THEATRE REVIEW: La Havana
The American Dream, with all its twists and turns, was still alive for Cuban, Puerto Rican and Colombian immigrants living in Chicago during the 1960s as portrayed in the musical, La Havana Madrid.
Told through the lens of a young teenager, the two-hour play with intermission at the New Village Arts Theatre in Carlsbad was fast paced, even though a bit disjointed at times.
Throughout the play, patrons laughed, clapped and even danced as members engaged with them, sometimes walking into the audience to the sounds of salsa, the Beatles and more.
“It’s all about the music,” explained a cast member. To which a patron noted: “One of the characters said music has an accent, just like language. Musicians can tell if you are playing the salsa with a Cuban or Mexican accent. I found that fascinating.”
Set in a bar in Chicago (“the city of neighborhoods”), the play offered a glimpse of people who struggled at times with language, accents, skin color and outright racism. Signs read, Whites Only, Colored Section and there were separate restrooms for Colored and White.
But throughout it all, they retained their optimism, sense of humor and way of life. “Puerto Rico is not just an island,” said one. “It’s a state of mind.”
“In Puerto Rico, we grow up with baseball,” it was said. But the star was Roberto Clemente (Hall of Fame outfielder with the Pittsburgh Pirates), not Jackie Robinson, who broke the color barrier with the Brooklyn Dodgers.
As years passed, Italians, Germans and other Europeans moved into the Chicago neighborhood, and ran the other immigrants out. Yet music remained.
This was the era of Fidel Castro and the Bay of Pigs, but as bad as it got, they weren’t going back.
Attending a play at the New Village Arts Center is a fun experience. In addition to the Ray Charles Stage in the Conrad Prebys Theatre, there’s a bar and a big open space with room for musicians. There’s also the Jay & Julie Sarno Restrooms, the Restroom sponsored by Dr. Mike S. Griffiths and the Toilet sponsored by Carlton and Sandy Lund.
Check it all out while you enjoy La Havana Madrid playing through April 27.
