Doubt (La Duda)

Doubt (La Duda)
By John Patrick Shanley
Adapted and directed by Matilda Corral
Produced by I.E. Productions C.A., from Venezuela for Teatro De La Luna’s Eleventh International Festival of Hispanic Theater
Reviewed by Rosalind Lacy

What universalizes John Patrick Shanley’s Doubt (La Duda), about a priest suspected of pedophilia, are the adaptations director Matilda Corral makes. We are in a Catholic school in Venezuela instead of an Irish-Italian school in Northeastern United States. But the explosive issues and controversy are the same. Read more

Meat Prices Rising

Meat Prices Rising (Subió la Carne)
By Argento, Pazos, Pesqueira
Directed by Carlo Argento
Produced by Teatro de la Luna
Reviewed by Rosalind Lacy

Meat Prices Rising (Subió la Carne) has an enticing, juicy title. This loosely constructed cabaret act seems to be saying: okay, the economy is shot to hell, so let’s make fun of everything sacred. And that’s exactly what two tremendously talented Argentine actors, Claudio Pazos and Francisco Pesqueira, and their director, Carlo Argento, do as they impersonate a multitude of characters, sing with operatic voices at highpoint moments, and make us laugh at such fears as a failing economy or runaway inflation. (Argentina is well-known for government debt and inflations that resulted in 2001 food riots.) Read more

The Hand

The Hand (La Mano)
by playwright German Madrid
directed by Antonia Castillo
produced by Carro de Baco, Barcelona, Spain, and Teatro De La Luna
reviewed by Rosalind Lacy

The Hand (La Mano), by German Madrid, Spain’s gift to Teatro de la Luna’s Eleventh International Festival of Hispanic Theater is a mordantly witty puzzler, the kind of breathtaking one-act that’s simply ingenious. Read more

Luisa Fernanda

• Luisa Fernanda
• A Spanish Zarzuela  (light opera) in Three Acts
• Music by Federico Moreno Torroba . Libretto by Federico Romero and Guillermo Fernandez Shaw
• Directed by José Sacin                                  Â Â Â Â 
• Produced by Zarzuela Di Si in collaboration with the Mexican Cultural Institute
• Reviewed by Rosalind Lacy   

Opening night at the Mexican Cultural Institute buzzed with excitement and anticipation. The grand staircase, lined with towering wall murals, invites you into Pan-American history. It’s a great venue for the charismatic baritone Josê Sacin, who is well-known locally in the Latino community as an opera singer with the stage presence of a lion and an impressive vocal range. Read more

She Returned One Night

Volvió una Noche, She Returned One Night

• by Eduardo Rovner
• Directed by Mario Marcel                                      
• Produced by Teatro de la Luna
• Reviewed by Rosalind Lacy   

One reason I love to see plays at Washington D.C.’s Hispanic theaters is that I emerge renewed, as if I’ve traveled through a parallel universe.  Meet Eduardo Rovner, a multi-prize-winning Argentine playwright, whose 35 plays have been translated into many languages and produced internationally.  Thanks to Teatro de la Luna’s artistic director Mario Marcel we can experience the delicate balance between the real and the magical world of one of Rovner’s wonderful farces. Marcel’s passion for drawing out the best in his inspired and gifted performers has more than succeeded in bringing this comedy about a mother-son relationship to life.  She Returned One Night is so believable you’ll laugh your heart out and be filled with wonder.  Read more

Blood Wedding

• Blood Wedding
• Written by Federico Garcia Lorca
• Directed by Hugo Medrano
• Choreographed by Danilo Rivera and Genoveva Guinn
• Produced by GALA Teatro Hispano
• Reviewed by Debbie Minter Jackson

Blood Wedding. The title tells the story.  No surprises, everything is literal, predictable, and straight forward, right?  Wrong.  Sure the basic storyline is clearly stated in the title and known in literature worldwide.  But, Federico Garcia Lorca’s poetry is an aural feast that must be experienced for the full effect.  GALA’s production of Blood Wedding is a mystical blend of Lorca’s beautiful imagery, authentic Andalusian music, undulating rhythms, even a dazzling taste of flamenco to assure the sizzle factor is caliente.  This show is hot. Read more

Your Molotov Kisses

• Your Molotov Kisses (Tu Ternura Molotov)
• by Gustavo Ott
• Directed by Abel Lopez
• Produced by GALA Theatre at Tivoli Square
• Reviewed by Rosalind Lacy        

Venezuelan playwright Gustavo Ott-highly regarded in the Latino community as a fresh, new voice-injects us with a truth serum that can make us squirm. In his latest comedy, Ott makes a passionate plea to balance extremes. His characters show us that since the advent of international Islamic terrorist attacks, whether it’s crazy or not, we all seem to be living with terror on our minds. Women can be more than sexy bombshells; they can be the bombs themselves.  So let’s detonate all wrong-headed cultural biases. Let’s make love, not war. Read more

Women of 50

• Women of 50 (Mujeres de 50)
• By Daniela Di Segni and Hilda Levy
• Directed by Liliana Pecora
• Produced by Teatro De La Luna –  International Hispanic Festival
• Reviewed by Rosalind Lacy

Argentine actress Liliana Pecora is the Sarah Bernhardt of comic actresses. Pecora doesn’t speak English at all, she told us on opening night. That’s like Bernhardt who never spoke or understood English and was featured as the leading character in last week’s play. Also as versatile as Bernhardt, Pecora brought a full-house to its feet for her depiction of eight female characters. Read more

Oh, Sarah

• Oh, Sarah!
• By Ariel Mastandrea
• Directed by Bernardo Galli
• Presented by Teatro de Uruguay
• Produced by Teatro De La Luna International Hispanic Festival
• Reviewed by Rosalind Lacy

 What better way to transcend language barriers than to present a one-woman play about Sarah Bernhardt.  This famous 19^th century actress never spoke or reportedly never understood a word of English but did ten extensive tours in America and charmed audiences with her stage presence and sheer acting power. Read more

From Banishment to Meeting with the Soul

• From Banishment to Meeting with the Soul, a Pilgrimage on Earth, (Del destierro, al encuentro con el alma, el peregrinaje por la tierra, y)
• A Group Creation from Venezuela’s Altosf Theatre
• Directed by Juan Carlos De Petre
• Produced as part of the Teatro De La Luna International Hispanic Festival
• Reviewed by Rosalind Lacy

Read more

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