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Description
Maria Irene Fornes, 1930-2018, A Cuban-American playwright, theater director, and teacher. Considered as the Mother of Latinx Playwriting/ Mother Avant-Grande. Written over 40 plays, "Letters from Cuba" (2000), "Molly's Dream"(1968), "What of the Night?" (1986), "The Conduct of Life" (1985), and "Fefu and Her Friends." (1977). -
Birth of María Irene Fornés
María Irene Fornés was born in Havana, Cuba. She was the youngest of 6 children's. She went by Irene only in her childhood. Born to Carmen Collado Fornés and Carlos Fornés. Her mother was a school teacher, while her father was a civil service employee. -
Early Life
Growing up in Fornes early life, there were some ongoing issues occurring, these issues would later lead on the Cuban Revolution of 1959. The Great Depression also contributed to the economic difficulties her and her family faced. She entered to Havana business school because her father urged her to, but later dropped out to pursue the violin. -
Immigration
After the death of Fornes father from a heart attack in 1945, her mother, Carmen, took Maria (15) and her sister Margarita (16) and they immigrated to the United States the same year. They moved because of the ongoing economic issues going on in Cuba. -
Artistic passion
After her arrival in New York, Fornes did not get to complete but work in a shoe factory, but she wanted to pursue in a artistic path. In the early 1950s. She began studying visual arts, while working with Hans Hofmann, an Abstract Expressionist painter. Hofmann work would later contribute to Fornes future work (Maria remembers him as an influential artist/teacher to her). -
Inspiration
In 1953, Fornes attended the original production of "Waiting for Godot" by Samuel Becketts in Paris. Fornes didn't understand French at the moment but was heavily inspired from the performance. -
Writing/First Love
Fornes began her first writing of a short story in 1961. During this time she was in a relationship with Susan Sontag (1933-2004). The purpose of Fornes writing was to help Susan's writing block, by opening a cookbook randomly and using the first word of each sentence as inspiration. -
Actors Studio Playwrights Unit
During the early 1960s, Fornes became a member of the Actors Studio Playwrights Unit, she gained many knowledge such as acting techniques from Lee Strasburg and Gene Frankel, using their pursuit of replicating human emotion and emotion authentically, she applied that to her playwrighting -
"First" Play
Fornes actual first play is "La Viuda", or The Widow. Written in 1961, this play was inspired by the letters from Fornes cousin, all written in Spanish. But the play that Fornes considered her first as a playwright was "Tango Palace", written in 1963, showcasing two characters, Isadori and Leopold, struggling between love and hate, the saying "all is fair in love and war" can relate to this play. There are some inspirations from Samuel Beckett's absurdism and Oscar Wilde wit. -
Breakthrough!
Fornes was gaining a huge popularity in 1965. With the successful production of "Tango Palace" and the musical "Promenade" (she wrote the book and lyrics). Even The New York Times critics were astonished for her writing in the "Promenade". In that same year she would win her first Obie award. -
Shift to a Playwright-Director
Although Fornes had already directed some of her previous work, she decided to direct all of her own premieres after the 1973 production of her own play "Molly's Dream" (1968). She used her past experience of being an visual artist for her work as a director. She would collaborate closely with the other designers, sometimes she would design stuff herself. Fornes plays usually had short scenes that captures one single moment. -
Co-Founder of...
