Humor, tragedy, love and violence — “Mojada: A Medea in Los Angeles” does not shy away from raw emotion when sharing the stories of migrant experiences.
The play, which premiered last weekend, is a classical tragedy set against the backdrop of modern-day L.A. Set in Boyle Heights, the play follows Medea, who navigates “the challenges of adapting to a new community while navigating the social issues that threaten to engulf her family,” according to the press release.
The cast weaves in and out of several languages, painting a picture of the multicultural city that is L.A. Integrating Tagalog, Spanish and English, sharp quips and thoughtful commentary shape the personalities of the cast.
Student Rica Anonas, who plays Tita, looked forward to the dynamic script.
“I was really drawn to the material, because of the cultural aspects we’re playing on,” said Anonas. “It was awesome to incorporate some of the Filipino culture as well.”
“Mojada” differs from its classical Greek counterpart in a few fundamental ways. The story centers on Medea, not Jason, who unlike her Greek counterpart is not a sorcerer princess from the land of Colchis, but rather a young mother from Michoacán, Mexico.
Through the use of seamless flashbacks and dynamic narration from the character of Tita as a framing device, the play covers vast swaths of time and important episodes from Medea’s life that are crucial for the unfurling of her character.
By fostering a sense of familiarity and closeness, the play draws the audience deeper into the story in order to deliver a shockingly tragic yet cathartic ending that is characteristic of Greek tragedies.
For instructor and student Damaris Garcia, the project is a labor of love. With the performance serving as her capstone, Garcia draws upon her family’s personal history as inspiration for playing the role of Medea.
“It is a play that I’ve been working towards these past two years,” said Garcia. “It reminded me of my mom and her story, because my mom went through so much when she crossed the border … I know her story like the back of my hand.”
Though based on a play from many years ago, Medea is far from a work of sheer fiction. Inspired by and faithfully expressing the experiences of many immigrants, viewers can expect to be drawn into the livelihood of people they may very well know in real life.
Despite the departure from the original, “Mojada” references and nods to its Greek predecessor, sometimes subverting tropes and elements present in the Greek play. For example, the character of Tita is a direct reference to Circe, a legendary Greek sorceress and aunt of Medea. Jason’s quest for the Golden Fleece is translated into a quest for a promotion, a chase for money and a higher station in life.
The final showings of “Mojada: A Medea in Los Angeles” are this week through Saturday, Nov. 23 at the State Playhouse. Tickets can be purchased at the box office or online at https://www.calstatela.edu/al/theatre-and-dance/mojada-program.
This article was first published in the November 21 print edition of the University Times.
