About the Show
The Story begins...
On September 4, 1929, a night of celebration turned into tragedy for Mexico City’s most decorated luchador. Emilo Rafael Buenaventura Guzman Jimenez Rodriguez Rodriguez de la Cruz, sometimes known affectionately as "El Guapo," was scheduled to wrap up his celebrated career with a fight for charity: A church-sponsored benefit to raise funds for orphan children in the capital.
The plan included signing autographs for adoring fans, after which he and his daughter Lupita would run off to celebrate her fifth birthday on a ferris wheel ride. Instead, the night ended tragically, setting off Lupita on a 20-year path of vengeance and rage.
Our story begins with Lupita on her way to Valdosta, Georgia to investigate the latest lead in an effort to track down her father’s assailant...
Production Info
Lupita’s Revenge is a crankie* puppet play that has slowly made it's way into museums, television, galleries, and private events around the country.
Lupita’s Revenge is performed by an alliance of eight musicians and visual artists based out of Athens, Georgia: A five-piece band playing a mesmerizing soundtrack of Latin American classics; while three shadow puppeteers animate Lupita’s story of fury, rage, and redemption.
Lupita’s Revenge is our
modern interpretation of the small-theater experience, with romance,
wrestlers, intense chases, enchanting music, all in an intimate setting.
* (A screen with two large scrolls of paper used to create a ‘moving panorama.’)
Tour History
Selected dates from the Vengeance Tour.
| Date | Venue | Location |
|---|---|---|
| July 18–22 | Puppeteers of America Festival | College Park, MD |
| Nov 10–12 | The Ringling Museum | Sarasota, FL |
| June 17 & 18 | Le Chat Noir | Augusta, GA |
| Nov 18 | Lyndon House Arts Center | Athens, GA |
| March 27 & 28 | Darkhorse Theater (postponed) | Nashville, TN |
| Jan 25 & 26 | The Magnetic Theater | Asheville, NC |
| Sept 26 & 27 | Top Secret TV production | Wilmington, NC |
| May 25 | 7 Stages Theater | Atlanta, GA |
| May 16 | Private House Party | TOP SECRET |
| Feb 22 | The Historic Thomas Center | Gainesville, FL |
| Jan 12 | Private House Party | TOP SECRET |
| Oct 6 | Westobou Festival | Augusta, GA |
| Sept 9 | The Bakery | Atlanta, GA |
| April 29 | Creature Comforts | Athens, GA |
| April 26 | Athens Institute of Contemporary Art | Athens, GA |
| March 30 | Barking Legs Theater | Chattanooga, TN |
| Feb 2 | High Museum of Art | Atlanta, GA |
| Dec 2 | Creature Comforts | Athens, GA |
| Oct 26 | Private House Party | TOP SECRET |
| July 27 | Athens Institute of Contemporary Art | Athens, GA |
The Cast
Written and Directed by
Abel Klainbaum
Lead Visual Artist
Phil Jasen
Illustrators
Anthony Gaskins
Antonio Kino
Music by
Megan Cole, vocals
Brian Smith, guitar
Scotty Allen, violin
Andrea DeMarcus, bass
Abel Klainbaum, accordion
Puppeteers
Phil Jasen
Laura Maria Ramirez
Abel Klainbaum
Screen design by: mattz
Legal: Innes Smolansky
Produced by: Abel Klainbaum
Special thanks to our friends:
Arkady Medovoy, Didi Dunphy, Rinne Allen, Stephanie Reins, Elizabeth
Doud, Emily Spadoni, and Lily