Photo Flash: First Look at CUBA LIBRE World Premiere at Artists Rep

Artists Repertory Theatre extends the world premiere production of the Broadway-scale new musical CUBA LIBRE through November 15. The show is currently in previews for an official Opening Night tomorrow, October 10, at Portland's Winningstad Theatre, in Portland, Oregon. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

This epic musical is the most ambitious project Artists Rep has ever produced. With an award-winning creative team working with top-notch performers, including the band Tiempo Libre performing for every show, this musical features 11 musical numbers, complex set and projection designs, and with choreography that includes the audience at every performance.

The irresistible rhythms of Cuban music drive this riveting, timely story of a man caught between countries, losses and loves, and his search for freedom. Set in America and Cuba, this universal tale reverberates across politics, ambition and romance with quick-witted dialogue, joy-filled dance and Latin-fusion beats. This Broadway-scale, contemporary musical features the internationally acclaimed, three-time Grammy-nominated band Tiempo Libre with a company of 21 actors, dancers and musicians in a not-to-be-missed theatrical event.

CUBA LIBRE is a contemporary musical inspired by the collective histories of the members of Tiempo Libre, featuring a book by playwright Carlos Lacámara, the band's own music and spectacular choreography. The musical is a bilingual theatre experience with the majority of the dialogue in English and the music largely in Spanish. Told in flashbacks from present-day Miami to 1990s Cuba, the story centers around a Cuban musician still haunted by the sacrifices he, his friends and family made for him to pursue his artistic dreams in the U.S. while he makes a new life for himself as an American.

Bursting with big stage chops, national and award-winning talent CUBA LIBRE's 21-person ensemble of actors, dancers, singers and musicians is a multi-ethnic, multi-disciplinary company from all over the country who have come together to create CUBA LIBRE. This show demands this cross-creative and collaborate company of actors, singers, dancers and band members act, sing, dance throughout the show.

PRINCIPAL CAST: Alonso-German Alexander* (West Side Story/NatTour+; Little Fish/LA); Lisandra-Janet Dacal* (In the Heights/Bwy~+; Wonderland/Bwy~; Good Vibrations/Bwy~); Hector-Brandon Contreras*(In the Heights/NatTour; West Side Story/NYC); Ignacio-Nick Duckart* (In the Heights/FL+; Man of La Mancha /FL); Annie-Sara Hennessy* (Hunter Gatherers/LA+; Grace/LA+; Intimate Apparel/PDX); Rudy-Jose Luaces* (Big Fish/NYC; A Christmas Story:The Musical/Bwy, ); Olga-Luisa Sermol* (Sans Merci/PDX+; 9 Parts of Desire/PDX+; Sideman/PDX+); and Tarzan-Xavier Mili Saint-Ives (Tiempo Libre: Lead Vocals, maracas and guiro).

+ award-winning performance
~ originating role

DANCE ENSEMBLE: Sun-Tzu Dunmore (CUBA LIBRE/PDX 2014 dance lab); Jeff George (Sesame Street Live/East Coast Tour; CUBA LIBRE/PDX 2014 dance lab); Poundo "Sweet" Gomis* (Fela!/Bwy(2012)&NatTour; Cirque du Soleil); Nican Robinson (Fuàkata/NYC); Julana Torres* (CUBA LIBRE/PDX 2014 dance lab); Oscar Trujillo (Margret Jenkins Dance/SF; BAM, "The Legend of Yauna"/NY; Organic Magnetics/NY); and Penelope Armstead-Williams* (Wild Party/OffBwy; Wicked/NatTour).

TIEMPO LIBRE: Jorge Gómez-Pianist & Musical Director; Luis Beltran-Saxophone & Flute; Michel Ruíz Garcia-Trumpet; Xavier Mili Saint-Ives-Lead Vocals, maracas and guiro; Wilber Rodríguez-Bass, vocals; Israel Morales-Drums; and Leandro González-Congas, vocals.

CREATIVE TEAM: Directed by Dámaso Rodriguez***; Choreographer -Maija Garcia***; Music Director-Jorge Gómez; Scenic Designer-Christopher Acebo**; Lighting Designer-Peter West; Projection Designer-Kaitlyn Pietras**; Costume Designer-Gregory Pulver^; Sound Designer-Sharath Patel^; Amy Lieberman-Casting Director
Dramaturg/Musical Consultant-Nick Blaemire; Mary McDonald-Lewis-Dialect Coach^; Assistant Choreographer-Oscar Trujillo; Associate Scenic Designer-Megan Wilkerson**^; Sound Design Consultant-Rodolfo Ortega^; and Scenic Design Assistant-Cecily Madanes

*Actors Equity Association
**United Scenic Artists
***Stage Directors and Choreographers Society
^Artists RepResident Artist

Click here for tickets and more information.

Photo Credit: Owen Carey

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