Fernando asked me to adapt the classic Colombian short story, En la diestra de Dios Padre by Tomás Carrasquilla Naranjo (1858-1940). What was funny to me was how even atheist Colombians I know love this story which reads to me a bit like a Sunday School lesson. (I think it must remind them of childhood.) In it, the saintly Peralta feeds and shelters the poor, much to the distress of his sister, and is rewarded by Jesus and St. Peter who visit in disguise and grant his rather strange wishes. Certainly I endorse his generosity and Catholic social justice teachings! But...
So I asked Fernando if it would be OK to move the action to the US-Mexico border where Peralta helps migrants in defiance of the very devil of a sheriff. And so that the lesson wouldn't be quite so preachy, I made Peralta's greedy sister the main character and she is to be played by a cross-dressed male--not an attractive cross-dressed male. So today, let's see what happens, what works and what doesn't work. I'm looking forward to meeting the cast and hope Ruben Amavizca (who I think is pretty brilliant) will direct.
Also today, should get my ticket booked for Barrancabermeja, Colombia. I'm not sure exactly what I'm going to do in my workshop there or how much time I'll have or how many participants, so I'm preparing extra exercises. One idea I have uses Chaucer's Wife of Bath as a starting point so I spent yesterday adapting the story and translating it into Spanish. See, I can make fun of Peralta's sister, but in the end, it's Womens Rights!