00062: BUENA VISTA SOCIAL CLUB (Broadway Musical)

I knew that attending a musical about Cuban music was going to be contagiously fun and entertaining. I also knew that the new broadway musical, Buena Vista Social Club was going to be a story about the musical group's history and their songs. What I didn't know was that such musical was going to not only give me a very illuminating lecture on that history, but also carried me through the member's social-economical, racial, cultural, and emotional journeys of this internationally known musical group.

As soon as the musical company members appear on stage, the audience knows we are in for a true musical journey. To start, the orchestra (in this case, the musical "instrument members" of the Buena Vista Social Club) are on stage from start to finish. The band opens and closes the show with two very contagious, very entertaining, and very upbeat songs. And as soon as our narrator appears (Juan de Marcos played by Justin Cunningham) on stage to tell us the story of the music group, we are transported to Havana, Cuba between the years 1958 and 1996.

The musical is about how this group of musicians came together in 1996 to create their now infamous album. But it is through the character, Omara Portuondo (played by two actresses: Youn Omara by Isa Antonetti in 1958 and Omara by Natalie Venetia Belcon in 1996 (nominated for Best Feature Actress in a musical) that we are transported to the days when these musicians were young, energetic, and full of life artists fighting to survive in a Cuba that was about to explode and change the country and its habitants forever. 

If you want to know about the history, how the group came together, and more, watch the 1999 and 2017 documentaries. The album from the club was release in 1997 by 1998 they were an international success. The documentary, titled "Buena Vista Social Club," includes interviews with members of the band as it follows them through their two main lineup concerts, one in Amsterdam and one in NYC at Carnegie Hall. And then, 16 years later, a second documentary titled, "Buena Vista Social Club: Adios," follows five of the original band members from the first film as they go on one final musical proyect, as it recalls their ups and downs over the years. And now that the "history lesson" is over, I must get back and talk why this new Broadway musical received 10 TONY nominations including one for Best Musical.

Whether the story being told on stage, about the musicians and their lives and relationships is true or not, what makes this musical not only engaging but also deeply moving is the book written by Marco Ramirez, nominated for a TONY for Best Book of a Musical. The way he weaves the story and connects it to the characters' lives, their emotional path and decisions is so clear and strong that when a musical number (an original song from the Buena Vista Social Club is performed) that song--sang completely in Spanish--soars in the air with meaning and emotional gravitas. Yes, the music is contagious and uplifting but the meaning behind the songs are far more emotional and weight heavy on us as we connect each musical number to a situation created by the character's lives. 

Through the witnessing of the characters' lives in 1958 and the band reunion in 1996, we not only witness great musical art in the making but we also learn about racism, social class, discrimination, colorism, revolt, and about a Cuba that is about to become what it is today. To me, though, what truly grabbed me from the start and did not let me go, not even after I left the theater, was the choreography by Patricia Delgado and Justin Peck (also nominated for a TONY), which not only combines the sensuality and rhythms of music genres such as son, boleros, and danzón, but also the internal emotional turmoil the characters are experiencing. 

When Young Ibrahim, played by Wesley Wray sings for the first time, the song, "Bruce Maniguá" the music and choreography are combined with rhythms and movements that invoke the harshness of slavery and the realities of being a black person, who might be "free" but still is oppressed because of their skin color. It is here, in this song, with a choreographed dance filled with sensuality and raw, sharp movements, where without noticing, tears ran down my face. From then on, I completely surrendered my entire being to the musical experience and storytelling. All this is due because the story is very moving, emotional, and palpable, and because of the characters' struggles and situations grab you from the start and do not let you go until they are done with their stories, their dancing, and their singing. 

But the story, the singing, the acting, and the dancing are not the only stars of this musical. There is also lighting, costumes, sound, and set design. All of these technical elements come cohesively together to highlight the musical's themes and messages, and to create the mood, the atmosphere, and focus needed within each scene and throughout the story. Every technical element is not only designed with clarity and purpose but it is also executed with exactitude, enhancing the power of the music, underlining the beauty of the story, and highlighting the poetry of the songs. 

