It has been such an honor and joy to present my one-woman show, Why Would I Mispronounce My Own Name? in the San Francisco Bay Area these past four months. I am now entering the homestretch with two performances weekly: Saturday at 5 pm and Sunday at 2 pm at The Berkeley Marsh Theater. Although the show previously had two extensions, I have other commitments including travel plans, so it is definitely closing on Sunday, March 24th.
The Marsh Theater describes my show this way:
“What’s in a name? A minefield of misplaced notions – comical, sad, demeaning. Irma’s observations from the front-lines, notes from American history, and laugh out-loud humor allow us to consider what it will take for all of us to get along.”
I have been very gratified by the positive reactions from audience members and the press:
“Put @irmadherrera's theater piece, "Why Would I Mispronounce My Own Name?" on your to-do list . . . Personal and deeply thought-provoking on issues of identity important for us to think about today."
~Prof. Marsha Cohen, Hastings College of the Law (tweet)
“Irma’s stories mix truth with humor, sadness with joy . . . heartfelt and spreads the understanding we sorely need today."
~Theatrius Review
"You hear people say "Art is Resistance". . . well this definitely fits that bill! You are taken on a journey with Irma from childhood, adolescence to adulthood. Her experiences navigating sexism and racism pull you in because they are so relatable. Your memory is provoked regarding your own personal story about power dynamics and how they relate to your name, identity, culture, gender, ethnicity, immigration status and/or profession.” ~Vicky Castro (Facebook Post)
“Speaks volumes about the ingrained power structures in American society.”
~Mercury News
Yep, it’s all that and more. Here's a clip from an earlier show:
Talkbacks
During the run in San Francisco, I had 30-minute talkbacks on various social justice themes with invited guests. For these last shows, I am mixing it up a bit. After some shows, I look forward to hearing any name stories you wish to offer. It’s always interesting to hear your experiences with respect to your name and identity. I am also happy to answer any questions or hear your comments about the play.
March 2: No invited talkback guest
March 3: Environmental Justice and Civil Rights with Yana Garcia
Yana Garcia was appointed by Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. in June 2017, to serve as Assistant Secretary for Environmental Justice and Tribal Affairs at the California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA). She has spent her legal career working on environmental justice. Click here for more info.
March 9: Navigating Disability: Trump Era’s Clarion Call for Advocates and Activists to Come Out of the (Inaccessible) Closet with Ingrid Tischer Ingrid Tischer is a Bay Area–based fundraiser and non–profit manager at Disability Rights Educational Defense Fund (DREDF). She is also a fiction and non-fiction writer and hosts the website, Tales From The Crip. Click here for more info.
March 10: The 50th Anniversary of Ethnic Studies: Its Influence Beyond Campus with Juanita Tamayo Lott Juanita Tamayo Lott was one of the student strikers at the historic 1968 SF State BSU/TWLF strike. The distinguished demographer and statistician is a thought leader and has written extensively about ethnic and racial identity. Click here for more info.
March 16: No invited talkback guest
March 17: No invited talkback guest
March 23: Lawyers Writers: People of Color Making an Impact Through Fiction, Non-Fiction and Poetry with Sara Campos & Adam Smyer
Sara and Adam are recognized not just for their legal skills, but also for their writing chops, and they participated in two previous post-show talkbacks in San Francisco. The conversations were so interesting and engaging that I invited them a third time and they accepted. Click here for more info.
March 24: No invited talkback guest on closing night
Best of SF Solo Series – Coming in October 2019
The only other Bay Area performance in 2019 of Why Would I Mispronounce My Own Name? will be on Sunday, October 13, 2019 at 7 pm at The Marin Center in San Rafael. My play is one of the five featured shows in Brian Copeland’s Best of SF Solo Series. For more information about the Best of SF Solo and to buy tickets visit http://bestofsfsolo.com/marin-19-20.html. Delighted to be part of this series along with solo performers Diane Barnes, Marga Gomez, Brian Copeland, and Steve Budd.
The 411 for the Berkeley Marsh Run
Two shows a week: Saturday 5 pm and Sunday 2 pm. Ends March 24th.
The Marsh Theater
2120 Allston Way (between Shattuck and Oxford Streets)
½ block from Downtown Berkeley BART
$10 Student Discount with use of discount code: “law” for all shows
Tickets start at $20 + $2 service fee
Purchase at http://bit.ly/IrmaHerrera_Berkeley