'Blood Wedding'

“The course of true love never did run smooth…”

As springtime gives way to summer, the natural mating season also continues to move forward. While Mother Nature’s creatures have emerged from hibernation, numerous brides follow their lead, materializing for the upcoming onslaught of wedding season nuptials.

Let the bride wars begin.

If you happen to know someone tying the knot (or noose, depending on your perspective), beware and anticipate being bombarded with various wedding details from May until Labor Day. From an overabundance of tulle, to the flower selection, menu choices, registries, showers, venue viewings and fittings, many of these time-consuming elements cannot be avoided as we approach peak wedding season. But there might be one thing you won’t expect to see…

A little bit of blood.

“The play Blood Wedding is a moving landscape of passion and revenge,” Director Anita Gonzalez said of her latest theatrical endeavor. “This version of the production, imagined through the lens of Langston Hughes’s words, captures the sometimes-violent imagery of death and lust.”

'Blood Wedding'

While marriage ideally should be an everlasting union, complete with at least a merry engagement and a storybook honeymoon trip, this is not the case for this play’s mismatched couple. They barely made it past “I do” before the forces of passion and betrayal led the newlyweds in opposite directions. With promotional artwork that depicted a bloody knife growing out of the ground, it was a clear hint from the beginning that this wedding was a doomed affair.  Not even the most talented of wedding singers could have eased the physical and emotional pain the characters faced in this show.

Originally written in Spanish by poet and dramatist Federico Garcia Lorca, this version of the tale was translated by Langston Hughes. Under the direction of Gonzalez, this story of murder and a runaway bride who abandoned her groom for her lover came to life for both the performers and the audience. It all happened in McKenna Theatre at the State University of New York at New Paltz during April 2009.

'Blood Wedding'

From the onset, the audience was eased into the world of the play with an eerie and melodic tune, courtesy of composer Stephen Kitsakos. His haunting original music complimented an elegantly barren and rocky-looking set that foreshadowed death and gloom. The cello and oboe were the instruments of choice, and according to Kitsakos, “If the higher pitched and shrill oboe symbolizes the feminine, it also mirrors the female pain. The cello is intended to represent the masculine.”

Throughout the show, the actors engaged their bodies fully, often moving in a slow, stylized and appropriately creepy fashion.  As for the lighting, it was as shadowy as the raw desire driving the reckless lovers to betrayal. With original costume design by Andrea Varga, the actors sported a 1930s inspired dark couture look. This play only ran from April 16-26th, but if you’re itching to explore more work by Anita Gonzalez, you’re in luck. Recently, she had two March play readings in New York City that were showcased under RhythmColor Associates. It was the 4th Annual Festival of Staged Readings, POTPOURRI!: World Women Works Series. This month-long event featured emerging and seasoned women playwrights, and Gonzalez was one of them.

Her first featured play was Ybor City, and the reading was held at the famous and historical Drama Bookshop in Midtown Manhattan. The second reading, Le Hot Blu, was a highly musical experience, as she collaborated with composer Ken Lauber for the project. Le Hot Blu took place over brunch at Creole’s Restaurant and Jazz Club on 3rd Avenue at 118th Street. For more on Anita Gonzalez and her work, visit www.anitagonzalez.com. As you learn more about this director, choreographer, teacher and performer, brace yourself for a heavy dose of drama.

No blood required.

Photographs courtesy Jack Wade