FUENTE OVEJUNA
Fuente Ovejuna
By Lope de Vega, translated by Adrian Mitchell
This Production is the New York Premiere of Adrian Mitchell’s Translation
Directed by Flordelino Lagundino
April 29 – May 28, 2023
“FUENTE OVEJUNA DID IT.”
The great Spanish author Lope de Vega (1562–1635) wrote FUENTE OVEJUNA in 1612 after he was inspired by a historical incident: farmers and peasants of the village of Fuente Ovejuna rose up against a military commander and his soldiers who routinely brutalized and oppressed them. In Lope de Vega’s play, after she has been raped by a tyrannical commander and his men, Laurencia, daughter of the Mayor, demands her father and the village leaders face that they didn’t stop the crime.
“To this all-wise, all-male Council meeting:
You may not allow a woman to vote
But you can’t stop her yelling…”
Her confrontation inspires the entire town to revolt. The Commander is slaughtered, but no one even when tortured will say who is the killer. Each will only admit that everyone is responsible.
FUENTE OVEJUNA is about feminism, class, collective resistance, democracy, and human rights, but it was written long before the Declaration of Independence; French Revolution; the 19th Amendment to the Constitution granting women the right to vote; and, of course, today’s #MeToo movement.
Lope de Vega’s words have rung out for centuries. His genius was to create a powerful mix of music, singing, dance, humor, and unforgettable drama. TFANA’s production directed by Flordelino Lagundino is the play’s Off-Broadway Premiere in English. Adrian Mitchell’s translation had its world premiere in 1989 at London’s National Theatre where it was acclaimed: “A stirring hymn to the passion of fellowship. ‘What’s got into them?’ asks the lord of his prisoner – ‘Love,’ replies the latter.”–City Limits (London)
CAST
Barzin Akhavan, Carlo Albán, Jack Berenholtz, Stephen Berenson, Jonathan Cake, Juliana Canfield, Ben Chase, Octavia Chavez-Richmond, Kenneth De Abrew, José Espinosa, Paco Lozano, Brian McEleney, Ricardo Vázquez, Carmen Zilles.
Afsoon Pajoufar, Scenic Designer
Linda Cho, Costume Designer
Jiyoun Chang, Lighting Designer
Paddy Cunneen, Composer / Music Director
Brian Brooks, Choreographer / Movement Director
J. David Brimmer, Fight Choreographer
Dan O’Driscoll, Associate Fight Choreographer / Intimacy Director
Jonathan Kalb, Dramaturg
Andrew Wade, Voice Director
Rebecca Azenberg, Production Stage Manager
Flordelino Lagundino (Director) is a director, actor, producer, and educator. He is the Producing Artistic Director of Theater Alaska. His directing credits include: Macbeth, A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Theater Alaska); Aubergine (Park Square Theatre); FOB (Drama League); Sweeney Todd, Doubt, Yellowman, Cedar House, Animals Out of Paper (Perseverance Theatre); Sweeney Todd (Juneau Symphony); Flipzoids, True West, Shakespeare’s R&J (Generator Theater Company). He participated in the TFANA Actors and Directors Project and received the SDCF Sir John Gielgud Classical Directing Fellowship and Drama League NY Directing Fellowship. Lagundino holds an MFA in directing from Brown University/Trinity Repertory Company, and an MFA in acting from University of Texas at Austin.
“Fuente Ovejuna (Mitchell)” is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French, Inc. www.concordtheatricals.com
This production of Fuente Ovejuna is made possible, in part, by an award from the National Endowment of the Arts.
The production and programming of this production of Fuente Ovejuna is supported by the Consulate General of Spain in New York.
Endowment support for Fuente Ovejuna is provided by The Howard Gilman Foundation Fund for Classic Drama.
Deloitte and Bloomberg Philanthropies are the 2022-2023 Season Sponsors.
Principal support for Theatre for a New Audience’s season and programs is provided by the Howard Gilman Foundation, the Jerome L. Greene Foundation Fund in the New York Community Trust, The SHS Foundation, The Shubert Foundation, and The Thompson Family Foundation.
Theatre for a New Audience’s season and programs are also made possible, in part, with public funds from the National Endowment for the Humanities; Shakespeare in American Communities, a program of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with Arts Midwest; the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature; and the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.