Art credit: Carlos Cortez

Of Love and Resistance is a collaborative project by playwright and actor Eric Avilés of Liberation Arts Collective, along with 85-year-old Tomas and his son Claudio Gaete, creating a new play inspired by Tomas and his late wife Sonia's experiences during the Chilean Coup of 1973.  The play delves into Tomas's story as a social-democrat activist imprisoned and tortured as a political prisoner while shedding light on Sonia's strength to hold the family together and fight for her husband's freedom.

The play draws inspiration from letters exchanged between Tomas and Sonia while imprisoned, interviews with Tomas, research on CIA files supporting U.S. involvement in the 1973 Coup, and conversations with other family members and Chilean exiles.  The Gaete family has been integral to every stage of script development, with Eric Avilés writing the script with their final approval.  This project marks a new endeavor in Eric's artistic practice, as he becomes the 'instrument' to tell the biographical story of his elders' experiences.  It was a non-negotiable request from Tomas and his family that only Eric and Arlene Chico-Lugo of Liberation Arts Collective portray him and his wife Sonia in the play, as they have gained their trust as artists.

This play seeks to enrich and expand discussions of democracy by shedding light on the human cost of authoritarianism. We aim to engage diverse communities impacted by political oppression and social activism, including immigrant groups, activists, Chilean survivors and exiles, and their diaspora community.
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Arlene will perform the role of Sonia and dramaturgy. Eric will perform the role of Tomas. Eddie Torres the director of our award winning play “Where Your From?” What You Be About?” will direct ‘Of Love and Resistance.’

TOMAS AGUIRRE-GAETE
Tomas Aguirre-Gaete, born in 1937 in El Salado, Chile. Beginning as a small businessman, he played a pivotal role in organizing the local chapter of la Unidad Popular in his town.  Due to the repressive Pinochet regime, Tomas and his family were forced into political exile in Chicago.  He was employed as a dishwasher, worked on an assembly line at General Electric, and even served as a gravedigger in a cemetery to help support his family.  His last occupation was as a community organizer in the immigrant working-class barrio of Little Village.  Tomas led efforts to build a public high school through strategic actions such as organizing a land takeover and a 19-day hunger strike.  Tomas was a significant member of Casa Chile, a human rights organization in exile, focused on denouncing human rights violations and supporting the families of political prisoners, those who disappeared, and organizers against the dictatorship.  Even after his retirement, he remains an active advocate for human rights, dedicating his time to sharing his life experiences and knowledge with younger generations, emphasizing the importance of organizing for social justice.

CLAUDIO GAETE-TAPIA
Claudio is a "popular education" facilitator/educator, and amateur photographer. In 1976, his family was exiled from Chile to La Villita, one of Chicago's largest Mexican immigrant-working class communities, where he grew up.  Claudio earned a B.A. in sociology at the University of Illinois Chicago.  At the center of his work is an objective to create dialogue through people's stories that reflect what it means to be human.  Three analytical pillars guide his work: the relationship of humans to others, humans' relation to nature, which includes the spiritual realm, and our relationship to the market. Claudio is currently working on archiving the oral history of the Chileno exile diaspora through the Centro De Education y Cultura Popular, which he founded.

ARLENE CHICO-LUGO
Arlene is an award-winning film and theater producer, an award nominated actress, an interpersonal communications specialist and an educator using theater and storytelling to create bridges of understanding for the human experience. She is the co-founder of Liberations Arts Collective working in partnership with her husband, Eric.  Arlene believes in the power of stories to transform the world and has dedicated herself to bringing life to stories yet told. “We must lift up others if we ourselves wish to be lifted.”

Some notable film roles include ("What It Was,” Amazon), Television (Gotham, The Blacklist), and acclaimed theater productions, including "Native Gardens" at Arizona Theatre Company (earning her a MAC Award nomination for Best Actress, Comedy), and "Evensong," (Outstanding Actress in a Leading Role nomination at the New York Innovative Theatre Awards).  As the co-founder of Liberation Arts Collective, she produced the award-winning "Where You From?  What You Be About?" and served as a producer on "Missguidance," a short film addressing the consequences of U.S. immigration policies.   Arlene extends her impact beyond the entertainment industry by creating original devised plays with both youth and adults in schools and community centers.

She is currently working as an Education Case Manager at LaGuardia Community College. 

EDDIE TORRES
Eddie is a theater artist, television actor, and professor. His theatrical work has appeared at The Public Theater, Steppenwolf Theatre, and the Goodman Theatre, among others.

A Chicago native, he co-founded the Teatro Vista theatre in 1990, where he would direct the world premiere of The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity; a Pulitzer Prize finalist, earning Edward the Joseph Jefferson Award for Best Production, and Best Director. He subsequent productions to critical acclaim at Off Broadway’s Second Stage Theatre (2011 Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Play, Obie Award for Best New American Play) and the Geffen Playhouse. 

Eddie performed in the world premiere of Pulitzer Prize Winner Bruce Norris’s play Downstate.

His directing credits include the world premiere musical La Canción (Repertorio Español, Latin ACE Award for Best Musical, Artistas de Teatro Independiente ‘Award for Best Director,’ Macbeth (The Public Theater’s Mobile Shakespeare Unit), The Happiest Song Plays Last by Quiara Alegría Hudes (Goodman Theatre).

June 13th,1938 - May 12th, 2012

Photo credit: Claudio Gaete-Tapia

Sonia embodies the essence of this play: 'Of Love and Resistance.' Her spirit has been our guiding light, ever-present in every endeavor. In profound reverence, we pay homage to our ancestor, Sonia, through this impactful production.

Sonia Gaete entered the world as Sonia Carlota del Carmen Tapia Aranda on June 13, 1938, in Valparaíso, Chile. Seventy-three years later, on May 12, 2012, at 7:15 pm, she peacefully joined her ancestors "en la arena
espiritual."

In 1976, Sonia, along with her husband Tomas and their children, was forcibly displaced from their land, exiled, and sought refuge in Chicago, Illinois, arriving on a refugee visa.

Throughout her life, Sonia exemplified love for humanity through her dedicated involvement in various solidarity activities, supporting young people, women, immigrants, students, and community members from diverse backgrounds in Chicago. Her compassion and advocacy extended to ensuring access to quality education for all, serving as a GED teacher for adults in the community for over 25 years. She also collaborated with Proyecto Hablo to assist survivors of domestic violence within the Latino community and co-founded MEMCH in Chicago to empower Chilean women and organize cultural and human rights events.

Sonia's commitment to youth was evident in her collaboration with PD Juan Huitrado to deliver health talks at San Vito church and her role as a mass reader on Sundays, as well as teaching catechism and preparing parents for baptism. In her professional capacity, she dedicated the last 12 years to coordinating and directing the citizenship program at the Institute of Latino Progress, facilitating the citizenship process for immigrants.

In all her endeavors, Sonia remained steadfast in her identity and principles, imparting upon her children the pride of being Chilean and advocating for justice, love, peace, and dignity as fundamental rights for all to live harmoniously.

Love is a central theme of the play. Sonia and Tomas marry in Copiapó, Chile.

This photo was taken upon their arrival in the United States as exiled refugees. 1976