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‘Perra Puta’ One-Woman Show Explores Latin Identity, Spirituality at Orlando Fringe
Photo: Ana Ferreira Lizama
From comedy to drama and storytelling, some performances at the Orlando International Fringe Theatre Festival encompass multiple genres within a single hour-long show. “Perra Puta Loca Bruja: A Latina’s Reclamation Journey” by Vanessa Codorniu is one such performance, combining spirituality and storytelling.
Honoring Matriarchal Lineage and Wisdom
With her one-woman show, Codorniu creates a space for conversations about identity, ancestry, and the generational wisdom passed down through women. Born in Peru to Argentinian parents, Codorniu said spirituality played a major role in her life because of the matriarchal figures in her family.
“My parents had a family altar, and to me it was alive, the candles seemed to flicker,” Codorniu expressed from the stage. “I talked to the saints, I talked to God, and I talked to nature.”
According to Codorniu, her mother, abuelitas, and great-grandmothers were all spiritual in their own ways, performing egg-cleansing rituals, using natural remedies to heal, and sharing intuitive messages that they received.
Throughout the performance, Codorniu pays homage to the women in her family who helped guide her spiritual journey while encouraging audiences to reflect on spirituality as a whole by exploring how machismo, religious intolerance, and colonization have distanced many people from spiritual practices that remain important in cultures around the world.
A Latina’s Journey to Reclaim Her Culture
One of the ways Codorniu explores that history is by including two of the most important Orishas in the Yoruba religion, Yemanya and Oshun, in the performance. Both figures are associated with the natural power of the ocean and rivers and are known as protectors of women and mothers.
“The reason I honor it is that it’s been demonized. Colonization has separated people from their culture,” Codorniu told Pulp City in an interview after her May 16 performance. “It’s part of our power when we know where we come from, when I know that I’m blessed by African spirits, when I know that Indigenous spirits are with me.”
For Codorniu, spirituality became more than tradition. It became a form of self-understanding. “So my spiritual path was a way to survive, a way to feel like there was something more to life than the everyday,” Codorniu said.
Codorniu’s Performance Triggers Emotional Responses
Codorniu describes her solo performance as “a casual talking with a friend from the altar,” encouraging audiences not only to embrace their own spiritual journeys, but also to lean on the communities around them.
The emotional reaction to the performance was visible throughout the audience. While some attendees wiped away tears, others closed their eyes as Codorniu spoke about ancestry and the power she believes comes from embracing those connections.
“Have patience, have love for yourself, and lean on the older women around you,” Codorniu told the audience. “We need each other, and we have been taught to be ashamed of that, but it’s not good.”
The 2026 Orlando International Fringe Theatre Festival continues through May 25. To learn more, read “Pulp City’s Quick Start Guide to 35 Year Weird” or visit orlandofringe.org.
Mike Synan
News | Sports | Politics
- After two decades in news and politics, Mike Synan is returning to his roots to write Sports as “The Sportsaholic”. Mike hosted a talk show for 6 years on WDBO after Magic home games called “Magic Til Midnight”, and spent years working as an in-game correspondent for both ESPN and Fox Sports Radio. His column “Synan Says” has appeared on both www.wdbo.com and www.floridadaily.com. He has a BS in Political Science from Clemson University. You can reach him at msynan@sportsmail.com
