THEATRE-CUBA:
Havana Carnival Made In USA
Orlando Matos

HAVANA, (IPS) - At a time when cultural ties between Cuba and the United States are virtually non-existent, a theatre director from New York is here in Havana to present the world première of a musical, set in this Caribbean island. In doing so, he hopes to contribute to "reducing the tensions" between the two countries.

"Havana Carnival", by playwright Tony Giordano, "is not political," according to its author, who had to obtain permission from the U.S. government to produce his play, which opened Thursday at the Sala Avellaneda of the National Theatre of Cuba.

"This is the fulfilment of a dream I have cherished for the past two years," Giordano commented.

He said that although he is only "someone from the cultural world," he thinks that "the musical might help to ease the (bilateral) tensions," because "at this stage in my life, I'm trying to use the experiences I've had," as well as "the gift God has given me" for dramatic work, "to do something useful."

"It's romantic," he said in an interview with IPS, and then added that it is also "philosophical," in the sense that "nowhere in the world should people think that everything has been done perfectly." "We should all continue to try hard to do better," he remarked.

"I wanted to give the Cuban people a present, and this play is it," he went on, while continuing to give instructions to the rehearsing artists. At times "these people have touched my heart so much that I have been moved to tears," he said.

The plot of Giordano's musical revolves around the romance between Miguel, a Cuban singer, and Marianne, a dancer from the United States who comes to Havana for advanced training. It also addresses the difficulties the young couple have to face because their parents are completely opposed to their engagement.

Alongside this struggle, other problems inherent to modern Cuban society are portrayed, so much so that the producer states that the play "has become very like Havana today," exploring sensitive issues such as emigration to the United States.

One of the scenes features a dance by 'balseros' (people who leave Cuba on improvised rafts) during which Miguel's brother, Abel, who is obsessed with emigrating to the United States, sings a song.

In his song, Abel says that "there is a great nation in North America, where I will look for my ideal world," while he and his co-adventurers build a raft to take them illegally to the United States.

The play reflects a reality that is the cause of constant friction between Havana and Washington. According to President Fidel Castro, the United States's Cuban Adjustment Act constitutes incitement to defect, and undermines the bilateral migration agreements of 1994 and 1995.

The 1966 law provides that any Cuban immigrant who sets foot on U.S. soil is automatically eligible for permanent residence in the United States after a year and a day.

But the administration of George W. Bush claims that Cubans flee the island because they lack personal freedom and economic security.

The magnitude of the problem is revealed by the figures. The U.S. Coast Guard Service reported that in the fiscal year that ended on Sept. 30, 2005, they had intercepted 2,712 Cubans on the high seas, more than twice the number intercepted in the previous fiscal year (Oct. 1, 2003-Sept. 30, 2004).

Meanwhile, El Nuevo Herald, a Miami-based Spanish-speaking daily, reported that last year a further 2,530 Cubans had reached the United States and benefited from the Cuban Adjustment Act, and estimated that more than 7,600 had entered the country by land over the Mexican and Canadian borders. At least 18 Cubans have died in the attempt to cross the Florida Straits so far this year, and the total reached 42 last year.

In Giordano's musical, lead character Marianne chooses to live in Cuba. "I'm not taking sides," said the playwright and director, who said he was "not influenced by any stereotypes whatsoever." He was, however, aware that his play may be misinterpreted by either side in the conflict.

That is "because, although my writing is not politicised," his play addresses "the rights of individuals" and their freedom "to become self-realised persons. Individuality is the most political issue one can struggle for in life," he said.

According to their creator, the two main characters are caught up in "the same drama," because, he believes, "the world doesn't encourage people to love each other, and they are romantic, they want to love each other, and so they have to fight against the whole world for their right to love."

Giordano has an impressive track record in theatre in the United States, where he has directed many plays and has earned recognition, including the Grand Cross of Merit for Life Achievement from the Italian Academy in Rome, and the Gilbert Prize from the Catholic University of America, to quote only two of his awards.

It is to his career success that Giordano attributes the fact that he did not find it difficult to obtain U.S. government permission to work in Havana with the Cuban Contemporary Dance Company in order to stage his show.

"Nobody is paying me anything," he said. "This musical isn't about making money, it's really a gift to the people," he added. However, in future this kind of cooperation might not be possible for other U.S. citizens. According to reports that have not yet been officially confirmed, the White House is preparing to announce new restrictive measures in its policy on Cuba on May 20.

A U.S. lawyer who specialises in that area and preferred to remain anonymous said that cultural exchanges would probably be among the areas affected if Washington decides to go ahead with its new package of restrictions.

Even without this obstacle, the producer of "Havana Carnival" has not managed to find his way to staging his musical on Broadway. "I would love to have it play in my country, but I don't know how that could happen," he said. "Now that it's going so well, I think people in the United States would like to see it."

The migration issue is another obstacle, in his opinion, because "both governments" are afraid that "people might stay (in the U.S.)." In any event, "I'm trying to take the cast along with the musical. I've already written to the U.S. government for permission, but I don't know how difficult that might be," he said.

"When I came to Havana, I thought I would just be running a workshop. Now that my musical is going to be performed, it's like a gift from heaven," he concluded.