Shattering the Myth : Plays by Hispanic Women

The six plays in Shattering the Myth represent something quite recent to contemporary American literature: the Hispanic female voice. The plays, written between the years 1986 and 1991, have been performed or read in theaters across the United States. Questioned in the six plays are the traditions so deeply rooted in the familial culture of which these playwrights are still a part, and equally explored is their need to reinterpret the inherited customs for a new identity in their present bicultural existence. These playwrights battle the myths and stereotypes that continue to circumscribe the freedom of expression and life fulfillment for Hispanic women. Their plays, indeed, shatter myths and in so doing, are creating a broader, freer space for women's identity and cultural development. Compiled by renowned playwright Denise Chavez, the anthology contains: Simply Maria, or The American Dream, by Josefina Lopez; A Dream of Canaries, by Diana Saenz; Shadow of a Man, by Cherrie Moraga; Gleaning/Rebusca, by Caridad Svich; My Visits with MGM, by Edit Villarreal; and Miriam's Flowers, by Migdalia Cruz.