by Marcella Ortega
Daily Lobo
La Cucaracha Stew Co. is out to prove that politics is not just about speeches and fliers.
"Our whole idea is to be a guerrilla theater kind of thing that can go to a protest and do an image that knocks into everybody's head what we are trying to say, without even saying anything," member Billah Muhammad said. "They know what it is. They know what we are doing. We don't even have to say anything."
The troupe performed during a protest Saturday against the Iraq war. The protest started at Civic Plaza and ended at Robinson Park.
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In costume, the troupe marched with the crowd. After arriving at the park, the members posed like the Iwo Jima Memorial, with each person holding props such as briefcases and flags. On one American flag, the troupe replaced the stars with a dollar sign.
"We wanted to use the flag of our fathers," troupe founder Sebastian Pais said. "Instead of using the soldiers, we used executives because they are the ones taking over the land and fuel. For them, they don't care too much about the American flag. It's a flag that has a money sign."
Pais describes the troupe's craft as improvisational guerrilla theater.
"We appear out of nowhere," he said. "Everyone is free to do whatever they want with their character."
Pais, an ASUNM senator, said he wanted to start the troupe because of his experience with politics in Albuquerque and at UNM.
"Passing fliers doesn't work," he said. "Giving speeches doesn't work. Trying to talk to students doesn't work. They are tired of listening to people. So, we had to do something more shocking, more direct. Something with an image they can look at in one second. They can get the idea and keep walking."
The group formed in November and had its first performance at UNM before Thanksgiving. He said its first pose commemorated the massacre of the Pequot Indians in 1637. Members posed as pilgrims at a dinner table with American Indians as the feast.
"It wasn't the happy side of the story," Pais said. "Celebrate everything. It's good to have Thanksgiving - great. But remember that a lot of people died."
Delia Maher played an executive in the troupe's performance Saturday.
"Billah was just talking to me about it, and he said they needed someone to help," she said. "It was pretty good. We could have seen a lot more enthusiasm. It seemed kind of quiet."
Pais said he was influenced by a street theater troupe in his hometown of Buenos Aires, Argentina.
"They were neighbors without any training," he said. "They would build their own stage and puppets."
Pais said the group wants to expand to include music and other art forms.
"We are open to the ideas of students, especially from the theater department, the dance department and the music department," he said. "We have ideas, but many times, we don't know how to perform. We are not actors or musicians. It's hard to go from an idea to actually doing it. The theory works, but it is hard."
The troupe plans on attending protests out of town, as well.
"Cucarachas don't die," Pais said. "They are bothersome. People hate them, but they keep appearing. You can step on them a thousand times, but you're going to have a million coming."
