CLATA's LA GRINGA Comes to Festival De Teatro Puertorriqueño E Internacional

Every fall, the Chicago Latino Theater Alliance (CLATA) imports top Latino theater artists and companies from the U.S. and Latin America to perform during Destinos Chicago International Latino Theater Festival.

That's just one half of CLATA's import/export business, which is dedicated to showcasing the diversity of the Latino experience.

Next month, CLATA is "exporting" La Gringa, the acclaimed play produced by Chicago's UrbanTheater Company, to be performed as part of a cross-cultural exchange, live and in-person, at the Festival de Teatro Puertorriqueño e Internacional 2022.

La Gringa is playwright Carmen Rivera's comedic story of a young Puerto Rican woman from the U.S. who visits her family's homeland, only to be met with less than open arms. UrbanTheater Company Producing Artistic Director Miranda González, who staged UTC's 2017 Chicago premiere, returns to direct.

This new production also reunites UTC's original cast - Felipe Camacho, Nydia Castillo, Frankie Davila, NK Gutiérrez, Andrew Perez and Sofia Tew - to debut the play where it is actually set - in Puerto Rico.

UrbanTheater's cast traveling to Puerto Rico to perform La Gringa features Chicago actors (from left) Felipe Camacho, Nydia Castillo, Frankie Davila, NK Gutiérrez, Andrew Perez and Sofia Tew.

This new production also reunites UTC's original cast - Felipe Camacho, Nydia Castillo, Frankie Davila, NK Gutiérrez, Andrew Perez and Sofia Tew - to debut the play where it is actually set - in Puerto Rico.

La Gringa will be presented twice during the Festival de Teatro Puertorriqueño e Internacional 2022: Friday, April 8 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, April, 9 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets go on sale the week of March 21 at prticket.com.

The Festival de Teatro Puertorriqueño e Internacional 2022 runs March 18-June 16, 2022. Other Festival presentations include Quintuples by Luis Rafael Sánchez (March 18-27); Fefu and Her Friends by María Irene Fornés (May 3-8); the University Theatre Festival (March 31-April 3); Ether by Marian Pabón (May 13-15); A Number by Caryl Churchill (June 3-12); and, The Biscuit by Bekah Brunstetter (June 17-26).

All performances are at the Teatro Victoria Espinosa in Santurce, San Juan de Puerto Rico. For tickets and information, visit prticket.com.

La Gringa, written by Carmen Rivera, is the comedic story of María Elena Garcia, a young woman who visits her extended family in Puerto Rico, excited to connect with her homeland. Although this is her first trip to Puerto Rico, she grew up with a deep love for the island and even majored in Puerto Rican Studies in college. When she arrives, the majority of Puerto Ricans she meets consider her an American - a "gringa" - and María considers this a betrayal. Coming to terms with who she is leads María into misperceptions and misadventures. But will an unlikely ally help her find her way to the other side?

UrbanTheater presented the Chicago premiere of La Gringa in 2017 at its Batey Urbano location at 2620 W. Division St., in Chicago's Humboldt Park neighborhood.

"As UTC prepares for its 17th year, we are overjoyed to present La Gringa at Teatro Victoria Espinosa in San Juan Puerto Rico. We are grateful for this opportunity that was brought forth by CLATA and Instituto de Cultura Puertorriquena," said Iván Vega, Executive Director, UrbanTheater Company

"This play is very special to us," Vega added. "With our previous productions we were able to reflect stories that are important to our community and create long lasting relationships with playwrights Carmen Rivera and Candido Tirado. This will be our first theatrical production in Puerto Rico and we hope this endeavor marks the start of sharing our stories in our homeland."

"What an enormous blessing...lightning does strike twice!" added playwright Carmen Rivera. "I have worked with UTC twice - they produced my plays, Julia de Burgos, Child of Water, and La Gringa. Their commitment to diversity and inclusivity is admirable and very inspiring. They gave my stories a nurturing space to live and share with their audience. They talk the talk. More importantly, they walk the walk."

"The Chicago Latino Theater Alliance is very excited to participate for the first time in the Festival de Teatro Puertorriqueño e Internacional 2022 with La Gringa by UrbanTheater Company of Chicago," said Myrna Salazar, Executive Director, CLATA.

"We are convinced that creating a cultural bridge together will undoubtedly be a cultural enrichment to all who are part of it. CLATA is proud to continue building these essential bridges and forging paths, as we have already for the past four years by presenting theater companies from Puerto Rico as part of our annual Destinos Chicago International Latino Theater Festival!"

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