Kinan Valdez talks about working with his celebrated father and
the passing of legacies
Kinan Valdez and his father, Luis Valdez (the director of
”
Zoot Suit
”
and
”
La Bamba
”
) just opened their latest original play at El Teatro Campesino
in San Juan Bautista. The newest work is
”
CORRIDOS!! Ballads of the Borderlands
”
and it is fitting that the story tells of an ethnomusicologist
grandfather who wants to pass along the tradition of narrative
songs to his granddaughter because in many ways Valdez’s father has
passed along the El Teatro tradition to him over the years.
Kinan Valdez talks about working with his celebrated father and the passing of legacies
Kinan Valdez and his father, Luis Valdez (the director of “Zoot Suit” and “La Bamba”) just opened their latest original play at El Teatro Campesino in San Juan Bautista. The newest work is “CORRIDOS!! Ballads of the Borderlands” and it is fitting that the story tells of an ethnomusicologist grandfather who wants to pass along the tradition of narrative songs to his granddaughter because in many ways Valdez’s father has passed along the El Teatro tradition to him over the years.
“He’s not just my father. He’s my mentor,” Valdez said. “Even though I am his son, I am his protege.”
Valdez shared his earliest memories of the theater, his vision for the future and his favorite experiences with El Teatro Campesino with the Sunday Pinnacle.
Q: What distinguishes El Teatro Campesino from other theater companies?
A: First and foremost is the fact that it was founded as an agent for creating social change. There are only a few theater companies that have that, even though we pride ourselves on artistic excellence, too. The other thing is that it is one of the oldest Chicano, Latino theater companies and there are only a handful of those in the area.
Q: What can you say about your new show “CORRIDOS!! Ballads of the Borderlands?”
A: The main thematic element is a grandfather [played by Luis Valdez] who is an ethno-musicologist who wants to pass his legacy on to his granddaughter. It’s an exploration of the ‘corrido,’ which is a Mexican ballad tradition…This play deals with transformation in corridos from the 1940s to the present and its not all in Spanish, either…There are Chinese ballads and others. It covers quite a few centuries of history and cultural styles.
Q: What is your favorite part of the current show?
A: It was a great experience working with my father to develop this material since I’ve always worked as an actor and director. It’s a passing of the torch reflected in the way we worked. In this current show a new ensemble has been forming in San Juan of new actors that have appeared over the last year … it’s nice to know there is an energy attracting people. Also, we have a live band on stage.
Q: Are there any challenges to directing an original show versus one written by someone else?
A: Yes. Part of it is because it is a newer work and when you direct a show written by someone its been tested. You have a general idea of what the response will be. With a new show you really don’t know what it is until its in front of its first audience. You know right away what needs to be fixed…This theater was always designed to be a laboratory space and even though we are going to our official opening, we will continue making adjustments.
Q: What is your earliest memory of the theater?
A: My earliest memories are actually touring and traveling with the theater company when I was 3 years old. I would sit on a blanket at the end of the stage during “La Carpa de los Rasquachis [The tent of the underdogs.] All the kids who grew up would come on stage with our parents and wave union flags at the end … We’d all sit on a family circus blanket. There were five of us ages 1 to 5 years who would sit and watch.
Q: You often work with your father on productions, including cowriting “CORRIDOS!!” How do the two of you work together?
A: We are a tight-knit family. The other thing is professionally my father was my mentor so the way I direct and write is in the style I was mentored in which is his style. I grew up with that form all my life so I’m versed in it. Even though I am his son, I’m his protege. The familiar relationship never goes away but he does have respect for the work I do now so that’s wonderful.
Q: El Teatro recently celebrated its 40th anniversary. What is your vision for the next generation of the theater?
A: I’m pleased that there is a group of young performers who have joined since that has always been a life source for the Teatro. It needs to be a place where people can keep training and experience what its like to do theater at the grassroots level. I came in with an in-between group that came of age in the 1990s and now we have this new group coming into the fold. We have a spectrum of ages from 60 down to 16. That range of ages and life experience within a theater company is rare.
Q: Do you think the company as maintained those activist roots and how does it maintain them?
A: In terms of the work we do, we make ourselves available to other movements and groups. Last month during the major immigration protests we organized a group to perform a piece in Watsonville. We still perform on the street and now that we have this new group that has expressed a desire to do that, we are starting to do that more regularly. El Teatro discovered back in 1965 when it was founded that art was an excellent tool for education and change.
Q: What has been your favorite experience and why?
A: For me, the first time I performed out in the street as part of a social protest against [California Proposition 227] 6 or 7 years ago. When we got to the point where we could organize a group of activists and do it consistently that was one of my best moments…it will always be an aspect of El Teatro. It’s always been a motto that if people don’t go to the theater, the theater must go to the people.
How to see the show
Opens June 24 at 8 p.m. and will run through July 30. Performance times are Thursday and Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. Ticket prices are $20 for adults, $16 for seniors and students, and #12 for children. For more information, call 831-623-2444 or visit www.elteatrocampesino.com