The musical received 10 very well-deserved TONY nominations that also include, best director, best orchestration, best scenic design, best costume design, best lighting design, best sound design, and of course, best musical. I have not had the opportunity to see all the musicals that were nominated for best musical category. Unfortunately, I won't see them all, but I can comfortably say that Buena Vista Social Club is in fact, a very strong contender in the Best Musical Tony Award category. As a side note, the musicians who make up the musical's band "Buena Vista Social Club" will receive a Special Tony Award for their work. 

Whether the musical receives the big prize or not, what it is needed now is a pro-shot recording of this production. There is so a lot to learn and discuss from its music, songs, characters, story, and from these great Cuban artists, as well as from the creators of the show and the artistic team, that seeing the show once is not enough. And because of its importance and influence in the music world, the musical needs to be accessible to every one around the world. "Every Cuban Song has a Story to Tell" is a caption found in an program's insert that contains a letter from Juan de Marcos and explanations of the songs. As a Broadway musical, Buena Vista Social Club, like the album from 1996 and the documentaries from 1999 and 2017, deserved to be recorded and preserved for future generations to witness, to enjoy, but overall, to understand how these wonderful musical artists created music that connects with the world. 

A taste of the energy of the show! 

00054: WHY WOULD I MISPRONOUNCE MY OWN NAME?

Let's start with the obvious. Irma Herrera is not an actor, and I don't mean this in a negative way. She's a "writer, solo performer, social justice activista, lawyer, and world traveler." That's how she introduces and identifies herself on her website, irmaherreradotcom. But more than a "solo performer," I would say Irma is a storyteller and she proves that in her one-woman show: "Why Would I Mispronounce my Own Name?" presented at Central Stage in Richmond CA.

The original production was directed by Rebecca Fisher and while I don't know the exact date of the show's original opening, information from Irma's website makes me believe the show first happened around the year 2021. The production I saw last September 2024 still credits Rebecca Fisher as the director. 

The show tells the story of Irma herself, who talks about the fact that her name is pronounce IRMa or, in my better phonetic English assimilation: ear-ma but never ur-ma or ERma. Not only does Irma talks about the importance of standing up to people who mispronounce your name but also about the courage it takes to stand up and correct them when mispronouncing it. I connected with this bit of the show, mainly because my name is Carlos-Manuel and back in high school some teachers called me Karlos-Manual... and I never corrected them.

In her show, Irma also addressed the issue of colorism within our own community and how her mother always told her she was "como una mosca en la leche-like a fly in the milk," referring to the fact that her skin was darker when compared to other family members. This section of the show made me laugh because, when I was young, while we never say anything related to flies and milk, we always use the word "prieto" when trying to remind someone that they were not as "white as they should be" or worse, as "white as we were." For the record, we are brown people, darker than our European American neighbors. We have never, ever been white. 

Irma's show does not just revolved on her personal experiences growing up but also addresses national issues such as politics and the danger of using and/or making fun of names which are different than those used by European Americans. She also highlights the irony about being a person of color and serving in the military but then, when done from your military duties, being ignored, mistreated, and worse, killed in the country you defended. The irony is, if it escapes you, fighting and surviving a war only to comeback to the country you were born and then be shot by racist people, who demand you go "back to your country" because of the color of your skin. Sad but very much a reality in the "greatest country of the world."

As a storyteller, Irma carries herself with ease, and her soft voice forces the audience to closely pay attention to her words and narrative. And while her show is already written, it is easy to note, at least to me, where new information was inserted in order to keep some of the discussed subjects as current as possible, which works fine because the one-hour show is full of insight, educational tidbits, jokes, personal moments, connections with the audience, and a few surprises that make "Why Would I Mispronounce my Own Name?" a must see theatrical experience. 

00052: MEXODUS

A few days ago I attended the production of MEXODUS, a new hip-hop play by Brian Quijada. This new production took place at Berkeley Rep in Berkeley, CA.  

