Sonia Caltvedt
Community Music Center Takes its Mexican Christmas Musical “La Posarela” on Tour
(SAN FRANCISCO, CA, November 3, 2011) — Community Music Center (CMC) will take performances of “La Posarela,” its original Christmas musical, to three venues this year: Veterans Memorial Senior Center Theater in Redwood City, the Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts in San Francisco as well as Community Music Center’s Mission District Branch. Now in its fifth year, “La Posarela” brings performers and audiences of all ages together to celebrate this Mexican tradition in a collaborative, Bay-Area community way.
“La Posarela” blends the Mexican traditions of las posadas and las pastorelas and adds a healthy dose of humor and social commentary to the bilingual script each year. The performance follows Mary and Joseph on their journey to Bethlehem in search of “posada” (Spanish for shelter). A mischievous devil tries to prevent them from finding shelter and tries to mislead the shepherds in search for baby Jesus, two angels intervene and a fight between good and evil ensues.
Original Latin music and Christmas carols sung in Spanish and English accompany the show. Its cast of over 80 performers includes children and adult choruses from the Community Music Center and young musicians from CMC’s Mission District Young Musicians Program. “La Posarela” is produced and directed by Martha Rodríguez-Salazar with musical direction by Chus Alonso. Script writer Carlos Baron stars as “the devil,” and this year, Veronica Escámez and Círculo Cultural will co-produce the show and provide theatrical direction.
All performances are free and open to the public and will be followed by a party, with tamales and atole (a traditional mexican beverage made from ground corn) for sale and a piñata for the kids.
Performance information:
Friday, December 9, 7pm:
Community Music Center’s Mission District Branch
544 Capp Street, San Francisco
Saturday, December 10, 2pm:
Veterans Memorial Senior Center Theater
1455 Madison Avenue, Redwood City
Sunday, December 11, 2pm:
Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts
2868 Mission Street, San Francisco
Video clips and interviews from “La Posarela” 2010
“La Posarela” is partially made possible through grants from San Francisco Federal Credit Union and Autodesk, Inc., donations, and countless hours of volunteer work. Special thanks to the Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts and the Veterans Memorial Senior Center Theater for their support of the production.
If you would like to make sure that “La Posarela” continues on next year, please send your donations to Community Music Center, attn: “La Posarela”, 544 Capp Street, San Francisco CA, 94110.
About Community Music Center:
Community Music Center is a San Francisco-based nonprofit organization founded in 1921 with the mission of making high quality music accessible to all people, regardless of their financial status. CMC is the Bay Area’s oldest community arts organization and San Francisco’s largest provider of free and low-cost music classes and concerts. During the 2010-11 school year, 2,420 students of all ages, ethnicities and income levels enrolled in CMC programs and over 18,500 people enjoyed musical performances at no or low cost. Learn more at www.sfcmc.org
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