Get To Know Our Team: Madrid St. Angelo as Cuba

From now till the end of the run we will highlight the talented individuals involved in helping make the Midwest Premiere of Cuba and His Teddy Bear possible with a brief questionnaire. Enjoy!

1. Where are you from? If not from Chicago, how did you end up here? What is your ethnicity?

I was born in Newark, NJ., map points of maturity include; Bloomfield, NJ, Alamosa, CO, Pueblo, CO, El Paso, TX, Albuquerque, NM, Brooklyn, NY, San Francisco, CA, Denver, CO. Those map points, however, were road stops; nightmarish blips and bridges back to Brooklyn; where I grew up. My Mother was Spanish, Irish and Native American. Her people came from Spain, settled in the Southwest and married into Apache and Shoshone Tribes. My great grandfather, from whom I get my name; Emiterio Madrid married an Irish woman; Emilia Grant; a descendant of Hiram Ulysses S. Grant; the 18th President of the United States. My father’s people came from Italy; Calabria and Naples.

2. What is your position in Cuba?

In CUBA and His Teddy Bear, I play Joseph Cuba/producer/Artistic Director for the PEOPLE*S THEATER of Chicago.

3. What drew you to want to work on Cuba and His Teddy Bear?

The Story and the language. I have loved this story and play for many, many years. An opportunity to play Joseph Cuba is one that I embrace and am most thankful for.

4. Why is this a great piece of theater for Chicago?

This is a great story and play regardless of which city it is being performed in. CUBA and His Teddy Bear has an exciting history behind it. It is an accurate and passionate piece of writing from a time and place very different from what most Chicagoans have experienced. It is straight up; a slice of life from New York’s Lower East Side; the mid 80’s. Although the themes explored and relayed in CUBA…are universal themes of love, redemption, and forgiveness, at it’s heart it remains an aggressive, passionate and eloquent play rich with real NYC vibe, sentiment and flow. For ‘theatre lovers’ in Chicago this play is a wonderful part of Latino Theatre History; exploring and spotlighting the legacies of two forceful and underrated Latino writers; Miguel Piñero and Reinaldo Povod. CUBA holds a place in Theatre History and any lover, respecter, or person involved in theatre should see this play. If not for the performances; solely for the writing and the fact that this is a Midwest Premiere.

5. What makes Chicago Theater great to you?

That individuals who truly love and respect the theatre have opportunities to get works like CUBA up on its feet. Of course, as with most things…where there is a will, there is a way. However, it is my personal feeling that Chicago Theatre leaves a great deal to be desired. Although there is more theatre being produced here than in NY or LA, a true heart and respect for the theatre is often times second to that of NY’s Theatre Scene. Chicago Theatre is the capital of what I term; Vanity Theatre.

6. What do like about working with UTC/PTC? If you have worked with UTC/PTC before what show did you work on and how was your experience?

As a founding member of URBANTHEATER Company (UTC)/PEOPLE*S THEATER of Chicago (PTC) it is my belief that heart and respect for the stage are UTC/PTC’s motivation and core. Consistently UTC/PTC has worked to preserve the integrity of stage performance and we have consistently provided opportunities for minority actors, up and coming actors, designer’s and stage manager’s.

7. What do you do for work outside of your position in Cuba?

I work as a bartender at INNJOY Bar and Restaurant in Wicker Park.

8. Also maybe, other than Cuba, what is your favorite play that you have worked on?

Directing the World Premiere of Edward Crosby Well’s controversial play; FLOWERS OUT OF SEASON, was extremely gratifying to me.

9. Why are you pursuing theater in Chicago, rather than somewhere else?

I am an actor; I will pursue opportunities to work on stage wherever I am. However, I do not believe or feel that Chicago is the right fit for me personally. However, I am an actor; I act.

10. What’s your favorite line from a play?

I like the, ‘Money realizes yer dreams,’ lesson that Cuba gives to Teddy in Act One.

Interview by Ivan Vega

For tickets click: I want to see CUBA!

-FROM the STREETS to the STAGE

CUBA played by Madrid St. Angelo

photo by Anthony Aicardi

(taken during a rehearsal for ‘Cuba and His Teddy Bear’)

Meet the cast of ‘Cuba and His Teddy Bear’ written by Rienaldo Povod, directed by Marilyn Camacho

Cuba and His Teddy Bear, Reinaldo Povod’s explosive drama about the relationship between a small time drug dealer and his son, receives its Midwest premiere in a co-production by UrbanTheater Company and PEOPLE*S THEATER of Chicago. Cuba and His Teddy Bear, with its themes of redemption, accountability and forgiveness, had a sold out world premiere in 1986 at New York’s Public Theatre, moving thereafter to Broadway. The Joseph Papp-produced drama starred Robert DeNiro, Ralph Macchio and Burt Young, each making his Broadway debut.

UrbanTheater Company/PEOPLE*S THEATER of Chicago production features: Madrid St. Angelo (Jeff Nominee, Best Supporting Actor, “Passage to India”); Ivan Vega (After Dark Award Winner, Best Actor, “Eulogy for a Small Time Thief”); Hank Hilbert (“Eulogy for a Small Time Thief”); Christian Blackburn; Erynn MacKenzie; Kamal Hans (“Merchant on Venice” “Passagge to India”); and Julian Martinez (Caravaggio,” “Merchant on Venice’)

About UrbanTheater Company: UTC is an ensemble of ethnically diverse artists and performers with roots in the Latino community. UTC is committed to the creation and exploration of urban-inspired works that convey, illuminate and empathize with the human experience. Its motto is, “From the Streets to the Stage.”

About The PEOPLE*S THEATER of Chicago: PTC serves the LGBT community of Chicago by presenting, promoting and preserving the legacies of LGBT playwrights and performers.  Its focus is on raising awareness pertaining to LGBT issues, both social and political.

Show opens November 6th! For Tix & Info: http://bit.ly/NN7Rc

Photos by Anthony Aicardi

Cuba and His Teddy Bear - Official Poster

UrbanTheater Company and People*s Theater of Chicago present the official poster for the upcoming collaboration written by Rienaldo Povodo and directed by Marilyn Camacho.

Poster design by Cindy Hardy

Photos by Anthony Aicardi

For tickets & info visit: http://bit.ly/NN7Rc