Cuban Theater Digital Archive

El Ciervo Encantado

Design (general), producer, author / playwright

Notes: +

    The theatre group “El Ciervo Encantado" (The Enchanted Deer) came out of an intense pedagogical experience developed by actress and director Nelda Castillo in Cuba's Instituto Superior de Arte de Cuba. Interested in clarifying the motives that have articulated historically Cuban social consciousness, the young actors embraced the idea of an investigation that would recapture the image of the Island - its genesis and future- from a personal experience. Starting within the psycho-physical potential of the actor, the group has attempted to reveal the dark zones of the Cuban soul, which from a theatrical point of view has permitted the development of a proper language, characterized by the marked interest in the dominance of the actors’ training. This training requires the metamorphosis of the actor into a “canal body”- “a dreamed body”- through which the ancestors and unknown beings that form a part of the genetics of the interpreter and the collective unconscious of the nation flow. Their theatrical presentations are highlighted by their exploration in the visual and sound fields. They are also known for their employment of literary, historical, artistic, and musical references, which are all utilized for the pursuit of a novel artistic language, both in its formal expression and in content. In this sense, it is important to hightlight their research on the work of important authors such as Esteban Borrero Hecheverría, Virgilio Piñera, Fernando Ortíz, Severo Sarduy, Reinaldo Arenas and Guillermo Cabrera Infante; the last three authors have developed the most part of their literature outside of the Island and were not widely read by the Cubans on the island. The group is directed to the exploration of the margins of Cuban cultural identity, with all its richness and complexities. This group has had many well-received seasons and tours for diverse audiences. They have also been recognized for their achievements. The members of the group in 2004 were Mariela Brito Hernández, Eduardo Martínez Criado and Lorelis Amores Rodríguez with the collaboration of theatre specialist Jaime Gómez Triana. 

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Productions: +

Awards: +

Year Category Award Result
1990 None Premio Nacional de la Crítica Winner
2001 Best Production for Adults Premio Villanueva Honorable mention
2010 Mejor espectáculo para adultos Premio Villanueva Winner
2011 Mejor espectáculo para adultos Premio Villanueva Winner

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Author: Joanne Pol, Lillian Manzor (2004, 2014)





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