Luis Salgado is a role model to many. He is a role model for me. This story teller dreamed it, a long time ago as a little boy, visiting from Puerto Rico and strolling the lights of Broadway.
Can you imagine how big the city looked through his eyes?
So - it’s an awesome task to share that Luis Salgado, who won Best Director for the world premiere production of "Zuccotti Park The Musical," at the Venus/Adonis Festival, will direct a brand-new, Spanish-language production of David Mamet's explosive contemporary classic "Speed-the-Plow."
Luis Salgado’s vision of a brand-new translation, will premiere on August 13th, 2015, for a limited run at the historic 18th Century Corralón de San José in Old San Juan.
A replica of the Corral de Comedias de Almagro (the oldest theater still standing in Spain, built in 1628), the Corralón is one of the oldest performance-spaces still operating as a theater in the western hemisphere.
"I am thrilled about the most recent nomination for best director, and am very focused on the task of re-creating one of David Mamet's most enduring and talked-about works, in one of the most unique performance-spaces in the Americas", said Salgado (In The Heights, Rocky, Women on the Verge), who also recently took part in the developmental lab for the new Gloria Estefan musical On Your Feet.
"I am not only excited about going back to Puerto Rico as a Director after 13 years since the last show I produced and directed there... I'm inspired about the open-air setting that we will have, combined with the intimacy and stunning features of the centuries-old structure. Add to that the brilliance of Mamet's script, and the fascinating way in which it comes across in Spanish, with a multicultural cast, and we are-in for a Speed-the-Plow unlike we have not seen it before, A LO BORICUA".
The production will play four performances only, August 13-16, 8:30pm, at Corralón de San José, 109 San José Street, Old San Juan. The cast will feature Éric-Dominique Pérez, Javier E. Gómez and Emmanuelle Bordas. The performances will be free to the public as part of Corralón de San José's Theater Access and Cultural Collaborations Initiative. Rehearsals will begin in New York City on July 7, 2015.
The Spanish-language San Juan production of Speed-the-Plow is produced by High Pitch, Inc. and Dead Jíbaros Productions, in partnership with Amigos del Corralón (Josean Ortiz, Artistic Director), Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña, Salgado Productions and Tony L. D'Anzica.
Mr. Salgado’s other credits include winning Best Director Award at the Thespis Festival for "Song of Solomon." Other directing credits include "Amigo Duende, The Musical" (music and lyrics by Joshua Henry, book by Henry, Salgado and Heather Hogan), "Aniversario Sin-Cuenta" and "Candela Fuerza y Pasión" (both in Lima, Peru), and "Zuccotti Park" (music by Vatrena King, book and lyrics by Catherine Hurd), which played its last performance at the Venus/Adonis Festival on March 4th.