Arizona Western College's theatre students opened the production of Pssst...I Have Something To Tell You Mi Amor on Oct. 11. PssstÖ started out as a poem but was turned into a play by its author, Mexican-American Chicana novelist Ana Castillo.

AWC student Lance Guzman embraced and directed this dark dramatic play. Guzman has been involved in numerous plays like King of Shadows, Merchant of Venice, but this is his first attempt at directing.

"My expectations for this play are very high," says Guzman, "but, if I don't meet those expectations, I won't be upset because I know I tried and the cast tried very hard."

The two-act play centers on the life of Sister Dianna Ortiz (played by Lesli Soto), who was kidnapped, tortured and raped by U.S.-sponsored Guatemalan security forces. Most of the story takes place in a Hospice recovery room where Sister Dianna is still recovering from the traumatic events she went through twelve years before while in Guatemala.

A series of other characters are presented, most of whom exist only in Sister Dianna's mind. Their dramatic bilingual dialogue creates a thin line between the real and unreal, leaving the audience wanting more.

The play is composed of many monologues, and all the actors flawlessly describe the very graphic descriptions of the events that happened to Sister Dianna. Even though the events are not taking place right in front the audience, the actors' emotions and portrayal of the events give a vivid description of what is happening in Sister Dianna's mind.

"This play deals a lot with the mind," Guzman comments. "I want people to seek the truth instead of just settling." Not only does Guzman bring Castillo's play alive, but his own vision is fulfilled during the show.

Overall, the director, crew and actors do an incredible job in making this story come to life and give the audience a show that is worth the watch.

Another powerful drama by AWCTheatre