Baño de Luna (Bathing in the Moonlight) by Nilo Cruz

Truth. It speaks to all of us and we know it when we feel it. Inescapable and undeniable truth. Theatre brings out the human condition, yes. But it does so revealing truths that are difficult, if not impossible, to deny. Personally connecting with those truths unlocks compartments of the soul that, sometimes, we never knew we never knew. Such is the case with Nilo Cruz’s new work “Baño de Luna”, set in the U.S., but among Cuban exhiles. For me, the play seemed like a tango between the 1984 movie Camila and a play about the struggles of exhiles in the US adapting or not adapting, to a new way of life. The story of a priest falling in love is nothing new. It’s a subject matter that, quite frankly, is sort of cliché. The idea of exhiles, and Cuban exhiles, at that, has been a topic of discussion in South Florida, at least, since the first half of the 20th century. So, for me the play itself wasn’t something I considered very fresh, but there were moments when the play did resonant with current social vibes and offered commentary for further consideration.

Flyer for the Production by Arca Images

            This Miami premiere occured in the Black Box Theater at the Miami-Dade County Auditorium. I’m learning that this venue is very fruitful for latino and latin-american theater within Miami. Both domestic and international pieces of theater occur here. It’s a versatile space. Nilo Cruz straddles his residence between Miami and New York, so it was a treat to have this new production in Miami. The world premiere occured in the McCarter Theater in New Jersey, and won the Greenfield Award in 2016.

Nilo Cruz, the playwright. Photo Credit: Difusión

The acting choices and directing were clear except for the interaction between Martina, Marcela’s mother, and Taviano, who it appeared played her former spouse. When Taviano appears after a long stay at the university, his mother confuses him with her late husband. However, when Taviano appears later, all dressed in white, and acts like the former husband, he cannot kiss her. It looked as if Taviano was playing the role of his late father for his mother, and that’s why he couldn’t kiss her. That would be like the game going a bit too far. But then later  (SPOILER) he appears and takes Martina with him to live in the great beyond. So, because Taviano looked so similar to his father, they used him again, dressed all in white, to be the late father and husband. It was clear by the end,, but it was not clear the first time he appeared on stage. Other than that, though, the acting was superb. Really. The matriarch of the family, Martinela, is played by Teresa María Rojas who has been described as “una leyenda del teatro en Miami” (“El Nuveo Herald”). It was a treat to see her before she bids adieu once and for all to the limelight.

Elenco de ‘Baño de luna’: (desde la izq.) Carlos Acosta Milián, Joel Hernández Lara, Ariel Texidó, Teresa María Rojas, Andrea Ferro, Claudia Valdés, el autor y director Nilo Cruz y la productora Alexa Kuve. PEDRO PORTAL pportal@elnuevoherald.com

Two scenes left an indelible impression on me. To give my reader some context, Father Monroe has fallen in love with Marcela, one of the members of his congregation. This is the underlying plot for the play. Their precipitous love was sparked when Marcela decides to practice the piano at church. Marcela had a piano, but the family decided to sell it in order to, among other things, keep up appearances, as well as pay for her younger brother’s, Taviano, college education. It is during one of these practice sessions that, in another location within the church, Father Monroe and Father Alberto discuss Monroe’s vertiginous feelings toward Marcela. The background music of the piano kept Marcela’s presence so palpable during this scene. Father Monroe asks Father Alberto, his superior, if, as celibate clergy, they might have distanced themselves too much from the nature of their composition as men. Personally, I agreed with Father Monroe, but, much to my surprise—and delight—Father Alberto took advantage of the current situation and asked Father Monroe to hear the slow, methodic piano music coming from Marcela. He then asks, “Isn’t music far removed from our nature?” Yet it is the same music that enveloped Father Monroe into an enraptured state of desperate love for Marcela. Both Monroe and Alberto had valid perspectives. Carnal nature of man and the edifying nature of the arts and religion were put in clarifying juxtaposition. Yet for Father Monroe, both sides pulled him toward Marcela. I was truly thankful for that surprising, honest, and conflicting argument. I’ve heard an interpretation of Nilo Cruz’s plays as placing the arts as having some sort of redemptive power. I can see this soundly in Baño de Luna from the previously described scene, as well as understanding how music is what provoked Father Monroe’s journey with Marcela.

