La Gringa at The Ritz Is Like Coming Home
by Deitra Oliver
For 40 years, The Ritz Theatre Company in Haddon Township has been bringing affordable, high-quality productions to the region, and this celebratory season has been a joy to partake in. La Gringa, the current show for their 40th season, directed by Edwin “Rico” Santiago, was very much a homecoming event for me as a reviewer. As a “No Sabo” kid, raised by a Puerto Rican mother and an African American father, this story spoke to a struggle I have felt my whole life: the innate need to find your people, your roots, and your culture. It asks the important question: is it possible to “go home” to a place you have never been? Can you be fully Puerto Rican and American (or gringa) at the same time? What are the things that define us and give us our identity? La Gringa is a beautiful exploration of all of these questions and a joyful celebration of the wonder of Puerto Rico, La Isla del Encanto (The Island of Enchantment).
Appropriately, the staging and seating for this show are very intimate. Upon entering the theater, you are directed to the stage, which has, for all intents and purposes, turned its back on you. You see a curtained area of black and u-shaped seating on the stage facing the area where you would normally sit. There are stairs on one side and a ramp on the other, allowing access for patrons of all abilities. As you ascend to the stage, a sacred place, you enter the story. The soft sound of the coqui, Puerto Rico’s tiny musical tree frogs envelops you in sound, transporting you to the island. As you take your seat, you enter the Cofresi family home. On one side, there is a bedroom with a wall covered with theater posters and a single bed. On the other side, there is a kitchen and a dining room table. Everything from the paint colors to the textures to the shapes of the walls felt authentic.
We all have core memories that are awakened by different sights, sounds, and even smells, and from the moment I found my seat, I honestly felt as if I was visiting my Abuela. The attention to detail was wonderful. I spotted magnets that my family has on the refrigerator at home, the pilón for grinding spices, the greca (stovetop espresso maker) for making your extra strong café., the pava (straw hat) worn by the jíbaro (rural farmers) to keep the sun out of their eyes, and even the refrigerator looked like the one my abuela had in her kitchen when I was a child. The pièce de résistance was the tin of Florecita cookies, a staple with your first or third cafecito of the day. The creative team behind the impeccable design and staging, including master builder Seth Chaffin, master electrician Brian Gensel, and set and lighting designer Matthew Weil, worked together to create an immersive and accurate representation of a common home in Puerto Rico. Stage manager Casey Clark and assistant stage manager Lucy Flippen keep everything moving smoothly throughout the show. It is impressive because due to the setup of the stage, the actors enter and exit at a number of different locations.
One thing that always impresses me is the ability to take an audience on a journey while using minimal changes to clearly establish a new setting. With the simple shift of the dining room chairs, the stage area becomes a family graveyard. With a change in lighting, it is nighttime and the sounds of the coqui fill the air. Another transportive aspect of this show was the excellent soundtrack of music from many decades and styles of Puerto Rican music, from bomba to décima to salsa and reggaeton. Brian Gensel is the mind behind the sound design and again does a stellar job. In one scene, music is playing as the characters are speaking and it feels disruptive. For a moment, I thought that there was something happening with the sound, and then I realized the characters were listening to the radio. The sound worked in tandem with the actions on stage as the characters turned down the radio. I love these types of details. It helps the audience suspend reality and fully enter the life happening on the stage.
La Gringa tells the story of New York-born and raised Maria Elena Garcia, played by Emily Colon, a highly talented actor and vocalist with impressive credits in their resume. Colon was perfectly cast as Maria Elena, bringing a searching, hopeful, earthy, intuitive, and often funny quality to the character. Colon delivers a compelling performance, with winning charm and sincerity, that makes Maria Elena’s journey engaging and fun to watch. At the center of that journey is a 22-year-old Maria Elena, who, when given the opportunity by her parents to travel to Europe after graduation, instead chooses to visit her family in Puerto Rico. What begins as a visit becomes a journey of identity and self-discovery.
