Sunsets and Margaritas

Every ethnic minority that assimilates into the the great American melting pot eventually crosses over into the mainstream through food, arts, politics, and the like. But while we've long enjoyed Latin jazz, south of the border food, Frida and Diego, Garcia Marquez, Neruda, Carlos Fuentes, Isabella Allende, and Pedro Almodóvar, Latin voices (over 15% of the U.S. population is Hispanic) in the theatre have not reached the same pitch.

Philip Hernandez as Gregorio Serrano and April Ortiz as Luz Serrano Photo: Terry Shapiro

When Kent Thompson became artistic director of the Denver Center Theatre Company, one of his objectives was to provide opportunities for Hispanic playwrights, and we've seen a solid effort in this regard, including the Latin-themed José Cruz González' September Shoes (First Season, 2005), Octavio Solis' Lydia (Fourth Season, 2008), and now José Cruz González' Sunsets and Margaritas (Fifth Season, 2009). This list does not include Cusi Cram's mainstream Dusty and the Big Bad World (Fifth Season, 2009), and others that have been commissioned and read at the DCTC's annual Colorado New Play Summit, including Rogelio Martinez' When Tang Met Laika (World Premiere in 2010).

If Cruz González' latest piece, now running in the Ricketson Theatre, is any indication of cultural absorption, Spanglish will soon be as commonplace among those who use English as a first language as Yiddish idioms are today. Of course, along with a positive sense of belonging that results from assimilation, there are the commercial trade-offs and tasteless kitsch that dilute formerly unique ethnic touchstones.

Ricardo Gutierrez as Candelario Serrano and Romi Dias as La Soldadera Photo: Terry Shapiro

That's not to say it isn't funny when the Virgin of Guadalupe suddenly appears out of the engine compartment of a vintage automobile and tries out her standup comedy routine on Gregario Serrano (Philip Hernandez), who, along with his wife, Luz, is experiencing all the pressures of a sandwich generation, caught in-between their daunting children, Gabby (Sarah Nina Hayon)and JoJo (Sol Castillo) and his daffy father, Candelario (Ricardo Gutierrez).

Director Nicholas C. Avila employs a broad comedic style that masks but never overcomes the limitations of the script—too often telling instead of showing, filling us in on details that long ago should have passed between the principles, for example, Luz telling her husband, Gregario, that she can sell some property because she's in the real estate business—never achieving the non-stop rhythm of a farce, instead lapsing into the style of a television sitcom while overplaying nostalgia.

Sol Castillo as Jojo Serrano and Jamie Ann Romero as Bianca Carrillo Photo: Terry Shapiro

While the talented cast never flags in selling the wild and often undisciplined mix of family dysfunction, magical realism, slapstick, and social issues, the most entertaining aspects of the production are Sara Ryung Clement's visual effects (a talking picture à la Harry Potter), props (a wall that yields to an antique roadster), and costumes (Jojo's gangsta barrio chic, La Soldadera's bandoliers).

The Denver Center Theatre Company's world premiere of Sunsets and Margaritas runs through May 16th. 303-893-4100 or denvercenter.org.

Bob Bows