I was excited to see this production for two reasons, three really. 1: "Mexodus" is a Latinx play and Berkeley Rep hadn't produced one of them in a while. 2: "Exodus" is a hip-hop play and I love hip-hop, and when mix with theatre, I'm in heaven. 3: "Mexodus's" subject matter is a topic I had never heard of and was incredibly interested in learning about it. 

Since this is a new play and Berkeley Rep loves sharing information about their new works by putting displays in their theater's lobby, I arrived about 45 minutes before curtain time so I could have time to read all the dramaturgical information. 

As expected, the lobby display valuable information about the Mexican border, the Treaty of Guadalupe, and how Texas wanted to be an independent state even before the United States was the United States. The main display included data related to the play's topic: The Underground Railroad between Texas and Coahuila, Mexico's border state, that aided many slaved blacks found freedom. After reading the lobby displays and finding my seat in the theater, I was ready to let myself be engulfed in "Mexudos." 

The play only has two characters: Carlos and Henry, played by Brian Quijada (also the playwright) and Nigel D. Robinson respectively. The show (directed by David Mendizábal) starts with both actors coming on stage and introducing themselves first and then letting the audience know that they will be creating all the music and beats live in front of us. Soon, we are transported to cacophony of sounds coming from all types of objects found on stage. These sounds are looped through a mixer found on a Dj's table. 

Within the first two songs there is no doubt that both actors are incredibly talented. They make music, creating beats, deejaying, and rapping and entertaining the audience. After four songs, a pattern has been stablished. There is a little bit of information on "this and that" and then a hip hop song. More information about "this and that" and then another hip hop song. And after the fourth song it felt predictable and I was looking at my watch. 

After the fourth song things change though. The story about Henry, a black slave, starts to take shape as we follow Henry's struggles and journey to freedom. But here is where the problem lies with this play. While I believe Quijada's play carries a very strong message and one that is very necessary to impart, ironically, the message, and ultimately Henry's story is placed in the back burner due to the fact that much emphasis and focus and given to the creation of beats, rapping, deejaying, and music mixes. Instead of feeling as if I was watching a hip hop play, I felt I was attending a hip hop concert where a loosely story was being sporadically being told to sort of give way to more hip hop moments. By the time Henry finds the tunnel that will take him to the underground railroad and ultimately lead him to his freedom, I was disengaged from the story. I was not emotionally involved. The end was so anticlimactic that, but the time I was standing on the street right after exiting the theater, my thoughts and my theatrical experience with "Mexodus" was gone. 

I am not saying the production wasn't good. It was. And both actors are far more talented than I would ever be. But as a play, the script lacks focus and it is in the need of a good dramaturge, of someone who can help Mr. Quijada, as a playwright, find the spine of the play so his story can be central within the hip hop world he has created. 

The hip hop numbers need to thrust the story forward and help create the development of the main character, this is something that doesn't really happen. There are nice moments here and there, like when the actor Nigel, shares a personal anecdote about his birth and how as a black man, coming from generations of black people, and slavery, he now stands on a professional stage, but overall the story and the character's journey take a backseat. 

And because the actors break the fourth wall from the start, there were times when I wasn't sure whether it was the actor or the character communicating with us. A moment that comes to mind is when Mr. Quijada, as Carlos, enters from the audience and starts a fire. The fire effect is created with a small orange light and the crackling fire sound is created by Mr. Quijada's snapping fingers, which are recorded and loop by the actor Nygel who is standing behind the DJ table. All was good until Mr. Quijada look up to the audience and gesture to the fact that he had made the sound of crackling fire. Some of the audience members laughed, others clapped. It was a "tongue in cheek" moment that was confusing because we are forced to ask ourselves who is breaking the fourth wall, the actor or the character. If it's the actor, why would he do that? To let us know how clever he is as a sound maker? If it's the character, why would he do that? So far, Henry's story has been kept completely behind the fourth wall. Perhaps this is not a playwriting thing but a directorial thing. Either way, moments like this keep the audience from engaging with Henry's story, which by now, has taken a backseat anyway.

