STORY AND PHOTOS BY KAREN BOSSICK

A map depicting Mexico and Central and South America fades away leaving only Mexico and Peru as a condor and eagle soar together in the sky. Just as suddenly, the birds begin to fight, claws clenching, their bodies spiraling to the ground as they fight about the right way to live.

And this disharmony prevails long beyond when prophecy said harmony will be restored.

This is the myth that sets the stage for playwright Marisela Trevino Orta’s new fairy tale, “Sueno and His Cage of Dreams,” that is premiering at The Liberty Theater in Hailey through Sunday.

Pedro Manuel Miramontes Ortiz created the artwork for the production.

The play reading, commissioned by the Liberty Theatre Company, follows two high school students—a second-generation Mexican-American named Daniela and her best friend Luis, a first-generation Peruvian-American. Though best friends and next-door neighbors, their friendship is frowned upon by their parents because they are of different cultures.

But, when a dark force named Sueno casts a spell upon their parents, trapping them in a never-ending cycle of multiple jobs and worries in pursuit of the American Dream, the two teen-agers join hands to enter a portal into the Dream World to free their parents.

The play reading is bilingual with Daniela and Luis speaking English when at school and Spanish or Quechua when at home with their parents. Subtitles in English will be shown on screen when Spanish or Quechua is being spoken and vice versa.

“This is the first time I’ve seen a bilingual play where they talk in both English and Spanish so I am very excited to work in it,” said Rosmery Serva Iguavel, who reads the part of Daniela.

Leonardo Padilla Sacha reads the part of Luis.

The play touches on the dreams, the hopes, that immigrants have when coming to the United States, said Serva Iguavel.

“This story means a lot to me because I see so many immigrants coming here from Peru, Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala even. And I feel it’s a reflection of the dreams we all carry and the strength it takes to pursue them,” she added. “It touches on identity, belonging, resilience. We all feel like it’s very emotional, funny and deeply relatable because in our past we are from immigrants.”

Two cast members said they’ve observed some division between those of Mexican backgrounds and those of Peruvian backgrounds, in part because the two cultures feel like they’re competing for scarce work and resources.

But Serva Iguavel said that her younger sister is best friends with a Mexican classmate: “They go to school together. They hang out and they love spending time together. Maybe some of the older generation has a little problem accepting other cultures because they don’t understand what the other culture is doing.”

Edith Millard-Lopez

“I feel like the idea of division is based on the perspective of someone else,” said Leonardo Padilla Sacha, who reads the part of Luis. “The playwright may have written it from what she experienced. I wouldn’t say it would be something I’ve experienced. And I don’t see it with the kids I work with at The Space.”

The part of Daniela is read by Rosmery Serva Iguavel, who works at The Hunger Coalition. Leonardo Padilla Sacha, who works as the education coordinator at The Space while getting his Master’s degree, plays Luis.

Edith Lopez-Millard, a teacher, reads the part of Ixtchel, who first appears as a Guatemalan woman selling worry dolls to place under pillows and later helps the youth find their way into the Dream World. Sergio Ruiz, a landscaper, plays Sueno, who weaves his spell telling the parents, “Here in the land of opportunity you have to work, you have to strive until you’re dead on your feet Until you’re half awake. Until you are mine.”

Christine Leslie, a drama arts teacher at Wood River High School and Middle School, plays four characters, including the mothers and a grandmother of the children. Pedro Manuel Miramontes Ortiz, plays two fathers and the grandfather. A graphic artist, he also created the shadow puppet like art for the screen.

Art evoking shadow puppets will play behind the actors.

Aly Wepplo, a professional actor and librarian, plays Mrs. Brewster, the students’ teacher. And Luanne Gonzales, a high school student, is providing stage direction.

The Liberty Theatre Company commissioned Orta in partnership with the Sun Valley Playwrights Residency, which brings playwrights to Sun Valley to work on new material. The Spur Community Foundation provided funding.

The play draws on Latin American and indigenous mythologies rooted in Mexican and Peruvian folklore but, except for the story of the condor and the eagle, it is all original.

The process began in June when Orta began meeting with Wood River Valley Hispanic residents over Zoom to learn about their experiences. She wrote the first draft in English, then came to Hailey in October where the actors read it around a table.

She then shaped the next draft.

“It’s been a very complicated process, but it’s been a beautiful, beautiful, development process in just under six months,” said Emily Meister, artistic director for The Liberty Theatre Company. “This is a family-friendly show bridging the generations. And so much of it was inspired by our Hispanic community in support of bringing everybody together.”

Orta and Meister will meet with Wood River High School theater students today, reading excerpts of the play with them and discussing the process of writing a play. The Liberty Theatre Company is also providing students and their families the chance to buy $10 tickets to see the play.

Additionally, The Liberty Theater is bringing a bus load of students and teachers to the show through The Shoshone Project.

“We had 25 students come from Shoshone for ‘Where did We Sit on the Bus?’ ” said Meister.

Though The Liberty Theatre Company commissioned the play, the play belongs to Orta. She will rework the play after seeing how the audience reacts to it this week, and she will have the opportunity to have other theater companies stage it.

IF YOU GO…

“Sueno and His Cage of Dreams” will take the stage at 7 p.m. tonight through Saturday, Dec. 13, at The Liberty Theater in Hailey. It will conclude with a 2 p.m. matinee on Sunday, Dec. 14.

Tickets are $35 for adults and $15 for students at https://www.libertytheatrecompany.org/. Students and their parents can purchase $10 tickets using the promotion code ACCESS4ALL.