Radio Aluna Teatro

“Love is what raised me, and that’s what influences the things that I create.” - this week’s guest, multi disciplinary artist and evolving spirit isi bhakomen! isi bhakomen is an Afro-Latinx poet, playwright, photographer, filmmaker based in Toronto. They are currently entering their final year studying acting at the National Theatre School of Canada, and have developed work withTIFF’s next wave festival, Tarragon’s Young Playwright’s Unit and Soulpepper’s City Youth Academy.  In this episode we talked about isi’s connection with different artistic mediums, the importance of Afro-Latinx representation in art and media, their journey in theatre and arts training, the effects of history and family on their art, and how Victoria Santa Cruz saved their life. Show Notes The Insomniac Film Festival  Paula Wing, theatre artist whom isi connected with at the Soulpepper’s City Youth Academy  U For Change program in Regent Park   Isi’s new poem Somewhere over the Rainbow will be part of Soulpepper’s Queer Youth Cabaret

“All I'm doing is pointing out the obvious - and that's avant-garde in a country that dares not to look at itself and its own atrocities in the mirror.” - José Torres-Tama, New Orleans In this episode we dive into the responsibility of the artist, laptop activism, solidarity between Latinx, Undocumented, and Black people, and the urgency to continue creating and sharing new work during these pandemic times, including the latest releases in José’s series of Video Cortaditos and Picante Performance Poems on YouTube.  José Torres-Tama is a writer, poet, journalist, renegade scholar, educator, visual and performance artist based in New Orleans, Louisiana. He explores the effects of mass media on race relations, the underbelly of the “North American Dream” mythology, and the anti-immigrant hysteria currently gripping the United States of Amnesia, “which seduces you to embrace forgetting”.  Show Notes: The Nuyorican Poets Cafe, a historic and highly respected home for poetry, slam, music and theatre in New York Poe

“A mi eso es lo que me apasiona, ver cómo la modernidad se atraviesa con la tradición / That’s what I’m passionate about - seeing how modernity intersects with tradition.” - This week’s guest, Conchi León!  Conchi León is a celebrated Mexican dramaturg, director and actor from Mérida, Yucatan. She has written over 60 plays and teaches workshops in dramaturgy, biodrama, ritual and testimonial theatre. Her theatre work with children with disabilities, homeless youth, and incarcerated people has been recognized by the Commission of Human Rights in Yucatan.  In this all Spanish episode, we talk about her experiences creating theatre in collaboration with Mestiza communities, the art of testimonial theatre, where to find rue (ruda) in New York, and we meet a rooster (sort of).  Show Notes:  Conchi’s YouTube channel, with hilarious hammock work out videos Teatro testimonial or testimonial theatre.   Del Manantial del Corazón (The Spring of the Heart) at Aluna’s 2018 RUTAS Festival.  Some current Mexican artists Con

“My currency right now is my joy” - this week’s guest, Latinx drag king and triple threat Heath V. Salazar!  Heath is a singer, actor, dancer, and writer, and is currently an Artist in Residence at Buddies in Bad Times Theatre. Their drag king persona Gay Jesus has blessed stages all across the city and was recently featured on CBC Art’s Canada’s A Drag.  We talked about Latinx visiblity, performing from their closet to a global audience, creating a personal portrayal of their culture on stage, and what it’s like to be a queer public figure.  This week’s Merienda de Pandemia or Pandemic Snack are some of Heath’s favourite Colombian dishes - torta con cafe / cake and coffee and pollo sudado. Yum.  Show Notes: Boiband the Boyband, a Latinx drag king troupe  An article Heath wrote for CBC Arts, titled “In this time of isolation, we must push ourselves to love braver than ever before” Club Quarentine, a queer online dance party  Ricky Rosé, Puerto Rican Drag King based in DC  Pretty Ricky, Toronto based producer

This week’s episode features Toronto-based pop art duo, xLq! xLq is a body of pop art performance and a lifestyle practiced by Jordan Campbell and Maddie Bautista. Their show 4inXchange has now transitioned into an online version, streaming on May 15 & 16.  We dove into Jordan and Maddie’s thoughts on money, garbage, what makes a good art party, and the inspiration behind their unique visual aesthetic (check out their instagram page to see what we mean!). This week’s Meriendas de Pandemia, or Pandemic Snacks, are the “Mexican childhood dream” Tajin (a perfect blend of chilli peppers, sea salt, and lime, often used to season fruit and veggies), and homemade sourdough bread (that when made by others is extra delicious)!  Show Notes: 4inXchange: Online Edition, XLq's next live online show CERB, or the Canada Emergency Response Benefit Katherine Walker-Jones, co-creator and performer in 4inXchange  Brock Hessel, friend and fellow artist The Brandscape, an arts studio and venue for their first TRASh sACNTUARY

