Descolonizarte Teatro presents LGBTQ+ Latinx stories with new production, ‘Queer!’

(Photo courtesy Descolonizarte Teatro)

ORLANDO | Descolonizarte Teatro, a professional Latinx social change theater organization in Central Florida, is partnering with the Renaissance Theatre Company to showcase Latinx queer stories about “the courage to live authentically” in the production “Queer!” coming to Orlando March 13, 15 and 29.

“Queer!” features performances from five actors and their personal journeys through live music and onstage movement.

“This powerful production honors the resilience, strength and unwavering courage it takes to live authentically in a world that demands conformity,” according to Descolonizarte Teatro’s website.

“What I wanted was to have a production where individuals could tell their own real-life stories, lived experiences about queerness,” says Nadia Garzon, founder and executive director at Descolonizarte Teatro. “What it’s like to realize you’re queer, how you come to terms with that and how you come out.”

Garzon says “Queer!” doesn’t follow the normal guidelines of theatre by giving the actors a script to follow. Instead the script is formed by the performers themselves to allow them to fully encapsulate their personal journey. The show is a collective creation, which means it is formed collectively by the group. In the beginning, Garzon tells the actors her vision and allows them to create their own story. With constructive criticism from Garzon, the cast can present a script of depth and meaning to the stage.

“We want to tell our own stories. Our name comes from the word decolonization,” Garzon says. “Descolonizarte Teatro is like decolonizing you or decolonizing yourself and for us, that means reframing and retelling stories that have been told about ourselves, our bodies, our knowledge, our history, our stories.”

This production looks to drive the focus away from stereotypes, Garzon says.

“I don’t want to talk about drugs when I talk about being Latina. I want to tell my own story,” she says. “The stories that have been told about ourselves is one thing, but the stories of who we are is another.”

While Garzon leaves the script writing to the students, one of her main jobs is to help them feel comfortable in sharing their experiences. Garzon actively provides a space where the process leads to them opening up and feeling safe in sharing their stories.

“In the end, it’s always been about their choices,” Garzon said. “It’s not so much, ‘I go to rehearsal and do this and this and what matters is final product.’ What matters is the process in which we’ve all gone through.”

The style of each performance from the five actors are all different. Garzon shares it was a process of how comfortable the performer feels with sharing their story and what they wish to include.

“What matters is that each one of them can express themselves in a way they feel most comfortable,” Garzon says.

The stories being told about LGBTQ+ members aims to give the audience time for self-reflection of their own stories and progression through living as a queer person. Garzon hopes to have a connection with the audience by sharing similar stories and lifestyles to show we are one community who share similar concerns, problems and issues.

“There’s something that happens when we connect and when we realize we’re not alone,” Garzon says. “Healing happens.”

Garzon shares how theatre creates a form of empathy, believing that pretending to be in the shoes of another is impossible. She constructs empathy as a form of comfort more than becoming that person. Garzon says it’s best “to sit there with that person and be there with them and feel with them. That’s what I think empathy is.” Even if you are not part of the LGBTQ+ community, Garzon still hopes to have that same level of empathy and sense of vulnerability with the audience.

“It’s very important for us to tell our own stories and to have the spaces to be able to articulate those in a way we feel safe but also empower us, that celebrate us,” Garzon says. “In the end even though many of the stories have topics that are difficult, we’re still celebrating the fact that we are queer.”

Descolonizarte Teatro gives three different selections for ticket prices which allow those to choose the best option that matches their financial situation. The prices for one ticket are $20, $25 or $30.

The organization focuses on removing barriers that hinder those who do not speak Spanish, English or are deaf. There will be subtitles available in English and Spanish, as well as a sign language interpreter present at each show.

You can watch “Queer!” at the Renaissance Theatre Company in Orlando March 13 at 7 p.m., March 15 at 5 p.m. and March 29 at 5 p.m. by purchasing your tickets at DescoTeatro.org.