With expert direction, brilliant acting, and masterly design elements, Rec Room Arts latest outing of Danny Tejera's Toros is a production that will leave Houston audiences with complicated emotions about this coming-of-age story. While Tejera's work is a dramedy, Rec Room Arts decision to delve into this story, with its themes of toxic masculinity, the transition into adulthood, and the complexities of friendship, is a genius one.
Set in a pre-COVID, post-Trump era, Toros is a 90-minute play set in a suburban garage on the outskirts of Madrid, where three worldly twentysomethings—Juan (Andrew Chavez), Toro (Rolando Chusan), and Andrea (Gigi Chavez) — wrestle with questions of identity, ambition, and the uncertain nature of this reality. Between chain-smoking, spinning DJ tracks, and partying at exclusive clubs, the trio navigates the growing pains of adulthood and the unresolved tensions of their shared history. Adding a surreal layer to the story, Juan's aging golden retriever, Tica, is portrayed by a human actor, offering a haunting and poetic reflection on loyalty, memory, and emotional neglect.
This play was one that I had little or no interaction with previously, which was the perfect way to view this production. The performances by this ensemble cast were all too perfect and too realistic (and I mean this as a compliment). As Juan in the first five minutes, Chavez is a brutal example of the complicated friends we all have and why we put up with them. Juan's subtle evolution with his complex emotions on masculinity is almost all too common today, and Chavez handles these instances with the intensity they deserve. Chusan as Toro is cute and touching, especially as a foil to Chavez's Juan. Toro is a softer take on millennial masculinity, and Chusan portrays this with humor and a certain level of gravitas. Greg Dean, as the golden retriever, Tica, is an engrossing portrayal of an anthropomorphic dog. I am not one for spoilers, and Dean deserves a special mention as his presence within the production is outstanding.
A true standout performance exists in this ensemble cast, and that is Gigi Chavez. I am remise that I have never seen a performance of Chavez before, and I certainly hope that I see her in future productions. Her portrayal of Andrea is spectacular and intricate. There is a particular monologue that is delivered with the seriousness and dignity that it deserves, but her range from the comedic to the serious moments is worthy of the price of a ticket, especially for any serious play-goer or acting student.
This quartet of actors is led by Houston theater powerhouse Lily Wolff. This production is her third outing as a director at Rec Room Arts, and it certainly is for a good reason. It is clear that Wolff pays attention to the script and requires her productions to have the nuance they deserve. Here is hoping that Rec Room Arts continues to hedge its bets on Wolff for future productions.
Finally, design elements by the Rec Room Arts team are, as usual, stunning. Stefan Azizi's scenic elements contribute to the realism of the piece, as an impressive functioning garage door is the centerpiece of this production. Sound design by Robert Leslie Meek is crucial in this production. While some elements are off-putting, this courage to potentially alienate audiences in this production allows Meek's sound balance to shine. Special mention in its design elements goes to Cassidy Stanley. A realistic garage is brutal to light, especially for a bunch of clubby twenty-somethings. Stanley, however, almost accomplishes the impossible and creates a lightscape worthy of praise.
Toros is the kind of production that lingers long after the house lights come up—unafraid to ask big questions and let the silences do some of the talking. With an ensemble that delivers emotionally raw and authentic performances, a director who knows how to find truth in tension, and a design team that pulls us into the gritty realism of the space, Rec Room Arts once again proves why it's one of the most exciting and daring theatre companies in Houston. Toros doesn't offer easy answers—but in its refusal to do so, it becomes a mirror, held up not just to its characters but to all of us.
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