The play, Mojada - A Medea in Los Angeles, is a riveting and intense drama that cleverly and skillfully wraps the themes of the ancient Greek drama, Medea, into the contemporary world of illegal Mexican immigration. Playwright Luis Alfaro intelligently utilizes the source material to expound on such of-the-moment issues as assimilation, classism, economic power, and cultural identity.
The setting is the Boyle Heights section of Los Angeles, a lower socio-economic area inhabited, primarily, by individuals from the Mexican state of Michoacan. In the back of the stage is a huge, ramshackled house looming over a small backyard. Scenic Designer Marcelo Martinez Garcia’s set has a haunting, foreboding feel to it.
The focus of the play is on a young family, who we learn midway through the production, has fled their homeland due to violence and family complications. There is the young mother, Medea (Camila Moreno), a seamstress who is content to do piecemeal work from home and is uninterested in the ways of her new environment. She is naive and oblivious to forces about to change her life. Her husband Hason (Alejandro Hernadez), seeking a better life for the family, has slowly worked his way up to a full-time job in construction. He is employed by Armida (Monica Sanchez), a wealthy, scheming former Mexican immigrant who has big plans for the strapping young man. Acan (Romar Fernandez), their son, straddles his yearnings to assimilate and honor his heritage. Tita (Alma Martinez), a prideful, elderly servant, is fervent on keeping the ways of the ancestors at the fore. Both Tita and Medea are befriended by a local food vendor, Josefina (Nancy Rodriguez), who looks to climb the economic ladder to improve her existence.
The show centers on the clash between the world Medea and Hason left behind and the potential new opportunities offered in the United States. It is this conflict which sets into motion a series of events that leads to a powerful and harrowing conclusion. The catalyst is the growing interest and influence of Armida on each family member, especially Hason and his son Acan.
Luis Alfaro portrays the family’s struggles with realism and honesty. There is a great deal of pain, but the playwright also adds a generous helping of humor to leaven out the production, primarily through the recitations of Tita and orations of Josefina.
The cast is superb, led by Camila Moreno as Medea. The actress convincingly morphs from a devoted, unsophisticated wife, not truly understanding the ominous currents swirling about her, to a vengeful, unhinged woman. Alejandro Hernadez creditably imbues the character of Hason with optimism and cunning, leaving the audience to decide his true feelings and motives. Monica Sanchez succeeds in portraying the rough and tumble, no-nonsense Armida as both a sympathetic and an abhorrent character. Alma Martinez’s Tita is the heart and soul of the play. She brings an abundance of humor and provides a narration of sorts throughout the production. Nancy Rodriguez’s role of Josefina provides mostly comic respites, but the actress also brings heartache and tenderness to the role. I was also impressed with Romar Fernandez’s Acan. The young actor, seen sparingly, demonstrated a fine presence on stage.
Director Laurie Woolery’s pacing of the show is the key to the production’s success. Characters and plot points are slowly introduced. Gradually, the tone changes. Fear and uncertainty become more pronounced. The tempo becomes more frenzied, up to the final curtain. The Director also effectively incorporates a flashback segment, which is both frightening and artfully constructed. She adroitly integrates Stephen Strawbridge’s Lighting Design and Bryn Scharenberg’s Sound Design to create a chilling sequence of escape and danger.
Mojada - A Medea in Los Angeles, a show not to be missed. One of the best dramas to be presented during the 2022 - 2023 season. Click here for dates, times, and ticket information.
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