By Delondra Williams
Directed by Pamela Downs
On Dia de los Muertos, when the veil between this life and the afterlife is at its thinnest, a girl travels through the underworld searching for her dead mother. Along the way, she meets spirits who tell their stories of life and death, shadowing Maya’s own journey from this life to the afterlife, from girl to woman, from grief to acceptance. These stories, some filled with seemingly senseless loss and violence, others with tremendous sacrifice and beauty, were inspired by Delondra Williams' exploration of Mayan and Aztec cultures. According to Mayan myth, the souls of the dead had to follow a yellow dog on a horrific and watery path and endure myriad challenges before they could rest in the afterlife. This is the journey young Maya must take to reach her mother.
With Skeleton Stories, Williams explores the ancient bones that lie just underneath the skin of modern culture, challenging our societal attitudes toward death and transformation. "Maya's journey…isn't just learning about what life is," says Williams, "it's also about learning to get her hands dirty, and seeing disgusting things, and realizing that people can be depraved sometimes and that they can be beautiful sometimes and that there's sadness. And you have to wade through it all.“ That this journey includes visions both macabre and whimsical makes "Skeleton Stories" all the more powerful and a fascinating celebration of love, death, and the next world.
Rated PG: Contains adult language and situations
Performances are in STAGE 2 - Small 100 seat space
Open, non-assigned, first come-first serve seating.
Box Office opens one hour before performances.
Stage 2 doors open one half hour before performances.
Parking $2 available in Lot D behind the Theatre.
PERFORMANCES:
Fridays, Saturdays 8:00 pm Nov. 20, 21, 27, 28, Dec. 4, 5, 2015
Sunday 2:00 pm Nov. 22, 29, Dec. 6
Thursday 6:30 pm Dec. 3
Ticket Prices: $12 General, $10 Students (any school with I.D.), Seniors (62 and over) and Los Rios Staff
Online Ticket Sales begin: Nov 1 at http://arctheatre.ticketleap.com