The 13th Bogota Iberoamericano Theater Festival (FITB), fondly known as the “Fiesta de las mil caras (Party of a thousand faces)” begins today, March 23, and will feature some of the country’s and the world’s most talented performance artists.
Normally the festival opens with a foreign work, but this year is the first time it will be inaugurated with a Colombian play from the Caribbean coast, “Maria Barilla”.
The award-winning production tells the tragic story of Maria Barilla, a dancer who defended the rights of indigenous groups, peasants and women in the early twentieth century. The play will premiere Friday, March 23 at 8:30PM in the Jose Gaitan theater.
An impressive parade of over 2000 artists will be featured in the festival and 30 indigenous shaman charged with ‘protecting’ the event will leave from the Jorge Tadeo Lozano University tomorrow at 3:00PM and end in Bogota’s central Plaza Bolivar at 6:00PM.
Famous Colombian folk singer Toto la Momposina, along with 27 musicians from the Casablanca Big Band, will close Saturday’s inaugural parade in Plaza Bolivar with a tribute to legendary Colombian composer Lucho Bermudez.
The 2012 FITB will also highlight the Gran Concierto International, starring the Spanish singer Bebe. The show takes place on March 24 at 8:00PM at the at the Gran Salon Corferias.
If you want to hear some Colombian music, the FITB’s “Shock” concert series is perfect for you. 21 of Colombia’s freshest artists will be performing at the Carpa Caberet (Caberet Tent) during this year’s festival including Bomba Estereo, Monsieur Perine, and De Bruces A Mi. For Shock’s program refer here.
The 2012 Bogota Iberoamericano Theater Festival’s will host over 2000 amazing performances, a program can be found here.
One of the biggest stars attending this year’s festival is American actor and director Tim Robbins, who won an Oscar for his role in the movie “Mystic River.” Robbins’s group “The Actors Gang” will be presenting a play called “1984” at 8:30PM on April 3,4, and 6, and at 3:00 PM and 8:00PM on April 5 and 7, all at the Teatro Libre Chapinero.
Diego Luna, one of Mexico’s most influencial actors and producers, will be returning to the FITB with a presentation of his box-office hit “Incendios (Fires)” on at 8:30PM on March 29, 30, and at 3:00PM and 8:30PM on March 31 at the Teatro Estudio Julio Mario Santodomingo.
Award-winning Argentinian actor Rodrigo de la Serna will being playing the protagonist in a play called “Lluvia Constante (Constant Rain)” at 8:30PM on March 29, 30, and 31 at the Teatro Nacional La Castellana. De la Serna won the Independent Spirit Best Debut Award for his role in a biographical movie about the young Che Guavara called “Motorcycle Diaries.”
Spanish flamenco dancer Cecilia Gomez who will be telling the passionate story of the Dutchess of Alba with a dance piece called “Cayetana su pasion (Silence your passion).” You can see her performance at 8:30PM on March 23, 6:00PM and 8:30PM on March 24, 6:00PM on March 25, and at 8:30PM on March 26 all at the Teatro Mayor Julio Mario Santodomingo.
If you are in the mood for a classic, a South Korean group will be performing Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” at 6:00PM on April 5, 7, 8 and at 3:00PM and 8:30PM on April 6, at the Teatro Colsubsidio.
You will be able to find musical and theatrical performances throughout Colombia’s capital during the FITB. From 11:00AM to 6:00PM on Thursday March 29 there will be shows in Bogota’s Plaza de Bolivar. And don’t miss a fantastic line-up in the Parque Simon Bolivar on March 21 and April 1.