When dealt a devastating blow, a hero has two options: give up and succumb to the woes of fate; or rise and become a beacon of hope to the world.
A theater project between community engagement organization Barrio Alegría and the Reading Public Library aims to explore what a hero is made of, especially when the cards are stacked against them.
“Heroes cannot always win; they shouldn’t always win,” said Anthony Orozco, director of operations for Barrio Alegría. “We are thrilled for this year’s production to explore this darker side of the hero’s journey and we invite everyone to watch it unfold.”
Orozco said he was taken aback by the depth and bravery of the play.
“The Storm” is a product of volunteers and artists through a joint program with the library known as Storytelling Through Dance. “The Storm” will be performed at the Reading Public Library Main Branch at 100 South 5th Street, on July 27, from noon to 1pm.
This is the 8th year Barrio and the Reading Public Library have partnered for a free open-air theater production.
Daniel Egusquiza is the community engagement supervisor for the Reading Public Library and also wrote the play. He said the community theater project brings together community artists, storytellers, actors and dancers.
Egusquiza said it was important for him and the cast of actors to not shy away from hard subjects explored in the pay.
“We are telling a story about loss, about what it means to carry on in the face of insurmountable obstacles,” Egusquiza said. “Knowing the people and the stories of Reading, I think it is a story a lot of us can relate to and see ourselves in.”
The story picks up at the end of 2023’s Storytelling Through Dance play “The Archenemy.”
The superhero protagonist, Puma, and his former archenemy, Amauta, have forged an alliance, joined by a young and capable girl from the city who has used her wit and cunning to out maneuver villains in the past. The trio are working to repair the city that is in the aftermath of the events in “The Archenemy.”
But as they work to bring stability back to their home, they don’t know they are about to encounter a foe worse than anything they could have ever imagined.
Event Details: Sunday, July 27 at Noon, 100 S 5th St, Reading, PA 19602. Free and open to the public.
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