By Sandi Masori
CARLSBAD, California — If you walk past New Village Arts Theater for the next month you will hear the joyful sounds of salsa music calling to you- inviting you in to see what’s going on. Once inside you’ll be delighted with the colorful artwork by various Latin artists. All of this is to immerse you into the world of La Havana Madrid.
Written by Sandra Delgado, the play is set in a small nightclub in Chicago during the 1950s and 1960s. As neighborhoods changed, the actual nightclub went on to become many other businesses like The Quiet Knight where Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen once played, but in its heyday, it was the place for the local Puerto Rican and Colombian communities to let loose.
Delgado’s play is a collection of stories about the people who frequented the nightclub, each told in the first person, and based on true stories from Delgado’s parents and people from Facebook who had been there during its time. The immigrant stories are similar to our own Jewish immigrant stories in that when met with oppression, the Latin community responded with music, joy and celebration. Even when the world outside was awful, La Havana Madrid was a safe haven.
The stories are both heart-wrenching and heartwarming, with the upbeat sounds of salsa punctuating each story and lifting the spirit. The band behind the semi-transparent curtain is as much a part of the show as any actor.
One of the stories, taken from Delgado’s own parents was that of a young couple (Lena Ceja and Leonardo Romero) who had to get married by proxy in two different churches in different countries. She in Puerto Rico, and he in Chicago. It was only after the wedding that she was able to come out to join her beloved.
Another story is told by a young girl (Alyssa Rodriguez) who was brought to the United States from Cuba through operation Peter Pan. She came with her brother and sister but they were soon separated and put in different homes. It reminded me of the kindertransport from the Holocaust. But mixed in the story of fear and loss was resilience and joy.
There were several other stories, each sharing a slice of history and a dash of joy.
Delgado not only wrote the play, she also wrote many of the lyrics of the songs. While the play is mostly in English, all the songs are in Spanish. I didn’t understand the words, but the heart and the melodies were beautiful.
The entire cast, including the musicians, are to be commended on a strong showing. If the play itself doesn’t lift up your spirits, then the dance party after most certainly will. Plan a little extra time after the show to stay and dance or if you’re not a dancer, to listen to the music and watch the dancers. You will leave feeling the joy of the music, no matter what was happening in the world before you walked in.
La Havana Madrid plays through April 27.
*
Sandi Masori is a theater and food reviewer for San Diego Jewish World
What a nice review! I wish I could have been there with. I LOVE Cuban music and salsa.