ANNA IN THE TROPICS to Kick Off Orlando Shakes 37th Season

Orlando Shakes will present Anna in the Tropics, a Pulitzer Prize-winning play by Cuban-American playwright Nilo Cruz. 

Set in a 1929 cigar factory in Ybor City, Florida, Anna in the Tropics unfolds in a family-owned cigar factory where a tradition dating back to Cuba — having a lector read literature aloud to the workers — sparks profound change. When a new lector begins reading ‘Anna Karenina,' his words ignite passions, challenge loyalties, and awaken long-buried dreams.

Winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, this evocative play by Nilo Cruz is a tribute to the power of storytelling and the danger of change. Playwright Nilo Cruz made history as the first Latino recipient of the Pulitzer Prize for Drama with Anna in the Tropics in 2003. Born in Cuba and raised in Miami, Cruz is known for his poetic writing and for exploring themes of identity and Cuban culture. In addition to his Pulitzer win, Cruz received a Tony Award nomination for Best Play, which has been produced at major regional theaters across the country.

Opening August 27 and running through September 21, Anna in the Tropics launches Orlando Shakes' 2025-26 Signature Series, under the direction of Nick Bazo. Calling the Pulitzer Prize-winning drama “a director's dream,” Bazo says, “it's romance, drama, love, and loss — all wrapped into a uniquely Florida, uniquely Cuban American story. I can't wait for Orlando to see this.”

The cast features Bert Rodriguez* as Santiago, Juan Cantu* as Cheché, Blanca Goodfriend* as Ofelia, Orlando Lopez* as Palomo, Eddie Gutiérrez* as Juan Julian, Esther Olivo as Marela, Dee Quintero as Conchita, and Gabriel Vasquez as Eliades. *Member of Actors' Equity Association.