San Diego’s longest-running professional theatre production is celebrating its 23rd anniversary this year, but Lucifer is sneering. The F. Scott Fitzgerald-quoting Prince of Darkness and his minions are making plans to ruin Christmas.
“La Pastorela del Cielo,” the newest in Teatro Mascara Magica’s award-winning series of Mexican-inspired Christmas musicals, once again features the timeless battle between Lucifer’s forces of evil and Michael the Archangel’s champions of goodness set in today’s world of chaos and hope. Angels and devils do battle in 2013 disguises including zombies, the Lone Ranger and Tonto, Captain Kirk and Spock, and the Man of Steel. Even the Great Gatsby throws a party, Old Sport.
“La Pastorela del Cielo” is a contemporary borderlands twist on the traditional story of the shepherds’ journey to Bethlehem to witness the first Christmas. Called to action by Archangels Michael and Gabriel, the shepherds face temptation and danger from evil Lucifer and his nasty crew. The bilingual script is primarily in English with Christmas carols sung in Spanish.
Written by Dr. Max Branscomb and directed by William Virchis, “La Pastorela del Cielo” runs Dec. 12-15 and 18-22 at 7:30 p.m., and 2 p.m. Dec. 14, 15, 21 and 22 at the Lyceum Theater in Horton Plaza. Tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for students, military and groups and $7 for children under 12 or groups of 10 or more. For reservations call (619) 544-1000.
The Spaniards brought it to Mexico in the 1540s and it became that country’s most popular form of theatre. More than 2,500 variations are produced south of the border. Almost every city, town and village in Mexico has its own version of la pastorela.
A pastorela is the tale of the shepherd’s journey to Bethlehem to witness the first Christmas. It is the B-plot of the nativity, a journey fraught with temptation, distraction and mortal peril as the devils try to prevent the shepherds from reaching their special destination. It is a traditional morality play full of choices and introspection, but presented with levity, music, beautiful costumes and poetic dialogue. Pastorelas are written entirely in verse, like a Yuletide Dr. Seuss story.