Early Works: Actos / Bernabe / Pensamiento Serpentino

by Luis Valdez

Drama. EARLY WORKS: ACTOS, BERNABE AND PENSAMIENTO SERPENTINE is three books in one: 1) a collection of one act plays by Valdez and the famous farmworker theater, El Teatro Campesino, 2) one of the first fully realized, full-length plays by Valdez alone, and 3) an original narrative poem by Luis Valdez. In the first part are collected the original, improvised works of El Teatro Campesino that deal with the exploitation of Mexican farm labor in the California fields, the discrimination found by Mexicans in the schools, and Mexicans being turned into cannon fodder by the U.S. Army in Vietnam. Bernabe is a touching, Lorcaesque poetic drama about a town fool's enchantment and ultimate unity with the earth. Pensamiento serpentino is a long, philosophical poem, based on Mayan thought and cosmology, which analyzes the cultural, religious and political circumstances of Mexican Americans and prepares a metaphysical framework for their future.

Genres: Plays, Theatre, Politics, Drama, Fiction

199 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 1990

About the author

Luis Valdez is an American playwright, writer and film director.

He is regarded as the father of Chicano theater in the United States.

Reviews

[julia reste]

I feel wrong giving this any kind of rating because it was purely used as a way for the movement to further their cause and spread their message. Obviously, there is the issue of machismo and misogyny throughout the actos, but overall, they were a net good in supporting the farmworkers in their strike. I enjoyed reading and learning about the history!

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just read "Soldado razo," but it reminded me that I need to read a lot more of him. And Arizona definitely needs some new teatro campesino contra HB2881.

[Alejandra Hernandez · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a cool book to get into when you're learning about Chicano Teatro. One thing you should notice while reading is how all the main characters are male, while the females are the "other" supporting character. My favorite acto is No saco nada de la escuela

[behsforensics]

Cutting is for Los Vendidos (The Sellouts)
By Luis Valdez

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Luis Valdez is an imaginative playwright who does not lose sight of his audience and pueblo - he writes in order to be understood by not only the educated and in power, but those in the lower classes who are often uneducated and poor. The plays in this book cover a variety of themes and figures important to Mexican-Americans during the 60's; the patrones or bosses who sometimes seem benevolent and other times the devil, the different stereotypes and/or niches that the young Mexican-american people fill in American society, the young soldier who gets sent off to war... All of his plays hold an element of comedy while he still depicts a very real and serious picture of the problems these communities faced. His plays are meant to be watched by everyone, and they use the language familiar to his young Chicano audience. I think those who have their roots in these communities can identify with many of the situations his characters face, and those who aren't can learn a bit about the culture and struggles of the Mexican-American community.

[Abel · Rating 2 out of 5]

this book was written by luis valdez and he writes the scripts of his teatros. his stories are fun to act out and are creative. for example the story about la muerte(death) which is about a young man that goes to war and when he comes home he gets a feeling someone is after him, but who? yes death is after him. find out what happens to him.