In 2014, Merely Players Presents was a theater company without a home, wandering from venue to venue with no permanent base. Everything changed when I was invited to visit the Atlanta Cuban Club by my friend Margarita. Margarita's father, Enrique Duarte, had been a cherished member of the club for many years, and I was introduced to this vibrant community with the hope of finding a new home for our theater group.
SAUL
During a Sunday lunch at the club, I met Saul, an elegant, older gentleman who made a deep impression on me by saying: "We come here to live in our dreams." This simple statement opened a window into the rich history of the club and its members.
Many members of the Atlanta Cuban Club had come to the United States in the early 60s following the Cuban Revolution, settling in places like Miami, New York, and Atlanta. They embraced new lives, careers, and families, but their hearts remained connected to their homeland. This connection became the foundation for the club, which was established in 1977 as a tribute to their heritage.
UN LUGAR PARA SUENOS
Inspired by Saul's words and the stories shared by the club members, I urged our writers to embark on a project to capture these invaluable narratives. Over two years, we conducted interviews and collected stories that would be preserved and shared through recorded stage readings. We named these readings "Un Lugar para Sueños" - A Place for Dreams, in the spirit of Saul's moving statement. These heartfelt portrayals brought tears and applause, highlighting the community’s deep connections and shared histories.
A BRIEF STAY
We had found a home with the Atlanta Cuban Club. Our writers’ group met there, and our theatre group performed there until the 2020 pandemic halted everything. The Atlanta Cuban Club had to close its doors and the once gregarious members faced the heartbreaking loss of community and companionship.
Facing financial hardship, the club never reopened. The surviving members meet occasionally in their homes, and the younger generation is living the lives their parents and grandparents intended for them to have by emigrating to America.
A BRIGHT FUTURE
Merely Players Presents endured. Identifying the absence of the arts in a culture-rich community, The City of Doraville generously opened their doors to Merely Players Presents by giving us the opportunity to build out and perform in the lower level of the Doraville Civic Center. The Mayor and Council Members have always been strong supporters of the arts, seeing the cultural, civic, and economic benefits for the residents. This gift allowed us to continue to be a space where artists can create and practice their craft.
Recently, I thought back to our time at the Atlanta Cuban Club, when Rose Bianco approached me with a production we intended to perform for the members. Rehearsals for "Anna in the Tropics" were set to begin in March 2020. And just like that, rehearsals stopped, the club stopped, the world stopped. We intended to launch at a later date, but when our beloved director, Sharon Estela sadly passed away after a seemingly brief illness, it seemed impossible to move forward without her. But four years later we are dusting off the scripts and moving forward with the play as originally intended. And now, to honor the work that Sharon started, we will perform the play in English and Spanish under the direction of Carla Scruggs and Rose Bianco.
As we prepare to bring "Anna in the Tropics" to the stage, we carry with us the spirit and legacy of the Atlanta Cuban Club. This production is not just a performance but a heartfelt tribute to those who welcomed us, shared their stories, and became an integral part of our journey. The resilience and passion of the club members inspire us to continue fostering community through the arts. We are excited to honor their memory and their dreams as we take the stage in Doraville, inviting audiences to join us in celebrating this beautiful blend of tradition and change. With every performance, we hope to create a space where art and heritage intersect, much like our beloved Atlanta Cuban Club once did.
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