The River Bride
NOVEMBER 3 – 27, 2022
Monroe Stage
by Marisela Treviño Orta
original music by Nathan Riebli
directed by Marty Pistone
Glowing Reviews
“A mesmerizing, [Brazilian] folktale of heartbreaking romance…” — Times Standard
“We really enjoyed the show…the set and visual effects were very immersive, the story line was great, and the acting top notch. We were super surprised at what an amazing night we had. We come up all the time from the Bay Area and are always looking for things to do. It allowed our family to connect in a way that other entertainment just doesn’t allow for. We’ll definitely come again!”
– Brett Tearney, Oakland, CA
“I brought my 13-year-old granddaughter to experience her first live play. It did not disappoint. The play was a delightful experience for us to share, thank you for keeping the art of theatrics going.”
– Jennifer, City of Santa Rosa
“The show was fascinating. I loved the set and stage craft. I found it believable that I was in the Amazon. I’m still pondering the play and want to research its origins and the playwright. I have season tickets with 4 other people and we had a very lively discussion after the play. I always like a production that inspires conversation! Thank you.”
– Sheila, Petaluma, 10+ year patron and season subscriber
Sisters entangled in the catch of love!
Once upon a time, in a secluded Brazilian village, days before a young woman’s wedding, a wedding her older sister dreads, fisherman pull a handsome, mysterious man from the murky Amazon River—a man with no past—who offers both sisters an alluring, possibly dangerous future.
An enchanting blend of Brazilian folklore and modern poetic storytelling, The River Bride offers an emotionally riveting and vivid sensory experience underscored by original music in native rhythms and ethereal dance.
Written by a third-generation Mexican-American poet/playwright, Marisela Treviño-Orta, the show premiered at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in 2016. It has since been produced by professional theatre companies across the United States and the U.K. to great acclaim.
In the News
The Story
A Poetic Folktale that Will Sweep You Away!
Once upon a time, in a secluded Brazilian fishing village, there lived two young women, dependable Helena and her ambitious younger sister, Belmira. It is three days before Belmira’s wedding, a wedding Helena dreads. The groom should have been hers!
During a fierce lightning storm, instead of a net of fish for the wedding banquet, the groom and his future father-in-law pull a handsome, well-dressed man with a bandaged head from the murky Amazon River. Where did the unconscious man come from?
Assuming the man fell from his boat, the family tends to him in their home. The bride immediately sets her sights on the mysterious man. Surely, he would take her far away from the backwater village and show her the world — but he only has eyes for her quietly suffering older sister.
The romantic stranger is direct in his courtship. He has to be, because he can only stay for three days before returning to his lonely life.
What is that tale about the river dolphins, the boto?
Production Photos
Featured Cast
Lauren DePass
Lauren DePass (Helena) returns to 6th Street Playhouse following her role as Jane in Pride and Prejudice. Some of her favorite roles have been Cinderella in Into the Woods, and Kristine in A Chorus Line. She spends her free time singing around the house, watching TV dramas, and thinking about the human condition. She has a B.A in Theatre Arts Loyola Marymount University.
Bethany Regan
Bethany Regan (Belmira) played Rosalie in Real Women Have Curves earlier this year. She splits her time between Sonoma County and LA, where she has appeared in TV and films including, True Blood, I (Almost) Got Away With It, and Demon Protocol. Bethany is an award-winning standup Comedian. Since winning her first competition, The Us Comedy Contest preliminaries in Los Angeles, she went on to win Best Comedian in the Best of Livit Streaming awards.
Terrance Smith
Terrance Smith (Moises) is an actor new to 6th Street Playhouse. He won a Shellie Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance as Sam in Brooklyn Bridge at Town Hall Theatre in Lafayette. He received Shellie nominations for Best Supporting Actor in a Musical in their A Civil War Christmas, and Best Actor for his performance of Helena in B8 Theatre’s gender-swapped A Midsummer Night’s Dream. He played Richmond in the African-American Shakes’ production of Richard III. Terrance voices the coolest locomotive alive, DJ Train Trax, on the Netflix cartoon series, Go! Go! Cory Carson. Follow Terrance on Instagram: @youngtsmith23
Lorenzo Alviso
Lorenzo Alviso (Duarte) is a Sonoma County-grown Bay Area actor and vocalist. Past roles include Raoul in The Phantom of the Opera, David in Company, Prince Herbert in Spamalot, Brad Majors in The Rocky Horror Show, and John Worthing (Ernest) in The Importance of Being Earnest. Lorenzo is proud to be part of this incredibly beautiful show, and thanks the directors, producers, artists and community members who listen more, empathize more, seek more, and invest in art that shines on diverse and truthful stories of the people who live them every day.
Daniel Villalva
Dan Villalva (Sr. Costa) saw Luis Valdez’s El Teatro Campesino perform in his hometown when he was thirteen and got the theatre bug. He was admitted into the political theater troupe after studying Dramatic Art at UC Berkeley. Dan toured with the Teatro performing the role of Jesucristo / Quetzalcoatl in their signature play, La Gran Carpa de Los Rasquachis, at the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles and the Chelsea Westside Theater in New York City. Dan has applied the joyful creative spirit he learned with El Teatro Campesino in his life roles ever since.
Jannely Calmell
Jannely Calmell (Sra. Costa) trained at College of Marin and has been performing in the Bay Area since 2014. Her recent work includes A Doll’s House Part II at Novato Theater Company, Sylvia at Ross Valley Players, A View from the Bridge at Shelton Theater, and The Wolves at Marin Theater Company. Jannely would like to thank the cast and crew for all their hard work in putting this wonderful show together and the audience for supporting the arts.
More Cast Member(s)
Jasmine Williams (Helena Understudy) previously played Helen Robinson in To Kill a Mockingbird at 6th Street Theatre. She attends SRJC and is striving toward her Associate’s in Theatre. She is also a Recreational Leader at the YMCA. She currently lives in Sonoma with her parents and Husky, Nova. She is appreciative of her friends and family’s love and support, and wishes to express her gratitude to everyone who contributed to making The River Bride a fulfilling event in her life.