SANDY ASHER

Mariposa/Butterfly

MARIPOSA/BUTTERFLY is a bilingual one-act play for preschool and early elementary school audiences, co-written with Jose Casas. It requires two actors and a puppeteer, and is easily pourable. Chosen for development as part of New York University’s prestigious New Plays for Young Audiences workshop, it was originally scheduled for workshopping at the historic Provincetown Playhouse in Greenwich Village, NYC, in June, 2020. COVID led to a June, 2021, on-line workshop and public sharing instead, with Jose Cruz Gonzalez directing and Johanna Smith advising on puppetry. The play has since had its world premiere and tour from Trike Theatre in Bentonville, Arkansas, where it will be remounted and have a second tour in May of 2023. A tour is also planned by Majik Theatre in the spring of 2023. See more about MARIPOSA/BUTTERFLY on the Dramatic Publishing Company website at https://www.dramaticpublishing.com/mariposa-butterfly.

SYNOPSIS: Two neighbors live side-by-side in Texas.  A low fence separates their gardens, but much more divides them from one another.  One neighbor grows flowers; the other raises vegetables.  One was born in the United States; the other, in Mexico.  One speaks English; the other; Spanish.  Their differences have kept them so far apart that if one predicts a sunny day, the other is certain of rain.  Even the arrival of a caterpillar causes disagreement — until the resulting mariposa/butterfly and its eventual departure unites them in wonder, in sadness, and in a new understanding of the beautiful world they share.