Luis Valdez' Mummified Deer at San Jose State

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Contact: Stephanie Woehrmann, publicist
stephanie [at] elteatrocampesino.com
Telephone Number: 831.261.4838

Company Name: El Teatro Campesino
Telephone Number: 831.623.2444
Fax Number: 831.623.4127
Web site addresses:
http://myspace.com/elteatrocampesino
http://www.elteatrocampesino.com

Luis Valdez' Mummified Deer at San Jose State
University

Luis Valdez—playwright and film director known as the
father of Chicano theater, who was recently named as one
of United States Artists 2007 Fellows - will have one of
his stage plays, Mummified Deer, performed at San Jose State
University this February. It will be directed by the Associate
Artistic Director of El Teatro Campesino, Kinan Valdez.

Luis Valdez was born in Delano, California to migrant
farm worker parents. Valdez graduated from James Lick
High School in San Jose and went on attend San Jose
State University (SJSU) on a scholarship for math and
physics. He later switched his major and earned a
degree in English in 1964.

Valdez' first one act play, The Theft, debuted at SJSU
in 1963. It was followed by his first full-length play,
The Shrunken Head of Pancho Villa in 1964. Valdez
founded his farm workers theater, El Teatro Campesino
in 1965 on the picket lines of the Delano Grape Strike.

In 2000 Mummified Deer was the first play Valdez had
written in 14 years, since becoming a screenwriter and
director of such Hollywood films as Zoot Suit (1982) and
La Bamba (1987). He commented on his career in an
article for Hispanic Magazine.

"There were too many holes to fill. I haven't been
able to be a full academic, a full Hollywood type, and
a full playwright. I wear a lot of hats. Occasionally
I wear one for a while. That's why it's taken 14 years
for me to write another play. I'm also a historical
revisionist. American history has yet to be written.
It's wrong. It's detrimental and prejudicial against
everybody who is not white and European. Mummified
Deer clarifies more. I've written some monstrous roles
for Latinas and Latinos. It's about the Yaqui
Indians—not the Aztecs or Mayans.

Yaqui soldiers accompanied Don Juan de Oñate to settle
the state of New Mexico. José de Galvez, viceroy of
New Spain, sent Yaqui Indians to defend the mouth of
the Mississippi against the British Navy in
1777-78—the winter of Valley Forge—at the request of
General George Washington, which they did
successfully. Which is to say, my Mexican ancestors fought
in the American Revolutionary war. Why has that little
fact never come out? I'm bringing it out in Mummified Deer.
It is historical fact."

Mummified Deer is being staged at San Jose State as a
tribute to Valdez and is in conjunction with the celebration
of the universities' 150th year. The playwright has asked his
son, Kinan Valdez, to direct his play at the university where
he debuted his first plays. "My son was born into the Teatro,"
says Valdez, "There is no director with a finer grasp of my
work than Kinan. I feel honored and grateful to be back
at my alma mater with him at the helm."

Buddy Butler will direct a film documentary
chronicling the process of staging Mummified at San
Jose State University. Mummified Deer will open at the
University Theatre on Feb. 29 and will run through
Mar. 8.

The University Theatre is located next door to the MLK
Library, 5th & San Fernando in San Jose. Tickets are
$10 for students, SJSU staff and faculty, and seniors.
General admission is $15. Tickets can be purchased at
the Event Center, on-line and at the door. Park free
after 6pm across the street at the 4th St. City
Garage. For more information about Luis Valdez and El
Teatro Campesino, contact 831.623.2444 or
http://www.elteatrocampesino.com.