ALTAR
RCA THEATRE COMPANY MAINSTAGE PRODUCTION
SYNOPSIS
Eugenio is a queer young immigrant living in St. John’s, Newfoundland & Labrador. Less than a year has passed since his move from Mexico, but in that time, he experienced deep love and deeper heartbreak when his new boyfriend, Benjamin, inexplicably “ghosted” him. No, Benjamin isn’t dead; he just stopped calling and texting. And the thing is…Eugenio’s still not over it. Looking to the traditional Mexican holiday Día de Muertos (The Day of The Dead) and his father's previous experience with paranormal activities, Eugenio decides to build an altar (a central part of the Día de Muertos ritual) in the hopes that he will be able to summon his boyfriend’s ‘ghost’ to sort out the end of their relationship once and for all. Through the altar, Eugenio realizes that he has been something of a ghost himself to the loved ones he left behind in Mexico. Will setting up an altar be enough for Eugenio to forgive, forget, and love again? Or enough to help him heal the relationships with his friends and family far away?
HISTORY
A workshop production of ALTAR was presented in September of 2019 at the 4th Annual St. John’s Short Play Festival in Newfoundland and Labrador. It was produced by TODOS Productions, starring Santiago Guzmán, directed and dramaturged by Meghan Greeley, with initial dramaturgy by Robyn Huxter, and stage-managed by Azal Dosanjh.
ALTAR received further development supported by the Resource Centre for the Arts Theatre Company, St. John’s, NL, in the fall of 2020, as part of their 2020-2021 season, with continued dramaturgy by Meghan Greeley.
ALTAR received its mainstage production by the Resource Centre for the Arts Theatre Company (Nicole Rousseau, Artistic Animateur; Laura Williams, Artistic Associate) in the Fall of 2021 in St. John’s, NL, at the historic LSPU Hall, with some special performances in Corner Brook, NL, at the Rotary Arts Centre with the following creative team:
Playwright/Performer Santiago Guzmán
Director/Dramaturge
Set & Props Designer Meghan Greeley
Stage Manager Azal Dosanjh
Lighting Design/ TD Ryan Wilcox
Sound Design Michelle Lacour
ALTAR is set to tour across schools in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador in the Winter of 2022.
Eugenio is a queer young immigrant living in St. John’s, Newfoundland & Labrador. Less than a year has passed since his move from Mexico, but in that time, he experienced deep love and deeper heartbreak when his new boyfriend, Benjamin, inexplicably “ghosted” him. No, Benjamin isn’t dead; he just stopped calling and texting. And the thing is…Eugenio’s still not over it. Looking to the traditional Mexican holiday Día de Muertos (The Day of The Dead) and his father's previous experience with paranormal activities, Eugenio decides to build an altar (a central part of the Día de Muertos ritual) in the hopes that he will be able to summon his boyfriend’s ‘ghost’ to sort out the end of their relationship once and for all. Through the altar, Eugenio realizes that he has been something of a ghost himself to the loved ones he left behind in Mexico. Will setting up an altar be enough for Eugenio to forgive, forget, and love again? Or enough to help him heal the relationships with his friends and family far away?
HISTORY
A workshop production of ALTAR was presented in September of 2019 at the 4th Annual St. John’s Short Play Festival in Newfoundland and Labrador. It was produced by TODOS Productions, starring Santiago Guzmán, directed and dramaturged by Meghan Greeley, with initial dramaturgy by Robyn Huxter, and stage-managed by Azal Dosanjh.
ALTAR received further development supported by the Resource Centre for the Arts Theatre Company, St. John’s, NL, in the fall of 2020, as part of their 2020-2021 season, with continued dramaturgy by Meghan Greeley.
ALTAR received its mainstage production by the Resource Centre for the Arts Theatre Company (Nicole Rousseau, Artistic Animateur; Laura Williams, Artistic Associate) in the Fall of 2021 in St. John’s, NL, at the historic LSPU Hall, with some special performances in Corner Brook, NL, at the Rotary Arts Centre with the following creative team:
Playwright/Performer Santiago Guzmán
Director/Dramaturge
Set & Props Designer Meghan Greeley
Stage Manager Azal Dosanjh
Lighting Design/ TD Ryan Wilcox
Sound Design Michelle Lacour
ALTAR is set to tour across schools in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador in the Winter of 2022.
