The award-winning Breath of Fire Latina Theater Ensemble has been dark for most of this year. A successful fund raising effort in December allowed for the company to stay alive long enough to bring the community its latest coup; “Digging Up the Dirt,” by inimitable Chicana playwright Cherrie Moraga! She is, of course, known for her many accomplishments including co-editing along with the late Gloria Anzaldua the now classic work, “This Bridge Called My Back: Writings by Radical Women of Color.” The moment for “Digging Up the Dirt” arrives this Friday, July 30th and runs through August 29th. A quick visit to Moraga’s website reveals what is in store for theatergoers in Los Angeles and Orange County when they wisely makes plans to attend a staging of her latest play:

“Digging Up the Dirt” takes place, as Moraga writes, “Inside The Poet’s head, somewhere in the fragmented Chicano nation of Aztlán.”  Here, as in most Moraga plays, the playwright uses the imagined landscape of the Southwest to poignantly explore those censored questions that continue to impact Chicana lives.  And, as in most Moraga plays, such depictions give all of us pause –regardless of race or gender or sexuality.   This is especially the case in “Digging Up the Dirt” where the plot thematically interweaves two murder stories.

One is the tale of “Sirena Cantante’s”  murderer, “Zanzibar,” serving a life sentence, while engaging in lesbian romances and being mercilessly visited by the probing “Poet.”  The second is an intimate account of the murder of  “Amada,” a Chicana lesbian killed by the hand of her own son.  Through the telling of both stories, alternately satirical and tragic, audience members are held accountable for their own “crimes of passion” and the play becomes a kind of moving mirror to all our unacknowledged “murderous” deeds of the heart.

“Digging Up the Dirt,” directed by Cherrie Moraga and Adelina Anthony, is intended for mature audiences only. It features a talented cast including Anthony*, Virginia Grise, Cheryl Umana*, Anthony Rodrigo Castillo, Brenda Banda, D’Lo, & Melissa Hidalgo (*appearing courtesy of Actors’ Equity Association) This Friday’s opening will feature a reception as well as a post-play talk back session (Digging Up the Dirt starts at 8 p.m.) Special events throughout the run and all run times and dates are  listed on Breath of Fire’s website. You can catch Moraga herself talking about the play on KPFK’s Pocho Hour of Power show co-hosted by cartoonist Lalo Alcaraz tomorrow at 4:30 p.m. on 90.7FM!

To purchase tickets online (highly recommended) please visit:

http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/116203

Taller Sur opened for Mexican singer Alfonso Maya last Saturday night at Santa Ana Taco Adobe. The crowd enjoyed hours of good music. If you missed it, no worries. My trusty flip recorder took a couple videos of Taller Sur. Also, Ruby Castellanos has been inviting friends to perform acoustic happy hour Thursdays at the restaurant. Catch the last July installment of such performances tomorrow!

There’s more to come at Santa Ana Taco Adobe in August and September so be sure to stay informed on this blog as show dates for Barrio Writers and Latino Health Access fundraisers are set to continue the summer music fun!

One week ago the Orange County Press Club held its annual awards gala in Newport Beach. There were numerous categories and my colleague Gustavo Arellano of the OC Weekly submitted our 2009 cover story “Muder Was the Case” for the Real O.C. award. The word “real” has been used to describe our county’s housewives and Laguna Beach on television shows. The journalistic award, on the other hand, has nothing to do with such synthetic notions and instead honors a story that tells the ‘for real do’ OC. I am happy to report from last Wednesday’s awards gala that our story on the Black Panther Party in Santa Ana, a police slaying that shifted race relations there, and the Orange County Human Relations Commission that sprang forth from all the turmoil won!

Unfortunately, my co-authorship was not initially recognized until I petitioned the OC Press Club for my due inclusion. The website listing of the winners was promptly updated. I don’t know why the gaff happened, but it made my contribution invisible when publications – including the Weekly – wrote a roundup of the awards and those who won them.  I’m still in the process of getting the award itself to go with the distinction, but I promise many more in the future!

{ZDLR: I want YOU to join the Sound Strike campaign!}

Arizona’s notorious SB 1070 anti-immigrant law is just around the corner. The attack on the undocumented and the codification of racial profiling is set to go into effect on Thursday. Zack de la Rocha of Rage Against the Machine has responded, in part, by organizing a “Sound Strike” campaign aimed at getting artists and musicians to culturally boycott the state. With just a few days to go, I’ve compiled a list of five bands that haven’t joined up yet, but should. Former Smiths crooner Morrissey is number one! Where you at!

http://blogs.ocweekly.com/heardmentality/lists/top-five-bands-that-should-joi/

Here are two youtube videos for all of you out there who missed last weekend’s benefit bailongo with La Santa Cecilia. With proceeds going to the Orange County Dream Team, the money is sure to go, in part, to help activist Antonia Rivera handle her court dates stemming from this week’s congressional sit-ins.

This is my video taken in the sweaty room of Taco Adobe without much light. As you can see, the dance party was on as La Santa Cecilia busted out this new tune that I’ll call “Looking up, Mirando Around!” The next time the band rolls through Orange County, do yourself a favor and check em out!

Alexandra Pelosi’s new documentary “Homeless: The Motel Kids of Orange County” premieres on HBO Monday night at 9 p.m. Read about the film and the subject of those working poor families that make their home in such places on my latest posting over at the Orange Juice Blog!

http://www.orangejuiceblog.com/2010/07/new-documentary-on-oc-motel-kids-to-premiere-on-hbo/

{How soon? Not soon enough!}

Thousands of fans are asking Atlantic Records to set a drop date for rapper Lupe Fiasco’s latest album “Lasers.” In a delay that is too long for them to accept any longer, they have taken the next step. Hip Hop heads, ask yourselves: If this MC was rapping about hedonism, misogyny, and commodity worship would there be any hold up? Is the subtle “Anarchy is Well-Being” message of Lasers something that Atlantic Records is not in a rush to release and promote despite the bonafide artistic integrity and quality of the effort? Read more about it and sign the petition linked in my latest OC Weekly Heard Mentality blog post:

http://blogs.ocweekly.com/heardmentality/breaking-news/where-is-lupe-fiascos-lasers/

DREAMERS are risking arrest and deportation, this time in the nation’s capital. Among the ranks of these brave activists seeking passage of legislation that would provide a pathway to legalization for undocumented college students is a young woman from the Orange County DREAM Team. Read about the news on my latest Orange Juice blog post:

http://www.orangejuiceblog.com/2010/07/oc-woman-among-dreamers-risking-arrest-in-d-c/

In my latest Orange Juice offering, I pose the question: Where is Latino Power in Anaheim? As a demographic, we comprise the majority. In political office, however, the exact opposite is true. Read more about this political question:

http://www.orangejuiceblog.com/2010/07/anaheim-where-are-the-progressive-latino-candidates/

{These musicians need a ride to Santa Ana. Pick ‘em up!}

Los Angeles based buzz band La Santa Cecilia play Taco Adobe tonight in benefit of the Orange County DREAM Team. Read all about the band’s gig in Santa Ana in my latest Heard Mentality blog post! Get there early!

http://blogs.ocweekly.com/heardmentality/incoming/dance-for-a-dream-with-la-sant/