La Sombra

La Caja Negra presents LA SOMBRA, a powerful one-woman show that aims a blinding light on the shadows of domestic violence following the relationship plight of two college-aged Chicanos, Celi & Army. Tension rises as Celi, a first generation college sophomore, must choose to salvage her failing relationship or leave Army for good.

As Celi struggles with her decision, she revisits conversations with the people that shaped her; the women in her life, and even her estranged father. As Army spirals deeper into his abusive tendencies, wrestling with his own demons, Celi is caught up in the search for her truth, digging at the root of what got her there to begin with.

“¿Cuando me perdí en ti? Dejando ni un rostro de lo que fui?

Cuando te di tanto poder sobre mi? ”

ABOUT CRISTAL GONZALEZ AVILA :

Cristal was born and raised in Watsonville, California, nourished by the apple orchards, strawberry fields y el canto de campesinos.

She is a Chicana actor, director, playwright and Teaching Artist serving South, Central & Northern California for the past twelve years. She holds a B.A in Theater Arts from San Jose State University and is a Reed Award recipient for Excellence in Acting and Oral Interpretation. La Sombra was featured at the Los Angeles Women's Theater Festival, as well as the 3rd International Latino Theater Festival in San Diego, CA. Her work has taken her as far east as our nation’s capital, and as far south as Mexico’s capital, performing for dignitaries and migrants alike, and nothing means more to her than creating, performing, and collaborating with the community.

Cristal aims to harvest the stories of the fields and elevate las voces de la mujer in her writing. Other work includes, PIERNAS: The Story Between Our Legs (2015), 2 Hijas , muchas Madres (2017. Co-writer Verónica Pulido), La Cortina de la Lechuga (2018. Commissioned by Baktun12), Luz: Senior Stories (2019. Commissioned by Teatro Visión), and Lydia: El Corrido de los Muertos (2021. Commissioned and inspired by El Teatro Campesino Community Circulos). Her one act play, MARTIN is due September 2022.

Written & Directed & Performed by Cristal Gonzalez Avila

Recommended for Ages 14 & Up I ADVISORY: strong language & themes

Running Time : 1 hour + 20mins audience dialogue

Location: Mexican Heritage Plaza Gallery

Date: September 17th 2022

Doors Open @ 7pm / Show @ 8pm