Mariela in the Desert

Casa 0101 Theater
2009 E. First St Los Angeles

Once revered as contemporaries of Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera, artists Mariela and Jose have given up their life as part of the artistic elite for an isolated existence in the desert. Set in the northern Mexican desert in 1950, this moving and frequently funny drama finds its characters haunted by the ghost of their young son, as Mariela's creativity and Jose's health wither away. But when their daughter Blanca arrives, secrets regarding their past begin to emerge as the shroud of mystery that surrounds a painting they've kept on their wall for many years is lifted. This production of Mariela in the Desert is presented at Casa 0101 Theater in L.A.

Thru - Dec 11, 2016

Mariela in the Desert Reviews

Average Rating based on 2 reviews

Highly Recommended
Recommended
Somewhat Recommended
Not Recommended

Edge - Somewhat Recommended

"...Uneven as the production is, Zacarias' play is a marvel of precision and valor and thus worthy of a visit to this lovely theatre, deep in the Latino Boyle Heights neighborhood, just east of Downtown, across from the futuristic-looking Police Department (the latter information is for those frightened of traveling into seldom-visited parts of Los Angeles). Make it a pilgrimage to know this quite valuable playwright and these amazing actors in this under-utilized neighborhood."

Read Full Review

- Dale Reynolds

Stage Raw - Recommended

"...This is a completely de-politicized, unhistorical picture of art-making. The play instead emphasizes the artists' gender relations - yes, a different politics. Of course there's no contradiction in an account of patriarchal repression among these men, but with Zacarías, you might think that revolutionary politics is a decorative quirk. (The play was developed behind the Orange Curtain at South Coast Rep.)"

Read Full Review

- Gray Palmer

Mariela in the Desert at Casa 0101 Theater