Opening this week, the Indiana Repertory Theatre is presenting “Frida … A Self Portrait,” starring Brazilian artist Vanessa Severo.
Onstage now through April 7 in the Upperstage Theatre, “Frida … A Self Portrait” is a theatrical storytelling experience exploring the common ground between Severo and the famous Mexican painter.
“Vanessa — like Frida — is a force,” Benjamin Hanna, Margot Lacy Eccles artistic director, said in a statement. “They both command our attention, push past perceived boundaries, and lead us to deeper truths about ourselves as artists and as consumers of art. It is an honor to produce this powerful piece and learn from the stories of these incredible women.”
The presentation of “Frida … A Self Portrait” is a momentous occasion for both the Indiana Repertory Theatre and Severo. Not only is Severo the first Latine playwright to have her work produced at the IRT, but she is also one of the few actors with a disability to perform on the Indy-based theater’s stage.
Since its initial production at the Living Room Theatre in 2014, Severo’s connection with Frida Kahlo has only gotten stronger, changing and growing as the playwright embarked on her own travels to Mexico City to spend time at the artist’s residence, La Casa Azul.
“The more I learned about Frida Kahlo, the more I felt I was seen and understood, and the world became a less lonely place,” Severo said in a statement. “In her art, Frida is celebrating authenticity in marriage, politics, infidelities, pain, and loss, and we can see that and understand it in our own lives, as an artist, as a human.”
Joanie Schultz, the director of the show, spent a lot of time working with Severo, both on perfecting the show and in their own journeys producing the show in theaters across the country, Schultz said.
“‘Frida … A Self Portrait’ is a self-portrait of both the historical figure and the performer Vanessa Severo,” Schultz said in a statement. “This self-portrait — which is as beautiful and honest as Frida was — is created with the paints of an actor’s toolbox: language, characters, accents, movement, puppetry, and creative play.”
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Schultz said the highly theatrical world created onstage will leave audiences with “pure Frida and pure Vanessa, both searching to be seen and understood.”
Acclaimed artist Beatriz Vasquez’s art installation “Viva La Vida” will also be on view throughout the show’s run, allowing audience members and guests to view the “vibrant world of Mexican Culture through Art.” Vasquez’s art takes inspiration from traditional Mexican folk art of papel picado, weaving bold colors and intricate designs together in a tapestry reminiscent of Frida Kahlo’s legacy.
The IRT will also offer special programming during the run of “Frida … A Self Portrait,” including an Artist Conversation with behind-the-scenes perspectives on the production on March 17 and 22, Community Conversations on April 2, ASL/AD performance on March 22 and an Opening Night Celebration on March 15.
“Friday … A Self Portrait” is onstage at the IRT, 140 W. Washington St., now through April 7. The show has an approximate runtime of one hour and 15 minutes with no intermission. Tickets start at $25. For more information or to view a full performance schedule, visit irtlive.com.
Contact staff writer Chloe McGowan at 317-762-7848. Follow her on Twitter @chloe_mcgowanxx.