This week Monica and Camila talked to local comedian and Kween Nelu Handa.  Nelu is a comedian, actor, writer, and producer raised in Brampton, Ontario. She’s written and performed on hit Canadian television shows like Baroness Von Sketch Show, The Beaverton, Workin Moms, and Jann. She also created Yas Kween, a groundbreaking monthly night of comedy that showcases women of colour.  We talked about being politically correct while being funny, being a marginalized person in comedy, and what it’s been like making space for women of colour in Toronto’s comedy scene.   For the Merienda this week Monica had Craig’s Cookies, a local Toronto bakery that makes the most decadent cookies (and which are available for delivery)!  Show Notes Yas Kween, a monthly comedy show featuring women of colour, created and hosted by Nelu!   The Bob Curry Fellowship, Second City’s comedy training program for diverse, multicultural performers   Julie Dumais Osbourne, former Director of Bad Dog Theatre Things Black Girls Say, a comedy s

Meet Toronto-based theatre artist and writer, Yolanda Bonnell Yolanda is a Queer, 2 Spirit, Ojibwe/South Asian performer, playwright and poet from Fort William First Nation in Thunder Bay, ON. Yolanda has performed at Stratford, the National Arts Centre, and theaters across the country. Her solo show bug premiered at the Luminato Festival in 2018 and has toured across the country, and she’s currently developing White Girls in Moccasins, in residency at Buddies in Bad Times Theatre. We talked about what it’s like to create during these pandemic times, Yolanda’s relationship to decolonizing theatre, and her upcoming projects.  This week’s Meriendas de Pandemia or Pandemic Snacks are two Mexican delights: pastel de tres leches for Monica and tepache for Camila! Try them yourselves if you’re feeling adventurous.  Show notes: Yolanda participated in the 2019 Gros Morne Playwright’s Residency  Cole Alvis, part of the manidoons collective and director of bug, a play that Yolanda wrote which ran at Theatre Passe Mura

This week Monica and Camila spoke with Vancouver based theatre artist and proud leftist, Carmen Aguirre!  Carmen Aguirre is a Chilean-Canadian author, actor, and playwright. She’s a Core Artist at Vancouver’s Electric Company Theatre, and co-founder of The Canadian Latinx Theatre Artist Coalition or CALTAC. She has written and co-written over twenty-five plays, and she’s the author of 2 best selling memoirs. For our merienda this week, Monica enjoyed those little peruvian chocolates again and Camila ate a Colombian manjar de leche con bocadilla de guayaba! So tasty. Here’s a recipe on how to make your own Colombian arequipe/ manjar de leche/ dulce de leche at home!    Show notes: Electric Company Theatre, based in Vancouver  An article from Jacobin on, in Carmen’s words, “ultra right wing dictatorships” in Latin America - ‘Latin America’s Right-Wing Turn’ B by Guillermo Calderon  Rumble Theatre, basd in Vancouver  Carmen’s first memoir, Something Fierce: Memoirs of a Revolutionary Daughter Canada Reads, an an

This week is an extra special episode featuring Monica and Camila from their respective homes in Toronto: MERENDIANDO FROM HOME! We talked about how we are navigating productivity and creativity in isolation, how we're staying connected with loved ones across borders, and how we think live performance can translate to the digital stage. We also checked in with two of our previous podcast guests (Andrés Sierra and Ophira Calof) who are creating awesome, relevant online content for these times.  Although we weren’t able to meet in person we talked about our Merienda de Pandemia/Pandemic Snack and while Monica was eating little Peruvian chocolates she got as a gift, Camila bought some delicious fresh tortilla and masa from Maizal. Check them out and support local business! Show notes: COVID-19 Social distancing (you should know this by now) The hot tune featured during your snack break is Mueve (cero39 remix) by Lido Pimienta  - check out Lido's New album Miss Colombia which drops on April 17! Further reading on

This week Monica and Camila chat with Santiago Guzmán, a theatre and filmmaker born in Mexico City and now based in St. John’s, Newfoundland. Santiago shares stories from his journey moving from Mexico to the Maritimes, studying and working in the arts as a person of colour, and starting his own production company, TODOS Productions. In the second half of the episode, we check in with him a few weeks later to talk about how the recent border closures and isolation measures have impacted him and his work.  When we were able to meet in person altogether, we enjoyed a delicious merienda from Torteria San Cosme in Kensington Market! They source most of their ingredients from other local businesses in Kensington, and they’re still available for delivery through foodora if you want to give them a try!  Connect with Santiago on Facebook at @santiago.guzjan, on Twitter at @santiguzjan, and Instagram at @santig1.  Show notes:  Some information on pastorelas in Mexico Memorial University, where Santiago got his BFA in

