Kent State faculty and alumni are working on a new show, “El Coquí Espectacular and the Bottle of Doom,” presented by Cleveland Public Theatre/Teatro Publico de Cleveland March 20-April 5. Cleveland Public Theatre has a significant national and international reputation, annually producing world premieres and various education programs.
Set in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, circa 2010, "El Coquí Espectacular and the Bottle of Doom" centers on Alex, a 20-something Nuyorican comic book artist struggling with issues of identity and heritage. Inspired by the vejigante mask left to him by his dad, Alex copes by assuming an identity straight out of his comic books – El Coquí Espectacular! Paralleling Alex’s real life, El Coquí’s nemesis is the identity-challenging El Chupacabra!!
All the characters in "El Coquí Espectacular and the Bottle of Doom" struggle with issues of identity and/or heritage. For example, Alex’s brother Joe struggles with his identity while working on the Latin marketing campaign for the fictional Voltage Cola. While Yesica, an art student, wrestles with where she fits and how she will respond to a world where the imprint of her family history and heritage is disappearing. The production is written by Matt Barbot and directed by Fabio Polanco.
Among the Kent State faculty, Fabio Polanco, professor of theatre at Kent State, serves as the director of “El Coquí,” while Gennie Neuman Lambert, assistant professor of scenic design, takes on the role of scenic designer and adjunct professor, Ryan Zarecki, as the fight choreographer. M.F.A. Kent State alumni Jaemin Park, who currently works as assistant professor of lighting and sound design at Southern Illinois University, designed the lighting for the show. Stewart Blackwood, B.A. Kent State alumni and assistant professor of composition and sound design at Carnegie Mellon University, composed the music and designed the sound for “El Coquí.” Lastly, Kat Thorpe, current Kent State M.F.A. student, has taken on the role of set decoration consultant.
Kent State’s faculty and alumni continue to be involved locally in productions, sharing their expertise with the surrounding community. With a passion for aiding in the world of production and performance, they continue to carry on Kent State’s School of Theatre and Dance’s legacy.
“El Coquí” runs March 20 – April 5 in the James Levin Theatre at Cleveland Public Theatre/Teatro Publico de Cleveland. Tickets are available for purchase online and at the Box Office.