La Pastorela

Tradition mixed with a modern age twist. This is how El Teatro Campesion’s biennial Christmas show, La Pastorela is described by Chas Croslin, producer of the play this year.

La Pastorela tells the story of shepherds who, after hearing a message from an angel, journey to find the Messiah. On their quest they encounter Satanas and Luzbel, demonic presences who try to distract them. The shepherds must overcome these obstacles in order to reach the Child.

The play is performed in Spanish but according to Croslin, is easily understood. “There are elements that transcend the language barrier like the idea of knowing what is right in your heart but it’s easy to get distracted, the play shows that,” stated Croslin.

The show has been adapted from the original Mexican folk tradition by Luis Valdez, founder of El Teatro Campesion. The theater has been producing this spectacle for over 30 years, changing locations over the years until finally settling on the mission in San Juan Bautista. Valdez founded the theater company in the wake of the historic Grape Strike of the late 60’s which was led by Cesar Chavez. Then the company was formed by farm workers supporting the movement, in Delano, Calif. Valdez, then a theater student in San Diego wanted to support the farm workers cause and together with Chavez came up with the idea of having “actos” or skits at the rallies. These actos performed on top of flatbed trucks and used handmade props since they had a strict budget.

These short skits would use theater elements introduced by Valdez which included singing Corridos, labor songs. As the years went by Valdez became even more involved with the Latino/Chicano experience in United States, writing Zoot Suit, the first play he wrote for Broadway, which is inspired by the Sleepy Lagoon Murder of the 1940’s. Around the same time, the theater company started their production of holiday shows. La Pastorela was first shown to the public as a puppet show gradually moving on to real life actors as opposed to their earlier counterparts. The actors would perform on the streets in the general Posada tradition, imitating the Holy Family going around a neighborhood asking for shelter.

After what Croslin recalls to be a particular cruel winter, the Mission of San Juan Bautista, which hosted the company’s other holiday play, La Virgen del Tepeyac annually, opened their doors to let the company also perform La Pastorela. The troupe would perform La Pastorela a week before Christmas which was when production of La Virgen del Tepeyac would be completed. Now the company alternates between the two plays every year.

This year, La Pastorela is directed by Adrian Torres who has been part of the show for 12 years and previously directed the show 2 years ago.

This amazing show will be runnig until December 18, 2011.