Arriving at San Juan Airport, camera in hand and her denim jacket emblazoned with the flag of Puerto Rico and other symbols of the island, Maria Elena is greeted by her prima (cousin) Iris Burgos, played by Gabriella Iris, making their Ritz debut. Costuming by Megan Iafolla shines, showing the style differences between the two cousins. Maria Elena is trying too hard to dress as if she is “Puerto Rican”, while Iris is more relaxed in her style. This attention to detail is reflected throughout the show, with traditional items like the guayabera (a traditional men’s shirt) worn by a character later in the show. Iris throughout wears clothing reflective of island life and even loans Maria Elena a dress to wear for an interview. Iris was born and raised in Puerto Rico and is struggling to find a job, despite her excellent qualifications. The play highlights a reality faced by many young people in Puerto Rico and is a major reason many choose to move. Iris is frustrated by the “charmed” life Maria Elena lives and finds her excitement at being in Puerto Rico awkward. Iris sees her more as a spectator or tourist to Puerto Rico rather than a part of Puerto Rico. In Iris’s eyes, Maria Elena, while Puerto Rican by blood, is American by birth and by experience, so Iris calls her gringa in that joking but hurtfully truthful way. Gabriella Iris does an excellent job of portraying the challenges faced by her character, maintaining a humanity that makes the character feel real and believable. Gabriella is a wonderful actor and brings excellent comedic timing and depth to the character.
Because of an estrangement between her mother and her Tia (aunt), Norma Burgos, played by Silvia Darpino, Maria Elena has never been to the island. From the moment she arrives, she takes pictures of everything as Iris takes her around. She is overflowing with excitement that is quickly dashed when they arrive at the family home to meet her aunt Norma and the rest of the family. Darpino, making their Ritz debut, helps to bring Norma’s underlying vulnerability to the forefront, while delivering the anger and fear that dominate many of Norma’s interactions with her family. Darpino brings a strong performance, with some emotional scenes that are very powerful. Norma is drowning in bitterness over the past, and it taints her relationship with her niece Maria Elena, because Maria reminds Norma of her sister who left Puerto Rico and her family behind. From their first meeting, there is an underlying tension and disdain that is hard for Maria Elena to understand, but she does not allow it to dim her excitement.
Bearing gifts from her mother, Maria Elena distributes them to the family and asks to see her Tío (uncle) Manolo Cofresi, played by Erik Medina. Manolo has been sick and bedridden for the last five years and Norma is oddly protective and controlling over him. Despite her reluctance, she finally concedes and allows Maria Elena to go to his room to see him if she brings his medicinal tea and gets him to drink it. Manolo warmly welcomes Maria and they connect over theater and a love for Puerto Rico. Manolo is a central part of the family and of the story. He serves as Maria’s connection to Puerto Rico. He not only understands her desire to connect with her heritage but guides her on her exploration during her stay in Puerto Rico. Medina brings warmth and sensitivity to the role of Manolo, making him an instantly likeable and engaging character. Reading their bio in the program, you can tell they are funny, and that humor translates beautifully to the stage.
Maria Elena has two weeks to explore the island and hopes that her family will join her as she tours, but those hopes are dashed when she learns that they do not currently have a working vehicle. Norma’s husband, Victor Burgos, played by Ed Doyle, another newbie to The Ritz Theatre, is working on his ancient truck, which apparently never works, no matter what he does. Victor is Manolo’s best friend and falls in love with Manolo’s sister, Norma, and marries her. Their relationship is one of love, but there are many unspoken things, and plenty that are spoken, usually by Norma, that seem to have left them at a standstill.. Victor is a pretty laid-back and content man, so he balances well with Norma, though you can see the strain in their marriage. Doyle does a phenomenal job of bringing Victor to life. One of my favorite scenes is when he visits Manolo and they share a drink together with Maria Elena. The camaraderie and levity of this scene were a lot of fun.
Due to the lack of transportation, Maria finds herself stranded until local farmer Ramon “Monchi” Reyes, played by Ruben Jose Cardona, shows up to deliver some yuca and plantains to Norma for pasteles. Ramon and Maria Elena seem to have an instant connection, and she winds up agreeing to work at his farm with him. Cardona, also making his Ritz debut, is a talented actor who brings a grounded vulnerability and likability to the role of Monchi.
La Gringa is a tale of family, connection, and self-discovery. It is also a love letter to the beautiful island of Puerto Rico. Will Maria Elena find the home and connection she is seeking? Can you be both American and Puerto Rican at the same time? If so, what does that look like? To find out where Maria Elena’s journey takes her, you will have to get your tickets to see La Gringa at The Ritz Theatre before it closes September 20. Because of the intimate seating and immersive experience, tickets are limited, so don’t wait.
Buy Tickets: https://www.tix.com/ticket-sales/RitzTheatreCo/6520
***They/Them pronouns are used throughout this article to avoid potential misgendering of actors referenced. Characters are referenced using traditional gender roles as described in the original work.
