El año en que naci, by Lola Arias, was a fabulous play.

It was a very well structured story with brushes of music, colors, diversity and the use of a sarcastic humor to convey collective pain that defines a generation in that far corner of South America, Chile.

I am writing this while also reading in horror about the current terrorist attacks at Westgate mall in Nairobi.  I’m literally stunned, and am alternately pouring over every photo I can find and keep turning my computer off in shocked sadness. Obviously I can’t really comprehend what is happening.  And then I remember the shootings less then a week ago at the Navy Yard that seem to have shuffled out of the news cycle.  And Syria. 

I can’t take it.

My first experience of it was reading a biography of Trotsky. I was fourteen and I had taken a deep interest in figuring out just what was this "evil empire" I kept hearing about from my Hollywood-trained POTUS.

By Nilki Benitez

Last week, I had the opportunity to speak to Lola Arias, Argentine writer and director of El Año En Que Nací (The Year I Was Born). We spoke on the phone and discussed her current works, her beliefs and how she puts her spectacular performance pieces together.