PRESS
-The Telegram - St. John's Short Plays Festival provides tough act to follow
-CBC St John's Morning Show with Krissy Holmes, Ramraajh Sharvendiran - Day of the Dead
-CBC NL - Weekend AM with Heather Barrett - Oct. 23, 2021: Signs, altars, and midwives
-BANL - Spotlight on the Community Altar at Cox & Palmer Second Space, LSPU Hall
-VOCM Local Artist Bringing ‘Day of the Dead’ Tradition to the Stage
-Kicker CNA - ‘Altar’ a one-character play with a voice for many
-The Telegram - St. John's Short Plays Festival provides tough act to follow
-CBC St John's Morning Show with Krissy Holmes, Ramraajh Sharvendiran - Day of the Dead
-CBC NL - Weekend AM with Heather Barrett - Oct. 23, 2021: Signs, altars, and midwives
-BANL - Spotlight on the Community Altar at Cox & Palmer Second Space, LSPU Hall
-VOCM Local Artist Bringing ‘Day of the Dead’ Tradition to the Stage
-Kicker CNA - ‘Altar’ a one-character play with a voice for many
WE ARE HERE
We Are Here is a documentary investigation TV show for Bell 1 Fibe about immigrants in St. John's, NL. We Are Here looks at the diversity that has existed in St. John's for generations and how people have been attracted to Newfoundland and Labrador from countries all over the globe, making it their home.
Directed by Ruth Lawrence and Tamara Segure
Written by Santiago Guzmán
Direction of Photography by Rodrigo Iñiguez Becerril
Produced by @BluePinionFilms
FALL 2021
Directed by Ruth Lawrence and Tamara Segure
Written by Santiago Guzmán
Direction of Photography by Rodrigo Iñiguez Becerril
Produced by @BluePinionFilms
FALL 2021
EXPRESS ❤️ CHECKOUT
WRITTEN, DIRECTED, AND PRODUCED BY Santiago Guzmán
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY - Duncan De Young
FIRST TIME FILM MENTOR - Melanie Oates
FIRST TIME FILM PROGRAM COORDINATOR - Anna Petras
CAST
Nora Barker Gabrielle
Brooke Adams Cashier
Stephanie Curran Taylor
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY - Duncan De Young
FIRST TIME FILM MENTOR - Melanie Oates
FIRST TIME FILM PROGRAM COORDINATOR - Anna Petras
CAST
Nora Barker Gabrielle
Brooke Adams Cashier
Stephanie Curran Taylor
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Eastern Front Theatre's 2019-2021
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His new play has been developed with the support of Playwrights Atlantic Resource Centre (PARC) through the PARC/Eastern Front Theatre RBC Emerging Playwrights Unit since 2019, with dramaturgy by Pamela Halstead.
Special thanks to Mónica Garrido, Alen Dominguez, Sebastián Marziali, Kathryn McCormack, Hannah Lucas, Alison Crosby, Ruth Lawrence, Donna Butt, Elizabeth Hicks, Evan Mercer, Mallory Fisher, Meghan Greeley and Renée Hackett.
Special thanks to Mónica Garrido, Alen Dominguez, Sebastián Marziali, Kathryn McCormack, Hannah Lucas, Alison Crosby, Ruth Lawrence, Donna Butt, Elizabeth Hicks, Evan Mercer, Mallory Fisher, Meghan Greeley and Renée Hackett.
PRESS
Halifax Presents - 20 questions with Santiago Guzmán
Halifax Presents - 20 questions with Santiago Guzmán
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2019 Paprika Festival's
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Seis Grados en Mayo was originally conceived through Paprika 19th Festival’s Playwriting Unit in Toronto, ON, in 2020, under the guidance, dramaturgy, and support of Bilal Baig.
Seis Grados en Mayo is currently in development at Rising Tide Theatre in Trinity Bay, NL under the guidance, dramaturgy, and support of Donna Butt, and it is expected to premiere in the summer of 2022.
Seis Grados en Mayo is currently in development at Rising Tide Theatre in Trinity Bay, NL under the guidance, dramaturgy, and support of Donna Butt, and it is expected to premiere in the summer of 2022.
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