The Politics of History and Memory in Early Chicana/o Theatre

Abstract

In this personal remembrance, the author writes as a professional director as well as a theatre historian in a discussion of Chicana/o theatre and performance. The author proposes that any discussion of Chicano/a theatre demands a discussion of politics as well as memory, asking his readers if the two categories are interchangeable. After describing Latin American Theatre Review founder George Woodyard’s influences on the developing field of Chicano theatre, the author describes how he witnessed and participated in the evolution of Chicana/o theatre in its initial manifestations. During that stage, early Chicano theatre companies began to re-write and explore the history of politics and memory through their collective performances. In keeping with the theme of this issue, the discussion also highlights the influence of Mexican and Latin American theatre companies and artists on what became the Chicano theatre movement.