The work “Comedia Famosa de la Monja Alférez”, written by Juan Pérez de Montalbán in 1625, tells the real story of Catalina de Erauso. The playwright based his play on De Erauso’s fantastic autobiography, “Memory of a Transvestite Basque Lieutenant Nun in the New World.”
To call de Erauso’s story remarkable is to sell it short. Born as a woman in 1592, de Erauso escaped from a monastery, adopted the name Antonio and began dressing as a man. de Erauso jumped on board a ship with conquistadors and fought wars in Chile and Peru for 17 years. King Felipe IV granted Erauso a military pension. Pope Urban VIII gave de Erauso a papal dispensation so he could live like a man.
Mac Test, a professor at the School of Fine Arts, translated the 400-year-old work from Spanish to English for the first time in 2018 with co-translator, Marta Albalá Peregrin. In the fall of 2019, Test hosted his first live reading in Boise with the help of local and visiting actors and Boise State faculty members. During the pandemic, Test worked on the script via Zoom with a theater company in London and directed Boise State theater students who worked on the play remotely with professional actors.
In the summer of 2022, delayed two years by the pandemic, Test brought his translation to London for a week-long workshop at the British American Drama Academy. He worked with the actors all day, then wrote for hours every night, rewriting or reworking scenes.
“Zoom could never match working with actors face-to-face in a room,” Test said. “The energy in the room every day was incredible,” he added, crediting company director Paul O’Mahoney “for bringing together an incredible group of actors who embraced the project wholeheartedly.”
The two-year COVID delay was actually beneficial, Test said, because it allowed the script to “percolate longer.”
“What we worked on in London this summer is a much better script than the one read in 2019, and the final script is much improved over the April 2021 Zoom script. It’s a long creative project.”
It is also multidimensional. In 2018, when Test was doing research in Madrid, he found two pieces of piano music from an 1875 opera based on the original work from 1626. The full orchestral score is lost, but Test asked a musician to re-create a score based on the existing piano pieces. Their next step is to produce a short video, including new music, to promote the play for future productions. Test also has a contract to publish the academic translation of the work. Three gender studies scholars will write essays for the book.
For more information, read a 2020 story about Test’s work and Boise production.
When did Catalina de erauso write her autobiography?
De Erauso wrote his autobiography between 1626, the year the memoirs end, and 1630.
When was Lieutenant Nun written? La lieutenant monja is an autobiography written by Catalina de Erauso around 1626 and first published in 1991.
Is Lieutenant Nun a true story?
The work “Famous Comedy of the Nun”, written by Juan Pérez de Montalbán in 1625, tells the true story of a Basque woman, Catalina de Erauso. Its history is remarkably modern considering its time.
Where did Catalina de erauso live?
Between 1602 and 1603, after years of service in Arellano, Erauso returned to San Sebastian, his hometown, and lived there as a man, taking care of relatives, whom he saw frequently.
How many pages is Lieutenant Nun?
| ISBN-13: | 9780807070734 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Beacon Press |
| Publication date: | 06/30/1997 |
| Edition Description: | New Edition |
| Pages: | 128 |
Why was Catalina de Erauso important?
According to the Peruvian author Ricardo Palma, she was the only Spanish survivor of the battle. Arriving in Lima, Erauso joined the troops headed to the south of Chile to participate in one of the most dangerous campaigns of the Spanish conquest, known as the Araucanian War.
Who was Catalina in Spain?
Catherine of Motril was a former servant of Catherine of Aragon, first wife of Henry VIII. She may have held the key to one of the greatest secrets in Tudor history. In 1531, England and Spain held their breath as pundits debated whether to annul Katherine and Henry’s marriage.
In what ways did Catalina conform to society’s expectations for a male conquistador during the colonial era?
Catherine objectively conformed to society’s expectations of a male conqueror, as Lt. Nun demonstrates. He rose to high ranks in the army and issued stern directives to officers fighting in the field.
Was Catalina de Erauso a real person?
I thought I’d start with Catalina de Erauso, the ‘lieutenant nun’ mentioned by Harriet in The Tale of the Eccentric. He was certainly a real person, and although some of his life experiences in his autobiography cannot be absolutely proven, there is evidence that much of what he claimed about his life happened.
Who was Catalina in Spain?
Catherine of Motril was a former servant of Catherine of Aragon, first wife of Henry VIII. She may have held the key to one of the greatest secrets in Tudor history. In 1531, England and Spain held their breath as pundits debated whether to annul Katherine and Henry’s marriage.
