William Z.

Summers Paper 2EN 300-001

William Z. Summers
11.6.2009
EN 300-001

Paper 3
Take a play and put it in one of the theatre settings. Then justify it.

The greek theatre can be charactized by several features: it’s 3-actor style, it’s intentions

to inspire and represent society at the time, and it’s extraordinary props. For this paper, I

have chosen the play Los Vendidos by Luis Valdez. After much consideration of forums, I

finally decided on the Greek theatre. I believe that Valdez’s play Los Vendidos is best

represented in the traditional Greek theatre. First, it fulfills the right number of actors for

the stage. Secondly, it would be an ideal play for the use of masks. Third, it resonates

with the original intentions of the theatre to inspire and represent social action. Fourth is

the irony and thus ideal use of such a democratic theatre.

The first argument is that of actors. In the original greek theatre, more often than not,

only the characters were present on the stage at any given time. Usually it would be the

same three actors representing multiple characters. What better modern play to exemplify

this than Los Vendidos? In this play, minus a very brief scene at the end, only 3 actors are

present at any given time: the Secretary, Sancho, and whatever “model Mexican” he was

showing at the time. To say the setup for this play would be easy is an understatement

because not setup is necessary. The only modification that would have to be made would

be when the Mexican-American turns on the other 3 “model mexicans” as they start to

scare away the Secretary. But this again is arguable, because in the spirit of the play,

some allowance for a brief instance of 6 characters could be allowed.

The second argument is the props present in greek theatre. Huge colorful mask were

used. This also easily allowed one actor to portray several characters in the play, as

previously discussed. This would allow one actor to portray all 4 of the Mexican models,

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as they are for most of the play not present or acting at the same time. There could be a

different mask for the Farm Worker, Johnny, Revolucionario, and the Mexican-American.

When it comes time for all 4 to act together against the Secretary, 3 more actors could

join for the sake of the brief scene and portray the previously inanimate other Mexican

models. Even further, it must be remember that Sancho has become inanimate as of this

point: the actor potraying Sancho could even slip out of his mask and portray one of the

other Mexicans.

An extension of this second argument is the exaggeration of the greek theare. Given the

size of the theatre, some patrons could not see much from their distance from the stage.

As a result, the actors exaggerated their reactions and expressions to be seen. This is

easily allowed for in this play. Each character has exaggerated and pantomimed features

perfect for such a case: the Farm Worker picking grapes, Johnny being beaten and used as

a human punching bag, the Revolucionario with his cries and rallying, and lastly the

Mexican-American, giving his loud speech and rallying the other Mexican models against

the Secterary.

The third argument for this play is its social aspect. Often in the greek theatre plays were

constructed for 2 reasons: to celebrate or condemn current social issues of the time. Los

Vendidos is not different. We could even go as far as to say this play is even less subtle in

its attempt. This play is a very straightforward commentary on the social issues Mexicans

faced at this time.

The fourth argument would be the irony of the setting. Here we have a play about the

treatment of Mexicans at the time: the inequality and how Governer Reagan supposedly

wanted this Mexican model for nothing more than to have a “brown in the crowd.” What

better setting for irony than the greek amphitheatre. First for the supposed intention of

equality. The theatre was designed so that all patrons could come see the play and it was

built in a half circle, so that each patron has an equal view of the performance. But was it
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really equal? In fact in application it was not, for the best seats near the front were

reserved for the “high class.” The author’s intentions for this play via his own political

views of Mexicans in the United States mirror the greek theatre. Seemingly Mexicans

have the same right as Americans, but in the end it is just an illusion; the Mexicans are

just tools to be used for politics by the Caucasian higher class.

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