'Tres Vidas Latinas' bring diversity to university entertainment

Stereotypes will be shattered in the Core Ensemble's upcoming performance of "Tres Vidas" at UTC, according to Marcia Noe, professor and coordinator of Women's Studies at UTC. While touring the United States, this music theater piece gained rousing acclamation for its captivating music and unprecedented acting, which together yielded an outstanding production for an extensive range of audiences, according to Noe.

"Tres Vidas is composed of strong Latin American women wed to a wide variety of music in a wide variety of styles," Michael Parola, featured percussionist in "Tres Vidas," said.

The show will feature the true life accounts of three feminist Latinas.

Frida Kahlo, Rufina Amaya, and Alfonsina Storni all in their own right broke the widespread stereotype that all Latina women are confined to a domestic nature and consistently submit to their more dominant husbands, Noe added.

"Tres Vidas is being presented in order to kick off the new 30 hour Women's Study major which begins this year," Noe said.

"The theme for kick off month is exploring the dimentions of gender, and Tres Vidas will allow us to connect to transnational feminism," Noe said.

The show consists of actress Karina Barros, who personifies the three Latina heroines, cellist Katie Schlaikjer, pianist Hugh Hinton and percussionist Michael Parola, according to Margot Emery, the managing director for "Tres Vidas".

"These women lived in a time in history where women were not expected to accomplish anything great," Emery said.

"They refused to be put down."

Mexican artist Frida Kahlo led a life woven in tremendous physical pain beginning at a very young age, but through her suffering came great accomplishment and esteem, Dr. Noe said.

According to Emery, "Frida Kahlo is renowned today in her native Mexico and around the world as one of the most significant painters and social icons of the 20th century."

Noe said: "Viewing the film 'Frida' will be an excellent opportunity for students to be acquainted with Frida's life and work and also for students to follow the show that comes out on the following Wednesday."

The show also tells the story of Rufina Amaya, who was one of the few survivors of a tragic village massacre in El Salvador which claimed the lives of her husband and four children. She was relentlessly accused of lying by the El Salvador and U.S. governments for her claim, Dr. Preble-Niemi said.

The last Latina female "Tres Vidas" embodies is Alfonsina Storni who had a difficult life as a struggling writer and single mother, Dr. Preble-Niemi said. Today she is known as Argentina's first revered feminist poet. "She was a wonderful poet,"percussionist Michael Parola said.

"The scene itself is beautiful and poetically moving."

Desiree McKinney, a sophomore from Kingsport, Tenn., said, "I am a Spanish major and Theater minor so I'm really excited about seeing "Tres Vidas."

"There's never really been anything like this before offered at UTC," the sophomore said.

" It's a nice change from just being shown Spanish movies."

Not all students are aware of different cultures, Preble-Niemi said.

"I hope it raises their [students] consciousness about the cultures of Spanish-speaking [areas] of the Americas," she said.

"Theirs is a rich culture of art and literature that most students have not a clue about unless they study in this department."

"Tres Vidas" is free and open to the public Oct. 22 at 7:30 p.m. in the Roland Hayes Auditorium of the UTC Fine Arts Center.