Theater review: Crystal City 1969

by Sarah Blaskovich

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The play was a bittersweet triumph of achievement and inequality.

DALLAS — Crystal City 1969, a play written by Dallas' own David Lozano and Raul Treviño, delivers an important story that I don't believe was taught in many years of Texas history in public schools. It's clear the events in Crystal City in 1969 left an indelible mark on the hearts of those involved, and it was enlightening to hear their story.

Crystal City pre-1969 was populated by a majority of Chicano people ruled by an oppressive white government and school board. The students were beaten for speaking Spanish in the classroom and yet their parents, many of who didn't speak English, didn't know what to do to fight back. The true story follows several stand-out high school students and their teacher Jose Angel Gutierrez (Ivan Jasso) who protested the discrimination in their town and took the issue to Washington, D.C. The school board in Crystal City was forced to stop the discrimination on January 4, 1970, and Gutierrez was later elected to the school board. The story was a major victory for Mexican Americans, for bilingual education, and for democracy, the writers say.

This play, put on by Cara Mia Theatre at the Latino Cultural Center, is one of the most impressive casts of young adults I've seen in a long time. Their passion in delivering the true story shook me to the core: It was as if most of them are still angered and affected by what happened in Crystal City some 40 years ago – and they might be.

“This play is why our company was founded,” said Lozano. He explained that Cara Mia Theatre was going to fold in 2008 and that Crystal City 1969 re-energized them.

The play is littered with protests and angry scenes as high school students grew to hate the teachers and administrators who oppressed them. A standout actor was Priscilla Rice, who played Severita, one of three students who organized the walkout. Especially touching about Rice's performance is that she is a native of Crystal City and was taught by the real Severita, her science teacher in high school.

Rice was joined by Luis Palmas, who played Mario Treviño, another student walkout organizer. Mario Treviño is the father of author Raul Treviño – and Mario was in the audience Thursday night to see the depiction of his high school 40 years ago. Palmas certainly did this character justice.

The third walkout organizer was Diana, who was played by Ana Gonzalez. She pulled at our heartstrings as the only Chicano member on the cheerleading squad. She was one of the few “accepted” Mexican girls among the white students, and she faced the most serious adolescent struggle as she decided to join her Mexican friends in the fight against the “gringos.” The real Diana was also in the crowd on Thursday night, which was touching.

With such a heavy subject matter, the play displayed some necessary bits of comic relief. One notable scene was when the students flew to Washington, D.C., the first time they'd been on a plane. One actor slid toward us on his stomach, arms a flutter. We learned seconds later that he was the nose of the airplane as Diana, Mario, and Severita bump-bump-bumped through their first flight. Adam Dapkus (el principal/el trustee/Popeye) also handed off some laughs as he stepped in as Popeye and later in several “token white guy” roles.

Though the storyline was serious, the script was full of funny one-liners. But when they'd deliver the punch line in Spanish, I was one of the few gringos in the audience who couldn't chuckle along. Serves me right – it's as if I was in their shoes while those kids were students in Crystal City, punished for not knowing the "right" language.

An especially memorable moment came when Gutierrez had been named school board president and went to make a speech to the crowd. When he declared in his booming voice, “I have one thing to say: up yours!” to the gringos on the school board, I couldn't help but peer shifty-eyed at the few other “gringos” in the audience. I know he wasn't talking to us, but I immediately felt remorseful just the same.

The set was simple but appropriate for the scenes in the play. The sparse props were used creatively, as one mom turned a bench upside-down as she scrubbed dishes in the “sink,” and then turned it right-side-up as she buzzed on the “sewing machine.” Frida Espinosa-Muller (Dona Irene/Dona Olivia) was especially impressive.

Also noted was percussionist Ronald Davison, who in addition to playing bongos could make some amazing sound effects. He simulated a buzzing fly, birds chirping, and a blustery wind from his spot at the corner of the stage.

The play finished as a bittersweet celebration of the triumphs from Crystal City. The actors left with us the conflicting emotions of achievement and inequality, and we all went home carrying their story.

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