BWW Q&A: Monica Torres of TU Ternura Molotov at LatinUs Black Box Theater

Monica is a native Puerto Rican pediatrician who graduated from San Juan Bautista School of Medicine in 1996 and finished her pediatric residency in 2000. She completed a postdoctoral fellowship in genetic epidemiology at Case Western Reserve.

Despite her inclination for the sciences and medicine, her love for theater never stopped. She studied Dramatic Arts at the University of Puerto Rico in 1992. She is also a former member of the Yaguez Theater Company in Puerto Rico. Some of her stage performances include Dollhouse, La Cantante Calva, and Arriba las Mujeres. She also participated in the xx11 Puerto Rican Theater Festival with the play Epoca de Celo.  

In Cleveland, she co-founded and is currently the Executive Director of LatinUs, the first independent Latino/Hispanic theater Company in Ohio. With hard work and ambition, she raised enough funds to make this dream a reality. Since 2018, LatinUs has produced La Cueva De Salamanca, Death and the Maiden, The Unusual Case of Miss Piña Colada, Divorcees, Evangelist and Vegetarians, La Casa de Bernarda Alba, Baños Publicos, S.A., Tiempo Muerto, La Siempreviva, and Gloria. Monica has participated as an actress and producer in all productions.

Can you share your journey from being a pediatrician to becoming the Executive Director of LatinUs?

In general, my life has been an adventure. I am originally from Mayagüez, Puerto Rico, and I have loved theater since I was young. Since childhood, I have been involved in various extracurricular artistic activities (dancing, music, acting, etc). My older cousin, who was like a brother to me, always inspired me to participate in plays and to become part of the theater company at the University of Puerto Rico in Mayagüez. In college, my minor was in theatre and acting, while advancing in my career to become a physician, I was still participating with "el teatrico" in my hometown, Mayagüez. Unfortunately, after finishing med school, during my internship, and my training as a pediatrician, I had to put aside my dream of becoming a professional theatre actor. Multiple things happened to me during the following years. I met the love of my life, and we started a family. As a young couple, we moved to New Orleans and Cleveland to continue my husband's career. After a gap (taking care of the family), I restarted, dreaming of continuing my artistic career. With a lot of sacrifice and dedication, I created this company with my fantastic friends, who were equally crazy and adventurous.

What inspired you to co-found LatinUs, the first independent Latino/Hispanic theater Company in Ohio?

I saw the need to have an artistic company that represents us. A company created by Latinos and directed by Latinos for our Latino community. We saw the need to bring some art representing us to the new Latino generations. We dream that the Hispanic community feels proud of their traditions, and what better way to get some of the most successful plays from different Hispanic-speaking countries?

What can you tell us about your upcoming play "Tu ternura Molotov" and its unique blend of comedy and darkness?

Tu ternura Molotov (Your Molotov Kisses) is a play successfully presented in multiple countries in Latin America and Europe and translated into multiple languages. This fantastic, iconic, and successful play is about a relationship between toxic individuals with past secrets. It's about how we easily judge others, even when we have more considerable defects or our skeletons in the closet are more significant than the others. It's a problematic play where the main characters are full of secrets, hate, and racism. The play touches on complex topics like terrorism and Hamas.

How has Gustavo Ott's artistic vision influenced the production of "Tu ternura Molotov"?

"Tu Ternura Molotov" is the second play we are presenting from Gustavo, and there is a chance he could come to Cleveland to one of the presentations (no pressure for us! ?). Gustavo's plays are sarcastic, and he always tries to ridicule topics that, for some people, could be taboo. We love his style, and we love to bring this controversial topic to the public. Comedy is to laugh and think about how ridiculous some things could be in life.

What impact do you hope "Tu ternura Molotov" will have on its audience, both culturally and artistically?

We want to open the arena to discuss topics present in our daily lives. Not because we don't talk about racism doesn't mean that it doesn't exist, not because we don't talk about child abuse doesn't mean that it is not affecting us, not because we don't talk about terrorism and Hamas doesn't mean that they are not present. We want to open a discussion and clarify that these problems are happening, and the only way to eliminate them is to talk about them.

Finally, what would you like to say to your audience and supporters who have made LatinUs' productions possible?

Thanks, gracias, Obrigado, Grazie, Danke, Arigato, and thanks in all possible languages We are what we are because of you, the audience. You are our motivation and the only reason to exist. Without your support, this crazy dream we had five years ago would be impossible to make a reality. But please keep coming; we need you.

Why must audiences come and see the production?

It's a powerful play, an emotional roller coaster, and a dark comedy that can leave a mark on you. The work done by our actors Sandra and Angel is fantastic, and you will enjoy this production that we are humbly presenting to you. Los esperamos en su teatro latino!

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