Women Who Stand Out in Crowd

In program notes for her theater piece “Confessions of Women From East L.A.,” playwright Josefina Lopez argues that Latinas have always been “categorized and portrayed as virgins, mothers, and whores.” Lopez says she is none of those--and all of those--and that her play’s characters show facets of her and her mother.

From the evidence onstage in this revival at Santa Ana College’s Phillips Hall Little Theatre West, Lopez and her mother are two very complicated women.

Under Sheryl Donchey’s cohesive direction, eight actresses portray an octet of Latinas telling their tales, explaining their lives and illuminating their souls.

The monologues’ effectiveness varies greatly, from oddly simplistic one-note or one-joke essays to vivid character pieces that seem to glimmer with affection and insight.

Donchey has staged the evening with similar affection and detailed insight--when the pieces are able to support it. Much of the staging’s effectiveness arises from directorial touches that naturally blend the monologues into a seamless whole. Edgar Garcia Bonilla’s sound design helps immeasurably to bolster Donchey’s intent.

The brightest moment is Blanca Cendejas’ vivid portrait of Calletana, an older woman who operates a street-corner food cart, selling corn on the cob with chili and mayonnaise. Calletana, who was born in Mexico, who lives illegally in Los Angeles, has been deserted by her husband and is supporting their daughters. She is safe for a year, until she is arrested for operating her food cart without a license. When she is released, her corner has been taken over by another vendor.

The piece is beautifully written and just as beautifully performed by Cendejas, rife with humor and warmth, and the actress has woven into it much telling detail.

Also beguiling is Carla Teran’s Roxie, a macho young woman who has been arrested for attacking a man she claims harassed her and who, in spite of her tattoos and attire, insists she is not a lesbian. Teran approaches Roxie with tongue-in-cheek bravado, and it works just dandy.

Dona Consepcion’s confession to a sleepy priest is another well-formed segment, detailing her husband’s death and her guilt at feeling glad about it. She does startle the priest and other nosy parishioners when she blithely admits to being gay, but Ana Vargas-Jorge’s reading doesn’t delve too deeply into the writing, the woman or her kinky existence.

*

Elvira Jimenez as a stereotypical self-esteem lecturer; Griselda DeSantos as Lolita, who considers the wisdom of using female condoms but returns to her dreary life without them; and Michelle Marie, as a Valley girl-type at a Chicano-studies class, are all effective, but their pieces have no substance.

As Dona Florinda, a helpless, hopeless telenovela addict, Maria Carlota Maldonado tries hard but is defeated by the material. During one of her serials, she sees a news bulletin about her daughter robbing a Kmart and her son arrested in drag, then calmly turns back to her story. End of joke.

The final number--featuring the cast in a bit about legendary female general Valentina, who fought with Pancho Villa--dissipates into a lengthy lecture against Prop. 187, which, however you view that law, is untheatrical, undramatic and gratuitous. We’ll stick with the corn on the cob with chili, thank you.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

* “Confessions of Women From East L.A.,” Phillips Hall Little Theatre West, Santa Ana College, 1530 W. 17th St. 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 2:30 p.m. Sunday. $8. Ends May 16. (714) 564-5661. Running time: 1 hour, 50 minutes.

Elvira Jimenez: Marquez-Bernstein, Ph.D

Ana Vargas-Jorge: Dona Consepcion

Griselda DeSantos: Lolita Corazon

Blanca Cendejas: Calletana

Cynthia Vargas: Yoko Martinez

Carla Teran: Roxie

Michelle Marie: Tiffany

Maria Carlota Maldonado: Dona Florinda

A Santa Ana College production of Josefina Lopez’s theater piece. Directed by Sheryl Donchey. Scenic design: Valinda Tivenan. Lighting design: Sean Patrick Small. Costume design: Mary Bergot. Sound design: Edgar Garcia Bonilla. Makeup design: Barbara Matthews. Stage manager: Manika Kilpatrick.