Nuestro New York: An Anthology of Puerto Rican Plays [Paperback]

Various (Author), John V. Antush (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 1994

A unique anthology of original Puerto Rican dramas includes The Betrothal, by Robert Rodri+a7guez Sua+a7rez; I Am a Winner, by Fred Valle; and Siempre en mi corazon, by Oscar A. Colon, among others.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Eleven contemporary plays explore the experiences of Puerto Ricans in places having special importance for this ethnic group, namely, Puerto Rico and New York. Both places play a role of their own, with the cold reality of life in New York contrasted with a sometimes lush, idealized Puerto Rico. The modern themes seen here include literacy, generational conflict, cultural conflict, poverty, changing social roles, and AIDS. This collection will be especially welcome in libraries serving communities with Hispanic theater, but the plays should appeal to a wide audience, whether in staged productions or as reading material; they are actually written in Spanish-influenced English, with a sprinkling of real Spanish. With only Recent Puerto Rican Theater: Five Plays from New York (Arte Publico Pr., 1991) as competition, this relevant and entertaining collection is desirable for most theater or literature collections.
James E. Ross, Seattle P.L.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

The terms Hispanic theater or Latino theater conceal the vital, even seminal, contributions Puerto Rican playwrights have made to this vital art form. In his succinct but informative introduction to this set of 11 plays written between 1982 and 1992, Antush summarizes the history of Hispanic theater in general, and Puerto Rican theater in particular, discussing key individuals, such as Roberto Rodr{¡}iguez Su{ }arez, the father of modern Puerto Rican drama in the U.S., whose "Betrothal" opens this diverse anthology. Many of these spirited plays are set during the Puerto Rican migration from the island to the mainland in the forties and fifties, and the remainder focus on the last three decades, when increasing numbers of mainland-born Puerto Ricans have grown up without strong ties to the home of their grandparents. Cultural transition, clash, and assimilation are underlying themes, though each playwright has a distinct perspective and style. The plays of both Su{ }arez and Oscar A. Colon contrast the dreams of poverty-stricken islanders with the brutal reality of life in the States. The marriage of a Puerto Rican man and an Anglo woman is the arena for examining cultural and gender differences in Eduardo Ivan Lopez's accomplished "Spanish Eyes," and Yolanda Rodriguez dramatizes the rough life of New York City's Lower East Side. Donna Seaman

Product Details

• Paperback: 608 pages
• Publisher: Signet (June 1, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0451628683
• ISBN-13: 978-0451628688
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.2 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,003,320 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars ethnicity &universality, March 26, 2004

By 

Henry Whitecroft (Los Angeles, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Nuestro New York: An Anthology of Puerto Rican Plays (Paperback)

This is an excellent representation of New York/Puerto Rican plays. The plays are well-written and cover a wide spectrum of topics confronting not only Puerto Ricans but all mmigrants from around the world who come to our shores. Although each play has something of interest for everyone, my favorite is Spanish Eyes because it deals with the clash of cultures that most immigrants eventually experience. The grandfather represents the old, the young American wife the seductive New York, and the young Puerto Rican the man between two cultures. I recommend it to anyone who loves good drama that also entertains.