Marcela and Father Monroe. Photo Credit: Álvaro Mata

The second thought that underlined the play was the idea of expanding our borders, if not entirely destroying them. Father Monroe, a self-declared progressive clergyman, sermonizes at the beginning of the play about extending borders to include others is needed if the church is to stay relevant. He refers to a passage in the New Testament wherein Christ remarks: “In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you” (John 14:2). Father Monroe’s take on that passage of scripture was that there is plenty of room for all in Heaven. Therefore, to emulate the way Heaven treats its citizens, fellow congregation members should also allow spaces to exist for all around them as well. At the end of the play, this theme returns in full force as Marcela consoles Father Monroe in their new relationship. She says that he may have lost a place in the house of God, but he will always find a place at their home. In short, she put into practice the very same words Father Monroe preached at the beginning of the play. Thus, everything comes back full circle.

Overall the play was a treat—one of those treats that you’ve had time and again. It may get old, but sometimes you just can’t quit it. Crunch. Crunch.

Los monstruos

My first production at the International Hispanic Theatre Festival. The festival is one of the main reasons I came to Miami. Where else can I get such top notch quality theater in Spanish, than in sunny Miami. This particular production of "Los Monstruos" comes from the Compañía Criolla in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Emiliano Dionisi wrote this musical at a playwrighting conference, which lasted three months. He's acquired quite a CV as a playwright and director. I learned this information during the talk-back session after the show, moderated by Teatro Avante's director: Mario Ernesto Sánchez. The play is reminiscent of God of Carnage, written by Yasmina Reza, and originally produced in 2006. Accordingly, the subject matter is about societal expectations of parents, parents who have a hard time dealing with their kids' behavior, and the ultimate breakdown of the parents in the face of conflict. I find it a little conflicting that the subject matter is such by a young playwright who is not a parent. But hey, everyone can branch out a bit. And, this musical won a lot of awards in Argentina.

Here "Los Monstruos" won the award for best musical in the 2016 Premios Hugo. Photo by Alfredo Luna.

The play follows the lives of a single dad, Claudio, and his son, paralleled with a mother, Sandra, and her daughter (the dad is a deadbeat who is only referred to). Claudio was played by Argentine actor Mariano Chiesa, while Sandra was played by Argentine actress Natialia Cociuffo. Both have "exceptional" kids: "Ni peor, ni mejor...distinto". Obviously, this is in the eye of the beholder. It's true. Each parent tends to believe their children are unique and outstanding. But their uniqueness creates problems at school. We learn that the dad has a problem with his son because he doesn't defend himself and others bully him. The mother has a hard time with her tomboy daughter who is invited to parties out of "pity". Each parent tries to make the best with their current situation, but they begin to unravel as the play develops. Eventually, the father snaps, and we learn at the end that instead of a life-threatening fight at school, he's actually the reason his son is in the hospital. On the other hand, the mother is in the hospital, awaiting the recovery of her husband, because her daughter pushed him down the stairs. At the end, we learn that the parents are the ones with the problems, and not so much their children. Or, their children were to become a product of their parenting. Either way, it's definitely not a happy ending.

Mariano Chiesa as Claudio, next to Natalia Cociuffo as Sandra. Photo taken from: El Mostrador, Argentina.

The scenery is exactly what you see in the picture above. It's rather simple, which, for me, is always welcome. I like this minimalist feature because I can focus on the acting and the dialogue. There's nothing worse than watching a flashy spectacle with absolutely no story. And there was a story here! If I could add a little more, on top of the minimalist stage, they never left the small square that encapsulated them during the entire musical. Much like God of Carnage, mentioned above, as the play progressed, the parents slowly opened up to the audience and revealed their innermost desires for fame, sexual satisfaction, etc. It was like watching a boxing match where the players bloody themselves verbally more and more, reaching the climax when one is knocked out.

