BWW Stage Mag Red Card - Jeremy Torres Lab Theatre Stage Mag

Red Card

 
at Jeremy Torres Lab Theatre
 
 
 
by
Andrea Olmos Tejado
 
Directed by: Lu Chavez
Starring
 
 
 

Miranda T. Grauzas

Montserrat Luna

Frida Cantu

Paola Sordo

 
 
 
 

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Red Card Synopsis:

 

RED CARD, originally written by Andrea Olmos Tejado, is a one-act play based on a true story of a Mexican teenager who is born and raised in Mexico City and illegally immigrates with her mom to the United States in seek of more opportunities and a safer, more prosperous future. With a tourist visa in hand, they leave behind their life in Mexico and move to the US, where they are now unable to leave the country because they risk deportation as they only came with tourist status. Our show, follows Carla, our protagonist, who feels isolated, misses her family back home, and considers going back to visit, which brings irreparable consequences developed over our 50-minute story. Red Card aims to give voice to all the Latin American immigrants who have been taken and treated as criminals in the United States, but who sacrificed everything to give themselves and their families a better shot and opportunity in life. Our also show shines a light on the racist migratory system in place, and how the color of one's skin when immigrating matters in the eyes of Mexico and the United States, as well as Mexican racist tendencies within its society. RED CARD also won the James W. Price Award this last spring!

 

Content Warning: 

Red Card contains sensitive subject matters including depiction of violence and sexual assault, profanity, and Racial Trauma. 
Please take care of yourselves as needed.
For any questions, ask a member. 
Thank you for coming!
Enjoy the Show!
-Red Card Team

 

Song List

Hasta la Raiz : by Natalia Lafourcade

Derecho de Nacimiento by: Natalia Lafourcade

Wait for it by: Leslie Odom Jr. (HAMILTON)

Corre by: Jessie & Joy

Si me quedo sin nada by: Mi Sobrino Memo

 

Cast

Miranda T. Grauzas
Carla
Montserrat Luna
Laura
Frida Cantu
Veronica
Paola Sordo
Irma

Creative Team

Andrea Olmos Tejado

Writer/ Producer

Lu Chavez

Director

Lauren Alexander

Production Stage Manager

KayCi Wolf

Assistant Stage Manager

Oscar Hough

Liaison

Deb Alley

Faculty Mentor

Meet the Company

Miranda T. Grauzas

Carla
Miranda is a freshmen at TXST. She is so excited to have recieved this opportunity. Red Card is a story that is so important to trasmit, and she is honored to form a part of this amazing team working on this amazing production. She has learned so much and she is so excited to see what opportunities the future may hold.

Montserrat Luna

Laura
Montserrat is a Sophomore Performance and Production Major, she is super excited to be a part of a show where we can shine a light on these issues that affect so many families.

Frida Cantu

Veronica
Frida is a sophomore majoring in Performance & Production. She is so honored to be able to help tell Red Card's story. She would like to thank the cast and creative team of Red Card for letting her have an inspiring and excellent experience.

Paola Sordo

Irma
Paola is super excited and grateful to be part of the Red Card team!! Besides acting, Paola volunteers in the costume shop helping to alter/sew garments for all TXST productions and is the treasurer for Alpha Psi Omega. She’d like to thank her family and friends for their support.

Andrea Olmos Tejado

Writer/ Producer
Andrea is a Senior this year at Texas State and the Playwright and Producer for Red Card. This story means so much to her and she hopes that she can communicate something to the audience. In addition to theatre, Andrea is an intern for a wedding planning company in Austin. She is excited about what the future will bring.

Lu Chavez

Director
Lu is proud to be making her directorial debut with Red Card! She was born and raised in Mexico City and is pursuing her dreams as an immigrant in the United States which is why she is incredibly excited to be telling this story with amazing collaborators!

Lauren Alexander

Production Stage Manager
Lauren is super excited to serve as the stage manager of Red Card! She is currently a freshman at Texas State. In her free time, she enjoys watching sitcoms, listening to music, and working out.

KayCi Wolf

Assistant Stage Manager
This is my first production being an ASM and I'm so excited. This is only my second production with JTLT and it is a blast. I've already learned so much from the cast, crew, and creative team, and I can't wait to share our hard work with everyone else!

Oscar Hough

Liaison
Oscar is a JTLT and Red Card liaison. He is a P&P with a concentration in Stage Management. Oscar is from Houston Texas. Oscar's main role is to support this amazing team! From our creative team, to our Stage Managers and Actors. It's been a pleasure for Oscar to work with the Red Card team and he hope to see everyone on opening night!

