Glow up: Vortex Theatre brings Rudolfo Anaya’s 'The Farolitos of Christmas' to stage

Rudolfo Anaya’s “The Farolitos of Christmas” is like a snow globe — shake it, then watch as the scene unfolds through the glass orb, revealing tradition, family, community and love.

The Vortex Theatre is staging the theatrical version of Anaya’s 1995 book from Friday, Nov. 22, through Dec. 22.

The story follows the journey of a young girl who hopes to bring light and joy to her northern New Mexico village.

Much of the story is autobiographical, Vortex liaison Leslee Richards said.

“He grew up in a very small New Mexico community (Santa Rosa) that this reflects,” she added. “The northern New Mexico community has a great tradition of farolitos.”

Anaya’s story first appeared 30 years ago in the Los Angeles Times. It recounts timeless Hispanic and Native traditions that continue in New Mexico to this day, including the reenactments of revered Nativity stories, Los Pastores (the shepherds) and Las Posadas. Las Posadas commemorates the journey that Joseph and Mary made from Nazareth to Bethlehem in search of a safe refuge where Mary could give birth to the baby Jesus.

In the play, a 13-year-old girl named Luz lives with her grandfather and mother while her father is away during World War II. Each year on Christmas, her grandfather builds a luminaria (bonfire) out of piñon wood as a promise to Santo Niño. Santo Niño is a saint who protects Luz’s father while he is away at war. Her mother is busy working on the Manhattan Project at Los Alamos. The bonfires attract Los Pastores as they walk to church, keeps them warm as they sing prayers, and eventually leads them into Luz’s house for warm posole. The act of serving Los Pastores pleases Santo Niño.

But this year, Luz’s grandfather is sick and cannot work outside to create the luminarias. Luz tries chopping the wood but she isn’t strong enough. She worries about her father’s safety and wants to help her grandfather keep his promise to Santo Niño.

Luz watches a storekeeper pour sugar in the sparkling light. She devises a plan to create small luminaries out of paper bags, called farolitos.

These incandescent flames signal the way for the shepherds to find the Christ child.

“There’s lot of traditional New Mexico music in the play,” Richards added.

Director Ray Rey Griego promises a performance that will resonate with audiences of all ages.