San Antonio Latina punk band Fea is contributing new music to Fabulous Monsters, a play making its world premiere at the Public Theater of San Antonio on Friday, Feb. 24.
Set in late 1970s as the punk revolution swept the Los Angeles music scene, the play follows two Latinas who meet at a band audition, start their own group and find fame nearly overnight. However, the pair eventually grow apart and pursue different musical roads — one goes pop, while one sticks to her punk guns.
After reuniting roughly three decades later, the former bandmates repair what's left of their turbulent friendship and reconcile to rock out on stage once again.
The story focuses on the oft-overlooked contributions of Latinas to punk, which isn't limited to the late-'70s or to Los Angeles. Playwright Diana Burbano, a Colombian immigrant living in Southern California, chose to set the story in LA but expects it to resonate in San Antonio as well.
Indeed, elements of Fabulous Monsters mirror the real-life story of Fea, whose core membership is comprised of drummer Phanie Diaz, bassist Jenn Alva and vocalist Letty Martinez. Since rising from the ashes of indie-rock outfit Girl in a Coma in 2015, Fea's uncompromising Latina take on punk has earned it mentions in Rolling Stone and on NPR — not to mention a prominent shoutout from punk godfather Iggy Pop.
Prompted by a suggestion from performer Keli Cabunoc Romero and the Public's Executive Artistic Director Claudia de Vasco, Burbano, a Fea fan, reached out to the band to commission music for the production. The lyrics were already written as part of her script, so she tasked the trio with coming up with music to bring them to life. Adding to the challenge, the music had to be reproduced as part of the productions with the actors playing the songs and singing the lyrics.
"Fea is so excited to contribute the music to this story that is all at once hedonistic, spiritual, raunchy and emotionally deep," Diaz told the Current. "We look forward to seeing the songs come to life."
Yet another thread connects Fea to the production. The Public's resident music director, Jaime Ramirez, once played with former Girl in a Coma member Nina Diaz. Although the play takes place in LA, he hopes Fea's involvement will help drive home the performance for San Antonio audiences.
"Diana [Burbano] wanted authentic-sounding punk, and that's about as authentic as it gets," he said.
Ramirez said he wants to see the performance connect with San Antonians on multiple levels, even including the set design. For Fabulous Monsters, the Public's Cellar Theater will be transformed to look like a rock club, complete with walls covered in band flyers, which Ramirez is sourcing from SA clubs.
Also adding to the authenticity is the performance of the music itself. The production will feature a live three-piece band backing the cast, which includes Josey Porras, Marisela Barrera, Noelle Elise Mefford, Ginger Gamble Martel, Alyx Irene Gonzales and Mark McCarver.
Putting live instruments in such an intimate space — the theater only seats about 60 — requires the performers to deliver a sound that will capture punk's energy without overwhelming the audience. The producers are close to deciding whether to present the music with acoustic or electric instruments, Ramirez said.
In a recent rehearsal featuring real drums and electric guitars, people sitting in to watch described the outcome as "loud, but a good loud," Ramirez added. "That's kind of the goal, especially in a space like that."
$15-$45, 7:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 24-March 19 (additional showtimes available online), The Public Theater of San Antonio, 800 W. Ashby Place, (210) 733-7258, thepublicsa.org.
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