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Our sincere gratitude to all the people who made Boleros for the Disenchanted a great success, we thank Latino Foundation, The Greater Stamford Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, CRISOL, Grupo Quetzal of Stamford and The City of Stamford, Mayor Community Art Program for all their support and input.
We also thank our sponsors, Tacos Guadalajara, Alex J. Martinez, Maya Restaurant & Bakery, Nordic Custom Builders Inc, Ms. Suzanne Malloy Zaleski from Allstate Insurance, and La Voz Hispana of CT for their valuable support . Likewise, we thank Graphic Designer Hernan Restrepo for his unconditional help.
Above all, Raices thanks Director Jesse Ontiveros for his enormous professionalism as he succeeded to connect each actor with his/her character. We also thank each of our splendid actors who excelled on stage and dignify our beautiful Hispanic culture: Leslie Padilla, Daniela Rivera, Enrique Huili, Jeanette Dowling, Ramon “Mondo” Medina, and Daniel Bonnet. Raices recognizes their dedication on each rehearsal and commitment to the project.
We also thank Stage designers Juia Hahn and Cesar Araujo and Mr. Carlos Fallaque for delighting our audience with his singing. And last but none the least, we thank Ricky Lopez for being our master of ceremony on each presentation; likewise, we thank our friends Jackie and Valeria, Julio Poma and all of our friends who helped us with the sound and lighting.
¡Gracias, Estoy Feliz!
Eva Padilla
Execurity Producer
Synopsis
“A man must sin. It’s in our blood,” says Flora’s fiancé, Manuelo, in Boleros for the Disenchanted. But she will have none of it. Nor is she interested in her mother’s idea that a witch’s spell can make him faithful, or her father’s proposal to have Manuelo killed. Instead, handsome Eusebio sweeps her off her feet, takes her from Puerto Rico to America, and on a thirty-eight year journey of sacrifice and enduring love.
In act one, in Miraflores, Puerto Rico young Flora has her heart broken by the man named Manuelo who she thought was the love of her life, then she goes to Santurce, Puerto Rico to see her cousin Petra and meets and falls in love with a young man from the National Guard named Eusebio who sweeps her off her feet and off to America away from her family and her life in Puerto Rico
Then, in the second act, the play jumps 39 years ahead to the early 1990s, in Daleville, Alabama, USA, where now older Flora is the caretaker of Eusebio who’s body has been ravaged by diabetes. An angel visits Eusebio in a dream with a mysterious message that stirs up old secrets and causes Flora to question the life she has built.
Boleros for the Disenchanted is a story about the everyday reality of marriage and it’s unexpected challenges.
Ideally, such a play set you off thinking about your own marriage, your own parents, your own mortality, even if your biographical or generational circumstances are entirely different then what’s sitting on the stage.
About the Director:
JESSE ONTIVEROS
Jesse Ontiveros is honored to be working with Raices.
New York directing credits include:
AS YOU LIKE IT (Shakespeare in the Parking Lot])
THE HUMMINGBIRD (Collective Company)
CIGARETTES AND CHOCOLATE (Fools Pearls Productions)
METAMORPHOSES (NYPL)
ANYTHING BUT BLACK (Riant Theatre)
WALLY AND THE CHOSEN FEW(The Drilling Company)
WHISPER (Intar)
AS YOU LIKE IT
(for the Alibi Groupwhere he serves as Artistic Director)
Regional credits include:
THE LARAMIE PROJECT: TEN YEARS LATER
(Working Classroom, ABQ,NM)
THE RANT (New Jersey Rep)
LOVE LETTERS (Stage East Ensemble)
RIDERS (American Southwest Theatre Company at NMSU)
EDEN’S END (BPAC of Ossining, NY)
As an Assistant Director and an actor, Jesse Ontiveros has had the pleasure of working with artists such as Bill Irwin, Jack O’ Brien, Dan Sullivan, John Rando, Stephen Sondheim, Bill Ball, Craig Noel, Michael John Garces, and Nicholas Martin.
