Viva La Mujer

Don't blame the Breath of Fire Latina Theater Ensemble if you feel theater is irrelevant. In its short history, the troupe has tackled such hot-button issues as the hidden history of Orange County Hispanics, illegal immigration and undocumented students seeking college degrees. The troupe's latest project, Portrait of Ten Women, addresses a grossly underreported story impacting society as a whole: the experience of Latinas living with HIV/AIDS. Fanny Garcia's play mentions the myriad cultural reasons why the rate of HIV/AIDS among poor and young Latinas is disproportionately higher than any other demographic group other than African-Americans, but this isn't a doom-and-gloom piece. Their experience creates a bond among these women, and the play is ultimately less about one ethnic group and one disease than it is about finding renewed hope in the face of seemingly overwhelming adversity.
Fridays, Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Sundays, 4 p.m. Starts: May 9. Continues through June 8, 2008