In/House Chio Cabrera: El Barzon

PLEASE NOTE EACH PERFORMANCE IS A DIFFERENT PARK, SEE SCHEDULE BELOW – NO SIGN UP REQUIRED – BUT WE’D LOVE TO KNOW IF YOU ARE THINKING OF JOINING US (elbarzon.eventbrite.com)

This summer, Free Street and the Chicago Park District’s Night Out in the Parks program invite audiences to catch El Barzón, a bilingual puppet play with music inspired by the Mexican revolutionary anthem El Barzón (“The Yoke”). Featuring stories of both historical and contemporary struggles for workers’ rights, El Barzón offers a family friendly look at what happens when people work together to stand up against injustice.

El Barzón was conceived by Rocio “Chio” Cabrera, and is produced as part of Free Street’s In/House artist residency. The performance is co-directed by Cabrera and Jasmin Cardenas, and created in collaboration with WorkersTEATRO collective. It will tour six Chicago parks, and is appropriate for all ages. No ticket required. All performances are free.

Free Street Theater’s In/House Program Presents:

El Barzon

Original Concept by Rocio “Chio” Cabrera

Devised & Directed by Rocio “Chio” Cabrera and Jasmin Cardenas

In Collaboration with WorkersTEATRO Collective

Devising Ensemble: Agnotti Cowie, Hermelinda Cruceño, Isaura Martinez, Jesus Martinez, Felix Mayes, Feliz Morales Music Directors: Otto Anzures Dadda & Osiris Cuen; Scenic Design: Josue Esau; Costume Design: Uriel Gomez; Touring Manager: Christian Fedison; Stage Manager: Alivia Arizaga

Park Locations:

Davis Square Park, 4430 S Marshfield Ave – July 26, 12:00PM

Kenwood Park, 1330 E 50th St – July 29, 6:30PM

Senka Park, 5656 S St Louis Ave – July 30, 6:30PM

Riis Park, 6100 W Fullerton Ave – August 2, 2:00PM

Kelly Park, 2725 W 41st St – August 8, 6:30PM

Gage Park, 2411 W 55th St. – August 9, 2:00PM

About Free Street: Free Street is a femme-led arts and culture organization that centers original performance work by Black, Latine, Brown, and Immigrant communities; queer artists; youth artists; and work that is committed to the thriving and well-being of people on the South and West Sides of the city. We believe in the theater as a space to uplift joy and justice, especially racial, economic, and environmental justice in Chicago.

About Free Street’s In/House program: Free Street’s In/House program is a three-year residency designed to incubate new projects that might not otherwise find a home in Chicago theater – we are especially committed to work by Chicago artists, BIPOC artists, queer artists, bilingual artists, youth artists, and artists actively invested in racial, economic, and environmental justice. In general, our focus is on ensemble-created performance, co-created performance, solo performance, and immersive/interactive performance, rather than traditionally scripted plays.