This past Friday, CAST Schools performed ‘Three Years of Fear’ adapted from the book ‘Tafolla Toro’ by Lorenzo Gomez III at the Charline McCombs Empire Theatre. ‘Tafolla Toro: Three Years of Fear’ recalls Lorenzo’s traumatic three years during middle school, and how he was able to overcome said trauma years later. This year’s performance of ‘Three Years of Fear’ featured a unique dinner/theater-style atmosphere and was an evening to remember.
Unlike a traditional play, ‘Three Years of Fear’ opened with Lorenzo himself reading one of the letters he wrote to his younger self from ‘Tafolla Toro’. As the performance concluded, both the cast and crew read aloud their own letters to their younger selves in a moment of reflection and growth. Students were asked about their experiences and perspectives by the audience, and they shared how ‘Three Years of Fear’ helped them realize that they are not alone.
Over the week and four shows, students from the Advanced Learning Academy/CAST Tech Theatre reached an audience of over a thousand attendees to include a performance for middle school students at The Patterson Performing Arts Center in East Central ISD and the historic Charline McCombs Empire Theatre for all 9th-grade students in the CAST Network, Sponsors, and the community at large.
None of this would have been possible without our sponsors and donors. Without their generosity, ‘Three Years of Fear’ would not be what it is today. Thank you to all of our sponsors/donors for helping bring ‘Three Years of Fear’ to life for another year:
PRODUCER SPONSORS
CPS Energy, Charles Butt Foundation
DIRECTOR SPONSORS
H-E-B, H. E. Butt Foundation. San Antonio Area Foundation, 80/20 Foundation, Lisa Lewis
DESIGNER SPONSORS
SAVE Clinic, Plus One Robotics, Texas Research & Technology Foundation, Edwards Aquifer Authority, City Education Partners, SAWS, Jeanne Russell, Mike Villarreal, Nikki Graham
UNDERWRITERS
Frost Bank, Las Casas Foundation
CONTRIBUTORS
Carol Mendenhall, Henry Gonzalez, Marisa Cunningham, Sarah & Paul McLornan, Marisa Perez-Diaz, Stephen and Elisabeth Noteboom
Purchase ‘Tafolla Toro’ by Lorenzo Gomez III here: PURCHASE BOOK