I have to be honest. When I see productions like these, it makes me reevaluate my own position as husband and father. Their kids, on the surface, are everything to them, but underlying it all is their forgotten selves. You could almost argue that their children become their obsessions that end up hurting both their children and themselves. After seeing this production, I've reflected on moments when I raise my voice or get frustrated with my children. How far away am I from becoming like them? It's a scary thought, but I at least find solace in the fact that I can reflect on this development before it is too late. And yes, my kids mean the world to me. And yes, they are special.

Sublime Decisión

I finally have an evening to escape from the plethora of amazing activities Mester in Salamanca has put together for my 2 week course for Spanish professors. Luckily, this week is the "Festival Internacional de las Artes de Castilla y León". Not so luckily, there are very few theater pieces to see: two to be exact. Oh well. "No llueve a gusto de todos" ("you can't please everyone") as one of my professors said here.

Flyer for the Arts Festival

Tonight's production was "Sublime Decisión", an overtly didactical feminist play, at the Teatro de la Comedia in Salamanca. This play was originally produced in 1955 by Spanish playwright Miguel Mihura at the Madrid theater "Teatro Infanta Isabel". All the actors of this production, directed by Pablo Málaga, belong to the company "En Verso" ("In Verse"), promoted by the "Universidad de la Experiencia" (University of Experience), a government inititative with the University of Salamanca, for citizens 55+ in the region of Castilla y León. If I were to offer some type of production comparison for the United States, I would categorize this as a "community theater" piece.

Outside of the "Teatro La Comedia" in Salamanca

Flyer for the production of "Sublime Decisión"

In "Sublime Decisión" we follow the life of Florita, played in this production by Isabel Ortiz de Zarate Gorbea. Florita aspires to more than being only a coquetish girl on a balcony, awaiting a suiter to snatch her up. She aspires to work, to do more with her life. The year is 1895, and we are in Salamanca. For women in Spain during th 19th century, to pursue a career was almost impossible, and definitely socially awkward. Take, for instance, Emilia Pardo Bazán, an incredible writer from Galicia who was denied entry into the Real Academia Española, not for her indubitable talent, but for the simple fact of being a woman. Florita confronts her society with her dreams. She eventually persists enough to be placed in a government position that is completely sexist. But, true to melodramatic works, she clearly outperforms the men and makes them feel humiliated. She is the "underdog" with pure talent. However, with time, she is eventually sacked from her job, even though she is the best at it, and even though the other men have problems with her. It's completely unjustified, but what could you expect from 1895 when, in comparison, we have an idiot like Trump who continues to make hostile comments about women and menstrual cycles? But enough about that...

Florita at work

But the government office is not where the majority of this play occurs. We are privy to the conversations of Cecilia, Florita's sister, their mother, the aunt, and the two neighbors who gossip like crazy. That was my favorite part of the play. There were moments when it felt like I was actually watching a real conversation. In other words, a lot of the dialogue felt real, as opposed to other moments when the dialogue was a bit forced. Let me give you an example of forced dialogue here. When Florita was fired, right before she leaves she turns back and says "Adiós a mi sueño". I mean, it's obvious. We don't need to hear it to confirm it.

At the end of the production a sort of "deus ex machina" tool was used, and Florita was offered a position to oversee the new ministry of women and put only women to work in that ministry. She denies, yet again, the advances of her suitor, and dedicates her life to her work. This is when she confronts the audience to say that this decision was "sublime".

The ladies gossip about Florita

Now, if I may, I'd like to add just a few criticisms concerning this particular production. I'm not sure if it was the directing or the limitations of the space, but the lighting and the music truly bothered me. For example, the sound system made me jump in my seat at first. Then, they had some strange jazz/pop selection like something straight out of "Moulin Rouge (2001)" that played between major scenes. Concerning the light, there were moments in which actors whole faces were blocked by the curtain and, subsequently, were in the dark. However, they did well with what they had. I'd imagine this was sort of a shotgun performance for the arts festival, so they probably didn't have a lot of time to sort through technical aspects of the play in this particular theater. 

