Cuba Inside Out: Revolution and Contemporary Theatre

Gallery of Illustrations

Unmarked storefront advertising “hoy hay kerosen” (today there’s kerosene), Santiago de Cuba. The availability of state-subsidized goods varies daily in Cuba, making longterm planning difficult. Sellers often list their offerings to alert locals when crucial items are in stock. Unmarked storefronts like this one are common. (All photographs in this gallery were taken by Christopher Stackowicz.) Sign at the entrance to La Cobija (The Refuge), a state-funded center for artists, Havana. This “sociocultural project,” housed in a crumbling multistory former courthouse, offers painting, martial arts, music and dance classes, a children’s theatre group, art studios, and ample rehearsal spaces. The sign reads, “Without culture, freedom is not possible.” El Teatro Mella (Mella Theatre) from the street, Havana. The Teatro Mella, founded in 1961, holds up to fifteen hundred patrons and is used for theatrical events, dance and music concerts, children’s shows, and other presentations. Once a cinema, it was rededicated in honor of Julio Antonio Mella, a Cuban Communist Party founder who struggled against Presi­ dent Gerardo Machado. Assassinated in Mexico in 1929, Mella is considered a revolutionary hero and a key historical figure. Interior, El Teatro Mella, Havana. Workers taking a break, Santiago de Cuba. Under a crude painting of revolutionary leader Che Guevara, these men relax and jest as they take a break from their work at a warehouse. Note the game of dominoes under way at the folding table on the right. Dancers rehearsing at La Cobija, Havana. These boys are a testament to Cuba’s dedication to the arts. This photograph was taken on a sweltering afternoon, as they rehearsed in this dilapidated room with an uneven floor, no air conditioning , and no available drinking water. Yet, in an area where the housing shortage has made space scarce, La Cobija is indispensable. Interior of the Basement Theatre, Havana. Teatro El Sótano (Basement Theatre) from the street, Havana. The Teatro El Sótano could be a modern example of a Cuban “salita,” or pocket theatre. It is a small, hard-to-find, unassuming venue in the residential neighborhood of Vedado. It is also the permanent home to the acclaimed theatre company founded by Afro-Cuban singer and actress Rita Montaner. Often used for Havana’s biennial international theatre festivals, it is known for presenting cutting-edge, contemporary Cuban plays. Bicycle taxi on Obra Pía Street, Havana. Bicycle taxis like this one serve both tourists and Cubans, but often at different prices; Cubans pay much less than foreigners. The proprietors find creative ways to attract attention. Some use horns or musical instruments , others sing or chant about their maneuvering skills. Some use broken English or German to comment to passersby, hoping to lure customers. (Left) Afro-Cuban rumba, Callejon Hamel, Havana. Callejon Hamel is a pedestrian alley in the Cayo Hueso neighborhood. The corridor serves as the seat of Afro-Cuban rumba in Havana and is covered with imaginative, poetic, and often provocative statues and murals. Because tourists have discovered its hypnotic, open-air rumba performances, hustlers and prostitutes have followed. Graffiti near the Capitol Building , Havana. “Give me cable,” beckons this plea for Internet connectivity. The Internet, if available to Cubans, is highly controlled and often erratic or sluggish due to limited bandwidth . There are absurdly long lines and frequent outages at scarce and expensive public terminals , despite repeated calls for greater access. Interior of El Teatro Trianon, Havana. Often used as a cinema on weekdays, the eleven -hundred-seat Trianon Theatre in Vedado is also home to Teatro El Público, a theatre company known for its brash and unconventional productions. The stage version of Fresa y Chocolate (from the story by Senal Paz and later made into the famed 1993 film Strawberry and Chocolate) premiered here. Cuban slogan featuring the likeness of José Martí, Santiago de Cuba. Depictions of Cuban poet and independence leader José Martí (1853–95) are emblematic on the island and in Miami. The Cuban Revolution consistently incorporates Martí’s philosophies, writings, and achievements into its rhetoric. The lyrics of the patriotic Cuban song “Guantanamera” come from a poem in Martí’s book Versos Sencillos (Simple Verses), and his far-reaching influence can be seen throughout Latin...