Violeta Luna is a celebrated performance artist and activist born in Mexico City and currently based in San Francisco. Monica and Camila speak with her about the risk and rewards of sharing live space together, causes that are fueling her fire, and what it's like to create work with her many identities in San Francisco right now.  We made the “merienda” this week! Tacos mañaneros hechos en casa with tasty salsa y queso. So shout out to us.  Show notes:  Violeta Luna's website  Frida, Violeta’s performance piece Rhubarb Festival Marina Abramović, Rhythm 0 Femicides in Mexico  “CONTRA-PEDAGOGÍAS DE LA CRUELDAD” written by Rita Laura Segato Mexican Women Marches and Protests Chicano Culture Genetically modified maize (corn) Esta semana Mónica y Camila tuvieron el gran placer de hablar con Violeta Luna, una renombrada artista y activista nacida en la Ciudad de México, actualmente viviendo en San Francisco. Hablamos sobre el riesgo y las recompensas de compartir el espacio de creación en vivo con la audiencia, la

This week Monica and Camila chatted with Andrés Sierra, a Colombian-Canadian dance-pop recording artist and activist from Toronto. Their accomplishments include reaching #10 on the iTunes Dance Charts in Canada and becoming the number one trending video on YouTube in Brazil, Sweden and Australia. Their latest videos for Hearts on Fire and Resilience marks a reclamation of Andrés Sierra as a queer person, unafraid to live their authentic truth and be a voice for the voiceless. Listen to their new single Resilience! Follow them on Instagram at @esandres.  Thanks to Tacos Al Asador for the tasty tacos and pupusas!  Show notes:  Ricky’s Room, a Canadian children’s TV show that Andrés performed in. Andrés' childhood inspirations: Madonna's Blonde Ambition tour, Tina Turner and Luciano Pavarotti Cardinal Carter Academy for the Arts  Sheridan College’s Music Theatre Performance program  Their debut album House Arrest (available on all streaming platforms!) Their current read, Trans Kids: Being Gendered in the 21st

This week Monica and Camila sat down with multi award-winning Disabled writer, performer, and producer Ophira Calof. We talked about Crip The Script, an initiative that is working to create a new framework that is built to support Disabled People, and anyone that the ‘norm’ doesn’t work for. From the content of the script, to the way production and rehearsals are structured, to the audience experience, Crip The Script is weaving access throughout every part of the show — cripping the literal script, along with the traditional structures of theatre.  Thanks to Zteca for the tasty burritos ! Yum yum.  Show notes:  Crip The Script team: Ophira Calof and Alia Rasul  #CripTheScript's website  Crip The Script's Facebook page  Literally Titanium, Ophira's show that premiered in January  Literally Titanium's Facebook page  Ophira’s Instagram page Donation page for the Unist'ot'en 2020 Legal Fund Donation page for the Unist'ot'en Camp Monthly Donors Fund Esta semana Mónica y Camila platicaron con la galardonada escrit

We're so excited to announce that a whole new season of MERENDIANDO is coming in hot - the first episode drops next week! New episodes will be released every second Wednesday, from February to June. Stay tuned! Estamxs muy emocionadxs de anunciar la nueva temporada de MERENDIANDO! Tenemos una temporada maravillosa preparada, con el primer episodio disponible la próxima semana. Se lanzarán nuevos episodios cada segundo miércoles, de Febrero a Junio. Mantente sintonizadx!    

For the last episode of this season, Monica and Camila sat down with four ensemble members from the cast of The Solitudes - Lara Arabian, Janis Mayers, Liliana Suarez, and Rosalba Martinni. We talked about the show’s initial inspiration, Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s celebrated novel One Hundred Years of Solitude, their innovative two year development process, and how magical realism, reality, and personal stories are catalysts for this new piece. Check out The Solitudes, which runs at Harbourfront Centre Theatre from January 7-19, 2020 Thanks so much for joining us this season! Stay tuned to Aluna Theatre’s website for details on what’s happening next.   En este el último episodio de la segunda temporada, Mónica y Camila se sentaron con cuatro integrantes del elenco de Las Soledades - Lara Arabian, Janis Mayers, Liliana Suárez y Rosalba Martinni. Hablamos de la inspiración inicial del show, la célebre novela de Gabriel García Márquez, Cien años de soledad, su proceso creativo durante estos dos años y cómo el rea

