Serafina (Alba Jaramillo) holds her slain lover Juan Oliveras (Anthony Rascon) in Elaine Romero’s El Tiradito.

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Culture, Border History, Human Rights, and the World Premiere of Elaine Romero’s ‘El Tiradito’​

El Tiradito 
​A play about the legend of El Tiradito Wishing Shrine is taking place at the landmark itself from Thursday to Sunday.  The theatrical piece was the result of a partnership between Teatro Dignidad, who commissioned it, the Coalición de Derechos Humanos and the University of Arizona Confluence Center for Creative Inquiry's Fronteridades program. "El Tiradito" was written by playwright and UA associate professor Elaine Romero, directed by Alida Holguin Wilson-Gunn and produced by Alba Jaramillo. Jaramillo is also the play's lead actress. "We are all Tucson-based artists," Romero said. "The play is truly home-grown." Romero's play recounts the legend of the shrine's origin. The shrine is a symbol of spirituality and solidarity in Tucson, especially for memorializing the lives of people who died crossing the desert to the United States. "El Tiradito has been an important part of my own life, and when I was asked to write this play, I felt so honored," Romero said. "And I am so proud. We have a cast of seven people and it's so immersive." Romero said that while they were deciding where to stage the play, they had options for different places but she felt it would be right to hold it at the site. "When you're there, outdoors and you have all the lights, it is so special," Romero said. "I also wanted it to be accessible. In case there's people who maybe do not feel comfortable with going to a theater, maybe they'd feel comfortable coming here to El Tiradito."​

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