How hard can it be to make a few tamales? You smear some dough on a corn husk, add a little pork filling and youยre done, right? Well, in Las Nuevas Tamaleras, three young Chicanas try their hand at making the Mexican food staple and find out itยs not so easy. As they bumble around the kitchen, two guardian spirits, Doรฑa Juanita and Doรฑa Mercedes, hover over them, trying to guide the tamaleras along. Things go awry, however, when the doรฑas get into an argument about how to make the perfect tamale. Written and directed by San Antonio playwright Alicia Mena, Las Nuevas Tamaleras runs 8 p.m. Friday, and 6 and 8 p.m. Saturday. Talento Bilingรผe de Houston, 333 South Jensen. For information, call 713-222-1213 or visit www.tbhcenter.com. $10 to $18.
Fri., Nov. 14, 8 p.m.; Sat., Nov. 15, 6 & 8 p.m., 2008
This article appears in Nov 13-19, 2008.