Cuban theatre in English language to debut in USA

Havana.- The theatre play “Rascacielos” will make history next January as the first Cuban theatre play performed in English in the United States, announce Jazz Vilá, one of this effort promoters.

The production, now entitled “Skyscrapers”, will be presented at the Key West Theatre thanks to the support of One Race, with a first foray in theatre because is mainly interested in other arts.

According to Cuban actress Broselianda Hernández, in the role of Ana—one of the oldest characters—to perform in English is a very strong experience and is a great challenge to take another language without losing the character’s freshness and spontaneity. 

This is a very intimate play, as if someone would look what is happening through each room keyhole, but spreading it as if it were cinema and everything is even difficult to achieve in a language different than yours, she explained. 

In her opinion, the piece is not destined only for young people: it touches universal questions like love, indifference, relations between people of the same sex.

For Broselianda, to share with the younger generations has been an enriching experience based in the original piece conceived in Spanish and very well received in the Island.

Young actress Camila Arteche, the Mónica of Rascacielos, says that to perform in English for her is similar to make a new play: it demands so much work time and effort.

"I hope it works and that the public can understand it".

She considered that although there have been made some changes, the play maintains its essence and that transformations have added values.

Before its presentation in the United States, Rascacielos will debut at the Festival Internacional de Artes Escénicas de Ciudad Colonial, Dominican Republic, said Vilá who wrote the script with Marco Antonio Díaz.

He highlighted the new version includes changes in the scenography and the structure of the play. "Besides, now, the different stories have connection points".

In the 21st century in Havana, steel, glass and concrete skyscrapers don’t flourish any longer. However, a wood of dreams rises endless and invisible over the heads of each inhabitant.

Rascacielos is a transverse cut to that life, individual and latent in the whole, a window to the intimacy of conflicts such as violence, fear to rejection, marriage unhappiness, and difference of ages. 

Source: RHC