Big River

Pulitzer-nominated playwright Octavio Solis grew up on the banks of the Rio Grande. The river that separates the U.S. and Mexico is and was the site of high drama, from the days of the Mexican Revolution in the 1910s to the present, with accidentally separated families, dangerous criminals, and armed vigilantes as just a few of the elements. Solis collects a series of real river stories — also weaving in bits of folktales, like the one about La Llorona, the woman who eternally screams for her drowned children — and turns them into Twilight Zone–style vignettes at Ghosts of the River. The resulting short plays are performed by Shadowlight Productions via its hallmark large-screen, Balinese-inspired shadow puppetry. Masked actors, elaborate set pieces, and live music add depth — Solis’ heart-wrenching stories and twisted humor throw long, interesting shadows.
Oct. 28-Nov. 8, 8 p.m., 2009