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Miami Herald
23-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Miami Herald
Timeless play ‘The Glass Menagerie' shines a light on today's fears and loneliness
In his final monologue, Tom Wingfield, a character in Tennessee Williams' classic 'The Glass Menagerie,' observes '... nowadays the world is filled with lightning.' Director Phillip M Church said Wingfield is not alluding to the weather, but rather the appearance of bombs exploding over Europe and the fear of America's entry into WWII. 'Fast forward 80 years to 2025 and once again we see Williams' words reflected in our own times,' Church said. 'For me personally, and the overriding purpose of 'The Glass Menagerie,' is the fact that a play written 80 years ago represents a microcosmic metaphor for national, and by extension global, politics. 'The play also relates to the terrible blight of loneliness that has captivated so many individuals, not only in our own communities and nation but across the world. Loneliness and the relentless search for companionship and connection was Tennessee Williams' constant struggle,' Church said. 'How sad that 80 years later in 2025 many people living beneath one roof can be riddled with a feeling of abject estrangement.' Community theater group What if Works will present 'The Glass Menagerie,' Aug. 8-10, at two locations — the Westchester Cultural Arts Center through the Roxy Theatre Group, and the Seminole Theatre in Homestead through the Homestead Center for the Arts. 'What if Works sets out to challenge Williams' assertion that dreams are only illusions to be extinguished in order to endure the realities of the world. Bringing together a visual and literary tour-de-force, in an evening of thrilling and provocative theatre, a quartet of professional theatre educators will take to the stage,' Church said. They include Tracey Barrow-Schoenblatt as Amanda Wingfield, Juan Carlos Gutierrez as Tom Wingfield, Megan Zorrilla as Laura Wingfield and Charles Sothers as The Gentleman Caller. Williams' play is regarded as one of America's great works, and for good reason, Church said. 'His play has taken on allegorical dimensions of a family, his own in autobiographical detail, divided with itself reflected in a larger family, the nation, at war with itself. 'Laura's glass menagerie is symbolic of mankind, and, like her glass animals, we are fragile and in desperate need of care and attention. Sadly, Williams' play will continue to prompt each generation through the ages with its reminder of how easily trust and love can be betrayed and broken.' The production will incorporate images and illusions across three accompanying projection screens to complement Williams' earliest attempts at merging cinematic reality with stage illusion. ' 'The Glass Menagerie' is a powerful, socio-polemical production that speaks to the heart of our own times,' Church said. 'Williams himself will be challenged as What if Works questions the rationale behind Tom's instruction to his sister at the end of the play to 'Blow out your candles, Laura.' 'This line has grown as ubiquitous to theatergoers as those of a young upstart over 400 years ago who left us with the line, 'To be or not to be.' 'Williams reminds us of our fragility, and that, just like Laura's glass animals, we can be shattered by actions and words that we exchange to one another. Yet, is blowing out the candle of hope and imagination a solution to dealing with the harsh realities of the world around us? What if Works begs to differ,' Church said. In the spirit of Tennessee Williams' own personal craving for freedom and discovery, partial proceeds from 'The Glass Menagerie' will benefit the Florida International University Ignite 'Accessing the World' Scholarship fund. The fund gives students with disabilities the opportunities to study abroad. Tickets are $15 general admission, $10 for veterans, students and seniors. Theatre League of South Florida members are admitted free. For tickets, schedule and venue information go to SCHOOL SUPPLIES FOR THOSE IN NEED For 15 years, Style Saves has offered support for South Florida families in need of essential school supplies. The financial strain of back-to-school shopping can be overwhelming for many. The Miami-based nonprofit's annual back-to-school event, along with year-round programs, helps to uplift youth and give students confidence and dignity as they prepare for a new school year. Through a department store-style shopping format, attendees can select new uniforms, sneakers, school supplies and accessories, all at no cost. And beyond providing the necessities, Style Saves creates a fun atmosphere with activities, and food and beverages, that turns a stressful time into a memorable one. 'Celebrating 15 years of Style Saves is a testament to the strength of our community and our shared commitment to supporting South Florida's students,' said Style Saves President Rachael Russell Saiger. The Back-To-School event extends its impact to many beneficiaries, including children in migrant camps, homeless shelters, foster care, and various organizations across South Florida. In addition to shopping, families will enjoy Sprinkle City-themed activities. Style Saves has also expanded its reach over the years through mentorship and enrichment initiatives that offer guidance, life-skills support and memorable experiences like prom events, holiday givebacks and educational outings. 'We are deeply grateful to the City of Miami Beach and the Miami Beach Convention Center for their continued partnership in making this milestone event possible,' said Style Saves Vice President Isabela Rangel Grutman. 'As we mark this 15th anniversary, we remain dedicated to expanding our reach and bringing this critical support to even more communities in need.' Style Saves will hold its event Aug. 9-10 at the Miami Beach Convention Center. Families in need can get tickets at Volunteers are needed for set-up the day before and on event days. To sign up, visit or email info@ Write to ChristinaMMayo@ with news for this column.
