1. Sangre de un Ángel
by Roxanne Schroeder‐Arce
Director
Chris McCoy
An educational resource packet for teachers
“Porque, porque te fuiste
Sin decirme adios
No vi cuando caiste
Ya estas en los cielos
Tu eres mi bebito
Y todo mi amor
Le pido a dios que te cuida
Porque mi chanca ya vuelo”

2. Plot Synopsis
Sangre de un Ángel, while broaching issues of immigration,
acculturation, and identity, tells the story of a Latino teenager who
finds himself involved with a gang, leading to an unlikely tragic death.
When his mother has had enough, Juan offers to take in his teenage About the Playwright
brother, Ángel, thinking he can guide him to make stronger decisions
Roxanne Schroeder‐Arce comes to
about school and his future. Ángel resists the help, looking to his Emerson from California State
friends for approval. He is lured back to school by a caring teacher, University at Fresno where she
and eventually begins to open up to his family, but it may be too late. served as Assistant Professor for
three years. Before Fresno, she was
The bilingual play, incorporating both Spanish and English, is inspired
Artistic and Education Director of
by the true story of Adam Chapa, who was shot in his driveway by a Teatro Humanidad in Austin. She
teen gang member in East Austin, Texas. also taught high school in Texas for
six years. One of Roxanne's primary
artistic and research interests is
that of bilingual theatre with and
Common Phrases in the Play for youth. Her bilingual plays have
been produced throughout the
Con su acento No lo entiendo nation. Her plays Señora Tortuga
With an accent I don’t understand and Legend of the Poinsettia are
available through Anchorage Press
¿Dónde está? No sé nada Plays. Roxanne is an active member
Where is he/she? I know nothing of The United States Center for the
Está ocupado ¿Qué paso? International Association of
He is busy Theater for Children and Young
What’s up People and the American Alliance
Gracias, mi amor for Theatre and Education.
Yo también, pero
Thank you, my love
Me too, but...
Spanish
Después after
Vocabulary Mami mom
Aqui here Mijo darling
Abuela grandma ¡Mira! Look!
Abuelo grandpa Otravez again
Bebita darling Papi dad
Basura trashcan TÍa Aunt
Cálma la chill out TÍo Uncle
Chisme gossip Vato dude, man
Pictured above, from left to right: Alyssa Gomez,
Comida food Vendedor salesman Andy Blaustein, and Miguel Septien
¿Verdad? Right?

3. Culture and Society in the 1990’s
Gang Life Statistics
•Sangre de un Ángel, is set in the mid 90's in Chula
Vista, outside Los Angeles, California. •There are approximately
•Street gangs increased rapidly in the US throughout 24,000 gangs in the U.S., with
the 1990s. about 750,000 members
•The States with the •In the 1970's, 19 States
largest number of gang‐ reported gang problems; •Ethnicity: 47% Hispanic; 31%
problem cities in 1998 were by the late 1990's, all 50 African‐American; 13% white;
California (363), States and the District of 7% Asian; 2% other
Illinois (261), Texas (156), Columbia had reported
Florida (125), and Ohio (86). gang problems. •It is estimated that 39% of
gangs have at least one female
member; Only 2% of all gangs
are entirely women
•59% of all homicides in 2001
in Los Angeles and 53% in Chi‐
cago were gang related,
totaling 698 gang related
homicides in the two cities
combined
Discussion Questions
Pictured above, from left to right: Caitlin Green,
Lucinda Harris, Evan Rhoda, and Vinny Cueva
Can you describe a time you had to
make a choice between your
Proposition 227: June 15th, 1998 friends, and your family?
Official Title and Summary prepared by the Attorney General In what ways is peer pressure
ENGLISH LANGUAGE IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS. INITIATIVE STATUTE. present in your school?
Requires all public school instruction be conducted in English. Who are your role models?
How are you a role model to
Requirement may be waived if parents or guardian show that child already knows someone else?
English, or has special needs, or would learn English faster through alternate
instructional technique.
Have you, or anyone you’ve known,
Provides initial short‐term placement, not normally exceeding one year, in intensive been personally affected by gang
sheltered English immersion programs for children not fluent in English. violence ?
Appropriates $50 million per year for ten years funding English instruction for How are cliques part of your
individuals pledging to provide personal English tutoring to children in their school’s culture?
community.

4. The Process
Sangre de un Ángel is part of an experimental theatre for
young audience’s class at Emerson College. Every
performer and workshop leader is a student in the class,
and contributed their first half of the semester in their own
classroom, working toward creating and producing the
tour. Playwright, Roxanne Schroeder‐Arce is a theatre
education professor at Emerson, and conducted the class
as a progressive workshop for her original play.
Cast
Ángel …….....…….. Evan Rhoda Pictured above, from left to right: Lucinda
Harris, Evan Rhoda, Vinny Cueva
Juan ………….. Miguel Septien Educational Team
Julia ……….. ..Linnea Rodriguez Roxanne Schroeder‐Arce, Assistant Professor
Jaime ………….. Andy Blaustein Gina Colella, Workshop Manager
Alyssa ……...…… Alyssa Gomez Nicole Mongeon
Fabiola …………... Abigail Vega Ian O’Malley
Johnny ……….…... Vinny Cueva Nathaniel Taylor
Jesus ………...…. Lucinda Harris Nicholas Vargas
Paco ……………... Caitlin Green Courtney Wrenn, Teacher’s Guide Designer
Albert ……….. Nathaniel Taylor Molly Zervoulis
Production Team
Director………………...Chris McCoy
Assistant Director…Nicole Mongeon
Stage Manager………..Eliza Mulcahy
Dramaturg....……. Cheyenne Postell
Master Carpenter…….. Ian O’Malley
Tour Coordinator.….Nicholas Vargas
Costume Designer…. Molly Zervoulis
Pictured
above, from left to
right: Andy Blaustein, Emerson Stage Mission
Miguel Septien, and
Abigail Vega To enhance the cultural life of Emerson College and the larger local community
through the presentation of meaningful, diverse and multicultural programming that
upholds high artistic standards and a commitment to open-minded cultural exchange.