Vol. xxi #2

June, 2000

Not only did I have to get used to life in el teatro, I also had to adjust to the Honduran lifestyle. Acclimating to a new culture is a big challenge. I often felt dumb because I did not know how to do simple things. My first three days I didn't bathe because I didn't know how to use the bathroom facilities and I felt too embarrassed to ask. I finally discovered that they use a bucket full of water instead of the shower. The family I was living with enjoyed watching me struggling to hand-wash my clothes. And the first time I sat sidesaddle on the bar of a bicycle while another person pedalled, I felt like a princess being taken to el teatro by my servant.

Each day as I walk from the house to el teatro I pass through the center of El Progreso. In the downtown area there are many kinds of stores (clothing stores, furniture stores, toy stores); there are grocery stores, a movie theater and small restaurants. The streets are paved and there are stop lights. It is full of cars, yellow buses, trucks full of bananas or other types of fruit, and big trucks that carry large bottles of drinking water. Among the cars weave thousands of bicycles. The bicycle is the most common form of transportation, usually two people on each bike. The streets are full of the clamor of buses, loud speakers shouting at top volume the latest sales propaganda, taxis honking to warn cyclists or to attract customers.

There are virtually always people in the streets, selling tapes, ice cream, fruit, watches. Although the sidewalks are crowded, one doesn't feel the rush of a big city. The people stroll about, with nobody appearing to be in any particular hurry. People greet each other with a whistle and nod of the head, or a loud ˇAdiós!

A FEW WEEKS LATER
As time passes I'm starting to gain an understanding of why I am here. Today I was talking with Edy and he made the comment that I am a volunteer in el teatro. I told him that I don't feel like a "volunteer": volunteers have something to give to the people or come to help them. "And what does el teatro do? Aren't you a part of that?" It is true that here, in el teatro, I am part of a group that really gives to the Honduran community. I began to recall times when I felt that I had touched the lives of others. These conversations opened my eyes to how el teatro works to serve the people, sharing the beauty of life with those who otherwise might find it hard to remember that life is more than money and violence.

Another fond memory: in Trujillo we presented The Assassination of Jesus in the church. After the performance, we met a group of children who were going to perform The Passion in the church the next day. We talked with them, taught them some dance steps from our version and some mime games. Seeing our presentation helped them improve their production; once again we were a form of inspiration for these kids. The magic of the situation was that they were also an inspiration for me. Seeing these kids with the capacity to put on a production with so much energy and spirit, inspired me to work with all my heart and soul. The theater has a magic which unites everybody!

Waiting for us at the place where we were going to give the workshop was a large group of anxious and energetic young people. Some had previously attended workshops; for others this was to be a totally new experience. Ten minutes after we arrived, three more appeared, two thirteen-year-olds and one sixteen-year-old. They had just walked four hours from their village to San Antonio to participate in the workshop. The older one had attended a workshop last year and this time brought his little brother and a friend.

In the evening we could only work until eight o'clock, when the electricity was shut off. I had never been in such profound darkness, nor had I ever seen so many stars in the sky. I did not have the luxury of electric light, but for the first time I had the beauty of so many stars placed against an otherwise pitch black sky . . . for me, an even greater luxury.

Sunday morning the muchachos put on their production in the church. The church is virtually the only place where the townspeople come together. There are no other places to socialize. So it plays a very important role in the social life and unity of San Antonio. The church was full that morning; some people had to watch through the windows. It came off well and it was obvious the muchachos were proud of what they had accomplished in only three days. There were many who did not know how to read or write, but who were speaking their lines and acting in front of the public.

There was one muchacho who at first could barely speak or move his body because he was too shy. But I could see in his eyes that he wanted to act. On Sunday, he was moving, speaking, and using facial expressions. He had blossomed due to the work of the members of la fragua; he had found the way to open up to other people. And he was not an exception: all the participants had learned and grown.

The people that work in la fragua are here because they have a deep passion and profound love for theater and their fellow Hondurans. The economic situation in Honduras is very difficult. And although the members of la fragua earn their living working at the teatro, it is not a job that pays much. In addition, they are required to dedicate a great deal of time to this work, traveling and doing shows when others are enjoying vacation. But to the members of la fragua, it is all worth it because of their love for theater and their strong desire to contribute something to Honduran society. They are proud to be a part of a unique organization that has become a permanent fixture in this beautiful country.

It is an honor to be part of teatro la fragua. Each time we finish a show and we say:

Earth, air, fire, water;
We are teatro la fragua,

I feel extremely proud to be a part of the group. It is a blessing to be here sharing in such a beautiful experience. I understand that Honduras is a Third World country "economically," but the people of teatro la fragua are First World in "what it is to be a human being." It is this First World culture that the members of la fragua share with their fellow Hondurans and have shared with me. It is this First World culture which I, as a member of la fragua, hope to share with those whose path I cross. To act with teatro la fragua is the experience of a lifetime.

--Laura Gross