2022 Developmental Residency

Return to Abya Yala
by local playwright Aria "Lune" Acevedo

Focusing on identity within the Indigenous community, Return to Abya Yala takes place in Santos, an imagined San Antonio of the future. It follows the journey of Xo- a detribalized young woman. Xo seeks reconnection to roots lost from centuries of colonization and generational trauma. To the settler’s eye, this future may look like an apocalyptic dystopia, but for Xo and her Indigenous community, could it be the time to finally regain stewardship of the land and heal?

Footage from rehearsal at 50 Arrow Gallery. Featured from left to right: Back Row: Patricia Montoya (Tite Mose), Michelle Falcón Fontánes (director), Nathalie Vincencio (Mama Och), Taixa Lenid (Yareli), Gabriel CiFuentes (Roth), Deveir Cockett (Mantis), Jasmine Rochelle Goodspeed (Xo). Front Row: Aria "Lune" Acevedo (playwright), Kai Kahlila (Enza)

The Development Process

Beginning in April 2022, PIC's collective of artists have worked closely with the playwright via targeted work-sessions every month, and will continue this work through December. Aria's team of Creative Advisors include Darcy Parker Bruce, Michelle Falcón Fontánez, Elisa Gonzales, Jen Onopa, Priscilla Maria Page, and Nathalie Vicencio. This team has helped Aria shape the world of the play via candid conversation through both a dramaturgical and personal lens. The design of actor work-sessions is shaped exclusively by the playwright's needs- sometimes with actors on their feet working through the script, while at other times brainstorming as a team in an almost devised approach where everyone throws out relevant ideas and tries them on for size. After devising, Aria sets about to work these news ideas into the script.

Throughout the developmental process, we have invited our local community to view the work-in-progress and engage in discussions about the content of the piece and its development.

First Sharing: CitySpace, Easthampton on June 8th. Part of the Pay It Forward Residency, for which Aria and this play were awarded. Initial scenes were shared with a public audience followed by a community dialogue.
Second Sharing: Gateway City Arts, Holyoke on June 29th. Part of PIC's Summer Salon. A 10 minute excerpt was shared followed by discussion.
Third Sharing: UMass, Amherst On November 7th. Local college students were invited to a two part sharing: Part I featured an open rehearsal for all participating students to get a peek into the rehearsal process. Part II was a dialogue with students of color to ask questions and give facilitated feedback about the work.
Fourth and Final Sharing: Nueva Esperanza, El Mercado Hall, Holyoke on Nov. 30th and Dec. 1st at 7pm. The residency culminated in a public reading of the first full draft of the piece, followed by a community reception.

Meet the Playwright

Aria “Lune” Acevedo (she/they) is a detribalized Indigenous Latine actor, designer, writer, and educator from the San Antonio area. Her work focuses on the importance of honest and authentic intersectional representation of the Latine. Aria is specifically interested in exploring the Mexican-American and detribalized experience, the Queer identity, and life with mental illness and disabilities. Her writing explores and combines different mediums of storytelling and ritual. She is currently based in Western Massachusetts, and holds a BA in Theater and Creative Writing from Hampshire College and an MA in Teaching for Middle and High School Theater and Special Education from Mount Holyoke College. Aria is excited to share her new play, Return to Abya Yala, this December in Holyoke for the culmination of the PIC 2022 Residency.

CAST (In Order of Appearance)

Xo/Lo………................JASMINE ROCHELLE GOODSPEED

Tite Mose…….............PATRICIA MONTOYA

Enza……………………......TAIXA LENID

Mama Och………………...NATHALIE VICENCIO

Mantis/Chuco………......DEVEIR COCKETT

Yareli/

Young Tite Mose…….....KAI-KAHLILA

Roth/Vincente…..........GABRIEL CiFUENTES

Iko….........................MICHAEL CHARLAND-TAIT

Mex-Chico Representative/

Young Mama Och………..YADIRA ROMÁN-RIVERA

CREW

Director......................MICHELLE FALCÓN FONTÁNEZ

Producers...................RACHEL F. HIRSCH AND SARAH MARCUS

Stage Manager............NIKKI BECK

Culminating Final Presentation

ABYA YALA READING (Flyer (8.5 × 5.5 in)) (11 × 8.5 in).jpg

Thank you to all who joined uf for the culminating reading and reception of Return to Abya Yala. The final presentations took place on November 30th and December 1st at El Mercado Hall in Holyoke.

We are grateful to our community for sharing in our celebration of the completion of this 9+ month long collaborative project.