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Cariada Svich Is Born
Caridad Svich was born in Philadelphia, PA, on July 30, 1963. She was the daughter of Emilio Dario and Aracely Besteiro. -
Background of Caridad Svich
Caridad is a mix of Cuban, Argentine, Spanish, and Croatian due to her parents being Latin. She is a first-generation hybrid, meaning that she is neither fully Latina nor fully American. She grew up being Catholic. And during her young life, she felt "strange" and kind of an "exiled American" due to her cultural difference. -
University of North Carolina
She earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts at the University of North Carolina. -
University of California, San Diego
She earned her Master of Fine Arts at the University of California, San Diego, M.F.A (theater). -
Places Visited
Caridad has been to California, Minnesota’s Playwrights Center, to several universities in Ohio as well as Harvard and Yale, and to Rhode Island and Massachusetts. She has also traveled internationally to places as varied as Edinburgh and London, Greece, Argentina, Colombia, and Havana. -
Caridad Svich's Plays
She has done more than 40 plays that span a wide range of themes, styles, and genres. Her plays often incorporate elements of poetic language, political commentary, and social issues, with 15 translated plays to Spanish. And often showing her personal experience as someone who was raised culturally different. Some of her notable works include:
- "In the Time of the Butterflies" (En el Tiempo de las Mariposas)
-"The House of the Spirits" (La Casa de los Espiritos)
- "The Booth Variations." -
Caridad Svich's Plays (continue)
Her work often delves into social and political issues, addressing topics such as human rights, activism, and cultural heritage.
Caridad Svich has adapted various works for the stage, a process where existing material like novels or films is transformed for live theater. This involves reinterpreting the source to fit the stage, and adaptations can vary, allowing playwrights creative freedom. Svich has adapted works by authors like Isabel Allende, Julia Alvarez, and Federico García Lorca. -
Federico García Lorca (Influence)
Svich has cited one of the greatest Spanish playwriter and poet Federico García Lorca as a significant influence on her work. Lorca's poetic and emotionally charged plays led a lasting impact on Svich's writing, especially in terms of language and imagery. Caridad made many adaptations and translations, such as, "Amor de Don Perlimplín con Belisa en su jardín (The Love of Don Perlimplín and Belisa in the Garden") and "Asi que Pasen Cinco Años (When Five Years Pass") -
In the Time of The Butterfly (En el Tiempo de las Mariposas)
This play is an adaptation of Julia Alvarez's novel, based on the real-life story of the Mirabal sisters, who were activists in the Dominican Republic and opposed the Trujillo dictatorship. The play has been praised for its emotional depth and historical significance. -
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The House of the Spirits - Adaptation by Caridad Svich
This is a multi-generational story spanning a century of frequent change in an unnamed Latin American country, illustrating the unpredictability of life. This was a novel made in 1982 by Isabel Allende, but then adapted by Caridad in 2011 and winning an American Theatre Critics Association Primus Prize. -
Isabel Allende (influence)
Allende was a great inspiration to Caridad. As seen during a talk with Isabel Allende, discussing Caridad Svich's adaptation of "The House of the Spirits" on the Berkeley News podcast, where she shared her personal experience growing up in Chile during the 1973 military coup, and her family then became refugees in Venezuela. Allende emphasized the importance of being alert to change, cautioning against assumptions of safety and permanence in any situation, including in the United States. -
"Alchemy of Desire/Dead-Man's Blues"
This play is a vivid exploration of love, longing, and loss. It combines poetic language and surreal elements to tell a story about the complexities of relationships. -
Recognitions
She has won more over 15 awards and recognitions throughout her career, just to name a few: In 1994 she won the Rosenthal New Play Prize 2012 OBIE for Lifetime Achievement 2013 National Latino Playwrights Award 2015 Source Festival (Washington D.C.) finalist -
Caridad Svich Now
Currently, Caridad is 60 years old and is considered a playwriter, translator, songwriter, teacher, activist, and editor. As well as serving as a great positive impact for many through her creative plays and connecting key ideas . -
Sources
https://coaa.charlotte.edu/faces/caridad-svich
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caridad_Svich#Awards
https://caridadsvich.com/fulllength/the-house-of-the-spiritsla-casa-de-los-espiritus/
https://ctda.library.miami.edu/creator/48#:~:text=Other%20residencies%20have%20taken%20her%20back%20to%20California,as%20Edinburgh%20and%20London%2C%20Greece%2C%20Argentina%20and%20Havana.
https://news.berkeley.edu/2020/01/24/berkeley-talks-isabel-allende/
https://caridadsvich.com/translations-adaptations/ -
