At Su Teatro, ‘Cuarenta y Ocho’ is a well-rounded, suspenseful production
Based on awful events of nearly 50 years ago, Su Teatro’s current offering, Cuarenta y Ocho — or 48 — provides an exceptional background for a story to be told again today. Written and directed by Su Teatro’s executive artistic director, Anthony J. Garcia, the play premiered in June 2014 and is being brought back for the 50th anniversary of Los Seis de Boulder, or The Boulder Six.
As a self-proclaimed fictionalized story, the play is nestled between two real-life car bombings in Boulder in May 1974. The actual circumstances surrounding the explosions have remained a mystery, with sealed grand jury findings and missing FBI records. Nonetheless, Cuarenta y Ocho is a gripping thriller that offers up its theories about what may have occurred in between the two bombings that ended six lives.
There is little I can divulge about the play without crossing over and spoiling the intensely dramatic storyline. Initially, the play focuses on the intersection of four characters, opening late one evening when Sylvia (Paola Miranda) descends upon Rosa’s (Lucinda Lazo) home, seeking refuge from a nearby party and her broken-down car. There is scant evidence that Sylvia knows Rosa; however, she manages to worm her way into Rosa’s house, draining her of the few Mexican beers in the fridge. After calling for help, Rosa’s compatriots Miguel (Bryan Sanchez) and Salcedo (Camilo Luera) arrive. From this moment on, they are a tight-knit group keenly aware of their surroundings and, more specifically, the bombings that are terrorizing Boulder.
We are also introduced to a trio of students, Lupe (Nina Marti), Javier (Davie Gonzalez), and Patricia (Natalie Fuentes), representing the Chicano student body at the University of Colorado. They add an element of pain and injustice experienced during this time of unrest. Along with the two women, Gonzalez provides strong musical interludes throughout the play, adding emotional upheaval while telling their story.
Lucinda Lazo and Paola Miranda | Photo: Brandon Nieves
Intrigue & mystery
The play is filled with intrigue and mystery surrounding the two bombings and what might have happened during the 48 hours between them, as Garcia imagined. The script is well conceived and brought to life in a solid production. It touches upon many topics, including activism, cultural identity, and the loss of innocence. However, it is never preachy or self-serving. It is a well-crafted play with all the elements of a great mystery.
All the actors lend immense credibility to their characters. In the role of Miguel, Sanchez is appropriately disarming and seemingly approachable, exuding confidence and turning in a strong performance. Another standout is Miranda as Syliva, who bursts upon the scene and is conniving enough to force her way into Rosa’s home. She can be abrasive sometimes, but Miranda rises to the occasion, demonstrating her standing in this bomb-following group. Lazo as Rosa and Luera as Salcedo round out the initial quartet with solid characterizations that supremely sharpen the ensuing mystery as it unfolds.
As directed by Garcia, the action moves swiftly from scene to scene and maintains a high level of intrigue. I cannot help but imagine that in the 10 years since its first staging, Garcia has found nuances in this production that may not have existed. It has well-defined moments that showcase extraordinary storytelling elements and precise characters.
Su Teatro has mounted a well-rounded mystery that will leave you on the edge of your seat. Given the dual nature of fact versus fiction, it is a unique, engaging, and thought-provoking theatrical piece.
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