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The River Bride

Full-Length Play, Drama  /  3w, 3m

Marisela Treviño Orta

Three days before a wedding, a handsome and mysterious man is fished from the Amazon River. Set once upon a time in a small Brazilian fishing village, The River Bride is a tale of true love, regret and two sisters who struggle to be true to each other and their hearts.

The River Bride

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  • Cast Size
    Cast Size
    3w, 3m
  • Duration
    Duration
    90 minutes
  • SubGenre
    Subgenre
    Fable/Folktale
  • Audience
    Target Audience
    Adult
Accolades
Accolades

  • Winner! National Latino Playwriting Award, Arizona Theatre Company, 2013
    Runner Up: The KCACTF Latinidad Playwriting Award, The Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival, 2016

Details

Summary

Once upon a time, in a fishing village along the Amazon, there lived two sisters struggling to find their “happily ever after.” Helena is dreading her sister Belmira’s wedding. The groom, Duarte, should have been hers. And she knows that her sister only wants to escape their sleepy Brazilian town for an exciting new life in the city. But three days before the wedding, fishermen pull a mysterious stranger out of the river - a man with no past who offers both sisters an alluring, possibly dangerous future. Brazilian folklore and lyric storytelling blend into a heartrending tale of true love, regret, transformation, and the struggle to stay true to your family while staying true to yourself.

History

After its development in residency with Alternative Theater Ensemble in San Rafael, California, The River Bride made its world premiere on Feb. 28, 2016 at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival’s Angus Bowmer Theatre in Ashland, Oregon.

Cast Attributes
Keywords
Performing Groups
HELENA – 18, smart and a beauty in her own right, though not as outgoing as her sister Belmira.
BELMIRA – 16, beautiful, frivolous and a bit vain, but charming and adored by the entire village. She is the bride-to-be and has an appetite for adventure.
MOISES – 20-25, charming, handsome and mysterious. Earnest and sympathetic, he’s been searching for love for a long time. Wears a bandage over his forehead, which he never removes. Dressed like a man of property.
DUARTE – 20-25, a good man from a respected family. He is the groom-to-be.
SR. COSTA – Late 40s. Belmira and Helena's father. A fisherman.
SRA. COSTA - Late 40s. Belmira and Helena's mother.

Ages of characters should not be strictly adhered to when casting roles. Feel free to cast older actors who embody the sense of youth needed for each role.

  • Setting

    Once upon a time in a small Brazilian village along the Amazon River.

  • Features Period Costumes
  • Additional Features No Intermission
  • Duration 90 minutes

Media

“An incredibly original and affecting night at the theater… nuanced and well-crafted, and peppered with poetic lyricism.” – Houston Press

“A haunting and beautifully constructed theatrical experience... A work of striking originality… Orta has a wonderful ear for dialogue, and paints complex characters that we care about, and has come up with a modern fable set deep in the heart of the Amazon.” – The Siskiyou Daily News

“A bittersweet dream of love… It’s a simple tale, well told, that invites the viewer to ponder the mysteries of romance. Are there such things as true love, as soulmates, as fate? And where does human choice fit into the equation?” ­ – AZ Central

“A story of folklore, love, resentment and regret... as delightfully entertaining as it fascinating.” – Latin Life Denver

Videos

  • The River Bride at Oregon Shakespeare Festival youtube thumbnail

    The River Bride at Oregon Shakespeare Festival

  • The River Bride at Arizona Theatre Company youtube thumbnail

    The River Bride at Arizona Theatre Company

Licensing & Materials

  • Minimum Fee: £55 per performance plus VAT when applicable.

Scripts

Available Formats:
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Authors

Marisela Treviño Orta

Marisela Treviño Orta

Marisela Treviño Orta’s plays include Heart Shaped Nebula, Somewhere, Wolf at the Door and The River Bride, which premiered in 2016 at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival and has had subsequent productions at Arizona Theatre Company, Stages Repertory Theatre, and an upcoming 2021 ...

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