As I said earlier, the message and the story that Brian Quijada presents in "Mexodus" is much needed and necessary. But in order to truly have an effect and in order to truly makes us understand how far we have come and how "we gon be alright" as Kendrick Lamar's lyrics blast through the speakers, there needs to be a flip in the focus of the play, where the story must be completely integrated into the hip hop numbers rather than the hip hop numbers becoming the central focus of the production. Otherwise "Mexodus' is not a play about the "Southbound Pathway to Freedom," but an opportunity for two very talented actors to showcase their artistic theatrical gifts. 

OO50: THE KENNEDY CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS

Kennedy Center, Washington, DC 2024

Back in November 2023, my new play "CURSED: The House of Atreus" was produced at Contra Costa College under my direction. Yes, that is the institution I worked at. The play was entered to the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival, Region 7 competition. Two different judicators saw the play and gave their responses. 

In December 2023 I received the news that the production had been chosen to be part of the Region 7 Festival in Spokane, WA, taking place in February 2024. From January 2024, even before schools started, all the way to festival time, the cast, crew, and I worked hard at "remounting" and "re-blocking" the show for the one performance at the festival. The festival took place the third week of February and our producing came and went. Students had a great experience performing for everyone at the festival. I was honored to receive great responses from the audience and the many respondents who saw the show, including national members of the Kennedy Center for the Arts and the Dramatist Guild. 

Because I'm a national member of the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival, I had to attend the National Festival at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC in May. What I didn't count on was receving National Awards for our production of "CURSED: The House of Atreus." At the end, though, I was very happy to received NINE national awards, including awards in directing, playwriting, and ensemble production. As if that wasn't enough, two of the awards were The Citizen Artist Award, (highest honor from KCACTF) and the Brave Spaces Award (a little complicated to explain but a very honorable and high esteemed honor.) I knew my play was a good play. As a theatre artists you know when a theatre piece is good or not. I wasn't surprised we were invited to perform our show at the regional level. I wasn't even surprised if one or two national awards were given for our show. It was, though, completely surprising to received nine national awards, and receving validation as both playwright and director. 

When I was at the Kennedy Center, in front of all the attendees, receiving the awards, I had a big smile on my face. At the same time, I had an incredibly desire to cry, not because of the awards (although I'm sure that is a reason to) but because I suddenly remember how much work and dedication I had invested in order to be standing there. And I don't mean just writing and directing the play, but writing, directing, acting, and, overall, dedicating my life to the theatre while constantly trying to survive as a non-English speaking immigrant at first and later as a brown gay immigrant individual.

My trek as a student in the United States started at the age of 18 years old as a junior in high school. Yes, I was already "of age" but a counselor was able to get me through the system. I was 19 years old when I learned about "theatre" as a field of study. At 21 I was writing short stories, grammatically incorrect most of the time, but I was expressing myself. I wrote my first play at the age of 22. It was the most awful thing I had ever written. My English 1B teacher, also a theatre enthusiast, gave me an "A" for the assignment, not because it was good but because I had dared to take a short story and turn it into a 67-single space play, with speeches that were three to five pages long, all written by hand. When I say the script was awful. I mean it was just awful. But my teacher understood that such script was not about its quality but rather about my desire to write despite the fact I was still learning the English language. This was back in 1988.

Thirty-six years later, I was now standing at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts receiving the highest award a theatre artist could received, as well as receiving eight other awards for a play I had written and directed a few months before. I'm still trying to figure out how I did not burst into tears at that moment, again, not necessarily because of the awards but because of the hard work and dedication I had invested from the day I step foot in a country I did not know at all. And all, because my mother sacrificed everything so her children could have a much better life than the one she had. These honors, of course, are all dedicated to my her first and also to my theatre students and the theatre colleagues who made this experience unforgattable. 

