The River Bride “Enchants” in Theatrius Review
The River Bride
NOVEMBER 3 – 27, 2022
by Marisela Treviño Orta
original music by Nathan Riebli
directed by Marty Pistone
‘Orta shows two sisters tangled in a love story, but this isn’t your usual fairytale romance. The playwright is asking us questions, in her elegant prose: Would we risk changing our whole life for love? Or, take a perilous leap of faith?
‘Younger sister Belmira (irrepressible Bethany Regan) is about to marry to an easy-going, village-born fisherman named Duarte (hard-working Lorenzo Alviso). Belmira secretly longs to explore the world; she sees Duarte as her ticket out of the tiny village.
‘Her reticent elder sister Helena (pithy Lauren DePass) loves the river, the land, and the sounds of birds—but she also loves Duarte, her sister’s future husband. Even though they have a past together, Helena does not pursue Duarte. Belmira accuses her of being “motivated by fear and not desire,” marking the difference between them, and adding: “I’m not afraid to grab what I want.”’