Open Door

While opinions range from open door advocates of free immigration to closed door advocates of zero immigration, there is a corresponding “paranoia versus hope” dialogue on whether our national policy can ever be resolved. That “paranoia versus hope” mindset descends heavily upon the community of recent immigrants and is inspiration for Open Door, a grand puppet theater work with song, being prepared collaboratively by Colombia-born master puppet theater artist Federico Restrepo and award-winning composer Elizabeth Swados.

Open Door centers on a displaced Colombian living in an apartment building that houses many other recent immigrants. Utilizing original rhythmic music, live musicians, dancers, body puppets and larger than life marionettes, the piece explores the paranoid perceptions, longings to belong and feelings of alienation among the immigrants. Puppet theater provides an articulate medium for contrasting the immigrants’ inner and outer realities.

This production is the inaugural event of the brand-new Teatro Stage Fest, an artistic cultural and educational festival that will spotlight center stage the best of Latino and Iberian theater from New York, Latin America and Spain.