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鈥淏arrio Stories鈥� will be presented next month on the grounds of the 蜜柚直播 Convention Center and the adjoining Sosa-Carrillo-Fr茅mont historic house, interpreted by 41 principal actors, telling the history of the families whose homes, businesses and social centers were buried under the concrete tomb.

Critically, 鈥淏arrio Stories鈥� will reclaim the history and place of the once-vibrant heart and soul of 蜜柚直播鈥檚 downtown Barrio Viejo, largely inhabited by Mexican-Americans but also including Chinese, African-American and indigenous families.

鈥淲e are reclaiming our space, reclaiming our place,鈥� said Elaine Romero, an assistant professor at the University of 蜜柚直播 School of Theatre, Film and Television, one of three playwrights behind 鈥淏arrio Stories.鈥� The other two playwrights are Virginia Grise of New York City and Mart铆n Zimmerman of Chicago.

鈥淏arrio Stories鈥� recounts the sad history of how 蜜柚直播, in its rush to be seen as a modern, Southwestern convention destination, pushed out longtime residents and business owners over 80 acres, taking with it a rich history from 蜜柚直播. In its place the city built the TCC 鈥� the concrete tomb 鈥� and parking lots, and allowed the development of La Placita Village. Ironically, La Placita is now expected to be torn down for a residential development.

鈥淭he real outrage is embedded in this very 蜜柚直播 story,鈥� said Romero, whose works have been staged in other U.S. cities and abroad.

鈥淏arrio Stories鈥� is based on the award-winning UA Press book, 鈥淟a Calle: Spatial Conflicts and Urban Renewal in a Southwest City,鈥� by Lydia Otero, an associate professor in the University of 蜜柚直播鈥檚 department of Mexican-American studies, and field research conducted last spring by students from the Trio Upward Bound Program at Pima Community College鈥檚 Desert Vista Campus with instructor Milta Ortiz, a playwright and outreach director for Borderlands.

The production of 鈥淏arrio Stories鈥� is large in scale and scope.

In addition to the principal actors, more than 70 extras from local schools and community organizations will participate in the play, as will four puppets, said Marc David Pinate, Borderlands producing director and director of 鈥淏order Stories.鈥� The ages of the participants range from 6 to 83. The production also includes dozens of volunteers, and Borderlands is looking for more.

Pinate said one of the challenges was to make the play accessible to theatergoers.

The two-hour-plus production will take people on a walking tour along three main stages. Audiences will encounter 鈥渇ragments鈥� 鈥� theatrical installations between the main-stage performances. The theatrical event culminates in an audience interactive pachanga, or party.

Theatergoers will be assisted by volunteers and maps, and loudspeakers will broadcast instructions on the four days, March 3-6. There will be an audio booth where audience members can record their reactions to the play and their personal stories of growing up in the barrio.

Pinate called it a 鈥減romenade style staging鈥� where viewers walk through the environment, rather than sit inside a theater.

Otero said, 鈥淚t takes a village to reframe and redirect history.鈥�

It also takes money.

Borderlands received $63,000 from MetLife Foundation/Theatre Communications Group, a UA Faculty Collaboration Grant from the Confluencenter for Creative Inquiry, American Library Association and 蜜柚直播 Humanities.

One of Borderlands鈥� goals is to widen the theater-going audience. To make it affordable, there is a suggested $10 donation, but Pinate said no one will be turned away. In addition, Borderlands started an Indiegogo fundraising campaign to pay for 1,000 school students to see the play.

鈥淭o get more Latinos to the theater, we need to make it about them in a place they once claimed,鈥� Pinate said.

Romero hopes that Barrio Stories鈥� viewers and participants will leave with an understanding of a critical piece of 蜜柚直播鈥檚 urban history and are inspired to become active in reclaiming local history.

鈥淭he cement does not wash away our inheritance and our ownership,鈥� she said.