THE AMPARO EXPERIENCE Makes Official Premiere in Miami

"AMPARO," an immersive theatrical experience, makes its official South Florida premiere in the Spring of 2019 after two highly well-received theatrical pilots in New York and Miami. A journey through the halls of history, with multiple tracks and choose-your-own-journey moments, "AMPARO" allows guests to bear witness to the struggles and triumphs of the Arechabala family­, founders of THE REAL HAVANA CLUB rum. Theatergoers are transported from present-day Miami to 1957-Cuba, they follow cast members through the Cuban Revolution, becoming a part of the story and pay tribute to the original family rum recipe with a captivating series of HAVANA CLUB cocktails. Audiences can expect for all five senses to be fully immersed in this beautifully gut-wrenching theatrical performance based on a true story.

In town for a limited two-month run, the first preview of "AMPARO" is scheduled for April 4th in a private historic villa in Downtown Miami, located at 221 NE 17th Street, Miami, FL 33132. Pre-sale ticket prices begin at $79 for this two-hour experience and include a series of imaginatively crafted rum cocktails by Miami's finest bartenders. Tickets go on sale March 1. For showtimes and to purchase tickets, please visit www.theamparoexperience.com.

"As the home to so many in the Cuban Diaspora, Miami is a uniquely perfect community for the debut of 'AMPARO,' and these innovative and immersive one-of-a-kind experiences are a welcome addition to the cultural arts landscape. As even more artistic companies establish themselves here, Greater Miami continues to shine as an emerging arts and entertainment hub and their success here is a testament to the maturity of Miami's art and culture scene," commented William D. Talbert, III, CDME, GMCVB President & CEO.

"AMPARO," the brainchild of playwright, Vanessa Garcia, is brought to life in this guided theater experience led by director, Victoria Collado, together with Tony and Emmy-winning executive producers, The Broadway Factor ("American Son", "Kinky Boots"). Recently profiled by the Immigrant Archive Project, Garcia and Collado share how they became "obsessed" with the story of Ramon and Amparo Arechabala and THE REAL HAVANA CLUB rum. Their powerful interview can be seen on the Immigrant Archive Project website.

"It was extremely important for us to take this story and amplify its truth," said Garcia, who along with Collado founded the Abre Camino Collective. "A legacy that will not relent, 'AMPARO' is a story of the Arechabala family, their love, and the complicated, unbreakable bond with an island that was once home. It is a story about thriving in the face of extreme adversity. This is the true story of THE REAL HAVANA CLUB rum."

"The 'AMPARO' experience tells a story that is so familiar to many of our Miami residents," said Alyce Robertson, Executive Director of the Miami Downtown Development Authority. "Miami has always been an international melting pot, and today our urban core is a hub for arts and entertainment. Downtown Miami is home to the highest concentration of cultural institutions in the Southeast U.S., making the premiere of 'AMPARO' a welcomed addition to our arts scene."

Pre-sale tickets available March 1 at the official "AMPARO" website, www.theamparoexperience.com. Follow La Familia on Instagram @TheRealHavanaClub, #TheAmparoExperience.

About Abre Camino Collective
Abre Camino Collective (AAC) is comprised of visual, theatre, literary, and performing artists redefining the American narrative through radical storytelling. ACC believes that great storytelling transcends race, gender, class, and every other label out there. That the power of story is to get as close to the red hot core of the human being as possible, then stir it, shift it, change it when necessary.

More about the Company: Individually, Victoria Collado has directed at Repertorio Español, MCC Youth Company, Sheen Center, IATI theatre, Columbia University, and most recently, she was the assistant director for John Leguizamo's "Latin History For Morons" on Broadway. She's currently a WP Lab Fellow. Vanessa Garcia, is a multi-genre writer working in fiction, nonfiction, theatre, and journalism. Her novel White Light was one of NPR's Best Books of 2015. As a feature writer, essayist, and journalist, her work has appeared in the LA Times, The Miami Herald, The Guardian, The Washington Post and other publications. She's also a WP Lab Fellow. Her plays have been anthologized and produced in Edinburgh, NYC, Amsterdam, Miami, and other cities around the world. She holds a PhD in Creative Nonfiction from the University of California Irvine. Together, they are two American-born, Cuban women on a mission.

About Broadway Factor
The Broadway Factor is a commercial production company dedicated to promoting diversity and new talent in American theater. The company's four founding partners-Jim Kierstead, William Fernandez, George Cabrera and Deborah Ramirez-come from the world of Broadway, business development, marketing and communications.

The group includes two Tony, an Emmy and a Pulitzer, among other awards. Individual members have production credits that include "American Son," "Anastasia," "Natasha," "Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812," "Kinky Boots," "Matilda," "Pretty Woman" and "Waitress" on Broadway, and the off-Broadway musical "Unexpected Joy." Launched in 2018, the company's mission is to showcase Latino and other emerging playwrights, encourage multiculturalism and innovation in the theater, translate and tour the work of American Playwrights throughout the Spanish-speaking world, and offer executive producer, general management, audience development and other consulting services.

About THE REAL HAVANA CLUB
The Arechabala Family started their rum-making business in 1878 in Cuba and first registered the original HAVANA CLUB trademark in 1934. It wasn't long before HAVANA CLUB Rum became a beloved and iconic Cuban brand - becoming a favorite amongst locals as well as American and European tourists.

Then everything changed. On January 1st, 1960, at gunpoint, the Cuban regime unrightfully seized the company's assets without compensation.

The Arechabala family lost everything and was forced to flee the homeland they loved, with a scant few of their remaining possessions--the precious HAVANA CLUB recipe being one of them. Meanwhile, the Cuban government started to sell their stolen version of HAVANA CLUB, and continues to do so to this day.

It wasn't until 1995--after decades of rebuilding, the Arechabala Family finally joined forces with another Cuban family in exile: Bacardi. The latter acquired the HAVANA CLUB brand and began producing rum based on the original HAVANA CLUB recipe and selling it in the one country that didn't recognize the Cuban government's 1960 illegal expropriation, the United States.

The real HAVANA CLUB is an example of how, despite the circumstances, Cubans in exile have never accepted their fate. HAVANA CLUB Rum holds onto its rich Cuban culture.

About Bacardi Limited
Bacardi Limited, the largest privately held spirits company in the world, produces and markets internationally recognized spirits and wines. The Bacardi brand portfolio comprises more than 200 brands and labels, including BACARDÍ rum, GREY GOOSE vodka, PATRÓN tequila, DEWAR'S Blended Scotch whisky, BOMBAY SAPPHIRE gin, MARTINI vermouth and sparkling wines, CAZADORES 100% blue agave tequila, and other leading and emerging brands including William Lawson'S Scotch whisky, ST-GERMAIN elderflower liqueur, and ERISTOFF vodka. Founded more than 156 years ago, in Santiago de Cuba on February 4, 1862, family-owned Bacardi currently employs more than 7,000, operates more than 20 production facilities, including bottling, distilling and manufacturing sites in 11 countries, and sells its brands in more than 170 countries. Bacardi Limited refers to the Bacardi group of companies, including Bacardi International Limited. Visit www.bacardilimited.com or follow @BacardiLimited.

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