The third play in Evelina Fernandez’s Mexican Trilogy a compelling story of family
Charity, the third installment of A Mexican Trilogy by Evelina Fernandez, is a wonderful mixture of generations belonging to the Morales family living in modern-day Los Angeles. Currently on stage at Firehouse Theatre Company at Denver’s John Hand Theater, Charity is a special play that touches the heart on many levels with a multi-generational cast of characters displaying a sense of family, community and country.
The well-crafted play takes place in the home of Gina (Magally Luna) and Rudy (Phil Luna) along with their daughter Valentina (Adriana Gonzales) and Gina’s grandmother Esperanza (Yolanda Ortega). We see the story unfold through their eyes, providing the audience with a unique peek into the life and times of a Mexican-American family in 2005.
Esperanza is 100+ years old and is subject to visits from the dead, including her deceased husband Silvestre (Fabian Vasquez) and her great-grandson Emiliano, “Miliano” (Cipriano Ortega). Gina and Rudy are mourning the death of their son Miliano killed in the Iraq War, and Valentina is simply trying to make sense of it all through her 20-year-old eyes, often with a dash of cynicism. Aside from Miliano’s death, Pope John Paul II has just died, and Gina is obsessed with his passing. The topic of death is one that permeates the play with each character grappling with it on different levels.
On a more positive note, Juan Francisco (Kinari Rima) arrives presenting himself as Gina’s long-lost relative from Mexico. Determined to find a better life for himself in America, Juan Francisco quickly assimilates only to be the victim of gay bashing — ultimately pulling him even further into the family fold. This storyline provides a tight sense of family and includes Juan Francisco’s burgeoning feelings of hope and aspirations for the future.
Throughout the play, Gina and Rudy grapple with the plain brown envelope containing Miliano’s insurance information. Tension between the two arises when Rudy takes it upon himself to open the envelope and learn the monetary value of his deceased son. Gina is crushed by the news and continues to mourn her son’s death.
Rounding out the cast are Gina’s siblings Johnny (Elliott Murphy) a Vietnam vet, Bobby (David Carrasco) a gay hairdresser, and Betty (Jordan Hull) who is still searching for the right man. Each of them provides a unique perspective on life in America as members of this inimitable family now living in America for several generations.
In the role of Esperanza, Yolanda Ortega is a formidable presence, providing words of wisdom acquired through her centenarian eyes. Ortega opens and closes the play with monologues that set the tone for the entire performance. With many years of theatrical experience in the Denver area, Ortega is appearing at Firehouse for the first time and is a welcome addition.
In the roles of Gina and Rudy, Magally Luna and Phil Luna are firm anchors for the production’s multi-layered script, and each takes on the essence of their characters with solid acting and interpretation.
Of special note, Adriana Gonzalez as Valentina gives a stand-out performance, often providing a unique perspective on the action at hand. Her matter-of-fact delivery is true and meaningful, often questioning those around her.
The rest of the cast gives impressive performances with strong emotional attachment to the script along with well-defined characterizations. They help to move the storyline along at a consistent pace while never dropping the ball. Kudos go to Fabian Vasquez, Kinari Rima, Elliott Murphy, David Carrasco and Jordan Hull.
As directed by Debra Gallegos with assistant director Beki Pineda, the production hits all the right emotional moments. Gallegos orchestrated the play with appropriate humor along with the more serious aspects of the script. There are moments when the energy of the production seemed to wane a bit and potentially lose focus, however, this did not overly distract from the total achievement of the direction.
Molly Gallegos has designed the costumes for the play and Emily Maddox has designed the lighting, adding strong elements to the production. As with other Firehouse productions, Jeff Jesmer is credited with set construction and has done a remarkable job transforming the Firehouse stage into the Morales’ multi-level home.
Firehouse Theater Company has presented a varied schedule of powerful and insightful plays this past season. Charity is yet another example of Firehouse’s commitment to presenting challenging and thought-provoking productions. Executive producer Helen Hand deserves special recognition for her continued commitment to this type of programming.
Charity offers universal themes through the eyes of the Morales family and will touch everyone who sees it.
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