←Recommendations of Torera

A beautiful and moving piece about the struggle for a dream and to defy gender stereotypes as well as work through family dynamics. Well done!

Monet has a winner here. ‘Torera’ effortlessly tells a story of gender power dynamics and class struggle by weaving it together through the theatricality of bullfighting. The dialogue shines here, and the conversations between Elena and Tanok mirror those of Pastora and Don Rafael, almost telling a generational love story. No wonder it was picked for the Kilroy’s list. This play should be produced everywhere.

This play lives, Monet creates a stunning portrayal of a young Latina wrestling with the machista world around her. She creates a world that is cinematic but still so theatrical. You really feel like you live next to Elena and Tanok. This play is also a director’s dream, with the beautiful sequences of bull fighting.

Years back I just missed seeing Cristina Sánchez in Seville - so here I am. Early on the characterizations of Elena, Tanok, Pastora, Rafael, make clear the stress points that underpin a drama providing good, strong roles throughout. The kaleidoscopic time shifts - 1992, 2006, 1987, 1992, 2006, 2000, 2002, 2000,1992, 2005, 2006 - let us observe all four as they were, are, will be. Legacy, tradition, family secrets, anger, romance, courage, and moments of truth in and out of the ring. Both the tail and the ears for Monet Hurst-Mendoza’s engaging adventure of a girl/woman/hero pursuing her passion.

Premiere Stages, the professional Equity theatre in residence at Kean University, is pleased to recognize “Torera” by Monet Hurst-Mendoza as a semifinalist for the 2019 Premiere Play Festival. “Torera” rose through a competitive selection process conducted by Premiere staff and a panel of outside theatre professionals to become one of 23 semifinalists out of 659 submissions. The panel was particularly impressed by the warmth and complexity of Elena and Tanok’s relationship, the powerful theatricality of the play (particularly the bullfighting scenes), and its exploration of the harm that gender roles do to all people. Our congratulations and thanks to Monet.

It is the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center's pleasure to recommend Monet Hurst-Mendoza and their play Torera as a finalist for our 2018 National Playwrights Conference. The play rose through a competitive, anonymous, multileveled selection process that took nearly nine months to execute. As one of 53 finalists out of more than 1,420 submissions, the strength of its writing has allowed this work to prosper in such a competitive selection process.

I had the privilege of reading this play a few months back and it stayed with me for days. It's got some very beautiful bones and plays with classicism, gender, and also gives us a bit of an education on matadors that the majority of America probably needs. I'm looking forward to seeing where this script goes.

A very touching exploration of the class and gender divide between two friends who share the same dream of becoming matadors. A haunting emotional roller coaster that stays with the reader long after it's over. We're lucky to have this play as one of our Fall Festival Finalists!!