The actors during their final bow (Florita is next to the guy with the white blazer)

It doesn't seem like theater is very popular here. There are two productions during the whole festival, and very few options in Salamanca. Maybe I'm just here during the "off" season, though. For this production, the small house was maybe a quarter to a third filled. But anyway, it was a fun experience. I'm grateful for the time and talents that went into this production.

Cosas pequeñas y extraordinarias (Small and Extraordinary Things)

It is going to be difficult to see another drama on this trip that will be more visually and emotionally brilliant. Images of this play continue to percolate in my head, and I am still held in a sense of awe and wonder at the creative brilliance put into this masterpiece. In fact, while I was watching the play, I was thinking to myself, this is going to be one of those plays that will be reproduced for decades to come. I felt like I was in the middle of history in the making. But enough about my afterthoughts. If you will permit me, let me describe this majestic drama.

We originally went to see this production on Saturday at the Teatro Galeón at the INBA (Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes), but it was sold out. We ended up seeing another piece of theater, which was a pleasant experience, but not much to write about. Then we bumped into Fernando Bonilla and Valentina Sierra, who were able to find a way to get us in to the production on Sunday afternoon. Mind you, the production ended on Sunday, so we were able to see the last production before they went on tour.

Centro Cultural del Bosque, next to the Auditorio Nacional. Photo Credit: Pim

From the beginning, while waiting to enter the theater space, the actors mingled with the kids who were waiting to enter. There was also a special program for children with a small book with activities and a small story asking the children questions about how they would react if they had to move to another country. According to Tim, Daniela and Micaela work well with theatre for younger audiences. After seeing this production, I concur! The mise-en-scene was fantastic. They used a projector to put different things on two projector screens throughout the play. For example, they projected grandma's letters, moving water with blue dye, Emma's room, and other experiences. Also, Jacobo Lieberman created original music and sound for this production. More and more I am learning that background music in plays, when used in creative and effective ways, can be a deciding factor between a moving experience, or something close, but not quite enough. Finally, all four of the actors, Daniela Arroio, Micaela Gramajo, Sergio Solís, and Mario Eduardo D'León were stellar. At every moment of the play I was enraptured by their characters and, not once, taken from the story.

Kids in Emma's new home playfully tease her because of her strange jacket in such a hot climate.
Photo from TipKids

The subject matter of this play is immigration and refugees, but more importantly, how this affects the lives of children. The story follows the life of an eight year old girl, Emma, played by Micaela Gramajo, who loves collecting "cosas pequeñas y extraordinarias" (small and extraordinary things) in her small community. Because where she grew up was cold, she always wore her investigting coat with 22 pockets. This is where she would keep the things she found until she could place them in her museum. She keeps a pocket book where she documents when, where, and how she finds the things she collects. This was a beautiful part of the story, because it showed us the innocent, excentric, and exploring nature of children.

We begin to learn about her community's troubles when, at the beginning of the play, she asks why her parents stopped taking her to see her uncle. Then, we learn that things are becoming more dangerous in her community. She can only go from home to school and back each day. Finally, her parents decide to flee the country. They must leave their family, community, friends, etc. to find a safer place to live. For Emma, though, her grandmother and uncle, as well as her little museum of small and extraordinary things.

Emma's Museum of Small and Extraordinary Things.
Photo taken from Ángel Fuentes Balam's article in Ciudad Ocio

When Emma moves with her family to a new country, the climate, language, and customs are very different. For a girl of eight years, she finds her new home terribly different, and decides to stay inside her room. She misses her grandmother, with whom she continues to write and receive letters. The actresses asked an older lady to read the letters from her grandmother throughout the play. My goodness it was beautiful. Even the lady who read the letters found it difficult to read them because of the sentimental value of writing a close relative who you can no longer see.

The family arrives in the new country. Mother and daughter roles are different from what we saw.
Photo Credit: Yazmín Ortega. 

