movement known as modernismo (modernism) that flourished at the end of the 19th century. Darío has had a great and lasting influence on 20th-century Spanish literature and journalism. Explored first through his piece "Ode to Roosevelt", and secondly through the writings of Professor David E. Whisnant in "A PRODIGIOUS CHILD OF NICARAGUA- RUBÉN DARÍO AND THE IDEOLOGICAL USES OF CULTURAL CAPITAL."

Join us in listening to Gary Ferguson as he Breaks down his life from early childhood in the dance studios of Oklahoma, to broadway tours and cruiseships, to being dance captain for the Radio City Rockettes, what Gary believes to be the next steps for performers of color and much much more!

In honor of National Hispanic Heritage Month, today's show is a special episode on the work of Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz- a poet, dramatist, scholar, and nun, an outstanding writer of the Latin American colonial period and of the Hispanic Baroque. Explored first through her piece "You Foolish Men", and secondly through the writings of professor Margo Glantz regarding Sor Juanas revolutionary writing style – and her most notable literary partner Octavio Paz. 

Join us in listening to Gregory Ramos as he details his experience as a Gay Mexican American, his relationship with culture and tradition, how he's grown from a little boy in his Grandmothers seamstress shop to Chair of the Theatre Arts department at the University of Redlands, and much much more!

Join us in listening to Elaine Talamaivao as she details her experience as a Kiwi coming to America, her relationship with culture and tradition, how she's turned her passion for dance from the South Pacific into a business that's flourished under a global pandemic, and much much more!

Join us in listening to Sylvia Cervantes Blush as she details her experience as a Latina in theatre, her continual work in the performing arts during an ongoing pandemic, how she has made work for herself, and much more!

Welcome to the show! This is the Prologue to our series, an Introduction and welcome to what you can expect from us "On The Road to Joy & Freedom."