Puro Estilo
A Full Length Play
Written by Alejandro Valtierra
Honoring the Queen of Latin Soul
This exciting bilingual blend of historical fiction and musical theater explores the life and legacy of La Lupe, the great Afro-Cuban singer whose career is as triumphant as it was tragic. The story takes place in a dimension of dreams in which her soul is trapped and where she is confronted by the gods of Santería, also known as orishas within the Afro-Caribbean religion that originated from the Yoruba of West Africa. The orishas love La Lupe but are conflicted by her call for their help due to frustration, confusion, and anger caused by the singer’s conversion to Christianity near the end of her life. Acceptance and forgiveness bind the orishas and La Lupe on a shared mission that is imbued with classics by the Queen of Latin Soul whose electrifying personality lives on in the experience of Puro Estilo.
Diverse representation and inclusivity are driving forces behind Puro Estilo, which is why race, gender, sexual orientation, etc. should not deter anyone from auditioning for a role that might initially seem out of alignment with a person's identities. For this reason, gender-blind casting will be implemented throughout the audition process.
Be prepared to do cold readings, share a monologue (under 1-2 minutes), and sing a song relevant to your character of interest (indicated in parentheses below). All of these songs are available on music streaming platforms.
List of songs to perform for auditions:
Puro Teatro (La Lupe)
Busamba (La Lupe)
Oriente (La Lupe, Yemayá, Ochún, Eleguá)
El Carbonero (La Lupe, Yemayá, Ochún, Eleguá)
Te Voy a Contar Mi Vida (La Lupe)
Lo Qué Pasó, Pasó (Changó, Yemayá)
Miénteme (La Yiyiyi)
Con el Diablo en el Cuerpo (La Yiyiyi)
Bomba Gitana (La Lupe, Yemayá, Ochún, Eleguá, Changó)
Fever (La Lupe, Yemayá, Ochún, Eleguá, Changó)
La Tirana (La Lupe)
Me Siento Guajira (La Lupe, Yemayá, Ochún, Eleguá, Changó)
CAST DESCRIPTIONS:
All roles require proficiency in English and Spanish.
La Lupe: Late 50s to early 60s. Afro-Latina woman who is a singer in her wiser years that is disillusioned by memories of when she entranced audiences with her electrifying voice and captivating stage presence during her heyday as the Queen of Latin Soul. Her white ensemble signifies purity in contrast to the painful dream state that forces her to relive painful moments of the past.
La Yiyiyi: Late 20s to early 30s. Afro-Latina woman who is the younger version of La Lupe that is full of life and ready to stand up for herself as an artist. Ochún's sensuality and Changó's strength lend to the powerful storm of passion that she is known to deliver when she entertains her beloved audiences.
Yemayá: Late 60s to early 70s. Afro-Latina woman with a mature but playful personality who is the orisha that controls deep waters of the ocean and symbolizes maternal, nurturing energy. While donning a striking blue ensemble, her voice of reason and unconditional love symbolize much needed forces that La Lupe needs to set her soul free.
Ochún: Late 40s to early 50s. Afro-Latina woman with a no-nonsense personality who is the orisha of freshwater rivers and daughter of Yemayá. She is known for her beauty, sensuality, and prosperity while shimmering in gold, but her words and actions reveal a vengeful side that is driven to punish La Lupe for the disposal of the orishas who helped La Lupe achieve success as a singer.
Eleguá: Late 20s to mid-30s. Latino/e/x male with a calm, easy going demeanor who is the orisha that is known for being a wise and guiding light while embodying a playful and youthful trickster for those who seek his direction. The colors of red and black symbolize the dichotomy of passion and confusion that affect La Lupe’s journey before and after she abandoned the orishas.
Changó: Late 30s to early 40s. Latino/e/x male with a muscular/athletic physique whose powerful presence embodies the orisha of virility and immortality. His colors of red and white, as well as his thunderous voice, represent passion, power, and purity that La Lupe seeks in her creative and romantic partnerships before realizing what is already within her.
Auditions will be January 5 from 3pm-7pm and January 6 from 6:30pm-9:30pm at 1560 Teller Street, Lakewood, CO 80214.