The Gloucester Stage Company will close out its 45th milestone season with the regional premiere of "The Hombres” by Tony Meneses and directed by Armando Rivera.
The production, which opens next weekend and runs through Sept. 29 in honor of National Hispanic Heritage Month, is the product of the theater’s first-of-its-kind collaboration with Teatro Chelsea.
Tony Meneses, a contemporary playwright known for his award-winning talent and unique perspective, brings depth and richness to his storytelling. “The Hombres" exemplifies his insightful ability to incorporate elevated ethnic elements into a comedic exploration of male friendships and machismo.
Set against the backdrop of a bustling construction site, " The Hombres" follows three Latino construction workers who unexpectedly find themselves entangled in the world of yoga next door. As tensions rise between the macho crew and the clientele of the neighboring yoga studio, audiences are treated to a hilarious and heartwarming journey of self-discovery and unlikely friendships.
Under the direction of Armando Rivera, who is the co-artistic director of Teatro Chelsea with Mariela Lopez-Ponce, " The Hombres” features Luis Negrón (Pedro), Patrick O'Konis (Miles), Ricardo "Ricky" Holguin (Julián), Arthur Gomez (Héctor), and Jaime José "JJ" Hernández (Beto).
"As we bring to a close our landmark 45th season, Gloucester Stage continues to break new ground by presenting its first full co-production, encompassing all aspects from casting and design to concept development, with our endlessly talented and creative colleagues at Teatro Chelsea," said Gloucester Stage’s Artistic Director Rebecca Bradshaw. "We are beyond thrilled to be bringing Tony Meneses’ funny and poignant play 'The Hombres' to Gloucester Stage in collaboration with Teatro Chelsea, with the hope that its blend of sharp and heartfelt moments will both entertain and provoke important conversations about the beautiful bonds people can create beyond our stages into the greater community."
“This play strikes to the heart of Latin machismo and tries to answer the questions of ‘How do Latino men show love between each other? Can we?’ In Spanish we have a word: cariño. It means love. It can also mean 'my dear'. I use it often to mean affection. What affection do men share with one another? How does it take shape? Tony's play asks all these questions and more, places them at the intersection of a construction site and a yoga studio, and adds these Hombres to the mix,” shared Director Armando Rivera.
“Every time I read the show, I see myself in these men. They look and sound like me, my brother, mi papa y mis tios. Our strength, my mistakes, my insecurities, our wisdom, and of course...cariño. I can't wait for Gloucester, Chelsea, and Boston to see this beautiful group of Hombres in September!”
"Teatro Chelsea is thrilled to be collaborating with Gloucester Stage on this production of “The Hombres.” In particular, we are excited for our audience to be able to see a show, either at Gloucester Stage or locally at Teatro Chelsea, that speaks to their culture and experiences but also reaches out to broaden the circle - and, in doing so makes us laugh and appreciate our common humanity,” said Mariela Lopez-Ponce, Co-Producing Artistic Director, Teatro Chelsea.
The regional premiere of "The Hombres" features scenic design by Kristin Loeffler, costume design by Chelsea Kerl, lighting design by John Holmes, sound design by Julian Crocamo, and prop design by Carolyn Ferris.
The play was initially co-commissioned by Two River Theater and NJPAC Exchange, a program of the New Jersey Performing Arts Center.
The play features community engagement programming in English and Spanish, inviting audiences of all backgrounds to participate in the conversation surrounding masculinity and identity. Additionally, the production will foster collaboration and cultural exchange by holding the first three weeks of rehearsals and the final week of performances at Chelsea Theatre Works.
" The Hombres" runs through Sunday, September 29. Unless noted, all performances from Friday, September 6 through Sunday, September 22 are Wednesday and Thursday at 7:30 pm, Friday and Saturday at 8 pm, and Saturday and Sunday at 3 pm at Gloucester Stage Company, located at 267 East Main Street, Gloucester. Performances from Friday, September 27 through Sunday, September 29 will be at Chelsea Theater Works, located at 189 Winnisimmet Street, Chelsea.
Tickets are now on sale at GloucesterStage.com.
