Rubén Sierra
Rubén Sierra was a notable figure in Chicano theater, recognized for his contributions as a playwright and director who addressed the challenges faced by Mexican Americans in society. Born on December 6, 1946, in San Antonio, Texas, he was influenced by his theatrical family, which included musicians and playwrights. His experiences with racial tensions and poverty motivated him to create plays that reflected the socio-political issues within the Chicano community. Sierra pursued formal education, earning a B.A. in speech, drama, and sociology, and later a master's degree in directing.
After serving in the Vietnam War, he became involved in Seattle's theater scene, co-founding the Seattle Group Theatre and mentoring emerging artists. Over his career, Sierra wrote nine plays, tackling themes of race and prejudice, with his notable works including *La Raza Pura* and *Manolo*. His contributions earned him significant recognition, including multiple awards and honors, establishing him as a respected figure in the arts community until his passing in 1998. Sierra's legacy continues to influence contemporary discussions on race and identity in theater.
On this Page
Subject Terms
Rubén Sierra
Playwright
- Born: December 6, 1946
- Birthplace: San Antonio, Texas
- Died: October 29, 1998
Biography
A pioneer in Chicano theater, Rubén Sierra turned his wit and dramatic talent to the problems confronting fellow Mexican Americans in American society. Sierra came from a theatrical family. One of his great-grandfathers was a musician and playwright in Mexico, and his grandmother was a playwright and actress. Sierra was born in San Antonio, Texas, on December 6, 1946. The racial tension between Chicanos and Anglos and the relative poverty of Chicanos shaped his outlook. When he noted there were few Chicano plays addressing these issues, he decided to remedy that lack by becoming a playwright.
Sierra received his high school education at San Antonio College, graduating in 1967, and he earned a B.A. in speech, drama, and sociology at St. Mary’s University in 1970. After he served in the army in Vietnam for two years, he moved to Seattle, Washington. There, under the mentorship of Tomás Ybarra-Frausto, he joined the Teatro del Piojo (Theater of Lice) and also earned a master’s degree in directing from the University of Washington in 1974. He was a professor of drama at that university until 1979, when he became director of the school’s Ethnic Center. In 1978, he founded his own troupe, the Seattle Group Theatre, and he served as a member or consultant for many organizations, such as the Washington Arts Commission, Ford Foundation, and Rockefeller Foundation. From 1990 until his death in 1998, Sierra was a dean at the California Institute of Arts in Valencia.
All of Sierra’s nine plays examine issues of race and prejudice. His plays were produced in Washington, Utah, Texas, California, Colorado, and Mexico to popular and critical acclaim. His first play, La Raza Pura: Or, Racial, Racial, a loosely constructed multimedia presentation with twenty-five scenes and thirty-four actors, enacted various manifestations of racial conflict, including the problems of an interracial couple, the myth of racial purity, and the darkly comic nature of racial tokenism. The Conquering Father is an allegory featuring a seeker of truth who encounters figures representing history, religion, and politics in a world out of balance.
La capirotado de los espejos reviews the troubled history of Chicanos. Manolo, his most intense and serious work, is a three-act play about the drug addiction of a Chicano Vietnam War veteran and the nature of individual responsibility. The Millionaire y el Pobrecito is a lighthearted play for children. Like Mark Twain’s The Prince and the Pauper (1881), the play tells the story of two boys, the son of a millionaire and a poor child of the barrio, who trade stations in life. I Am Celso, based on the novel Celso (1985) by Leo Romero, relates the adventures and wisdom of a barrio free spirit, drunk, school-of-life philosopher, and storyteller.
Sierra was much honored for his work in the Seattle theater. Seattle Weekly named him Best Theater Director in both 1987 and 1988. He received the Citizen Arts Award from Allied Arts of Seattle (1985), the Governor’s Art Award (1987), and Citizen of the Year Award from the Ethnic Heritage Council (1989).