Courtesy Teatro Paraguas
Reach for the Dead
Three-day event observes the Day of the Dead with song, puppetry, theater
El Dia de los Muertos is a celebration of the lives of those we've lost along the way. And though the annual holiday is most commonly observed in places like Mexico, Central and South America,
Santa Fe has been known to take part in the culturally rich and cathartic experience. As such, the fifth annual Day of the Dead Community Celebration at Teatro Paraguas is a good way learn more about the holiday or simply revel in its festivities in general.
A multitude of plays are scheduled for the three days of celebrations, like the puppet adaptation of the classic Mexican play, Don Juan Tenorino, wherein the titular character, a knave, makes a bet with another less-evil knave. Dire consequences and redemption follow. If that wasn't enough, you've got three
human-led plays from which to choose: Francisca y la Muerte, La Mulata de Córdoba and A Sunny Morning.The first, which features child actors, follows Death's hunt for the elusive Francisca—the only name on her list; the middle is a traditional tale about a newcomer to Mexico City who is branded as a witch; and the latter is a Love in the Time of Cholera-esque tale about two old lovers accidentally meeting for the first time in years.
Still want more? You'll find the Teatro Paraguas Orchestra performing tunes from Pixar's emotional 2017 movie Coco (if you've haven't seen it, you should—it'll make you cry) and Flamenco act Casablanca performs throughout the run of events. Finally, if you simply feel like remembering a loved one, you can always bring a photo to set up on Teatro Paraguas' altar in the lobby.
"A lot of our friends are from Mexico," Argos MacCallum, artistic director of Teatro Paraguas, says. "And this is our way of honoring that cultural heritage as well as the people who have gone on before." (Layne Radlauer)
Day of the Dead Community Celebration
7 pm Friday Nov. 2 and Saturday Nov. 3;
2 pm Sunday Nov. 4. $5-$10 suggested donation.
Teatro Paraguas,
3205 Calle Marie,
424-1601
This is Halloween
Courtesy Public Domain
You might be confused since we all did a whole mess of partying last weekend, but the official Halloween has yet to go down. As for things still left to experience, kick it off early with Santa Fe Ghost Tours (6 and 7 pm. $17. Hotel St. Francis, 210 Don Gaspar Ave.; reserve a spot at 983-7774) to get the frights out of the way before heading to events like the Mine Shaft Tavern's Costume Contest with Felix y Los Gatos (7 pm. $5. 2846 Hwy. 14, Madrid, 472-0743) or Golden Dawn Arkestra at Meow Wolf (7 pm. $22-$30. 1352 Rufina Circle, 395-6369)—where there's $500 up for grabs. That's not even counting Halloween action at the Santa Fe Community College, the bars in town or on your own street. Be safe, have fun. (Alex De Vore)
Beadazzling
Courtesy Patina Gallery
Surrealism need not lack elegance, and in the case of Chicago artist and sculptor Betsy Youngquist, the two go hand in hand. Youngquist dominates with intricate beadwork and 3-D sculptures that juxtapose humans, animals and the natural world for sometimes chilling but often gorgeous surrealist masterpieces. Take the bejeweled octopus with human features or the all-seeing eye with a halo of crystals surrounding painstaking details; consider Youngquist's borderline terrifying dolls cut up and reassembled in perfect imperfection. It's a body that captivates with details both obvious and hidden, and that begs for close examination. Youngquist brings her gifts to Patina Gallery in Santa Fe this very week. (ADV)
Betsy Youngquist: Season of the Surreal:
5 pm Friday Nov. 2. Free.
Patina Gallery,
131 W Palace Ave.,
983-3432.
Ghostly Visions
Courtesy ghostemane.com
Usually a writeup about metal and rap from this publication would include something about how it's the worst coming-together of styles in the history of music, but when it comes to Florida MC Eric Whitney, aka Ghostemane, we find ourselves intrigued. Whitney is a former metal guy, an ex-pat guitarist from the worlds of death and doom who embraced mumble-rap weirdness without all the trappings of pointless lyricism about nothing in favor of metal influences sneaking up from the shadows and a bit of a laissez-faire attitude. It's bizarre and dark to be sure, but also incredibly satisfying and a testament to how blurring genre lines can sometimes go real well if the people doing the blurring are smart. (ADV)
7:30 pm Monday Nov. 5. $20.
Meow Wolf,
152 Rufina Circle,
395-6369
