SAN ANTONIO – This weekend is the final run for the Chicano classic comedy “Petra’s Pecado” at the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center Theater.
Showtimes are at 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and at 3 p.m. on Sunday.
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The play, written by Rupert Reyes and directed by Rodney Garza, is set in the rural town of Las Flores, Texas.
Here’s a description of the plot from the theater:
“Petra Dominguez’s small tortilla factory is threatened by competitive businesswoman Tina Tamayo and her repeated underhanded and devious efforts to run her out of business. To boost morale, Petra takes advantage of a one-month free cable offer for the employee break room only to stumble onto an X-rated sight she feels she must seek confession for. When the priest hears Petra’s confession, he sees an opportunity to combine her penance with a scheme to increase participation at the church.
“For her penance, Petra must direct the annual play commemorating the appearance of La Virgen de Guadalupe to Juan Diego. Having directed the play for years, Tina Tamayo hates the change and sees this as a personal cross she refuses to bear. Petra’s inexperience, mixed with the loyalty of her senior citizen friends and Tina’s mischief, leads to almost certain disaster. Through a series of ‘miracles’ Petra and her friends begin to find strength in themselves and each other.”
The comedy premiered at the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center in the fall of 1995 and has been presented at theaters throughout the county since.
“It feels like I’m returning to the GCAC for a family reunion,” Garza said. “Not only do I get to work again with some of the original creatives from 1995-96, but I also get to work with long-time San Antonio friends who are new to this production. And as a bonus, I get to revisit with Rupert’s wonderful characters from Las Flores, which have become like ‘familia’ to me from the years of working on Petra’s productions. I hope this reunion also extends to those audience members who have requested Petra’s return.”
Tickets for Petra’s Pecado are $15 general admission and $10 for students and seniors. Tickets are available for purchase at GuadalupeCulturalArts.org, by calling 210-271-3151 ext 250, or in person at the Guadalupe Latino Bookstore located at 1300 Guadalupe Street.
This will be one of the last performances at the theater before it closes for two years for renovations.