In Mexico, since ancient times, the dead have been celebrated on Dia de los Muertos, or the Day of the Dead. The dead are believed to return to their homes and be able to partake of the pleasures of life for one day a year, much like the origins of Halloween in the United States (both are festivals for children). In Mexican culture however, the celebration of the dead is much less scary than Halloween and much more festive.
Every year, “Teatro Milagro” (Miracle Theater) puts on a bi-lingual celebration of the Day of the Dead in the traditional Mexican “Carpa” (tent) style, similar to American vaudeville. This year their theme is La Carpa Del Ausentes (or “the absent ones”) and the play aims to honor soldiers, complete with a U.S.O. show theme (U.S.O. is the organization that provides entertainment for the armed forces).
Although Hispanic men and women have served in the armed forces ever since the Civil War, they have been notoriously left out of the telling of these wars. The recent Ken Burns World War II documentary, The War, originally contained not even one Hispanic soldier’s story. After a public outcry, the documentary was re-edited to include their stories as well.
This year’s Carpa centers on the story of a young Hispanic man, Jose, who must leave his new wife to go to war (WWII). He and his friend and their boss from the factory they work at, face the horrible nature of war. He eventually dies at the hands of the enemy, though the armed forces simply report him as missing in their letter to his wife.
Very few words are used to tell the story, and most of them are in songs or comedy routines. This minimizes the language barrier of the few portions in Spanish, though that barrier does make good fodder for one comedy routine. The story is also told through amazing acrobatic routines. This Day of the Dead celebration is truly a thing to behold.
Portland State student Emily Gleason takes the lead in the acrobatics as the chief “muerto” (dead). She is trained in equestrian vaulting–acrobatics while riding a horse (I kid you not)–and it shows. At least two of the other actors are trained in “Dell’Arte”, the Italian acrobatic theater. There is definitely a bit of a circus feel to the whole thing. All the actors are in “muertos” makeup, which is basically the same as clown makeup except with black everywhere red would normally be on a clown’s face.
Danny Moreno brings an innocent enthusiasm to the role of Jose, and Nelda Reyes (another PSU student) is brassy yet vulnerable as his beloved. Carlos Alexis Cruz is charming as Jose’s ladies-man friend and also quite the acrobat. But most charming of all is Matt Haynes, the master of ceremonies who commands the stage one minute and is brought to tears by a character half his size the next.
A show about absent soldiers brings to mind the soldiers we are missing as the holiday season begins. La Carpa’s treatment of war is personal before it’s political. We are reminded that this war is bad not just because of some moral principle or because it is in defiance of international law, but ultimately because it ends the lives of so many young people. The lives of our soldiers and Iraqi civilians are the biggest reasons to bring our troops home this Halloween.
The play ends with the re-uniting of Jose with his friends in the land of the dead, and with his beloved on The Day of the Dead. It reminded me that most of the people of this world believe, at least nominally, that there is some kind of a place where people go after they die to be re-united with their dead loved ones. Until we find out if anything lies on the other side of death, we remember those who came before us and tell their stories. As long as we do that, they will continue to live on.
La Carpa Del Ausente runs through Nov. 11 (Veterans Day) on Thursdays at 7:30 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m., and Sundays at 2 p.m. Tickets are $15 for students.