Crossed: How Going South
Flipped Our Script
Directed by Miranda Gonzalez
at The Viaduct Theatre, 3111 N. Western (map)
thru Dec 18 | tickets: $15-$25 | more info
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A work in progress puts identity to the test
Teatro Luna presents
Crossed (How Going South Flipped Our Script)
Review by Keith Ecker and J.H. Palmer
Crossed (How Going South Flipped Our Script) began life as The North/South Plays, a piece that delved into the differences and similarities between the northern and southern borders of the United States in the 10 years since the 9/11 attacks. But because of a series of artistic uncertainties as well as the fact that the intended performance space was unexpectedly shuttered, the play was pulled. With just two months until opening night, a new play was collaboratively written using the experiences that came from trying to bring North/South to life. Artistic Associates Kristiana Colón, Christina Igaraividez, Gaby Ortiz, and Yolanda Nieves – as well as the entire cast – wrote the new piece, the result of which is Crossed.
The opening scene takes us to an airport scene where bizarre directives are being given to a group of travelers. The airport becomes a recurring theme, with announcements, screenings, and cases of mistaken identity making up at least half the scenes. Numerous topics are touched on: what it means to be from Puerto Rico, Colombia, Mexico, and the Afro-Latin Diaspora; Puerto Rico vs. Mexico; the immigration issue in Arizona; deportation; and what “home” means, to name a few. There is a sense that each of these stories is real, and comes from the writers themselves, but together they feel like a rough draft, something that needs to be sorted through, edited, and refined.
The sketches themselves are a mixed bag, with the majority falling on the side of ho-hum. Some fail for being too much like browbeating slam poetry and not enough like a heartfelt expression of self. Others just rely too heavily on false pretenses. For instance, in one scene, a black French-American woman (Sydney Charles) talks about her American experience, which entails working as a cashier to send money to her African father’s tribe. The character praises French acceptance of black culture (which anyone who knows anything about contemporary French culture is a myth) while diminishing American culture to baseball and apple pie, literally.
One piece with a great premise, which Teatro Luna doesn’t take far enough, concerns the shooting of Representative Gabrielle Giffords. In this scene, a young Latina woman questions how public sentiment would have gone if the shooter were Mexican. That’s pretty much where the speculation ends. How would it have provided fuel to the xenophobic segment of our population? How would the Latino community and those who support the rights of immigrants responded to what likely would have been wild accusations and generalizations? We get none of this.
 
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The scene that works the best features Christopher Acevedo portraying a Mexican father who has a Peruvian wife. It’s a heartfelt piece that is delivered with pure and genuine emotion. It also highlights an issue that may not be apparent to a non-Hispanic audience, that being the cultural prejudices between Latino subgroups.
Overall, the acting is solid, with stand out performances by Avecedo and Melissa Duprey. Director Miranda Gonzalez certainly had her work cut out for her staging a production in less than two months. And there is certainly tweaking that needs to be done in this department, particularly during the song and dance numbers. Because audience members flank the sides of the stage, it can be difficult to hear lyrics if the singer isn’t turned toward you. And these songs, once tightened up, have the potential to really anchor the show.
Identity issues are at the crux of being American, let alone being Hispanic-American; no doubt the basic idea resonates with the audience in general. Who among us hasn’t been mistaken for being something or someone that we’re not, particularly in the context of travel? It’s a rich idea, and Crossed shows the glimmers of a promising piece of work that’s still in the development stages. This doesn’t feel like a finished piece, but neither does it feel like a flop. Hopefully this piece gets enough attention to merit further development; it’s message worth listening to.
Rating: ★★½
Crossed (How Going South Flipped Our Script) continues through December 18th at The Viaduct Theatre, 3111 N. Western (map), with performances Thursdays-Saturdays at 7:30pm and Sundays at 3pm and 6pm. Tickets are $15-$25, and are available online (check for half-price tickets at Goldstar.com). More information at teatroluna.org. (Running time: 90 minutes with no intermission)
All photos by Johnny Knight
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