La mujer desesperada (1993) : "Una mujer desesperada" is a play about domestic violence in which a woman and her daughter are at the mercy of the new husband/stepfather who is an alcoholic and an abusive person. The piece was produced by Sna Jtz'ibajom, the theater company that Isabel Juárez Espinosa and Petrona de la Cruz Cruz were a part of before they founded FOMMA in 1994.  View the video

Migración (1996) : "Migración" tackles the issues that result from an increasingly common phenomenon in which indigenous people leave their subsistence farms in order to seek higher paying jobs in nearby cities. The loss of support from communities, the racism and discrimination indigenous people face in the cities, and the disintegration of relationships in the face of new hardships are all themes explored within the play. The performance is followed by a Q & A. View the video

La vida de las Juanas (2001) : "La vida de las Juanas" portraits a group of women who, in search of a better life, leave their community to try their luck in the city. After they are cheated and mistreated by the people they encounter in the city, they meet a woman who directs them to an institution in which they can participate in different workshops and learn to speak louder and defend themselves.  View the video

Víctimas del engaño (1998) : "Víctimas del engaño" deals with the issue of domestic migration and the challenges experienced by a man from a small town who, despite the fact that his wife does not follow him, decides to try his luck in the city. The play narrates the hard life of this man in the city, where people are involved in fraud but also where strangers help him. He finally meets a woman and commits to her, denying the existence of his former wife; he finds comfort in his new family and even builds a successful business.  View the video

Échame la mano que te pagaré (2000) : "Échame mano que te pagaré" is a play about community building and the exercise of rights within the field of economy as seen in different situations that are connected in the play. After being repeatedly cheated in regards to commerce and money loans, a group of women decide to follow the lead of a friend and attend the workshops offered at FOMMA where they learn the necessary tips to not be deceived again. The video includes interviews with Isabel Juárez Espinosa and Petrona de la Cruz Cruz.  View the video

Amores en el barranquito (1999) : "Amores en el barranquito" is a tale about a young couple in love and how the way they live their lives (especially the woman's following of her husband's desires without being able to question them) leads them into hardship. As the play develops the situation worsens when the couple's children grow up: their future is jeopardized, for there are too many family members to take care of. The play acts as an invitation to reflect on issues of family planning and how responsible planning could ensure that each family member gets access to food and education.  View the video

Conchita desconchada (1997) : "Conchita desconchada" tells the story of Conchita, an elderly woman in search of a home. The word- play in the title references the lack of shelter that the protagonist, Conchita, suffers after she is thrown out of the house that she shares with her daughter and her husband (in Spanish the word "concha" means "shell" and the prefix "des" means "deprived.") The piece narrates Conchita's pilgrimage from a small town to the city, to which she arrives in search of her son, who rejects her. She then meets a woman who offers her a job as a caretaker of her father. Finally, it is Conchita's granddaughter who takes care of her and brings her back to Conchita's son's house, as she is thrilled to learn about her roots and to re-connect with her community.  View the video

La voz y la fuerza de la mujer (2001) : "La voz y la fuerza de la mujer," collective creation by FOMMA directed by Doris Difarnecio, presents the role of women in electoral politics. Don Zacarías and Doña Carmelita are the two candidates that are competing to represent the people in the upcoming elections. Zacarías' relationship with his prospective voters is patronizing and disrespectful, while Carmelita has closer ties with the women in the community, a relationship that includes open dialogue and empowerment. Through a flashback, the play narrates how Carmelita, from being part of a family who did not allow her to get an education, became a political leader following her strong will. She ends up winning the elections and the rest of the women are inspired by her example to demand their right for equality, education, and political participation and leadership.  View the video

Crecí sólo con el amor de mi madre (2001) : "Crecí sólo con el amor de mi madre," collective creation by FOMMA directed by Doris Difarnecio, is a story about self-improvement and empowerment within a dysfunctional family in which the women, a mother and her daughter, have to deal with the challenges of living with an alcohol addict. The play shows how, mainly because of the mother's efforts, the family overcomes the difficulties and the daughter can lead a better life when she becomes a teacher.  View the video

La bruja monja (2003) : Image

Soledad y esperanza (2005) : Fortaleza de la Mujer Maya (FOMMA) is run by Petrona de la Cruz Cruz and Isabel Juárez Espinosa in Chiapas, Mexico. Their programs educate indigenous women and children in Tzeltal, Tzotzil and Spanish as well as offering an extensive array of vocational skills and theater workshops. FOMMA also provides services like childcare, women's rights education and healthcare. Partly based on Isabel's life, their play "Soledad y Esperanza" is the story of two young indigenous sisters who have suffered physical and emotional abuse throughout their lives. Esperanza dreams of an education and of life in the big city. But her older sister Soledad denies her the chance to go to school and instead forces her to work as a maid for a dominating mestiza in the city. Despite the challenges she faces in this environment, Esperanza falls in love with Juan, the gardener. Once they're married, Juan and his new family return to his community, where he owns fertile lands that promise economic stability. Their happiness is short-lived, however, as Juan is brutally murdered by enemies who desire his property. Esperanza, alone and pregnant, sees no future in staying there. She decides to leave on an uncertain journey towards the border, dreaming of a better life. This piece, a collective creation by FOMMA directed by Doris Difarnecio, was performed at the Francisco Nunes theater in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, as a part of the 5th Encuentro of the Hemispheric Institute of Performance and Politics, titled "Performing 'Heritage': Contemporary Indigenous and Community-Based Practices."  View the video

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