written by Cristina García (based on her novel) World Premiere #60: from the Central Works Writers Workshop
directed by Gary Graves
Produced in: 2018
“It’s delectable to watch machismo get hoisted on its own petard again and again” –SF Chronicle
National Book Award finalist Cristina García, gender-bending comedian Marga Gomez, and Grammy-winning “bongocero” Carlos Caro team up with a full cast of Latinx actors to bring Garcia’s colorful portrait of the Cuban cultural and political landscape to the stage.
Two combative octogenarians: one in Cuba, a ruthless dictator, “El Comandante,” maintains an ineffectual grip on power while pretending that neither his crumbling nation nor his rapidly deteriorating health are headed for disaster. The other, in steamy Miami, irascible exile Goyo Herrera plots revenge, hell-bent on staying alive long enough to see the dictator to his grave. Both are coming to terms with loves lost, people wronged, failing health, and the legacies they’ll soon enough be leaving behind. What will get El Comandante first—old age, or old Goyo?
Theatre Bay Area Awards recommended!
Production Sponsors: The RHE Foundation and Wilder Green Arts Fund
King of Cuba is also made possible with the generous support of the Actors Equity, Kenneth Rainin and Sam Mazza Foundations, and the East Bay Fund for Artists.
ENSEMBLE:
Marco Aponte
Leticia Duarte
Elaina Garrity
Ben Ortega
Steve Ortiz
and Marga Gomez as “El Comandante”
Percussive Accompaniment: Carlos Caro (bongocero)
Stage management: Vanessa Ramos
Costume design: Tammy Berlin
Lighting design: Gary Graves
Prop design: Debbie Shelley
Sound design: Gregory Scharpen
King of Cuba was developed in the Central Works Writers Workshop
Locked in a strangle-hold: (l to r) El Comandante (Marga Gomez) and Goyo (Steve Ortiz) in Cristina García’s world-premiere play, King of Cuba.
Photo by J. Norrena
Angel (Ben Ortega), in Cristina García’s world-premiere play, King of Cuba.
Photo by J. Norrena
Grammy winning bongocero, Carlos Caro, provides percussive ambience in Cristina García’s world-premiere play, King of Cuba.
Photo by J. Norrena
All photos: ACT OUT Photography
Marga Gomez is El Comandante in Cristina García’s world-premiere play, King of Cuba.
Photo by J. Norrena
“Machismo gets hoisted by its own petard again and again … and it’s always a thrill to be in the breath-holding intimacy of Central Works’ tiny space in the Berkeley City Club.” -L. Janiak, SF Chronicle
King of Cuba unfolds with a cartoon-like charm that transfixes us…Garcia’s play fits our terrorized political moment.” -T. Jeffreys, Theatrius
“When [the] actors…cut loose with García’s beautifully composed, riotously funny monologues, magic happens.” -C Kruger, TheatreStorm
King of Cuba Tickles, Triumphs, at Central Works” -M. Volmer, Theatrius
“Cristina García puts the “dic” in dictator in the theatrical adaptation of her own novel” -J. Edalatpour, SF Weekly
“In the intensely intimate space where Central Works stages its productions, director Gary Graves has done marvelous work.” Patrick Thomas, Broadwayworld
Theatre Bay Area Awards Recommended!
Click here to get to the press release!
Listen to Cristina and Marga’s interview on KALW’s Open Air:
KALW-7.12.18-KingofCuba
Learn more about award-winning novelist and playwright, Cristina García
photo by Anne Whitman
