Personal Essay: El Eterno Feminino and putting on a play during a pandemic

By Lina Romero

Left to right: Milena Guiterrez, Calie Bain, Celeste Taica, and myself social distancing onstage

​A little over a year ago, I was cast in a play that was cancelled a week into rehearsal due to COVID-19. I thought I wouldn’t have another opportunity to perform until after the pandemic but one of my fellow ex-cast members sent me information for a play that would rehearse online and film the final product: El Eterno Feminino.

​I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I tried out anyway. During our first Zoom rehearsal, we did a full read-through of the play and I became virtually acquainted with the rest of team. It was strange to be meeting under these circumstances, but we still managed to bond by spending a few minutes at the beginning of each call journaling, meditating, and getting to know each other as a cast and crew.

Most of us hadn't been in a production since the beginning of quarantine and were craving social time as well as the chance to warm up our acting skills again. Actor Andrés Fontan says he "thought it would be a great opportunity, regardless of how anxious/ hesitant [he] felt." Several others hoped to connect with their Hispanic culture and practice speaking the language in a theatrical setting.

A typical Zoom rehearsal, with director Drewe debriefing us before we jump in.

The show was directed by Drewe Goldstein with assistance from Kylee Marquez-Downie, and stage management by Casey Clauberg, Carissa Lanstra, and Kayla Brown. It was filmed by Liza Hazelwood. The actors consisted of Celeste Taica, Calie Bain, Milena Guitierrez, Andrés Fontan, William Cardozo, Avery Michael-Johnson, and myself. None of us had any prior knowledge about the play before our first read-through.

​El Eterno Feminino is a farce about sexism in Mexican, and other Latinx cultures. It follows bride-to-be Lupita through a dream journey about the possibilities the future holds for her. "My first impression of the script was taken aback,” says actress Milena Gutierrez. “It was so bizarre...” On the other hand, Andrés Fontan found the script "magical" and "esoteric," which he saw as advantages.

Taica, portraying Lupita in a pre-production photo-shoot.

For Celeste Taica, this was her first lead role. The half Puerto Rican actress had recently graduated from VCU Theatre and was eager to take on a production during her newly-found free time. During the show, her character, Lupita, undergoes all kinds of transformations from an innocent girl to a Mexican bride to a "soiled flower" (prostitute), and much more.

Left to right: William Cardozo, myself, and Celeste Taica during the "Soiled Flower" scene.

The rehearsal process during Zoom was different from anything we'd experienced. "You can't compare rehearsing in-person and rehearsing online- they require completely different skills," says actress Calie Bain. "But I think the cast was still able to form great connections and we did so much table-work that our transition to in-person filming was surprisingly smooth!" 

Left to right: Calie Bain, Lina Romero, Andrés Fontan and Avery Michael-Johnson

Filming the play was a several-day process that was grueling but ultimately rewarding. "I had never done film so that was really cool and something I am glad I experienced..." says Milena Guitierrez. "Of course, you do always miss the audience, though."

Despite this, I personally had a great time filming and am excited to see the final product, which comes out at the end of the month. I look forward to showing it to my friends and family, but I'm even more excited for when we'll be able to perform without masks.

You can buy tickets to El Eterno Feminino here. It will be playing from the end of April through the beginning of May.

Celeste Taica and Milena Guiterrez during a dramatic scene.