But, soon after Emma's arrival, a cat arrives, played by Sergio Solís, and befriends her. He learns about her museum, and, because a cat's nature is also to explore new things, he convinces her to go out with him and look for small and extraordinary things in Emma's new vicinity. Emma is hesitant, but accompanies him. While out exploring, they see another girl of Emma's age, whose name is  who likes to dance on the beach. Slowly, Emma and her become friends. Litte by little, Emma adapts to her new community. But it wasn't easy. Miscommunication, differing expectations, and her longing to be with her grandma and uncle, make it so that she breaks down one night and refuses to accept her new home. She wants to return. For her, nothing is small and extraordinary. She demands an explanation from her parents why she can't go back home. They decide to tell her that people aren't safe, that they disappear. In her innocence she replies that no one just disappears. And her parents tell her she is correct. People make other people disappear. She can't handle any of this. Sobbing, she runs to her room and decides to never leave again. Then, something truly magical happens...

Emma sees whales in the ocean. Photo from INBA.

At the height of her desperation, cat tells her to look out at the ocean. Emma sees a parent whale with child, swimming through the ocean. Hypnotically, she wades into the water to get a closer look. My goodness, this scene was absolutely breathtaking. The ambient music, the illuminated whales, the ocean waves, and the dark scenery all contributed to a truly magical moment, both for the spectator, and for Emma. And it is at this pivotal moment that Emma realizes there are extraordinary things in her new home. She then decides, after many attempts at persuasion by the cat, to inaugurate her second museum in her new home.

I am in tears just writing about this. If I could only see one piece of theater while in Mexico City this trip, and it was this one, the entire trip would have been worth it. Unfortunately, the play ended it's production at El Galeón at the Centro Cultural del Bosque. However, and fortunately, the company is now touring the Mexican Republic. When this drama returns to stage, you don't want to miss it! Absolutely magical!

To follow this group, visit them on Facebook at Proyecto Perla Teatro, or on Twitter: @ProyectoPerlaT

There is a version recorded on YouTube if you don't have the opportunity to travel to Mexico and see this production. Obviously, it's better live, but you can get an idea of the performance here:

¡Silencio, Romeo!

"Lo que el amor puede, el amor lo intenta"

We came back to another performance by Seña y Verbo: Teatro de Sordos (we previously saw a rehearsal for Gato vagabundo). This time, the production was in conjunction with the British Council. Alberto Lomnitz translated the play Romeo and Juliet into Spanish, and the director, Carlos Corona, in conjunction with the actors, translated that into Mexican Sign Language (LSM: lengua de señas mexicana). We traveled to the Teatro Benito Juárez in Colonia Cuauhtémoc, where we had visited in 2015 to see Valentina y la sombra del diablo. This adaption used simulatenous sign language with oral expression. Two of the actors were deaf: Roberto De Loera (Romeo) and Eduardo Domínguez (Mercutio). The rest of the time, what was signed was concomitantly expressed by either an actor on stage right, or by one of the musicians on stage left. The other two actors, Daniel Ortiz (Nana, París, and Tybalt) and Valeria Fabbri (Juliet) knew and perfomred with sign language, but were not deaf. At the end of the production, they even asked us to applaud in sign language for the two deaf actors. What a treat!

                              Interview with Eduardo Domínguez in Spanish/LSM by Salvador Perches Galván 

Each actor took on multiple roles, and each time a new character was introduced, they showed us their sign, in order for those who might also be deaf, to also distinguish who is who, as well as not having to repeat the spelling of each name each time someone's name was mentioned. For example, when París was mentioned, they would put their index and middle finger around their eye in a "V" formation. For me, the words were accentuated through simultaneous voice. Also, during the final scenes, when Romeo commits suicide next to his beloved Juliet, Roberto De Loera vocalizes "Silencio, Romeo". Because Roberto is deaf, he cannot perfectly hear how he speaks. The choice to have him speak in that moment only, right before his death, appeared to me as a pure vocalization, straight from the heart. This was one of the most powerful moments of the play. It was like what came out of his mouth was purely physical, hardly affected by social norms related to language sounds. It's difficult to explain, but it was at this point that made my eyes started to water - my allergies were acting up at that point! It was the allergies!

The death scene when Romeo & Juliet are found dead by Friar Lawrence.

