Island University Commissions, Stages Play Based on Life of Civil Rights Icon Dr. Hector P. Garcia
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – The remarkable life of Dr. Hector P. Garcia, which includes many of the most pivotal historical moments of the 20th century for the Mexican American community, comes to life in an exciting new biographical stage production created by the Department of Theatre and Dance at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi.
Boasting a cast of 16 student actors playing 81 roles, “House Bill 3979 Amendment #10: The Life and Works of Dr. Hector P. Garcia” makes its world debut at TAMU-CC on Tuesday, Sept. 27, with shows running through Sunday, Oct. 2. The play is part of the university’s Hispanic Heritage Month celebration.
The play’s origins first took shape in late 2021 when three TAMU-CC Assistant Professors of Theatre Dr. Thomas Oldham, Meredith Melville, and Marco Munoz received an artist statement from Latina playwright Iraisa Ann Reilly in response to an open proposal call for a commission that was funded by a University Research Enhancement Grant.
“Iraisa Ann had already done a healthy amount of background research, proving how much she cared about the topic and how personally she felt connected to it,” Oldham said. “Iraisa Ann’s writing showed an effective blend of poetry and theatre magic that makes her ideas come alive.”
Based in New Jersey, Reilly said she focuses on creating work that reflects her upbringing in a bilingual household and her experience as a multi-hyphenate Latina. Working on a play about Dr. Garcia required a great deal of research, including reading several books and interviewing historians and friends of the venerable civil rights activist, she said.
“In December 2021, I started out doing as much research as I could remotely, working with Tom and Marco, who were on campus and able to pull some items from the Dr. Hector P. Garcia Papers archive,” Reilly said. “I also spoke with Dr. Garcia’s daughter, Cecilia Garcia Akers. In February 2022, I visited campus for about four days to do a workshop with the students, and I also visited the archives in the university’s Bell Library.”
Reilly visited campus again in June with a partial script in hand.
“I did another week of research and more workshopping with students. I continued to do research remotely until I handed in the final script in August,” Reilly said.
Munoz is the play’s director, Melville is front of house and box office supervisor, and Oldham is the dramaturg, or literary editor who worked with the playwright and director in shaping the play’s storyline. Once rehearsals began, Oldham shifted his focus to the student actors.
“I have been able to provide the cast with images, video clips, and audio recordings for historical context and insight into the daily lives of these real people,” Oldham said. “It’s great to see the students develop as artists, but it is particularly moving to see them make their own personal connections to the history.”
The two-act play provides an overview of Garcia’s life including the founding of the American GI Forum and the landmark Cisneros vs. Corpus Christi Independent School District case from 1970, which led to an integrated school system in Corpus Christi after decades of segregation.
Gabriel Almager ’25, an Islander theatre major, was selected to play the starring role of Dr. Garcia.
“Before I read the script, I knew of Dr. Hector P. Garcia due to the statue of him here at the campus; however, I had no knowledge of the amazing impact he made throughout his life. I was never taught in history class who he was,” said Almager, who is from Midland. “After I was cast in the role, I made it a point to research all the important people he interacted with and the events that occurred during his life; I also visited the Bell Library archives. Doing this research has helped me feel more connected to the story we’re telling and I’m excited to share this knowledge with others.”
The cast also includes theatre major McKenzie McLendon ’23 in the role of Dr. Garcia’s wife, Wanda, and fellow theatre major Issac Lopez Castro ’23 as Hector Perez, a fictionalized character who acts as a “stand-in” for the audience’s perspective.
“I am a little nervous to perform in front of the Garcia family, but I also am excited to be able to show the impact their family has had on our community,” said McLendon, who is from Lampasas, located west of Killeen. “Working on an original script that has such an impact on the community is very humbling and inspiring. It has been an honor to learn more about Dr. Hector P. Garcia and all the great accomplishments he achieved in his lifetime.”
Garcia Akers said the family is grateful to the Island University for its continued efforts to not only honor her father but to share his life in the educational process.
“I feel that each one of these student actors will learn from their participation and have a better understanding of my father’s life and contributions,” Garcia Akers said. “We had a hero amongst us, and we did not even know it at the time.”
Performances are Tuesday, Sept. 27, through Saturday, Oct. 1, at 7:30 p.m. Closing performance is Sunday, Oct. 2 at 2 p.m. All performance will be held at the Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi Warren Theatre. Tickets available at https://www.tix.com/ticket-sales/tamucc/2089.
Island University set to world premiere new play about Dr. Hector P. Garcia
Boasting a cast of 16 student actors playing 81 roles, “House Bill 3979 Amendment #10: The Life and Works of Dr. Hector P. Garcia” makes its world debut at TAMU-CC on Tuesday, Sept. 27, with shows running through Sunday, Oct. 2. The play is part of the university’s Hispanic Heritage Month celebration.