The same year, Fornes co-founded New York Theatre Strategy, their primary goal was to provide playwrights space to experiment. She also co-founded the Padua Hills festival and Workshop, they produced new and site-specific works residing in Claremont, California later on in 1978. -
Fefu and Her Friends
Fefu and Her Friends may be Fornes most famous work, the play introduced a more realistic time period in her play. The play follows 8 female character, set in a house in England in 1935, they are rehearsing a presentation they are planning to give for a charity event. The play is recognized for its theme of women's sexuality, feminism, and control. Fornes as well directed the original production, she also had an innovative concept during the time where the audience rotated in the theatre. -
Fornes continuation as a Playwright-Director
During the 1980s, Fornes would continue to release some of her most celebrated work as well. These plays continue to follow the realistic time period and objectives. Mud (1983), Sarita (1984), The Conduct of Life (1985), and What of the Night? (1986) which was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize. -
Period: to
"Mother of Latinx Theatre"
From 1981 to 1992, Fornes taught at the INTAR Hispanic Playwrights in Residence Lab (she founded), and at many other programs. She has taught some well known Latinos playwrights over the time of her teaching. Hence why she is known as the "Mother of Latinx theatre" in the United States for the work of her teaching. -
Resistance to Labels
Fornes goal from teaching was for people write what comes in their mind. She had the mindset of resisting to labels, especially because she is recognized as just a Lesbian playwright. In her response, she believes that being gay isn't something that should make her seen be different, she is still a person. -
Influential
At the HPRL, Fornes has taught and trained over 40 playwrights, whose work has all shaped the Latinx theatre. Her off-off-Broadway theatre plays and experimental practices continue to thrive today as well. Refusing to follow any rules or formulas in her playwriting, and to answer the main question, what does it means to be a human being? -
Letters From Cuba, Final play
The last play that Fornes would write and direct was Letters from Cuba (2000). Letters from Cuba is based from letters her brother Rafael. In the play, it follows three characters, Joseph, Marc, and Fran. Joseph and Marc discuss on how to show their love for Fran. While Fran receives letters from her brother Luis, who remains in Cuba with his wife and son. Luis struggles being separated from his sister, but can't leave. The play explores themes of basic connections and separation between people. -
Accomplishments
From all of Irene work she has produced, she had earned 9 Obie awards, a finalist for Pulitzer Prize in Drama, changing and shaping the way of Latinx theatre, her work describing different topics such as feminist, Latinx, lesbian, and Avant-gardist. -
Diagnosis
In 2005, Fornes was diagnosed with Alzheimer disease, her friends, family, students, and colleagues all were present to care for her. She resided in New York City still, in the Amsterdam House. Her friend, Memran would document her time with Fornes during this time. -
Presenting Fornes
The Theater Practitioner Award at TCG's in Seattle held a presentation of Fornes where one of her former students spoke about her. Eduardo Machado said, "She told us that we were going to change the theater...And none of us would be here without her. She is the architect of how we create theater, how we teach, and the way we lead our lives.” (https://www.concordtheatricals.com/a/2220/maria-irene-fornes) -
Legacy
Overall, Fornes has done a huge impact to theatre today, inspiring many other playwrights. Although many don't recognize that, hence why some people call her the "America's Greatest Unknown Playwright". The elements of "Fornes playwriting method" involve centering movement, guided visualization, basic drawing, found materials, and communal writing. Her work is still preserved by artists and scholars, in which they formed the Fornes institute. -
"The Rest I Make Up"
This documentary is a sensational tribute to Fornes made by Michelle Memran, her friend. The film explores her life living with dementia, while also the friendship embarks with Memran. It follows the past decade of the intimate relationship Memran had with Fornes, and how they both helped each other. -
Death of Maria Irene Fornes
In 2018, Fornes sadly passed away on October 30 in Manhattan. The time before her death, her friend Memran continued to document the ongoing time with her. But the sad truth is that Memran noticed how her friends and family and the theater community slowly started forgetting about her. Because she had nothing else to write, no one would come visit. -
References
https://www.fornesinstitute.com/about/biography
https://www.intomore.com/culture/remembering-pulitzer-prize-nominated-lesbian-playwright-maria-irene-fornes/
https://www.concordtheatricals.com/a/2220/maria-irene-fornes
https://www.roundabouttheatre.org/get-tickets/upstage-guides-current/refocus-year-two/maria-irene-fornes-a-biography/#early-life
https://southfloridatheatre.org/20/event/tango-palace/
https://stageagent.com/shows/play/23521/letters-from-cuba