NMHU alumna Patricia Crespin’s play is showing in Santa Fe through Feb. 24. Courtesy Photo: Patricia Crespin
Las Vegas, N.M. – A play written by Highlands University alumna Patricia Crespin is running in Santa Fe through February 24.
We Are Hispanic-American Women…Okay? premiered at Highlands in 2006. It was the Latina playwright’s first play; she is now completing her 12th.
Crespin summarized We Are Hispanic-American Women…Okay? this way: “Four generations of women laugh, love, fight, and cry as they struggle to deal, in their own ways, with the news that the patriarch of the family has terminal cancer.”
Crespin, 46, said she was initially an actor. “I found that there weren’t many powerful roles for Hispanic women and set out to change that. I developed this play based on the inspiration from the women in my family and from all women. Having said that, there’s no direct connection between the women in the play and the women in my family.”
The play is timeless, Crespin said. “I love that it’s remained relevant after 13 years. I want to lend a focus to how similar we are as human beings, how we love, laugh and deal with pain in the same way across all cultures.”
Crespin said she feels as if she’s come full circle with her writing. “I’m still writing about powerful women and telling the stories of Hispanic culture.”
Crespin was the screenwriter and co-producer for the 2010 film Before We Say Goodbye, which was based on We are Hispanic-American Women…Okay?. Yellow Hat Productions in Los Angeles released the film to critical acclaim.
The stage version runs at Teatro Paraguas at 3205-B Calle Marie in Santa Fe through February 24 at 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and Sundays at 2 p.m. General admission tickets are $20 and $12 for limited-income individuals.
Crespin is a Highlands University music and theater alumna who went on to complete her Master of Fine Arts degree in dramatic writing from the University of New Mexico. Since 2015, she has taught Beginning Speech Class at Highlands University.
“I’m constantly inspired by my Highlands students,” Crespin said.
Plans are underway for her 12th play, Fall Out, to be presented at Highlands March 29. More details will follow.