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Meet the Cast
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Young Flora/
Eve |
Daniela Rivera
Daniela is a first generation Puerto Rican from Stamford, who comes from quite an extensive family where values and moral are of utmost importance. As a result, understanding a young Flora and Eve was not very difficult as she recognized the many important life altering lessons her character —Flora—underwent as well as the importance of building and keeping relationships—Eve. Having dabbled in theatrics in high school and briefly in college, Boleros of the Disenchanted will be the first play Daniela takes part in, but more importantly, will not be the last!
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Doña Milla/
Older Flora
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Leslie Padilla
Leslie has been an active member of Raices since it’s debut in 2002. Theater credits with Raices include: La Noche de los Asesinos by José Triana, La Molinera de Arcos by Alejandro Casona, Aquí No Paga Nadie by Darío Fo, and La Lechuga by César Sierra. She is thrilled to be participating in this beautiful love story written by José Rivera. She wants to thank her family and friends for their support and Jesse Ontiveros and the rest of the cast for sharing this experience with her. Leslie is currently an ESL teacher at Rogers International School. |
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Young
Eusebio /
Oscar |
Enrique Huili
Enrique Huili attended The conservatory school at Shenandoah University for acting in Virginia where he transferred to The New York Film Academy and earn his degree. Returning back to school right after NYFA, Enrique earned another degree at The Terry Schreiber Studio Conservatory Program. Enrqiue has been in a couple of Off Off Broadway shows including, Macbeth and Danny And The Deep Blue Sea, Oscar Wilde’s Salome. Enrique just finished touring with The Hudson Shakespeare company in the production of The Tempest.
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Petra / Monica |
Jeanette Dowling
Jeanette was a member of Raices since it’s debut in 2002 where she played La Comandante in the theater company’s first play “La Molinera de Arcos”. She then took time off to start a family and has now returns 9 years later to participate in this beautifully written play by Jose Rivera. She is happy to be playing the role of Petra her alter ego and Monica a young girl faced with the realities of marriage. She couldn’t have done it without the hard work and dedication of the Director, Jesse Ontiveros, and along side this talented cast. Some of Jeanette’s theater credits include: Dulcinea in Don Quijote de la Mancha; Joey in The Indians want the Bronx; Ziegfeld Folley in Funny Girl. She wants to give thanks to God. To her husband Jack and her kids John Ryan and Lauren for their love and patience. To her family and friends for their support and encouragement and a special thanks to her mom Eva and her sister Leslie which made this all possible. I love you all!!
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Don Fermin |
Ramon “Mondo” Medina
Ramon “Mondo” Medina is a veteran of many local theater productions, corporate & music videos, feature and independent films and most recently this season of HBO’s Curb Your Enthusiasm. Mondo’s passion is comedy and he has performed through out the East Coast in CT, NY, VA and MD. He has also donated his time and efforts to various charitable organization including Susan G Komen Race for the Cure, Make-a-Wish Foundation and plays Santa Claus at The annual City of Stamford Santa Hayride. Mondo is married to his lovely wife Michele and they share their love and life with their daughter Simone and their grandson Terrance. Mondo works for Webster Bank in Westchester. |
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Manuelo /
The Priest |
Daniel Bonnet
Daniel began his acting career 2 years ago. He has been on several commercials like Def Jam Rapstar, Time Warner Cable and Just Dance 2 in collaboration with Snooki and Ronnie from MTV’s Jersey Shore. His supporting role as “Frankie” in the independent film “Alice in Andrews Land” which was selected in several film festivals, including NYC Downtown Short Film Festival and HBO sponsored Miami Gay and Lesbian film festival. He also made a short appearance on NBC’s 30 Rock and appeared as himself on The Tyra Banks Show; an episode titled ‘Secret Sexy Fantasies’. His theater background includes an off off broadway “The Audition”, but is making his first debut in this joyous and inspiring 2 act play ‘Boleros for the Disenchanted’ . He is tremendously honored and overjoyed to be party of such a well written play and a wonderful cast and director. |
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