All in all, this was a fantastic production. My personal taste excludes much Shakespeare, because I think it's time to spread the wealth among productions in English. However, this particular adaptation of Romeo and Juliet, because it was doubly translated into Spanish and LSM, is an exception. I think it is an exception because by nautre it is an adaptation and not a reproduction. Take, for instance, the "What's in name" or "A rose by any other name", and the giddy nature of young love, all of this in colloquial Mexican Spanish, accentuated by sign language that offered other angles for understanding one of the most read and produced plays in Western societies.

The beginning of the play when two adolescents at work decide to reenact the play.

On our walk out of the theater, Tim commented how when the actors would say "Escúchame", they would point their index and middle fingers at their eyes, as if to really say in LSM "Mírame". These are the moments that make theater worthwhile; they expand my vision of the world, and deepen my love for communication and understanding. So far, this is my favorite production this year!

De Príncipes, Princesas y Otros Bichos

Last night we attended a one-time performance of Paola Izquierdo's theatre piece: De príncipes, princesas y otros bichos (of princes, princesses, and other creatures) at the Foro Cultural San Simón here in Mexico City. It was a lovely, calm area of town, with a beautiful park next to the theater. In fact, I'm not too aware of all the infrastructure and urban planning that goes on in Mexico City, but I have to say that I am very impressed by the infrastructure I've seen so far. The equipment in the parks, for example, is wonderful for kids, well maintained, and they've added fitness areas for those interested in getting their fit on. Also, this cultural center does not charge a fee to enter, making cultural activities accessible to any who desire to participate. I am so impressed by the Delegación Benito Juárez and how this governmental entity upports cultural centers, amenable urban spaces, and attempts to make sure the quality of life in their delegation is conducive to happy citizens. I am very impressed!

The exterior of the San Simón Cultural Center

The interior of the San Simón Cultural Center

The drama we saw is actually two monologues put into one. The version we saw yesterday began with Paola Izquierdo as the personification of all sorts of Disney princesses as she searched for her prince charming, who happened to be in the form of, yes, a frog. The second part of the show was Paola Izquierdo dressed as a street clown entertaining for money. Accompanying her on stage was Isaac Pérez Calzada (from "Dicen que me parezco a Santa Anna... ¡y yo ni guitarra tengo!") who played the violin, and (still waiting to hear back) who played the piano. The musicians played an integral part in the production, adding their own personalities and sound effects to the words that Paola spoke as both characters. For example, certain phrases and certain words would be accompanied by certain sound effects that were repeated throughout.

Paola Izquierdo as Princess. Photo taken from a review by Jimena Eme Vázquez.

The first monologue follows the princess as she narrates her story of following a rabbit into a hole and meeting several different frogs along her journey. Her story is riddled with feminist critiques of women's roles in society as she struggles between following her dreams of her doctoral thesis or finding her prince charming and staying inside and silent. Along her journey we learn about her family's influence on her decisions. Take the Queen of Hearts, for example. She wants her cousin to get married, or it's "Off with her head!" The humor is more light-hearted during the first half of the show, with songs from Disney movies about princes and princesses.

Paola Izquierdo as Street Clown. Photo taken from a review by Jimena Eme Vázquez.

Then, during the second half of the play, the monologue of the street clown shifts the mood into dark comedy. The ragged clothes, messy makeup, and dirty hair bring a stark contrast to the pristine, well-dressed princess of the first half of the show. It was during this second half, when, even though jokes continued to be told, it felt more uncomfortable to laugh. But laugh we did! It's as if the comedic aspects both made audience members realize that they shouldn't laugh because something should be done to change many heart-wrenching social realities, but at the same time it helps the show from spiraling into a dark abyss of depression and melancholy.

Paola Izquierdo as both clown and princess. Photo taken from a review by Jimena Eme Vázquez.

This play reminds me of Daniel Alarcón's War by Candlelight (2005), and specifically, the chapter entitled "City of Clowns." In this story, a newspaper reporter decides to live the life of a street clown to experience what it's like. But, he learns very quickly how terribly humiliating it is to live this life, and has the possibility to not have to do this for a living. However, according to the play last night, the street clown seemed to be desparate for any type of job. Paola's character described, through albures, the sexual and economic exploitation of kids that end up in the position her character was in.

Our first night in Mexico City and it was one not to forget!