Where did Catalina de erauso live?
Between 1602 and 1603, after years of service in Arellano, Erauso returned to San Sebastian, his hometown, and lived there as a man, taking care of relatives, whom he saw frequently.
What is a Spanish queen called?
The current Spanish constitution refers to the monarchy as "the Crown of Spain" and the monarch’s constitutional title is simply King/Queen of Spain: that is, "King/Queen of Spain".
What is the Spanish royalty called? The titles and styles of the Royal Family are as follows: The occupant of the throne is the King (Spanish: el Rey) or the Queen (Spanish: la Reina), along with other titles belonging to the Crown or belonging to members of the royal family. They have the name of His Majesty.
How do you address a Spanish queen?
Abbreviations
- His Majesty: HM.
- His Royal Highness: HRH.
- The most excellent: the most ext.
- The most illustrious: the sickest.
- The Most Reverend: The Most Reverend.
What is a countess in Spain?
4. Count and countess (Conde y Condesa) A count or countess is another Spanish royal noble title.
What do they call a Spanish queen?
The current Spanish constitution refers to the monarchy as “the Crown of Spain” and the monarch’s constitutional title is simply King/Queen of Spain: that is, “King/Queen of Spain”.
What is a Spanish Lord called?
The ordinary Spanish nobility is divided into six ranks. From highest to lowest, these are: Duque (Duke), Marqués (Marquis), Comte (Count), Viscomte (Viscount), Baron (Baron) and Señor (Lord) (as well as the feminine forms of these titles).
What is a Spanish Lord?
señor in Spanish is âLORDâ.
What is a Spanish marquis?
In Spain, the degree of Marquis/Marquise (Marquis/Marquise) still exists. One hundred and forty-two of them are Spanish adults. A Marquis is usually addressed as “El Senyor Illustre” (Ilustrísimo Señor), or if he is a grandee as “El Senyor Excelentíssimo” (Excelentísimo Señor).
Who was Catalina in Spain?
Catherine of Motril was a former servant of Catherine of Aragon, first wife of Henry VIII. She may have held the key to one of the greatest secrets in Tudor history. In 1531, England and Spain held their breath as pundits debated whether to annul Katherine and Henry’s marriage.
Who was Princess Catherine? Catalina Micaela was the daughter of Felipe II, ruler of the vast Spanish Empire, and his third wife, the French princess Elizabeth of Valois. She was described as beautiful, intelligent, arrogant and well aware of her high social status.
Is Lieutenant Nun a true story?
The work “Famous Comedy of the Nun”, written by Juan Pérez de Montalbán in 1625, tells the true story of a Basque woman, Catalina de Erauso. Its history is remarkably modern considering its time.
Why did Catalina de erauso dress up as a man?
Dressing as a man, de Erauso allowed himself the same opportunities, which must have seemed considerably more attractive than spending the rest of his life in the convent where he had resided since the age of four, the fate of his three sisters.
Where did Catalina de erauso live?
Between 1602 and 1603, after years of service in Arellano, Erauso returned to San Sebastian, his hometown, and lived there as a man, taking care of relatives, whom he saw frequently.
What was Catalina de Erauso famous for?
Catalina de Erauso, also known as the ‘Nun Lieutenant’, was a legendary Basque soldier and duelist in the 17th century. Raised in a convent, De Erauso ran away at age 15 shortly before taking her vows as a nun. Since Spanish society allowed little freedom for women, she began to disguise herself as a young man.
Was Catalina de Erauso a real person?
I thought I’d start with Catalina de Erauso, the ‘lieutenant nun’ mentioned by Harriet in The Tale of the Eccentric. He was certainly a real person, and although some of his life experiences in his autobiography cannot be absolutely proven, there is evidence that much of what he claimed about his life happened.
Why was Catalina de Erauso important?
Once Erauso returned to Europe, he revealed himself as a woman and became a celebrity due to the reputation he created in South America. In 1625 he presented himself to the king and was granted a military pension in honor of his service in Spain.
Was Catalina de Erauso a real person?
I thought I’d start with Catalina de Erauso, the ‘lieutenant nun’ mentioned by Harriet in The Tale of the Eccentric. He was certainly a real person, and although some of his life experiences in his autobiography cannot be absolutely proven, there is evidence that much of what he claimed about his life happened.
Where did Catalina de erauso live?
Between 1602 and 1603, after years of service in Arellano, Erauso returned to San Sebastian, his hometown, and lived there as a man, taking care of relatives, whom he saw frequently.
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