Lolita de Lares
Directing team: +
| Name | Function(s) |
|---|---|
| Frankie Dávila | Assistant Director |
| José Díaz | Musical Director |
| Brendan McCarthy | Technical Director |
| Edward F Torres | Director |
Cast: +
| Name | Role(s) |
|---|---|
| Michelle Banks | Vejigante Estrella |
| Felipe Camacho | Vejigante Blanco |
| Andrew Carrillo | Taíno Indian |
| Frankie Dávila | Rafael Cancel Miranda |
| Justina Machado | Lolita niña |
| Laurie Martinez | DreamTour Guide |
| Gustavo Mellado | Ramón Emeterio Betances |
| Maricela Ochoa | Lolita Anciana |
| Daniel Sanchez | Vejigante Azul |
| John Carlos Seda | Priest |
| Steve Weaver | Carmelo |
Design team: +
| Name | Function(s) |
|---|---|
| Michelle Banks | Costume designer |
| Angelica Gutierrez | Props designer |
| Joel Klaff | Production Designer |
| María Pérez | Image Design |
| Juan Ramirez | Light designer |
| Carlos Tamayo | Choreographer |
| Andrés Vera de Martínez | Scenographic Designer |
| Jeff Webb | Sound/Soundtrack Designer |
Technical team: +
| Name | Function(s) |
|---|---|
| David Jackson | Special effects technician |
| Charlie Jáimes | Light operator |
| Raul Jáimes | Stage / production manager |
| James M. Kent | Photographer |
Production team: +
| Name | Function(s) |
|---|---|
| Gregorio Gómez | Production Coordinator |
Notes: +
From Midgalia Cruz
Travel: The journey to this play has been paved with the power of knowledge and the pain of not knowing enough- about my culture, music, literature, and, especially, politics. It was an honor to explore the life of a woman everyone should know about-not just because of her politics or nationality- but because of her spirit. The story of Lolita Lebron is a story about the survival of dreams in a world that no longer tolerates idealism.
Road conditions: This play is fact mixed with fiction based on my own interpretation of events, poetry, and music- a necessity raised by research I did which varied wildly: anecdotes, documents, even "facts" were different from source to source.
Destination: Lolita gave me back my dreams, forced me to look at my own politics, and most importantly, fed my spirit and my soul. The journey of this play was a journey home.
From Edward F. Torres
When I first started working on this project, I thought I knew everything there was to know about Puerto Rico-its people, history and music. However, during the rehearsal process for LOLITA de LARES, I quickly realized that I really knew very little about my mother's country.
To begin to understand my culture, I had to examine the political issues that had a profound impact on Puerto Rico's past, present, and future. Being involved in the production stirred my political consciousness. Lolita Lebron has become to me a symbol of Truth, Commitment, Strength, Spirit, and Hope. Without any of these elements, it is difficult for anyone to truly understand the plight of Puerto Rico. The plight of our people.
Author: Gabriela Hernandez (Spring 2021)