Blood Wedding by Federico García Lorca
Translated by Jo Clifford

Directed by Samantha Van Der Merwe
​October 14th - November 11th 2023

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What people are saying

Blood Wedding was listed as the number one play of 2023 by Willamette Week's Arts Editor, Bennett Campbell Ferguson!
"Inspiring fear and wonder alike, the production was a reminder that few of the city’s theater artists are bolder or cleverer than Shaking the Tree’s artistic director, Samantha Van Der Merwe."
​Read all about it HERE

"Delicious!"

​"Luscious!"

"A must see production!"

"Lorca’s poetic script (translated from Spanish by Jo Clifford) pulses with vivid images as well as lush language that rhythmically repeats like waves in the ocean. By also weaving in numerous songs, the play leads audiences into the realm of a dark fantasy, with sleeping flowers and a weeping horse and a vision of impending death, which Van Der Merwe’s production makes as palpable as the velvet petals and pointed thorns of a rose." -Linda Ferguson, Willamette Week
Read the full review HERE

"You could travel all year to New York and London and never see theater-work more visually and aurally evocative as this production right here in Portland...
​The daydreamy set and its dancy transitions in the play’s first-half (Act 1 & Act 2). And the fractured, nightmarish set with its wandering specters in the second-half (Act 3). The costuming and lighting and audio-ambience of each – so exact, hitting just the precise tone. Luring you (the audience) in – so completely to the logic of each moment. It is hard for me to remember anything – moment for moment – quite so enthrallingly beautiful!" -Jae Carlsson

"Every time I go to Shaking the Tree, I wonder what surprises, delights, and disturbances artistic director Samantha Van Der Merwe and her highly creative crew have in store for us. Federico García Lorca's BLOOD WEDDING, now on stage, has its fair share of all three."
​-Krista Garver, Broadway World
Read the full review HERE

"Lorca’s passionate poetry – full of imagery of flowers, blood, seeds – rises to meet the emotional pitch of the yearning, jealousy, betrayal and vengeance that course through the story. And the presentation here, as directed by Samantha Van Der Merwe, is inventive and gripping, feeling by turns folkloric and fantastical." -Marty Hughley, Oregon Artswatch
​Read the full preview HERE 

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​Step into the hauntingly passionate world of Federico García Lorca's masterpiece, BLOOD WEDDING.
This timeless tale intricately weaves together themes of love, ritual, and fate, delving deep into the depths of human desire and the constraints of societal repression. Set within a close-knit rural community, this theatrical feast immerses you in a captivating web of forbidden romance and generations-old family rivalries. With its evocative poetry, symbolism and imagery, "Blood Wedding" casts a spell that enthralls and transports you into a mesmerizing dance of longing and tragic consequences.

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About Federico García Lorca

​Federico del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús García Lorca, known as Federico García Lorca (5 June 1898 – 19 August 1936) was a Spanish poet, playwright, and theatre director. Lorca achieved international recognition as an emblematic member of the Generation of '27. His major plays include BLOOD WEDDING, YERMA, and THE HOUSE OF BERNARDA ALBA. He was executed by Nationalist forces during the Spanish Civil War.

About Jo Clifford

Jo Clifford (formerly known as John Clifford) is an award-winning playwright, translator, poet, and performer, who has also worked as a journalist and academic. She was instrumental in establishing the reputation of the Traverse Theatre Company in the 1980s. Jo Clifford is the author of over 70 works in every dramatic medium. Her work has been translated into many languages and has been performed all over the world. Her plays include THE TREE OF KNOWLEDGE; SEX, CHIPS AND THE HOLY GHOST; EVERYONE; AN APPLE A DAY; LOSING VENICE; PLAYING WITH FIRE; INES DE CASTRO; LIGHT IN THE VILLAGE; TCHAIKOVSKY & THE QUEEN OF SPADES; and CHARLES DICKENS: THE HAUNTED MAN. Also for the stage, Jo has adapted FAUST PARTS 1 & 2 and ANNA KARENINA, GREAT EXPECTATIONS, LA VIE DE BOHEME and WUTHERING HEIGHTS and has translated SCHISM IN ENGLAND, LIFE IS A DREAM, CELESTINA, THE HOUSE OF BERNARDA ALBA, and BINTOU. For radio, Jo has written SPAM FRITTERS, WRITING HOME TO MOTHER, MADELEINE, and AIN'T IT GREAT TO BE BLOOMIN' WELL DEAD and has adapted BALTASAR & BLIMUNDA. Jo's adaptation of Charles Dickens's GREAT EXPECTATIONS has toured the UK. She lives in Edinburgh and is a former Professor of Theatre at Queen Margaret University.

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Cast

​The Mother Luisa Sermol*
The Bride Olivia Mathews
The Mother in Law Marilyn Stacey
Leonardo's Wife Sammy Rat Rios*
The Maid Josie Seid
The Neighbour Tricia Castañeda-Guevara
Leonardo Orlando Reyes Cabrera
The Bridegroom Rocco Weyer
The Father of the Bride-to-be Bobby Bermea*
The Moon Pedro Adan Dominguez
The Beggarwoman (Death) Jacqueline MacDonald
Girl 1/ Death Shadow Ash Thurow
Girl 2 Ashlee Radney
Girl 3 Carissa Te-Hsuan Chu
Young Man 1 Liam Beveridge
Young Man 2/ Moon Shadow Anthony Michael Shepard

​*Member of Actors' Equity Association

Luisa Sermol

Rocco Weyer

Ash Thurow

Anthony Michael Shepard

Orlando Reyes Cabrera

Josie Seid

Tricia Castañeda-Guevara

Liam Beveridge

Olivia Mathews

Marilyn Stacey

Pedro Adan Dominguez

Ashlee Radney

Sammy Rat Rios

Bobby Bermea

Jacqueline MacDonald

Carissa Te-Hsuan Chu

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The Actor's Conservatory Students
Woodcutter 1 Max Bernsohn
Woodcutter 2 Dean Schmidt
Woodcutter 3 Anthony Eden
Woman/ Ensemble/ Beggarwoman (Death) Understudy Yoonie Cho
Final Scene Girl 1/Ensemble Sela Underwood
Final Scene Girl 2/Ensemble Melanie Sjoberg
Final Scene Girl 3/Ensemble Maryellen Wood
Stage Crew Alex Vue

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Creative

Director & Set Designer Samantha Van Der Merwe
Assistant Scenic Designer Song Sizheng
Stage Manager Natasha Stockem
Assistant Stage Manager Hayley Lamsma
Stage Crew Bela Mast
Dramaturg Pancho Savery
Assistant Dramaturg Sela Underwood
Music Director Joellen Sweeney
Co Lighting Designer Ian McBride
Co Lighting Designer Spencer Fork
Sound Designer Matt Wiens
Costume Designer Paige A. Hanna
Assistant Costume Designer Moth Noriega
Video Engineer Jared Jonas
Technical Director Nate Raphael
Master Carpenter/ Electrician Abby Jacquin
Scenic Charge Artist Alex Meyer
Front of House Manager Kai Hynes

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BLOOD WEDDING is generously supported by The National Endowment for the Arts, The Oregon Cultural Trust, our major donors; Ronni Lacroute, Jessie Jonas, and Ellyn Bye. 
We'd also like to thank the foundations listed below, members of Shaking the Tree's Board, as well as many other individual supporters. To support this show, or any others in our season, please visit our SUPPORT page.