Campaigning for Itínera - Inspiring Background: Sofía Monsalve from Teatro de la Memoria
Though the Crowdfunding Campaign of Itínera Theater is about to be launched, the corresponding pre-campaign Conferences for a Better World still have two episodes left! Last Sunday's encounter with Else Marie Laukvik from Odin Teatret has been moved to November 28 due to technical issues, leaving us with only one more event for this Sunday: a chance to get to know Sofía Monsalve from the Colombian Teatro de la Memoria.
Transmedia Theater in the Streets of Bogotá
The roots of the Teatro de la Memoria in Bogotá, Colombia go back to the Acto Latino of 1967, a small, yet impactful group, full of young, socio-politically charged theater enthusiasts, who wanted to pull back the masks hiding the true face of the public spirit. Their founder and co-director was actor and playwright Juan Monsalve, who even back then started making a name for himself with numerous productions.
In 1989 the group became known as Teatro de la Memoria. It is the first Colombian group who undertook theater anthropology, studying expressions of traditional culture, such as rites and festivals, as well as popular culture, and used them in their contemporary creations in dialogue. Seeing themselves as more than just a center for performance, they focus as much on research, education, training, and cultural exchange, as on the creation of performing arts. As such, it can be quite difficult placing a defining finger on this group, seeing how breaking traditional confines is precisely what they seem to be all about.
Still (or rather therefor) the Teatro de la Memoria is among the most influential performing arts groups in Colombia. That is how an aspiring theater student, Manuel Ramos got to know Juan and also his daughter Sofía. They went on to collaborate on various works of theater together, before Manu even became a member of Itínera Theater. But that is just one connecting point between them. Another important one is the aforementioned Odin Teatret in Holstebro, Denmark, where Sofía spent ten years, working together with Eugenio Barba and Else Marie Laukvik.
Come, Join Our Conference!
Have I managed to incite your curiosity about this interesting Colombian group of artists? If my brief description raises more questions than it answers, at least you know how I feel! While I have the artists of Itínera close by, I still would like to know how the Teatro de la Memoria transcends media, how much involvement they have in street performances, what type of international connections they have, and most interestingly, I am looking forward to hearing about the way they may still try lifting the masks on the face of the public. Their latest creation, A Mapping of the Plague seems to be inspired by the current pandemic, and though I could not find much info about it on their website, I'm sure it will come up in Sofía's talk.
As always, you are invited to look at the Facebook event page, or go straight to the Sign-up Link for the Zoom meeting. You can also just hang out on Itínera's facebook page, where the entire event will be transmitted live, but you won't be able to interact. So if you want the full experience, please come to our Zoom conference! We are happy to have you!