Before the semester was over, one of my non-drama students ask if I was ever hoping to be a "Broadway success." I quickly said no. I always knew I wanted to be a teacher." So I became a university professor. But I also knew I like the performing arts. Acting, directing, and playwriting became the vehicle(s) to achieve my dream: teaching. 

I had never had the desire to be a famous playwright or famous actor or a famous theatre director. Of course if the opportunity were to present itself I wouldn't reject it, but I've never been actively pursuing such goal because I have always known my passion has lied in teaching. I know this because after my first time out of graduate school, I took a corporate job and after one year I was desperately trying to get out. So, when the opportunity arrived, I took it. Once out, I promised myself to figure out how to become a university professor so I went back to graduate school to pursue a degree in playwriting. 

And so, here I am, reflecting on my teaching years, and wondering what has become of the many students I've mentored. I know some of them have become theatre teachers themselves, others have become theatre artists, like A. Zell Williams, who is an award-winning playwright and TV producer. Or Todd Thomas who is the former founder/artistic director of Missing Link Theater Company and former artistic director of Murphy's Theater, and continues to be an actor today. Their achievements have been their own and they are well deserved. I pride myself, however, in the fact that that I may have to do a little bit with their success. Not much though, but I do remember trying my best to guide them in the right direction.

The awards I received are in my office and soon they will be displayed in our college's theater lobby. I'm glad they will be there. And despite the fact that I'm now contemplating retirement, I'm now drafting two new plays, which, despite their quality, could become the last plays I write. But one never knows because even though art is challenging, once the artistic bug bites you, the symptoms are forever.  Or better put, as Stephen Sondheim wrote in Sunday in the Park with George: "White. A blank page or canvas... so many different possibilities."  

00049: MJ MUSICAL

MJ: The Musical

I must start by saying I do not like jukebox musicals very much. I have many reasons why I don't like them, but mainly because they seem to be created with little originality, following a simple, uncomplicated, and very predictable structure and storyline. You may disagree with me but that conversation is for another time.

Because of my dislike with jukebox musicals, I was not expecting MJ: The Musical at the Orpheum Theatre in San Francisco, to be much of a show. It is a jukebox musical after all, and my experiences with such shows have been disappointing. The same can be said about musicals based on films, which is a topic I will address in a different blog entry. 

And so, I arrived to the show with conflicting feelings. I didn't expect much of this jukebox musical but deep down I wanted the show to be good because Michael Jackson became my favorite music artist after he came out with "Off the Wall," the only music album by Michael that has been inducted in the Grammy Hall of Fame. And while I don't wear Michael Jackson T-shirts or the white glove, or anything remotely related to Michael Jackson, like many audience members did when I attended the show, I do consider myself a fan. He is the King of Pop after all.

The Orpheum Theater, SF CA

I first have to say how much I enjoyed the beginning of the show, which was "a rehearsal," where a band and dancers were warming up while waiting for Michael to arrive. And when he arrived, he only had a couple of words to say and off they all went into rehearsing a musical number. And from that moment on, I was hooked. And while I knew a lot about Michael's life, musical challenges, and career obstacles and tribulations, it was how the musical was structured and how the plot was set that made this jukebox musical very different from the others I have watched. All thanks to playwright extraordinaire, Lynn Nottage. Yes, there was a plot element that aided in transporting us to Michael's past as a child and slowly moving forward to "the present." But again, its very tight structure and its smart sequence of events within the show made MJ: The Musical a delight and entertaining theatre piece.

