Get the post-show conversation going with these Discussion Questions for Frida…A Self Portrait. Be sure to watch the play first so nothing is spoiled for you.
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Vanessa Severo, the writer/performer of Frida…A Self Portrait, feels a deep personal connection to both Frida Kahlo’s life and art. Are there any artists or cultural figures who you identify with or are inspired by? What is it about their life and work that you connect with?
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Frida…A Self Portrait involves extended periods of movement. What elements of the story were conveyed during these moments and why do you think the creative team chose movement rather than words to express them?
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With the publishing of Hayden Herrera’s 1983 biography, Kahlo began her ascent to global icon of Mexican culture, the art world, feminism, and the LGBTQ+ community (not to mention a ubiquitous presence on tote bags and other commercial ephemera). What qualities in her life and art make her story meaningful to such a variety of modern communities?
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Early versions of the play did not include Vanessa speaking as herself. What impact does adding the playwright as a character have on the story?
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When visiting Frida Kahlo’s home, La Casa Azul, Vanessa was disappointed to find she didn’t feel much of Kahlo’s presence left there in what was on display. Have you ever visited a place intending to feel a personal connection to it? Did the experience live up to your expectations or were you also left feeling disappointed?
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At the end of the play, Vanessa shares that a quotation she believed to be from Frida Kahlo, one that meant a great deal to her in inspiring this play, may not actually be Frida’s. And yet, the impact of those words inarguably led to Frida…A Self Portrait. Have you ever had something meaningful to you later turn out to be untrue or different than you first believed? How did the discovery change or inform how you felt?
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