Overview
Synopsis
Flora, a young American anthropologist living in San Cristobal de las Casas, Mexico, is about to marry her true love, Pele, when their wedding plans are thrown into confusion. Pele is turned into a bird -- a long-billed Starthroat hummingbird, to be precise -- and will remain so until Flora can get herself a blood test, get the bird a blood test, sign her way through multitudes of government forms, and convince the Judge, an unsympathetic woman with suspiciously roving office hours, to show mercy. Is Pele’s avian metamorphosis caused by government policy, a lover’s quarrel, or 12/21/12 -- the impending Mayan apocalypse? No one knows for sure. Flora’s friends, arriving for the wedding, descend upon her house, and she receives the dubious help of excitable anarchist Henry, lonely farmer Zoe, and her maid of honor, Molly, an ethereal artist with a habit of leaving her body behind at high altitudes. Under the impartial and mischievous eye of San Cristobal, the patron saint of travelers himself, Flora must fight for the man she loves, and face her fears about the future. Kate Tarker’s An Almanac for Farmers and Lovers in Mexico is a surrealistic romp, a poetic, imaginative, and humorous look at relationships: with a partner, with friends, with a community, with a planet. Subtitled “a comic ballet”, this play is filled with movement and magical realism, and is perfect for a small, physically agile ensemble.
Note: An Almanac for Farmers and Lovers in Mexico has only one act, but at twenty-nine scenes, the play is long enough for a full evening of theatre.
Show Information
- Book
- Kate Tarker
- Category
- Play
- Age Guidance
- Thirteen Plus (PG-13)
- Number of Acts
- 1
- First Produced
- 2015
- Genres
- Comedy, Romance, Fairy Tale/Fantasy
- Settings
- Contemporary, Multiple Settings
- Time & Place
- december, 2012, san cristobal de las casas, mexico
- Cast Size
- medium
- Ideal For
- College/University, Community Theatre, Diverse Cast, Ensemble Cast, Professional Theatre, Regional Theatre, Small Cast, Mostly Female Cast, Includes Young Adult, Adult, Mature Adult Characters, Medium Cast
Context
Plot
Characters
| Name | Part Size | Gender | Vocal Part |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Lead |
Female |
Spoken |
|
|
Supporting |
Female |
Spoken |
|
|
Supporting |
Either Gender |
Spoken |
|
|
Supporting |
Female |
Spoken |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Spoken |
|
|
Supporting |
Female |
Spoken |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Spoken |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Spoken |
|
|
Featured |
Female |
Spoken |
|
|
Featured |
Female |
Silent |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Spoken |
Songs
A song with an asterisk (*) before the title indicates a dance number; a character listed in a song with an asterisk (*) by the character's name indicates that the character exclusively serves as a dancer in this song, which is sung by other characters.
Monologues
Scenes
Key Terms
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Videos
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Quizzes
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Themes, Symbols & Motifs
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Quote Analysis
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