One of the many reasons I don't really like jukebox musicals is because, since the majority of songs in such musicals are well-known pop songs or well-known songs by the artists the musical is about, most of the time audience members start to whistle, holler, clap, and/or cheer when they hear their favorite song. At times, audience members get up from their seats and start to dance and even worse, sing, as if they were at a concert. This type of behavior, whether justified or not, is one of the many reasons I dislike jukebox musicals. So throughout the show, while enjoying MJ: The Musical, I was always nervous that some fan would start "joining the fun." And there were a couple of times when that almost happened, but the way the show is written and the way the songs are arranged for the musical, made it difficult for unwanted audience participation to occur. In fact, there was a moment when people started clapping to the beat with a certain song (I think it was Man in the Mirror.) But a few seconds after that, the audience had to stopped because the music rhythms changed and the vocals were done not just by "Michael Jackson" but also by other characters on stage. When that happened, I smiled and I think I even uttered (very softly) the word "yes" in a moment of triumph. 

The merch was selling out! The stage was awesome!

Besides having a very good structure and plot, the acting, the choreography (by Christopher Wheeldon), and the dancing in this musical were amazing. There were times when I thought I was watching a traditional musical with traditional musical numbers with a twist. So as a jukebox musical, the show is so different and so unexpected that it surprises you. At least, it surprised me. 

The show is also very artistic. Even though we are following Michael's life as an artist while putting together his "Dangerous Tour," the show gives the audience the opportunity to understand where Michael's dancing inspiration came from. The transition from the opening number in act two into "Smooth Criminal" becomes a dance history lesson, a homage to great American dancers, such as Fred Astaire, Bob Fosse, and The Nicholas Brothers, artists who made an appearance in the musical, and artists who influenced Michael Jackson's moves, such as the pelvis thrust and the infamous moonwalk. And believe me, the transition from one number to the next is as smooth as the title of the song itself. 

The choreography is top notch; the musical arrangements are unexpected, the dancing is superb, the acting and "off the wall,” and the singing, oh, the singing is just glorious. Everyone in the cast has its moment to shine and everyone in the cast who ended up playing more than one character is magnificent. But of course, the show would be nothing if there wasn't an actor who could embodied Michael Jackson's body and spirit, and the night I went, actor Roman Banks was that vessel, the conduct for Michael Jackson's spirit. Mr. Banks walked, spoke, sang, and dance like the late "King of Pop," making this musical a delight to watch.

At the end, because of the great writing by Ms. Nottage, because of the great Michael embodiment by Mr. Banks, because of the unique choreography by Mr. Wheeldon, and because of the great artistry by the ensemble and the technical team, MJ: The Musical was an unexpected jukebox musical I enjoyable and turned my night at the theatre, truly enjoyable.  

00045: CURSED THE HOUSE OF ATREUS

The cast of "CURSED: The House of Atreus"

I did it! I finally was able to write a play based on Greek mythology: CURSED: The House of Atreus. It took me two years to write this play. One year to simmer the idea and write a first draft and one year to work on the play in order to make it what is has turned out to be.

At first, I just wanted a short play, somewhere between an hour and 10 minutes and an hour and 20 minutes. At the end, the play ended up being a two-act, two hour play. There was a lot to say about the Cursed of Atreus. 

The Furies

The play, based on Greek mythology and inspired by Aeschylus' The Oristeia, mixes classical and modern language, as well as the used of modern pop references. The play is written for an ensemble of at least 15 people but it can be done with more actors, or if double casting with less. Another cool thing about the play is that any actor can play any role. And as a playwright I have opened the door for any gender, any identity, any body type, any race, and any anything to be part of the show. 

Movement

The play calls for no sets and no props, just one single costume. Although, a director can add a set and props, and even make costume changes if desired, but I think the play works best as written. Another aspect of the show is that it invites the director and the actors to use movement techniques such as viewpoints, Suzuki, Lecoq, Laban or any other theatre movement approach to create transitions and scene changes, especially since the play story jumps from the present to the past, to a near future, has flashbacks, reversals, and so many other theatrical conventions. One last thing about the play, the use of music, which can be from classical to modern, to surreal, to... well, the choices are endless. 

"Look at him! Look! At! Him!

The play was produced this past November 2023 and I was lucky enough to direct it. Now the production will be presented at the Kennedy Center American Theatre Festival, Region 7 Competition in February. Yes, I am very proud of this work.