Fearless Women, Champions Of Change: Beatriz Zapata, Shining A Light Through Her Art

By Carolina de la Cajiga

When Beatriz Zapata Medinilla visited her aunt as a child, she went straight to her closet, pulled out a coat, a dress, and high heels—each enormous for her five-year-old frame. Nevertheless, she dressed up, haphazardly wobbled around the house, waved her tiny hand, and declared to everyone that she was going to the theater. Coincidence or fate? Either way, Beatriz is now a renowned actor in México and Switzerland. She may not be physically imposing, but her stage presence is undeniable. It takes courage to deliver complex dialogues with the power and poise that Beatriz brings to every performance. "I never imagined becoming an actor until the ’70s when I joined a theater workshop at Pedro Loredo’s modeling school, a famous Mexican fashion designer. I was hooked, and my life was forever changed," she recalls.

Next, she attended UNAM’s (México National Autonomous University) Culture University Center, where she studied under Maestro Roberto Sen and eventually joined his theater company, Lepanto. "Meeting Sen—an extraordinary actor and teacher—was a turning point in my life. From there, it was all about practice—lots and lots of practice."

Her latest performance, Yo, Anna Politkovskaya, by Jean Greneau, which Beatriz translated, tells the story of the fearless Russian journalist who, despite relentless threats and violence, reported tirelessly on the Chechen war in the late ’90s until her assassination in 2006. Beatriz recently performed the play at Shelter Theater and El Sindicato, here in San Miguel. "Politkovskaya’s fearless fight for justice, even at the cost of her life, has deeply influenced me," Beatriz says emphatically. She has also lived an adventure straight out of one of her plays—absurd, unexpected, and unforgettable. While visiting a friend in Lausanne, Switzerland, a stranger sat uninvited at her café table. "Out of nowhere, he asked for my phone number. I ignored him, but he persisted. Eventually, I relented. I told him I was returning to México and gave him my contact information. For months, he called—until one day, he knocked on my door and asked me to marry him. We lived happily—not forever, but for ten memorable years." Upon returning to México, Beatriz searched for a place to settle near México City, where her daughter and grandchildren live. Guanajuato City was her first choice, but she didn’t feel the “fire” or connection she was hoping for. Disillusioned, she stopped in San Miguel de Allende to rethink her plans.

"From the moment I arrived, I knew San Miguel had that special something—plus the culture I had been longing for. And on my very first day, I found my home!" she says, a twinkle in her eye. That was eight years ago.Since then, Beatriz has become a fiercely happy sanmiguelense. She strikes up conversations with strangers on the street or on the bus—many of whom become lifelong friends. "My son says I didn’t choose San Miguel—it chose me." But her passion isn’t limited to performing. Beatriz also writes, adapts, and directs. She’s currently reworking three plays she wrote and presented in Switzerland. Pero si bailo con Pepe (But If I Dance with Pepe) tells the story of two childhood friends who reconnect decades later. As they reminisce about their marriages, they make a shocking discovery—they have both been victims of physical and psychological abuse. “This is a reality for 70% of women worldwide, regardless of social status or nationality,” Beatriz explains. "My goal is to shine a light on this terrible reality. It’s essential for women to seek help at the first sign of violence, and for men to break free from the toxic patterns they may have grown up with."

Though Beatriz prefers dramas, she’s also working on Tommy Died, a comedy of misunderstandings with an unexpected twist, and The Patio, another sharp-witted play. "I’m looking for experienced actors to bring these works to life: two women, 45 to 60, and two men in the same age group, plus a woman and a man, 25 to 30." Beatriz is eager and ready to direct again.

But there’s more to Beatriz than theater. Before COVID, she taught poetry at the Municipal Library, free of charge. She is also deeply engaged in social and political causes, as an active member of Morena and a passionate advocate for environmental protection—fighting against an open-pit mine in Dolores. The humanitarian crisis in Gaza has devastated her, and she has joined the ‘San Miguel for Palestine’ group to promote a peaceful resolution.

For inquiries, you can contact Beatriz at beatrizap1011@gmail.com or via WhatsApp at +52 561 381 3366