Bethlehem, PA – Touchstone Theatre welcomes performance artist José Torres-Tama back to Bethlehem with his award-winning solo piece Aliens, Immigrants, and Other Evildoers. Torres-Tama performs November 3-6, 2016 in a production that has been critically acclaimed for putting a human face and heart on Latino immigrants.
The play, which Torres-Tama describes as a "Sci-Fi Latino Noir Multimedia Solo," satirizes the status of Latino immigrants as aliens and explores the trends in hate crimes against immigrants across the United States. The show, which is now in its sixth season of touring and has been met with sold out houses across the country, runs approximately 75 minutes long, and at Touchstone will include a brief talk-back with the performer after each performance.
Torres-Tama—born in Ecuador, raised in New York, and currently living in New Orleans—created the original iteration of Aliens described as "visually dynamic, personally moving, and absurdly comic" shortly after Hurricane Katrina and has recently reworked the piece to incorporate more current content. "The revised version of the show addresses the current fires of fear being stoked by political demagogues, while reminding audiences that such divisive strategies to vilify immigrants are not new to the United States. [...] The new Aliens pushes audiences to remember and to progressively move forward," says Torres-Tama.
Rooted in interviews and stories from the Latino community in New Orleans, Houston, and Washington DC, Torres-Tama shape-shifts into different personas from a Swamp Shaman to a Nicaraguan woman to a Mexican Methodist Minister, chronicling their individual stories and search of their dream.
Through all his work, Torres-Tama is passionate about the potential of powerful, dynamic performance art to act as a catalyst for social change with his audiences. "I hold steadfast to a belief that artists can be instrumental in creating work that serves as the conscience of our times," he says.
Touchstone Artistic Director Jp Jordan adds, "José is a seasoned artist, who speaks and creates from the heart. Regardless of where you fall on these issues, this production will be a thought provoking offering on the eve of our nation's presidential election."
Torres-Tama will also lead a workshop on Saturday, November 5 from 10am-1pm at Touchstone, entitled "Exploring the Personal as Universal." The workshop is $30/participant; reservations may be made online or by calling Touchstone.
Touchstone is supported locally by season sponsors First Generation, an integrated marketing communications company, and RCN. WDIY provides media sponsorship, and Working Dog Press provides print sponsorship.
Aliens, Immigrants, and Other Evildoers plays November 3-6, 2016, Thursday through Saturday at 8pm and Sunday at 2pm. Tickets are $25 for adults / $15 for students and seniors, with group rates available on request. On Thursday, Touchstone offers a pay-what-you-will ticket option at the door, allowing walkup patrons to name their own ticket price. Advance tickets may be purchased at 610.867.1689 or online at www.touchstone.org The Touchstone Café is open one hour before show time and will remain open after the show, with pastries and gourmet coffee by Nazca K-Fé Premium Peruvian Coffee available for purchase.