Once upon a time, in a fishing village along the Amazon, there lived two sisters struggling to find their "happily ever after."
Once upon a time, in a fishing village along the Amazon, there lived two sisters struggling to find their "happily ever after."
The River Bride
TEXAS STATE PRESENTS: THE RIVER BRIDE
Once upon a time, in a fishing village along the Amazon, there lived two sisters struggling to find their "happily ever after." Helena is dreading her sister Belmira's wedding. The groom, Duarte, should have been hers. And she knows that her sister only wants to escape their sleepy Brazilian town for an exciting new life in the city. But three days before the wedding, fishermen pull a mysterious stranger out of the river - a man with no past who offers both sisters an alluring, possibly dangerous future. Brazilian folklore and lyric storytelling blend into a heartrending tale of true love, regret, transformation, and the struggle to stay true to your family while staying true to yourself.
Director: Robby Sciortino
Assistant Director: Alex Blanco
Dramaturg: Allie Berry
Production Stage Manager: Kierstyn Born
Assistant Stage Manager: Evelyn Gomez
Scenic Design: Michael Gault
Costume Design: Sarah Rosenkranz
Lighting Design: Kate Gonzalez
Sound Design: Xavier Dvorak
Technical Director: Quinn Kent
CAST
Helena: Damara Ortis
Belmira: Esmeralda Navarro Garcia
Señora Costa: Giulia Garbani
Señor Costa: Emilio Amaya
Moises: Cleofas Soto V
Duarte: James Cazares
UNDERSTUDIES
Helena/Belmira/Señora Costa: Gaby Melendez Troconis
Señor Costa/Moises/Duarte: Cayden Bartolo
By Marisela Treviño Orta
DIRECTOR’S NOTE
The Amazon is not just a river; it’s a living, breathing entity that carries with it the stories and legacies of the people who depend on it. It’s a vessel for magic, myth, and life. In the West, we often view the world through the rational lenses of logic and science, but in Latin America, reality is alive with the marvelous and the mystical. Magic isn’t just folklore; it’s a living, breathing force that flows through the veins of everyday life.
The River Bride is a story that’s carried through the waters of the Amazon River, bringing with it the struggles and hardships that Latin American women face across time and borders. In this tale, our characters swim against the currents of patriarchal systems, sibling rivalry, love, and the consequences of choice. These elements are woven together, creating a tapestry of the human experience that transcends generations, languages, and cultures, uniting us in the resilient magic of our shared experiences.
In a world where history continues to rhyme, it’s crucial to keep telling these stories, for they hold up a mirror to that shared humanity. They remind us of how love can connect us, how overcoming fear can liberate us, and how challenging societal expectations can change the very nature of our realities. Just as water carries the memory of our shared history, so too does the theatre, ensuring that our struggles, our triumphs, and the complexities of our collective experience are never lost.
-Robby Sciortino, Director
