Calafia at Liberty

World Premiere Devised Performance by Wetsuit Collective

La Jolla Playhouse's Without Wall Festival, 2019, USS Recruit, Liberty Station, San Diego, CA

Directed by Juliana Kleist-Mendez

Costume Design and Produced by Natalie Barshow

Scenic Design by Miranda Friel

Lighting Design by Lindsay Stevens

Sound Design by Andrew Lynch

About:

Encircling the land-locked naval training building, the USS Recruit, Calafia at Liberty dives through layers of history about the mythic figure that inspired the naming of California: Queen Calafia. Using music and performance, audience members follow a path through history, myth, and the consequences of manifest destiny. This piece questions the legends we build over the land we inhabit.

Concept:

As the women encircle the ship, they portray soldiers, settlers of the west, native people, mission members, and amazon warriors. I was inspired by images of Calafia and Greek Goddess in art about California and manifest destiny. I wanted to feel both etherial and warrior like.

Hale appears as if he is out of a photograph. Hale transforms from a male objectifier to an etherial spirt as we send off the Calafias and Hale.