Solo Work
Juracán: The Jíbaro and his Three Sons
A lonely Jíbaro stands on the coast of Puerto Rico after a hurricane has decimated the island and taken his family. When a cruise ship suddenly appears, he is the only one there to entertain the tourists. Using pieces of debris as costumes, props, and locations, the Jíbaro spins the story of Puerto Rico, its people, and the many visitors who have claimed the island as their own. In this innovative solo performance, Ricardo Vázquez embodies 11 characters while presenting the textured portrait of an island shaped by greed, colonization, revolution, and the powerful Taíno god Juracán.
*Film version available to stream. Send message on contact page for more information.
Film Trailer: https://vimeo.com/451344685
Escúchame (Listen to me)
ESCÚCHAME (translation: listen to me) incorporates Commedia mask, traditional songs, and verbatim text including journals, interviews, and tourism commercials to reveal a complex history and uncertain future for the commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Through a virtuosic solo performance, ESCÚCHAME features a mosaic of characters including Christopher Columbus, Charles Herbert Allen, a young missionary, and the Taíno goddess of storms Guabancex. The words in ESCÚCHAME come directly from the mouths and pens that contributed to our contemporary image of this territory on the brink of economic collapse, and realigns the truths of the past for the next generation.