As the world premiere of ‘NICHOS‘ hits the Philadelphia stage, some might say it comes closer to historical documentary than it does a theatrical performance.
The multidisciplinary creation — taking place at Teatro Esperanza now through Oct. 27 — illuminates the evolution of Mexican culture through 500 years of “conquest, colonization, exile, assimilation, and cross-cultural generations,” according to its creators.
North Philadelphia’s Esperanza Arts Center and creatives Tanaquil Márquez, Ximena Violante and Calo Rosa join together for ‘NICHOS’, which has been designed as an exploration of the cultural ethos of Mexican identity, following the storylines of three different families on their immigration odyssey. To add to the play’s feel for magic realism, ‘NICHOS’ is staged with 15 non-actors (along with local pros such as Nayeli Dejesus) as part of the production, people whose truths are deeply ingrained in their psyche and souls.
Make no mistake, however — ‘NICHOS’ will be as epic and chimerical as it is authentic, and designed for the Mexican community to tell their own stories.
“’NICHOS’ amplifies Mexican culture, drawing out both historical and fantastical elements, aiming to keep the spirit of Mexican identity alive,” says its staged creator, writer, and director Márquez. “When I started to envision this project, I knew that this was someone that I wanted on my team for all of their extraordinary musicianship. Carlos Lopez Rosa (Calo Rosa), too, is so expressive – his murals have such color and vibrancy and mix history with lush foliage and plush jungle energy. I wanted to incorporate that because nichos are super colorful.”
The decision to focus on the Roman Catholic nichos – a small tableau, altar piece or 3-D “retablo” used by Spanish conquerors in their quest to push indigenous Mexicans into Catholicism – stems from Márquez’s out-of-Philly travels in 2020. “I was living in Los Angeles with a friend, and in her kitchen, there several nichos hanging on her wall. They were quaint, and really told a story.”
From there, Márquez imagined a world beyond the quaint, where generations of Mexican migrant families could tell the stories. Specifically, ‘NICHOS’ talks of the final days of the Aztec empire and follows the storylines of three different families moving through Mexico’s history, performed in Nahuatl (one of the indigenous languages of Mexico, spoken by the Aztecs), Spanish, and English. And on a series of moving set pieces meant to look like three-dimensional nichos designed and built by muralist Rosa and set designer Michael Lambui.
“It’s amazing to see these larger-than-life nichos with people moving within them, all where they can tell their stories,” she says.
As for having non-actors as a part of ‘NICHOS’ tale-telling, along with its actors, its director states that this was the most amazing and honest way to hear history told in a communal fashion.
“Having people who have never acted before – the cast from the community – they know Mexico,” says Márquez. “I didn’t have to do any real dramaturgy. These people wear their hearts on their sleeves, the souls and on their faces. And, that is really beautiful.”
‘NICHOS’ is on stage at Teatro Esperanza, 4261 N. 5th Street, now through Oct. 27. For information and tickets, visit esperanzaartscenter.us/nichos
