At first, the people on stage look like any other group of SF State students. Clad in everyday clothes such as baby-pink Converse sneakers and “I Love Puerto Rico” T-shirts, they begin to stride purposefully across the stage.

As they begin, singing out words of love and revolution, a deeper reality becomes clear. The power of their message shines through as they begin their rehearsal anew, determined to get every detail right.

It’s all in preparation for “Poeta Pan,” a live performance featuring drama, dance, music and shadow theater that will take over the Little Theatre March 10-12, months after playing to enthusiastic crowds in Chile. Presented in Spanish, with optional English translation, the performance is dedicated to the memory and work of Pablo Neruda, a highly influential Chilean poet.

"Neruda is considered by many to be the best poet of the 20th century,” said Carlos Baron, a Raza Studies professor at SF State. “As a Chilean, (Neruda is) maybe the number one figure in our cultural history."

Baron wrote, co-directed, and is featured in the piece, inspired by his meeting the poet during his boyhood in Chile.

“Focusing on the poetry of Neruda … in the harsh times that we live in, is a call for piece and mutual understanding,” he said. “And we very much need it.

“And I figured SF State was particularly well-suited to do it.”

The piece’s title offers a clue to the influence and power of Neruda’s work.

“Poeta Pan means bread poet, and it's basically the association of Neruda to bread,” explained Baron.
“He talked about bread as an essential element to the life of men and women.

“(Neruda) talks about his poetry like bread. Poetry that serves people in their struggle for a better life, and the struggle for bread. He wanted his poetry to be accessible, and comforting and filling like
bread."

The performance will also feature music by SF State music lecturer John Calloway and Rafael Manriquez, and the choreography of dance lecturer Wendy Diamond. Richard Talavera co-directs the piece with Baron.

The play comes to SF State with an impressive pedigree--it played to packed houses at the Mission Cultural Center, and most recently played to enthusiastic crowds in Chile. The Chile shows were sponsored by SF State, the Rafael Cintron-Ortiz Cultural Center of the University of Illinois, the

Directorate for the Chilean Communities Abroad, and three universities in Chile.

“It was amazing...it was more than I could have ever expected,” said Amanda Martinez, a performer in the cast. “The whole project really came into context once we were in the country.

“I realized that the play was much bigger than we ever could have imagined, and it meant so much more. It was so important, the message that we were putting across, that it really became bigger than us.”

“We were kind of shy about going out there,” said Dulce Baron, Carlos Baron’s daughter and a performer in the play. “We didn't know how they were going to receive us, but in the end … the people received us so well and (embraced the show) with such open hearts and arms.

“It was wonderful. It was one of the best experiences I ever had in my life.”

A recent rehearsal showed off just some of what the performers will do during the March shows. The rehearsal had the performers going through their paces, offering up some mesmerizing moves, music and material in between fits of laughter and expert direction from Baron.

Though the play has been featured in several different places, the performers are still challenged by a few aspects of the material - like the play being performed entirely in Spanish by performers of varying abilities.

“It’s really hard,” said performer Juan De La Rosa. “I speak Spanish…but it’s so different from acting in English. It’s such a dramatic language, it almost feels like you’re over-acting.

“Like, ‘Maria! Fernando!’” De La Rosa said with a laugh. “Soap-opera style. It’s really challenging, and I’m really grateful for the opportunity and for the challenge.”

Doing in the play in Spanish also has its rewards, even for students who didn’t previously speak the language.

“Because it's done all in Spanish, it's something that we're really very proud of,” said performer LeAnne Sharp. “(We’re) really excited because it's something new for the theater department, and I think it's a new step for us because it's really embracing that we are a really diverse culture here on campus.”

Baron said he hopes the play will introduce a new generation to poetry, as well as the works of Neruda. It has worked for many members of the cast.

“I knew nothing about (Neruda),” Sharp said. “Just by doing this play I became so much more acquainted with him…I really have a deeper appreciation and love for the man.”

De La Rosa agreed that the play has furthered his knowledge and respect for Neruda.

“I didn’t know who he was. Never heard of him,” De La Rosa said. “Whenever I told people (about the play), I was like, ‘Hey, do you know who this Neruda guy is?’

“And they’d be like, ‘Oh my God! His poetry is amazing! You’re going to love him!’ And now I know who Neruda is. Certainly, I’ve gained an appreciation. It’s so amazing the way he expresses his emotion.”

Presented by the Teatro Acoiris, the play will be performed in the Little Theatre at 8 p.m. on March 10 and 11 and at 2 and 7 p.m. on March 12. Non-Spanish speakers are encouraged to arrive early, as English-translation headphones are only available for the first 39 people.