This week Monica and Camila sat down with multi award-winning Disabled writer, performer, and producer Ophira Calof. We talked about creating theatre for all different kinds of bodies, especially the Disabled community, her journey from opera to comedy, and her upcoming show at the Next Stage Festival, Literally Titanium.   Special thanks to Como en Casa for the delicious tacos!  Show Notes: Ophira’s upcoming show Literally Titanium, as part of the Next Stage Festival University of Toronto's Festival of Original Theatre, or FOOT, Festival Buddies' Emerging Creator's Unit Generally Hospital  Fringe and Next Stage Festival’s Accessibility Manifesto  Ophira's instagram page, @ophira.c Sex and SexAbility, a show by Sick + Twisted Theatre  Esta semana Mónica y Camila platicaron con la galardonada escritora, artista Discapacitada y productora Ophira Calof. Hablamos sobre la creación de teatro para todo tipo de cuerpos, especialmente para audiencias con discapacidades, su trayectoria de la ópera a la comedia, y su

This week Monica and Camila sat down with activist and queer elder, Lezlie Lee Kam. We talked about her journey from Trinidad, where she was born, to Toronto, getting involved with queer activism in the city, and combining activism and art in her latest projects.  This episode contains the eternal beauty of Lezlie! Also stories that mention rape, homophobia, violence, racism, activism, refugees, and resilience.  Special thanks to Jumbo Empanadas in Kensington Market for the amazing, giant empanadas! Show Notes:  Parang music Some history  A Parang music playlist Lezlie went to York University LOOT or Lesbian Organization of Toronto, 1976 - 1980   Some history A historical video Pride parade in Trinidad & Tobago  Official organization website:  An article about this year’s pride parade  Youth/Elder Project  Blogs from the Buddies blog archives  The official podcast   Vanessa Dunn and Daniel Carter, organizers of Youth/Elder Projects  Times After Time  A previous Time After Time event  Vag Halen, femi

This week is featuring our last LIVE Merendiando from CAMINOS 2019! Monica and Camila chat with engineer, bestselling author, and public speaker Joie Lamar. Joie has roots in Brooklyn, Puerto Rico, and Toronto. We chatted about Joie's passion for social causes close to her heart, her novels, and future projects.  Special thanks to Dulcinella Bakery and MacAuslan Brewery for sponsoring this episode!  Grab a snack and let’s get started! All Merendiando episodes are in Spanglish. New episodes of Radio Aluna Theatre are released every Wednesday. Subscribe to this show wherever you get your podcasts.  Radio Aluna Teatro is produced by Aluna Theatre with support from the Metcalf Foundation, The Laidlaw Foundation, The City of Toronto, The Canada Council for the Arts, The Ontario Arts Council, and the Toronto Arts Council. Aluna Theatre is Beatriz Pizano & Trevor Schwellnus, with Sue Balint & Gia Nahmens; Radio Aluna Theatre is produced by Camila Diaz-Varela and Monica Garrido. For more about Aluna Theatre,

This week features another LIVE Merendiando from CAMINOS 2019! Monica and Camila chat with Anasimone George, a comedian and producer known for one of Toronto’s fastest growing shows SHADE. She talks about being your own boss, growing up as a first generation Canadian, and shares funny anecdotes about being a queer comedian of colour in the Toronto comedy scene. Grab a snack and let’s get started!  Thank you to McAuslan Brewery for sponsoring our live episode! All Merendiando episodes are in Spanglish. New episodes of Radio Aluna Theatre are released every Wednesday. Subscribe to this show wherever you get your podcasts.  Radio Aluna Teatro is produced by Aluna Theatre with support from the Metcalf Foundation, The Laidlaw Foundation, The City of Toronto, The Canada Council for the Arts, The Ontario Arts Council, and the Toronto Arts Council. Aluna Theatre is Beatriz Pizano & Trevor Schwellnus, with Sue Balint & Gia Nahmens; Radio Aluna Theatre is produced by Camila Diaz-Varela and Monica Garrido. For m

ENG: This week Monica and Camila sat down with choreographer, dancer, and director Wilson Pico. Considered a major innovator of contemporary Ecuadorian dance, Wilson speaks about his creative process, what makes an excellent teacher and student, and what’s inspiring him now.  Special thanks to Ave Maria Latin Cafe and Groceries for the delicious empanadas!   Show Notes:  Wilson's son EQUIS aka Manuel Pico, lighting designer and rapper.   Impact Festival in Kitchener, Ontario  Jerzy Grotowski, Polish theatre director and founder of the Laboratory Theatre  Augusto Boal, theatre director and creator of Theatre of the Oppressed   Martha Graham, American dancer and choreographer  Luis Falco, student of Jose Limón, Mexican choreographer  Recent protest movement in Ecuador  Katherine Dunham, American dancer and choreographer Wilson’s dance piece, El Hombre de las Medallas El Cuerpo Festivo book, written by Wilson Pico and Amaranta Pico, and the online documentary All Merendiando episodes are in Spanglish, English or