Deb Alley

Faculty Mentor
Deb Alley returned to teaching in 2020 after a five-year stint as Chair of the Department of Theatre and Dance. Prior to her arrival in Texas, she was Artistic Director of the Illinois Shakespeare Festival and head of the MFA Directing program at Illinois State University. Deb’s credits include Co-Founder and Managing Director of Columbus Ensemble Theatre, Director of Children's Theatre at Circa '21 Dinner Playhouse; and Production Stage Manager on national tours of It’s a Wonderful Life, Big River, and The Secret Garden. In addition to productions directed at the Illinois Shakespeare Festival (Much Ado About Nothing, Julius Caesar, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Tempest, The Winter’s Tale, and The Rivals), she directs regularly for regional venues. Favorite productions include Caucasian Chalk Circle, The Laramie Project, Pride’s Crossing, State Fair, Yerma, Servant of Two Masters, Pippin, The Skriker, The Arkansas Bear, and Vinegar Tom. She is a proud Bobcat!

Multimedia

Lu Chavez and Andrea Olmos Tejado
Lu Chavez and Andrea Olmos Tejado Red Card Cast
Red Card Cast Red Card Cast
Red Card Cast Paola Sordo
Paola Sordo Montserrat Luna
Montserrat Luna Miranda T. Grauzas
Miranda T. Grauzas Frida Cantu
Frida Cantu Red Card
Red Card

Jeremy Torres Lab Theatre to Present RED CARD

In a story that holds the difficult themes of privilege, racism, colorism, violence, separation, systematic issues, and oppression, Texas State University's Jeremy Torres Lab Theatre will present Red Card. Based on true events, Red Card follows the story of Carla, a Mexican teenager who feels isolated, and considers going back to visit her family in Mexico, which brings irreparable consequences developed over our 50-minute story.

Red Card is written by Texas States' BFA Performance and Production major Andrea Olmos Tejado, and directed by Musical Theatre major Lu Chavez. The show opens on Friday April 29, 2022, and will continue its run through Sunday May 1st, 2022 at 7:30pm in the Theater Center in room 209. (430 Moon St, San Marcos, TX 78666). It will be a double feature with a staged reading of Tala. Free Admission to all.

RED CARD is a one-act play based on a true story of a Mexican teenager who is born and raised in Mexico City and illegally immigrates with her mom to the United States in seek of more opportunities and a safer, more prosperous future. With a tourist visa in hand, they leave behind their life in Mexico and move to the US, where they are now unable to leave the country because they risk deportation as they only came with tourist status. Red Card aims to give voice to all the Latin American immigrants who have been taken and treated as criminals in the United States, but who sacrificed everything to give themselves and their families a better shot and opportunity in life. The show shines a light on the racist migratory system in place, and how the color of one's skin when immigrating matters in the eyes of Mexico and the United States, as well as Mexican racist tendencies within its society.

With a team based on mostly minorities, the creative team and the actors have been working extremely hard to bring this story to life. The actors have been doing deep research on their characters and the themes of the play to tell the best story possible. It is safe to say that it has been an amazing learning experience for everyone.

Our lead, Miranda Trevino who plays Carla, and is also the Assistant Director has been ecstatic about this process. "People should come see Red Card because it is an issue that nobody is exempt from. The show is a good opportunity for people to learn about what is happening in the Southern Border, and Latin American countries. By seeing this show, people will get a bigger perspective on why immigrants seek aid in the United States and why they resort to crossing the border illegally." Trevino says.

Trevino's favorite part of the process has been working with people who have experienced this first hand in some capacity, and getting their perspective on how it has affected them or their families.

Director, Lu Chavez says "this story is very unique and it is told in a way that I have never seen before. It is a very fresh perspective on the topic of illegal immigration and how it gets tied to privilege and colorism. Unfortunately, these are hard realities in this world and as a first-generation immigrant, I love that I get to help bring this story to life and give a voice to so many immigrants out there."

As the process is coming to an end, the team of Red Card is excited to have their opening on Friday April 29 and tell this untold story that will touch the heart of many audience members and voice all of those who have been oppressed by the migratory system.

For more information, follow Red Card's Instagram handle @jtlt.redcard. Hope to see you there!

Donors

Taposh Rudra,

 Pilar Luna, Edgar Luna , Luz Ma Hernandez Meneses,

 Abigayle Jose, 

Blain Leewright,

Jose Miguel Rodriguez Pena, 

 

Astrid LIND , 

Elan Aguirre,

John Fredrickson,

 Lenora Sorola-Pohlman 

and other anonymous donors 

 

THANK YOU FOR KEEPING THE THEATRE ALIVE!

END NOTES

Director's note: 

I feel extremely proud to be making my directorial debut with Red Card and this amazing team. Red Card is the living proof that if you dream it, you can do it, and we hope to give voice with our story, to all the Latin American people who fight everyday for a better life. To all the immigrants that sacrifice everything in order to come to the United States in the hope to find better opportunities, safety, and prosperity for their families. To all the brave women in Mexico and Latin America who are victims of violence and femicides, that wake up every day and exhaustingly work despite the threats and danger existing towards their demographic. We hope to raise awareness for the future to continue to unite our nations and find equity amongst each other. To erase the lines of Mexican colorism and of US American racism. To end stereotypical ideas of what Mexicans and immigrants from any part of the world are and decriminalize immigration. Viva Mexico, long live immigrants, viva America Latina. This is for all the people that dare to dream. -Lu Chavez

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