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Can one find salvation? Is it okay for one country?
The former constituted the backbone of Charles Dickens' 1843 classic "A Christmas Carol". The latter question is at the core of Herbert Sigüenza's "A Christmas Story of the Cuban People", which had its world premiere at the OnStage Theater in Chula Vista.
In the playwright's notes in the digital show, Sigüenza, co-founder of the famous Latino comedy troupe "Cultural Conflict" and resident playwright of the San Diego Repertory Company, called himself "an unapologetic democratic socialist." In his play, he did not hesitate to tell us that the American sugar exporters Scrooge and Marley ("sugar tycoons" in his concept) since 1886 are the "kings of human exploitation."
Like Dickens in England before him, Sigüenza (born in San Francisco but of Salvadoran descent) is deeply concerned about the socio-economic differences of his time.
Sigüenza paid close attention to the structure and plot of Dickens's original work (even borrowed certain lines), setting his story in Havana. The ghost (spirit) of his miser is Cuba's past, present and future.
By showing fragments of Scrooge's early and future life, they taught him (and us) a lot about Cuban history and reminded us that "there is always an alternative to greed."
"We must," Siguenza asserted, including the United States in his plan statement, "to find a huge change in ourselves and our system to survive the next century."
Spooky visits from Marley (José Balistrieri, outstanding in all his roles); Cuban poet Jose Marti (sometimes funny, sometimes fierce Sandra Ruiz, she also plays Scrooge's broad-minded niece Alicia-there is no nephew Fred); and a guerrilla soldier (a strong Kandace Crystal who also serves as a slave and a waitress), we see Scrooge's growing Fear, consciousness and ultimately social consciousness.
Although history classes tend to be preaching at times, we will hear some lyrical and powerful poems by Marty, understand the exploitative control of the Mafia’s casinos and hotels in Havana, and understand the respect or abuse of Fidel Castro and Che Guevara. Cuban faction. But Sigüenza has never forgotten the view that personal changes can affect social changes in general.
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Richard P. Trujillo (Richard P. Trujillo) is the Equity actor and artistic director of the San Diego School of Creative and Performing Arts. He is very grumpy and only plays Ezequiel Scrooge (a condescending American who constantly corrects him The accented Cuban subordinate said that his name was pronounced "Scrooge with an S, not Escrooge with an E"). After the transformation, he was also beaming, open-minded and generous.
Spanish runs through the entire song (tactfully interpreted or translated), including a series of traditional Cuban and Afro-Cuban songs, thanks to percussionist Juan Carlos Blanco, native of Havana People, African-Cuban dancer/drummer/choreographer, and wealthy-voiced Angelica Cardona, singer/percussionist/dancer of Omo Aché Afro Cuban Music and Dance Company, and lead singer of Cuban bands.
Javier Guerrero brilliantly portrayed Scrooge's abused employee Roberto Cruz (a Spanish improvisation to Bob Cratchit) and the young Scrooge, who also played guitar with the band.
Two local fifth-grade students perform for the first time-Belen Siguenza (daughter of the playwright) and Sandino Tissock Declan Beltran-as children of beggars and children of the Cruz family (Sandinuo is Timoteo who suffers from polio and Timo Cuban) and the two Disney ragamuffins with warning significance: Want (Necesidad) and Ignorance (Ignorancia).
The versatile 10-person cast consists of Vanessa Lopez, Nick Young and Hannah Trujillo (Richard's daughter).
OnStage's artistic director James P. Darvas's director is full of imagination and composure; despite frequent changes of location and time, he can still keep the action fast and seamless.
The set (Duane McGregor) provides four flexible play spaces, enhanced with effective lighting (Leviticus Padilla) and sound (Kate McLeod). The clothing (Natalia Arazia) cleverly designed many rapid changes, because everyone except Trujillo played many roles.
All this makes vacation standards entertaining, educational, and sometimes politically provocative. An interesting new turning depreciation favorite.
Pat Launer is a member of the American Theater Critics Association, a long-term art writer and Emmy Award-winning theater critic in San Diego. You can find her preview and review archives on patlauner.com.
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