Miami Herald
04-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Miami Herald
Playwright Nilo Cruz explores life in Afghanistan through monologues at Arca Images
Andrea Ferro, who barely stands over five feet tall, says that there are perks to being short when you're in the theater. The most obvious, of course, are acquiring roles that call for smaller stature. This includes her latest part, where Ferro grabs the lead in 'Farhad, or the Secret of Being.' She uses her petite frame to house the powerful voice of a 15-year-old girl who, because of the local Bacha Posh tradition, is forced to masquerade as a boy. The benefits, in a culture that favor males, are plenty, but with the onset of puberty her access to freedom is nevertheless cut short. Ferro says that preparing for the role has been an eye-opening experience. 'This role, in particular, is one of the most beautiful pieces that I've been lucky enough to work on in my career thus far,' she says. 'And the role itself is very powerful, especially because it's a story that not many people know.' The piece, written and directed by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Nilo Cruz, is one of three monologues focused on life in Afghanistan. Presented by Arca Images, 'Tres Veces Cruz' (Three Times Cruz), the bilingual production, opens March 6 and continues through March 16 at the Westchester Cultural Arts Center. Cruz says that he initially discovered the concept for 'Farhad, or the Secret of Being' after stumbling on a piece in the New York TImes. 'When I read the story, I was so intrigued that I started to do a little bit of research,' explains Cruz. 'I wanted to write a monologue about a young girl in Afghanistan that has 24 hours to enjoy the freedom that boys have, and men have in that part of the world, before she starts dressing as a girl, and therefore is oppressed by the country that she lives in. And I just thought it was fascinating, and thought it was important to document this, and so I came up with this piece.' The others include 'Melisma, or the Song of a Syllable,' where Carlos Acosta Milián stars as a wounded American soldier who confronts his own humanity by 'discovering beauty in the most unexpected moments.' And in 'The Journey of the Shadow,' Marcelo Miguel is an eight-year-old boy who desperately tries to communicate with his father who is a soldier in Afghanistan. Andy Barbosa, who plays Marcelo, immediately felt a bond with the boy. 'It's about falling in love with the character;' says Barbosa. 'There has to be something that connects with me as an actor.' He says he explores what it is about the character that also connects with the society that character is living in. 'All that fantasy that the little boy was able to create, in order to have this final conversation with his father. is what is the most interesting thing for me, and what caught my attention was how this character is able to deal with something so hard, being aware that he could lose his father fighting in a war in Afghanistan.' With the three monologues weaving such a rich tapestry of messages, Alexa Kuve, executive producer and artistic director of Arca Images says it is important to present the production in a way for all audiences to participate. To do so, 'The Journey of the Shadow' and 'Melisma or the Song of a Syllable,' will be presented in Spanish, while 'Farhad or the Secret of Being' will remain in English. 'We're trying to involve the community more in our presentations,' says Kuve, whose company offers either simultaneous translations in English or subtitles for all of its shows. 'It's important to us for the Anglo community, to get to know our work, and get exposed to different playwrights from Latin America.' As for Cruz, who is Cuban American, the use of language and culture is a crucial component to his success. He has leveraged both to provide audiences a front row seat into Latino culture. This is evidenced by numerous collaborations, translations and overall body of work including his Pulitzer Prize winning 'Anna in the Tropics,' a play centered on Cuban immigrants laboring in a cigar factory. He won the 2003 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, the the first Latin American ever to win the Pulitzer for playwrighting. With this monumental recognition in his pocket, Cruz continues to be grateful for other accolades he receives, including South Florida's Carbonell Awards, which presented him with the 2024 George Abbott Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Arts. 'I was elated because I just write and I don't worry about receiving external satisfaction, so it's really great when someone taps you on the shoulder and then you're reminded of all the work you've done throughout the year, and you're awarded for it. It's a really good feeling.' Kuve believes that there is one main reason why Cruz' work resonates with so many. 'He can write about so many subjects from so many different places. He's very diverse in that sense. Because in the end, in my opinion, what he seeks is the human existence and that is universal. If there a subject that touches him, he can write about the most horrific event, war for example, and he does it but with beauty and imagination, and it's just enchanting.' While writing is a conduit for thoughts and expression, sentiments can get lost in translation too, and sometimes words just get in the way. Cruz explains his process. 'How language operates on stage is a curious thing,' says Cruz. 'What is said but not said, what is spoken or unspoken. That's something that I'm very interested in when I write. Do I need this word? Do I need this sentence? Can we just do this with a gesture?' It's what he says he loves about theater, that it 'doesn't just live on the page.' 'Theater lives on the stage with gestures, with silence and with images too. Sometimes you might be writing a scene in which there's a lot of dialogue, and sometimes you might want to take away the dialogue and just do it with physicality, with just a moment or a look . . . Theater offers me this other dimension in which language operates, but in a visual way, or through silence or through gestures. And it's something that I'm constantly discovering when I'm directing or writing a play.' But Cruz hopes that 'Tres Veces Cruz' (Three Times Cruz) brings a message home to the audience that ultimately transcends any language. 'I think the three pieces are existential in many ways, because these three characters live in hopeless situations but there's also an element of resilience in the three of them. How these three people basically escape through the power of imagination, the power of dreaming, of creating a better self even if it's only in their minds.' If you go: WHAT: 'Tres Veces Cruz' (Three Times Cruz) WHEN: 8 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, 5 p.m. Sunday through March 16. WHERE: Westchester Cultural Arts Center, 7930 SW 40th St., Miami COST: $25 general admission, $20 for seniors, students with valid ID, and groups of 10 or more. INFORMATION: is a nonprofit media source for the arts featuring fresh and original stories by writers dedicated to theater, dance, visual arts, film, music and more. Don't miss a story at
Axios
04-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Axios
New play honors life of Marjory Stoneman Douglas victim
Seven years after the deadly school shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, the Westchester Cultural Arts Center is debuting a new play that commemorates one of the victims. " Soul of a Swimmer," which depicts the life of champion high school swimmer Nicholas Dworet, opens Thursday and runs through the weekend. The big picture: Based on a book of the same title, the play traces Dworet's life and Olympic dreams while highlighting the "urgent issue of gun violence and mental health" in society, per a news release. If you go: The play is showing Thursday-Saturday, 8pm, and Sunday, 2pm. Tickets start at $10.
