Leandro Airaldo

I don't know who I am, but I can remember Leandro Airaldo

Verónica wakes up in a deserted coffee shop. The place is also a theater stage. She speaks to an invisible customer sitting next to her, and she speaks to an invisible audience. Then she recalls what has happened: there's been a party, a kiss, a runaway. Something has changed her life forever. Her words mingle trying to knit some sense, an attempt to build up a memory in an unknown landscape. This is what the author says about this edition: "I don't know who I am, but I can remember" makes reference, I guess, to a sense of alienation or estrangement from the world, from oneself. It actually originated in a mirror image. One morning, I had just come back home from work -those days I used to do the night shift at a hotel-. I looked at my reflection in the bathroom mirror and I got scared. I didn't see myself, let us say, what I saw in the mirror was something else. No, I wasn't under the effects of any substance that might alter my senses. I was tired, oh yes I was. I can recall two words: "animal trachea". I don't have the slightest idea why those two words. I don't know what led me to see what I saw -rather what I could not see. Today I say to myself that I experienced an "animal track". Anyway. Attempting to explain such a thing, in the foreword of a book, might become a ridiculous thing to do, embarrassing, even - a smug look. The best way I've found to quite convey the essence of that moment is probably through the story of Verónica, the main character of this play. Leandro Airaldo graduated as a Playwright at the Metropolitan School of Performing Arts. He also got a postgraduate diploma in playwriting from the School of Arts (University of Buenos Aires). He has obtained several awards for his works: Trinidad Guevara Award to the Best Newcomer in the Male Category for his play Enamorarse es hablar corto y enredado (inEnglish, Falling in love is speaking short and messy). Argentores 2017 Award to the best play for adults (same play). This play achieved the Top Award in the Playwriting category, and received a special mention for Stage Director, in the World Theater Awards Premios Teatro del Mundo granted by Centro Cultural Ricardo Rojas from the University of Buenos Aires. His text "Abrakadabra" received a special mention in the IX edition of Germán Rozenmacher Award for New Playwriting. His script "Enamorarse es hablar corto y enredado" obtained the first place in the Transatlantic Playwriting Competition within the High Season Festival of Timbre 4 Theater Center. His script "Disparos artificiales" was the winner to the 2 nd National Contest of Microfiction 2017 - IX SEMINAR ON MICROFICTION, at the 43 rd Book Fair in the City of Buenos Aires. He has coordinated stage writing classes, privately, remotely and in several institutions and cultural entities, among others: Paco Urondo Cultural Center (City of Buenos Aires), Mandala Cultural Center (Ituzaingó, Buenos Aires), University Cultural Center (UNAM-Mexico City), Hispanoamerican Cultural Center (La Habana, Cuba), Seat UNAM-LA (Los Angeles, United States), INAE (National Institute of Performing Arts - Montevideo, Uruguay). Author's website: www.escriturateatral.com