Water People Theater: The Delicate Tears of the Waning Moon Opens 9/11

Water People Theater, the resident theater company at the Instituto Cervantes of Chicago since 2019, is delighted to announce its upcoming production in collaboration with its host institution. The play, titled "The Delicate Tears of the Waning Moon" ("Las delicadas lágrimas de la luna menguante"), is penned by Rebeca Alemán and directed by Iraida Tapias.

Performed in English with Spanish subtitles, the production will run at 7 p.m. on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays at Instituto Cervantes of Chicago (31 W. Ohio St.) from Sept. 11 to Oct. 4. For tickets, visit waterpeople.org.

Inspired by true events, “The Delicate Tears of the Waning Moon,” addresses the issue of the relentless violation of human rights against journalists who strive to report the truth.

This moving play follows Paulina, a dedicated Latin American journalist and advocate for victims of femicide and indigenous communities, as she emerges from a coma after a brutal attack. She needs to recover her memory and reveal the truth to achieve justice. The only thing she remembers is that she has a mother and a daughter. Rodrigo, an American journalist, by her side, makes unimaginable efforts to assist her.

The cast features Rebeca Alemán (Paulina) and Eric K. Roberts (Rodrigo). The director is Iraida Tapias. The design team includes Marisabel Muñoz Rodriguez (Set, Props, and Costume Design), Karen Wallace (Lighting Design), and Stephanie Rodrigues (Projection Design). Dante Padilla is the videographer & photographer for the production.

“I hope this production, rooted in real events, profoundly moves the audience. I want them to leave the theater with a powerful realization: behind every statistic lies a human story. History often shows us where we must stand; it’s up to us not to falter,” says playwright/actor Alemán. “The play humanely reveals the horrific cruelty of abuse of power and the far-reaching consequences of corruption” adds director Tapias. “It doesn’t just take lives—it shatters families and impacts everyone who fights to tell the truth. Justice, freedom and democracy need all our voices.”

“The Delicate Tears of the Waning Moon” premiered to critical acclaim at the Steppenwolf 1700Theater in Chicago in 2019. Said Chris Jones of the Chicago Tribune, “…any journalist seeing this show is going to have a visceral reaction, as well as admiration for its exploration of the compromises and deficiencies of courage that often beset even the best newsrooms.” Kerry Reid of the Chicago Reader says, “Playwright and actor Rebeca Alemán has written an often poetic script about a horrific story of violence against women and, in particular, against women journalists, in a Latin American country.” This past July, the play was presented as part of Repertorio Español in New York City.

Tickets are $30; $25 for Instituto Cervantes members, seniors and students. Seating is general admission. For tickets visit waterpeople.org. Please note: this play contains adult language and themes. This 90-minute drama is presented in English with Spanish subtitles.

Art Installation: “Victims in Search of Justice”

As an integral part of the play, the audience will engage with an art installation, conceived and produced by Water People Theater and curated by Marisabel Muñoz in the gallery of Instituto Cervantes of Chicago. Diverse faces, poems, videos, phrases, and statistics come together, forming a powerful image that highlights the urgent need for justice for the thousands of journalists who have lost their lives for simply doing their job. Many of them died for daring to expose government corruption and abuses of power. Others paid the ultimate price for courageously giving a face and a name to the vast statistics on violations and femicides around the world—killed simply because they were women. It will also be open to the public during the following hours: Monday to Thursday, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.; Friday, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.; and Saturday, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. Admission to the installation is free.