California: The Tempest – Arvin, Lamont and Weedpatch
California: The Tempest
Arvin, Lamont and Weedpatch
These three towns in south Kern County are agricultural communities that produce table grapes, peppers, onions, peppers, lots of carrots and a little cotton. Arvin is a city of about 20,000 people and Arvin High School, founded in 1949, is a hub for the area with enthusiastic alumni. Lamont, north of Arvin, is unincorporated & has about 15,000 residents. Weedpatch, between Arvin and Lamont is a tiny neighborhood with major history as the landing place for Dustbowl families working themselves out of poverty as farm laborers. “Weedpatch Camp” is still active seasonal housing for farm workers. All three towns are known for this dustbowl history, primarily Latino populations, the farmworkers movement of the 1960/early 70s, the birthplace of the baby carrot, and the best handmade paletas ever at “La Michoacana #2” on Bear Mountain Blvd.
Performances: September 4, 5 & 6, 2014,
in the gymnasium at Sunset School
8301 Sunset Blvd, Weedpatch, CA 93307 (View Map)
8:00pm Curtain. Plenty of parking.
Tickets are Pay-What-You-Can (Suggested donation $10)
Call to reserve your seats: 1-800-578-1335
Bring non-perishable goods for a community food drive!
Local Partners and Advisors include:
South Kern Sol
Sunset Middle School
Local resident Gabriel Garcia of Arvin is in the touring cast of California: The Tempest. He was the assistant director for Cornerstone’s previous local production and joined his mother and brother in the cast onstage as well.
In 2012, Arvin was the location for Cornerstone’s 9th Institute Summer Residency. Will MacAdams wrote Flor after spending considerable time with residents of Arvin, Bakersfield, Weedpatch and Lamont. The play explored commonalities in the experiences of the people of the Dust Bowl migration of the 1930s and the more recent migrants from Mexico and Central America. Supertitles were used to translate both languages spoken onstage. Arvin High School staff and administration generously hosted the performances in the auditorium there. Community partners and advisors included SouthKernSol.org, FIELD Arvin Learning Center, Arts Council of Kern, Don Burkett, Maria Mercado, Javier Arreola, the Garcia Family, the Martinez Family, Nina Pickett Carter, Larry Hallam, Gene Lundquist and Dr. Jim Young.