by Darci Ramirez, dramaturg Dear Audience Members and Fellow Stars, Luna is able to take cosmic themes and tell them in a single, simple story for people who are looking for a reason to believe in their dreams and find friendship. But that doesn’t mean that the heavier themes are missed by younger audiences.. Need, loss, loneliness and sacrifice are all shown throughout this play. It’s important to recognize that the ending isn’t perfect; Mama and Papa are separated from Soledad and Luna’s relationship with Soledad is still tender and hurt. We don’t know what the future holds for Mama and Papa, who are still continuing to work in an industry that is hard and, sometimes, unfair. But what makes Luna shine is the hope for tomorrow because of the big steps we’re willing to make today. Soledad takes risks to find friendship and believe in her dreams, even if it complicates her life. And taking risks doesn’t always mean success, because Soledad didn’t always succeed - but taking risks does mean that you’ll grow to be the sort of person that can succeed, can find your friends, and can reach the moon. This production is informed by where we are, as a community, and who we are as a creative team. Because a strong majority of migrant workers in Utah are Mexican, Mexican-American, or of Mexican descent, that has informed the world in which Soledad finds herself. You might even recognize the Utah mountains in the backdrop of the set! But, at the same time, Soledad is an outsider in this world. In order to show this, Soledad and her family carry with them Costa Rican traditions and designs - informed by the cultural background of our director, Kris Peterson. This production has also been touched by many other Latinx backgrounds and identities - my own included. These design and story choices are expressions of our stories and experiences, but it doesn’t encompass all experiences. Luna isn’t just Mexican, Costa Rican, Guatemalan or Brazilian - but it holds the hearts of people who are. Because of that, we’ve chosen to give parts of our cultures to a story that can apply to anyone who’s ever felt alone. That doesn't mean that we’re limiting who we are, or who our audience is, either! In the end, Soledad doesn’t have to sacrifice who she is in order to make connections - she loves her books and astronomy, but learns to love fashion and food, too! In the same way, we can relate to the experiences of other people and celebrate what makes us unique.
