EXTRA CREDIT: SER! Karen Anzoategui

Ser! Written and performed by Karen Anzoategui was a brilliant performance that gave me so much artistic inspiration. The use of music, lighting, and words were all used harmoniously in a one person play that depicted much of the borders we discussed in Border Consciousness. There were several different props I felt were very useful in its production, one of which was the megaphone that served as a medium to distinguish Karen from another narrator/soccer commentator. The idea of surrounding the obra around a soccer game was simple, and a creative blank canvas that Karen worked very well with. Karen’s life (like many of hours) really is like a game filled with disappointments and the occasionally appraised (GOL!). The play surfaced a lot of emotions for me in regards to my own broken family, it really made me think about a lot of experiences I had as a child especially the domestic violence in my household I repressed for so long. So many things hit close to home but I couldn’t help close reading the Karen’s lines synthesized with the several theatrical and musical accompaniments. One I particularly noticed was her expression of the word “melodic.” She first used it to describe her parent’s arguments and how the only way to survive was to block out the negativity and muddle it together. The comfort with ambiguity reminded me of “tolerance in ambiguity “with Gloria Anzaldua, throughout the play there were several connections to Mestiza consciousness and bridging these borders. Again “melodic” was used to describe her familia in Argentina which bridges her identity together and ultimately makes HER the border. I absolutely loved the safe space that she exuded; the energy was fantastic along with the creative, smooth music that tied everything together. I look forward in following Karen and her works and continually supporting community artists because to be honest that is where the real art is. There is so much to be inspired by.