Growing Up Gonzales Plays Jan Hus Playhouse, Opens 1/26

"Growing Up Gonzales," written and directed by Felix Rojas, performed by Andres Chulisi Rodriguez, has taken the leap to Off-Broadway and will be presented January 26 to February 25 at the Jan Hus Playhouse, 351 E 74th Street. Felix Rojas is a former member of the historic Family Repertory. Andres Chulisi Rodriguez is a gravelly-voiced comedian, playwright and member of the comedy troupe "Lose Control." The play is a bittersweet comedy of two brothers growing up the Puerto Rican section of the Bronx, whose coming of age is marked by the untimely death of their father. One actor plays both parts. The play is filled with the hearty characters, flavors and textures of The Bronx in the 70's and displays a very witty understanding of life.

Cisco and Johnny are a few years apart. Johnny was a "bad boy" and Cisco was a "good boy," but he had a weak heart. Cisco's life is seen through Johnny's eyes in the play, which enacts their life and escapades together. It also recounts their differing relationships with their parents and grandparents, Cisco's exile to Puerto Rico, family cooking and funerals, their relationships with neighbors, the women they dated and their differing approaches to manhood.

The play slips out of Johnny's memory as he goes through Cisco's closet after his death. Its poignancy comes from its being the story of a younger brother told by a "bad" older brother, one who tried to replace their father to his younger sibling. Andres Chulisi Rodriguez alternates between the parts, playing both boys, but portions of the story are also carried in visuals and video.

Most of the dialogue is Cisco's, and it is ironic and funny. The humor comes from how he sees things differently: his mind is always burdened and it keeps him a step behind any conversation. A couple of beats pass before anything sinks in. This particular viewpoint is subtle and delicious.

The piece was performed April 17 to June 12, 2011 at the Sixth Street Playhouse in Alphabet City to full houses, but little notice. This "sleeper" play has been moved to the Jan Hus Playhouse as a co-production of Reel Players and Poets Club, Inc. and Toptia Productions in order to reach a wider audience.

Felix Rojas grew up in the Bronx and started his theatrical career at Syracuse University as prop master for the play "Short Eyes" by Miguel Pinero. He was introduced to Marvin (Pancho) Felix Camillo, Artistic Director of The Family Repertory Company, which was devoted to English language plays by Hispanic writers and toured with English-language plays to Spain and Cuba. Camillo took him into his troupe both as a playwright and stage manager. The company, begun in 1972, made history as the theatrical home of Miguel Pinero ("Short Eyes"), Juan Shamsu Alam (poet, playwright and screenwriter) and Mos Def (rapper). The Nuyorican Poets Cafe is an offshoot. (Miguel Algarin worked with The Family Repertory before spinning off to form his own company).

The Family Repertory produced Rojas' plays "Hotel Presidential" and "From the Mind of Cheo." (Cheo means Junior. Gilbert Price, known for Broadway's "Timbuktoo," played the lead.) Rojas worked with the troupe as a writer, director and production manager until "Pancho" Camillo's untimely death. Rojas has also worked with The Henry Street Settlement, The Puerto Rican Traveling Theater, Intar, Pregones (in The Bronx) and The Public Theater. His produced plays also include "Mandance" and "The Ricanciliation." He participated in the writing workshop directed by Allan Davis at Puerto Rican Traveling Theater.

Rojas took a self-imposed furlough from theater for about a decade. During this period, he was director of a Boys an Girls Club Orlando and New Rochelle and following that, worked in homeless outreach for the last five years. He is re-entering theater with this play. His last production was "Mandance" (1998) at the Village Theater on Lafayette Street, next to the Astor Place Theater. He has two sons, age 21 and 23.

Andres Chulisi Rodriquez is a comedian, poet, musical comedy performer and solo performer. He appeared in the musicals "Llorona" and "Home Is Where The Heart Is" (Teatro La Tea) and the Off Broadway productions "Bangi" (Clemente Soto Velez) and "Life's a Drag" (Clemente Soto Velez). His solo show, "Making Of A Wo-man," directed by Dudley Findley Junior, was particularly successful, performing at Nuyorican Poets Cafe. His poetry is published in an anthology called "Mariposas" through Floricanto press. His future projects include another one man show and two self published novels, "Diamonds Into Coal" and "Season's Change." Rodriguez was writer, producer and director of the comedy troupe "Lose Control," which was a steady attraction from 2004 to 2009 at Broadway Comedy Club. He offers frequent programs in writing and comedy for "at risk" youth. With his raspy voice and "roughneck" look, he is sometimes compared to Rick Aviles (d. 1995; one of the most famous Puerto Rican comedians of our time whose films were, ironically, never comedies).

"Growing Up Gonzales" is presented by Reel Players and Poets Club, Inc. and Toptia Productions. The former is is a nonprofit production company that Rojas originally founded in Fishkill, NY to present plays at Duchess Community College involving its handicapped students. It has also produced shows in Greenwich Village and in The Bronx. The latter is an independent production company making its first foray into Off-Broadway theater.

Set design is by Anastasiya Konopitskaya. Lighting design is by Peter Lewis. Multimedia design is by Felix Rojas, Jr./The Image Factory.