Past Events:
Pareja de Fresno lleva casi 50 años juntos en las tablas y en la lucha: “El teatro es como un rifle no violento”
19 AGO 2019 – 12:06 AM EDT
Agustín y Patricia se conocieron a principios de la década del ’70 cuando ella, aún una estudiante de secundaria fue a ver una función del Teatro Campesino. Fue tanto lo que admiró el trabajo de la compañía que “quiso ser como ellos”.
La agrupación había sido fundada en 1965 y ya tenía fama entre los campesinos puesto que, para la marcha de los trabajadores agrícolas de 1966, encabezada por el activista sindical César Chavez, los jóvenes teatreros Agustín Lira y Luis Valdés montaban sketchs y componían música. “Fue una época en que íbamos levantando a la gente. Hicimos mucho reír a la gente del valle” recuerda Agustín Lira, hoy de 74 años, director del Teatro de la Tierra.
Patricia Wells recuerda que desde que conoció a Agustín, co-fundador del Teatro Campesino, nunca más se separaron. En 1972, juntos fundaron el Teatro Inmigrante en Fresno y desde entonces han compartido escenario, además de llevar la enseñanza del teatro y del canto a los sectores de bajos recursos.
La última pieza teatral de la compañía se titula “Who is the responsible? The immigrant crisis at the Southern Border” o ¿Quién es el responsable? La crisis inmigrante en la frontera sur, en español, es el resultado de un proyecto que involucró a personas de todas las edades, sin importar su experiencia escénica y en un sector vulnerable. “Hemos estado educando a la población más pobre” sostiene Lira, director de Teatro de la Tierra.
La obra, que fue escrita y dirigida por él mismo, intenta mostrar con humor, sátira y música la historia detrás de la denominada “crisis migratoria”. Tanto Patricia como Agustín coinciden en la desinformación que existe al respecto. Por eso, entre frustrados y deprimidos al no encontrar verdades en ninguna parte decidieron actuar. “Es importante que la gente sepa qué pasó realmente en Centro América y el origen de la migración hacia Estados Unidos” comenta Lira, al referirse a algunos aspectos principales de la obra ¿Quién es el responsable? La crisis inmigrante en la frontera sur.
Durante un año, jóvenes, niños y adultos mayores trabajaron en el montaje de la obra la cual fue estrenada el pasado 3 de agosto. Ahora deben conseguir nuevamente financiamiento para poder seguir con presentaciones, ya que el actual proyecto, financiado por California Endowment, acaba de finalizar.
Who Is Responsible?
One of the songs that we will be performing for our up-coming play “Who is Responsible?” by Agustín Lira;
We are still accepting actors – beginners thru experienced – crowd scenes and character roles….it is informative and entertaining. 6:00 p.m. each friday @ the Mosqueda Community Center. For more info call Teatro de la Tierra @ 559-485-8558.
The author is Venezolano, but he wrote of the Salvadoreños – their history, as the history of Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, and more, is heartbreaking…it is no wonder that Central Americans are coming here. We need to allow them in.
Review: Agustín Lira, ‘Songs Of Hope And Struggle
Agustín Lira’s new album, Songs Of Hope & Struggle, comes out June 24.
Courtesy of the artist
California’s San Joaquin Valley runs right along the middle of the state, from just south of Bakersfield up to Sacramento. It was ground zero for Cesar Chavez’s groundbreaking campaign for farmworkers, and it was where I met Agustín Lira when I lived in Fresno.
He was a hero there — someone who helped kick off a historic social-justice movement using a guitar and his voice. He, along with brothers Luis and Daniel Valdez, used song and theater from the back of flatbed trucks on the edges of orchards to get Chavez’s message to the folks working in the unforgiving San Joaquin Valley sun.
Luis Valdez went on to create El Teatro Campesino, which became a world-renowned Chicano theater organization. Agustín Lira stayed in Fresno and continued to sing songs about dignity and resistance to exploitation, with a deep understanding of the value of hard physical labor.
With the release of Songs And Struggle And Hope, Lira finds a new home with the legendary record label Smithsonian Folkways. It is the 44th release in the Traditions/Tradiciones series, produced with the help of the Smithsonian’s Latino Center, and it’s a perfect match. Lira is a bit of living history who is moving the tradition of protest music forward.
Here, Lira, along with his musical partner Patricia Wells, adapt their message for modern times, while maintaining the same inspirational lyrics and conviction. Their music resonates as strongly as it ever has.
Save the Date: August 12th, 2017 @ 3:00 p.m. the students of Generaciones Project will perform new additions to their repertoire, along with their instructors Lira & Wells, special guest is Merlinda Espinosa; Raffle prizes, aguas Mexicanas (jamaica, piña, & limonada), and more…1515 Divisadero Ave., Alfonso Hernandez Youth Center, Fresno CA (559) 485-8558
Wednesday 9am – 8pm
Hope Lutheran Church
Fresno, California
A day of justice projects, fellowship and mission. Registered participants will get a free t-shirt, lunch and supper. Learn more and sign up to be on the email list here: http://
Organized by Rev. Dr. Megan Rohrer
Sponsored by: Sierra Pacific Synod – ELCA, SPS ELCA 500, ELCA Reformation 500, Thrivent Financial, Hope Lutheran Church Fresno
Confirmed Speakers and Groups (more being added):
Rev. Lyle J Beckman (San Francisco Night Ministry); Nancy Nielsen(Lutheran Social Services Golden Gate and Leavenworth.);ReconcilingWorks: Lutherans for Full Participation (Sierra Pacific).
Confirmed Service Opportunities at: (more being added)
ARF – Animal Rescue Fresno, Habitat For Humanity (ReStore in Clovis), Hope Lutheran Church Fresno
I’m pleased to announce that Agustin Lira will be our evening keynote after dinner. Join us for a free folk with music from a justice worker who wrote protest songs to support the Caesar Chavez boycotts in Fresno.http://www.npr.org/…/first-listen-agust-n-lira-songs-of-hop…
https://www.facebook.com/teatrodelatierra01/photos/a.879273598859181.1073741830.839039476215927/1275012029285334/?type=3
EVO BLUESTEIN
CONCERT FOR BOOK RELEASE
APRIL 22, 7 PM, 2017
The Press at California State University, Fresno
Road to Sweet’s Mill
Folk Music in the West during the 1960s and ’70s
concert performers: Evo Bluestein, Terry Barrett, Barry Shultz, Alma (Agustin Lira & Patricia Wells Solorzano), Two for the Road and The Gilly GirlsThe book is a study of the regional folk subculture of the era with archival recordings, photos, interviews and more.
“Sweet’s Mill was a jewel in the crown really. There’s something so beautiful about the Central California location.” –Barry Olivier, Berkeley Festival Director
“We could be who we were. Extravagantly, we could celebrate it.” —Mac Benford, Highwoods String Band
“People do music because they have no choice. Some folks are put together so they can’t not pick tunes.” —Solomon Feldthouse, maestro
“We wanted a lot more cultural events than just music. All around life, you know, all the way through. Since people stayed longer, we wanted other things happening because some of them weren’t musicians. I tried to include as many kinds of art as we could.” — Virgil Byxbe, Sweet’s Mill Director
Wahlberg Recital Hall, Cal. State University Fresno, old music building, 7 PM
free to students, $10 general admission, $7 for students of other schools (with ID)
