Fort Worth performer Aaron Knowles Dias was on stage one summer afternoon 40 years ago, but nobody could see her.
She was tucked away inside her mother鈥檚 belly like a butterfly inside of a cocoon. Her parents both performed in the 1981 adaptation of 鈥淓l Maleficio de la Mariposa鈥� at Hip Pocket Theatre.
More than four decades later, Dias is playing 鈥淏utterfly鈥� in this year鈥檚 interpretation of the bilingual production.
The play is called 鈥� in English. Her performance and part parallel a full-circle moment for her family.
Mildred Ellis-Farmer, an administrative assistant at Hip Pocket, has seen Dias perform and knows how important the production is for Dias and her family.
鈥淪he was a chrysalis, and now she鈥檚 a butterfly,鈥� Ellis-Farmer said.
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Patrick Dias as 鈥淏oy Beetle鈥� and Paula Knowles as 鈥淪ylvia Beetle鈥� in the 1981 adaptation of 鈥淓l Maleficio de la Mariposa鈥� at Hip Pocket Theatre. (Courtesy photo | Hip Pocket Theatre) -
Audience members line up for tickets at the Hip Pocket Theatre鈥檚 performance of 鈥淓l Maleficio de la Mariposa鈥� on July 7, 2023. (Marcela Sanchez | Fort Worth Report) -
Hip Pocket creative director Lake Simons on the Hip Pocket Theatre stage before 鈥淓l Maleficio de la Mariposa鈥� performance on July 7, 2023. (Marcela Sanchez | Fort Worth Report) -
鈥淓l Maleficio de la Mariposa'' performers during a show. The play is in its fifth run at the Hip Pocket Theatre鈥檚 for its 2023 season. (Courtesy photo | Wesley Kirk)
Dias鈥� father, Patrick Dias, played 鈥淏oy Beetle鈥� and her mother, Paula Knowles, was 鈥淪ylvia Beetle.鈥� Her cousin also performed in the 1981 adaptation, and her aunt crafted the masks.
If you go鈥�
What:听鈥淓l Maleficio de la Mariposa鈥�
When: Gates open at 6:30 p.m. Live music starts at 7:45 p.m. July 14-16.
Where:听Hip Pocket Theatre, 1950 Silver Creek Road, Fort Worth
Cost:听Adult tickets are $25 on Fridays and Saturdays and $20 on Sundays. Reduced prices available for seniors, military, teachers, students and children under 12.
Tickets can be or by calling 817-246-9775.
After the womb, Aaron Dias鈥� next appearance on the Hip Theatre stage was at 8 months old. This year鈥檚 performance is one of her favorite roles and productions.
鈥淚 think the main reason I love it so much is because the role itself just really allows me to bring a lot of my unique gifts as a performer,鈥� Dias said.
鈥淓l Maleficio de la Mariposa鈥� first ran at the theater in the summer of 1981, and now is in its fifth run at Hip Pocket. Johnny Simons, Hip Pocket co-founder, loved the playwright so much that he named his eldest daughter Lorca after Federico Garc铆a Lorca, the Spanish poet and dramatist.
The original play by Garc铆a Lorca was in Spanish. Yvonne Duque-Guerrero, the guest director and a drama teacher at Southwest High School, decided her adaptation would be in English and Spanish.
She worked with composer Darrin Kobetich to musically represent the cultures on stage.
鈥淢y vision and my concept was to honor the Aztec, Mayan and Central American cultures,鈥� she said.
Dias sees the performance as a collaborative process. Each performer had a say in the development of the play.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a lot of amplifying each other and a lot of collaboration. Yvonne creates an amazing environment where it鈥檚 very positive and free to bring things in play,鈥� Dias said. 鈥淭his show is an incredible example of what鈥檚 possible in a Hip Pocket show.鈥�
is a reporting fellow for the Fort Worth Report. Contact her at marcela.sanchez@fortworthreport.org or via At the Fort Worth Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy .