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| Alejandra Flores and Sal Lopez, Photos by Grettel Cortes Photography |
By Joe Straw
Marika, aka Little Triste, (Sayaka Miyatani) and Benjiro (Paul Dateh) have created an image of an idea of Latino culture in East LA complete with cruising cars and they dress to accentuate the image. They love the look, live for it, and despite their parents’ objections they are the definition of the people they want to represent right down to the details in their cars. Only there’s a problem, their makeup is spot on for people who have never left Japan.
Is it appreciation, or appropriation? If you’re living in Japan, it is more likely appreciation but if you’re living in East Los Angeles, it is appropriation. But, what’s the difference?
Latino Theater Company in association with East West Players presents Tacos La Brooklyn written by Joel Ulloa, and directed by Fidel Gomez through November 5, 2023
Chino (Gavin K. Lee) is Korean, a large strapping one at that. Chino operates a street vending stand aptly titled Chino’s Underground Tacos. Next to him are two other stands Monse Dulce run by Monse (Zilah Mendoza) and Cali Meats run by Mike (Xavi Moreno). They are on the same side of the street and are in a competition of sorts. The winner is the recipient of a six pack of beer.
They all use social media to elevate their stand, but Chino seems to have the upper hand, making his product better and a little more expensive. He is bringing in a better class of people into the neighborhood who are willing to pay the extra money for the best tacos in town. He also does this with his eyes on a storefront he’s been eyeing for some time, from a promise that was made to his adoptive father Don Agapito (Sal Lopez).
Mike is a little peeved that Chino is taking all his business away and he lets it be known on social media that there’s this “Chinese guy” who has the audacity of making and selling authentic Mexican tacos. Mike does it as a joke, but the post gets a little out of hand.
Yesenia (Esperanza America), a social media influencer, gets word of Chino and his business and accuses him of blatant appropriation. And her followers chime in making it worse for Chino’s Underground Tacos.
Joe Ulloa’s Tacos LA Brooklyn is a remarkable achievement that somehow manages to span the globe, condenses it and, and sets it in a tiny community of East Los Angeles, California. It is a potpourri, a mixed dispersion of Japanese, Korean, and Mexican people, and he writes it in a variety of languages all in the entire presentation of one single night. The night unfolds from the media circus that takes place in the first act to the divine interaction in the second act of connecting the emotional dots and caressing those feelings.
Fidel Gomez, the director, seizes the essence that is social media where everyone projects a strong voice, lightning fast, right, and wrong, that elicits language that is often crude and sometimes nasty. Developed relationships in the first act are hard to come by as, one on one, communication is advanced in a nether region, a message in the sphere is read and commented on hundreds maybe thousands of times until it rattles down into a meaningless tangent. Gomez finds the humanity in the second act and the play soars.
Esperanza América does well Yesenia Tapia a woman with a social media following who has the public’s best interest at heart but in the end is awakened by her short comings. América has some very surprising moments in this play and is outstanding.
Paul Dateh
Paul Dateh is Benjiro, a Japanese man that appreciates the East LA culture. The manner and characteristics are spot on, and his singing voice alone is worth the price of admission. One lives for these moments in theatre.
Alejandra Flores is Lencha, the adoptive grandparent. Flores manages to capture the love throughout the play giving when it is needed and supporting when it is necessary. She brings an authenticity to her grandson’s business. The work is wonderful.
Ariel Kayoko Labasan plays Whisper and a myriad of other roles including Commenter, a Karen-like woman without an objective in life but is simply there to shut down other people’s way of life. Labasan’s work is excellent.
L - R Zilah Mendoza, Alejandra Flores, Gavin K. Lee,
Jesus “Chuy” Perez and Xavi Moreno
Gavin K. Lee plays Chino and for the most part the work is good but needs work in strengthening his voice for the theatre especially in this venue. There is also another emotional level that may be needed to employ rather than the angry mode in his voice and mannerism. Chino is on the verge of losing everything he has worked for. As a child he was literally picked up off the streets and he doesn’t want to go back to that again. There is a divine subtlety of recognition when conflicted moments take a character down a path he doesn’t want to go. Finding those moment are the keys to defining the character.
The indefatigable Sal Lopez is Don Agapito and manages to capture the spirit of a man willing to give and to teach. There is a bit of conflict of giving up to someone that which he has worked so hard to learn and that plays beautifully. Lopez also has several smaller roles for which he excels happily and is a consummate theatre professional.
Sayaka Miyatani is also excellent as Mariko aka Little Triste and other roles. Miyatani is fluent in Japanese and English and has a simple manner that translates to the theatrical setting. Her work is superb.
Zilah Mendoza is Monse a character who sells sweet thing from her stand. And while the work as natural and efficient this is a character that needs more development specifically finding the conflict that drives the character. That conflict needs to be deep and real. Now she sells sweet things but what is that thing that drives her to the conclusion of the play. Where does she stand on the issues and why isn’t she going about to change the things around her?
Jesus “Chuy” Perez and Xavi Moreno
Xavi Moreno is excellent as Mike. The work is a tour de force as he mentally and physically accepts the challenges of the character and rides that wave to its conclusion. It is one of the finest performances I’ve seen from this truly gifted actor.
One remarkable thing about the play is the music of Jesus “Chuy” Perez who plays El Músico a musician that defines the rest one needs from all that internet noise. Perez plays it as a simpler time, of getting down to the core of humanity, a song, a guitar warmly played taking us down to our lowest common denominator of pleasure. The work is inspiring.
Richard Azurdia and Andrea Negrete are also in the cast but did not perform the night I attended.
Natalie Morales, Scenic Design, is effective and manages to give everyone the space to perform their magic.
Maria Catarina-Copelli, Costume Design, gives the audience the time and place of Los Angeles California.
Pablo Santiago’s lighting design is an interest mix of elevation and circus like atmosphere. Before the opening, there are these floating rectangles that collide from one to the next. Later colorful circular lights remind one of a three ring top, and one supposes that is his intention.
Hsuan- Kuang Hsieh projection design is very dramatic when it wants to be and simple when the play requires breathing space such the realistic blowing palm trees. It is beautiful and has a nice calming effect when the play needs it.
Other members of the fantastic crew are as follows:
John Zalewski – Sound Design
Valerie Vega – Assistant Stage Manager
Urbanie Lucero – Movement Director
Nicolas Ruano – Assistant Director
Alexa Wolfe – Stage Manager
Jessica Veronica Rodriguez – Assistant Set Designer
Iliana Carter Cervantes – Casting Director
May Fei (Congxiao Fei) – Production Manager
The show closes tomorrow afternoon November 5, 2023
Parking is around $8.00 with validation.
The Los Angeles Theatre Center
514 S. Spring Street
Los Angeles, CA. 90013
To Donate: Latinotheaterco.org/circle-of-friends
Tickets: https://www.latinotheaterco.org/