There's a reason Catalan author Josep María Miró's "The Passage" (in Spanish, "La Travesía") has been translated into more than five languages.
The play, with its universal message, deals with the origins of human actions and why we do what we do.
Arca Images is presenting the Miami premiere of "The Passage" directed by Carlos Celdrán and, for the fourth time, the return of a work by the multi-award-winning Miró to the Miami stage.
In collaboration with Ajedrez Eventos de México, Roxy Theater Group, and the Miami-Dade County Auditorium, performances are at the Westchester Cultural Arts Center from Friday, July 11 to Sunday, July 20. The play will be presented in Spanish with simultaneous English translation.
"I was interested in talking about a conflict that takes place in 'no man's land', where the protagonists go to help and realize there are also flaws in their work," says Miró, about the work written in 2015.
In the plot, Sister Cecilia, the main character played by Elba Escobar, undertakes an ethical journey after a girl dies in her arms as a result of being brutally assaulted. The event forces her to reflect her work with a humanitarian project located in a war zone.
For Celdrán, resident director of Arca Images, Miró's work "delves into a complex and unprecedented landscape." He was seduced by the story, Celdrán emphasizes, because it is "material that allows us to think about the present, the current situation, the dilemmas of contemporary beings from a very personal perspective."
Miró observes the strength of the piece in its discourse and its characters, who likes his writing to be a challenge for the actors on stage as well as the audience. "It's a work," he says, "above all, of actors, which is very attractive because of what it presents in terms of acting and theatricality."
Escobar is joined by Arca Images' actors Juan David Ferrer (Rai), Caleb Casas (Oscar), Guillermo Cabré (Isaac), and Rachel Pastor (Sister Isabel).
Celdrán emphasizes that "unraveling the keys to the text is a fundamental exercise. He is an essential author who meticulously focuses on every word, every detail, and every pause. His text is a living, breathing, and complementary organism. It is a form of writing of the utmost rigor that forces you to pay attention, to listen to the silences, the smallest hints."
Connoisseurs and admirers of their respective works, the creative exchange has been a "different journey" for both artists, in which Miró's theatrical language and Celdrán's theatrical vision intersect.
"It's a dialogue born of admiration, respect, and friendship. I find Celdrán to be a highly stimulating person. If we shared the same geography, I would surely have sneaked into a rehearsal to see the process, to see how the actors make the journey, but always from a place of respect," says Miró.
Miró will attend performances of "The Passage" in Miami after the Barcelona premiere of his most recent work, "The Monster" ("El Monstruo"), in early July.
"What do I expect from the Miami audience? I like to see how they breathe, what questions they have, and how they read it. It's exciting to come back and see how the audience receives it," says the playwright.
Alexa Kuve's company, Arca Images, receives a nod from Celdrán regarding the types of work selected to bring to Miami audiences. In response to Miró's play, Celdrán comments, "It's always worth investing in the theater that speaks to the present."
Following the Miami performances, "The Passage" will travel to the El Círculo Teatral in Mexico City for a show at 6 p.m. on Sunday, July 27.
WHAT: Premiere of "La travesía" by Josep María Miró (in Spanish with simultaneous translation into English).
WHEN: 8 p.m., Friday, July 11 and 18, and Saturday, July 12 and 19; 5 p.m., Sundays July 13 and 20.
WHERE: Westchester Cultural Arts Center, 7930 SW 40th St., Miami
COST: $30 general admission, $25 for seniors and students with valid ID.
INFORMATION: www.arcaimages.org
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