'Las Hermanas Palacios' Unravels Cuban Migration in 1980's Miami
L to R. Victor Salinas, Carolina Reyes, Yaiza Figu… and Catherine Nuñez. Photo by Daniel Martine
Review by Cecilia Mencia
Longing for a life beyond their exile, three Cuban sisters deal with loss and hope in GALA Theatre's Las Hermanas Palacios (The Palacios Sisters). Inspired by Anton Chekhov's Three Sisters, this powerful production examines themes of longing and belonging in a vibrant 1980s Miami. Written by Cuban American novelist and playwright, Cristina Garcia, the story starts at the height of the drug wars, a growing AIDS epidemic, and the boatlift of over 100,000 Cuban immigrants, Marielitos.
The Palacios Sisters; Olga (Yaiza Figueroa), Maria (Catherine Nuñez), and Irinita (Carolina Reyes) are culturally refined and educated in every imaginable way. Irinita, an ambitious young ballerina newly arrived from Havana, feels rattled and displaced by the move. Olga, the oldest sister, tries to keep the family together with her constant optimism despite the cultural clashes that test their identity. Healing from a broken marriage, Maria, the middle sister, is indifferent to the comings and goings of her sisters and more interested in finding her next love. Andrés (Víctor Salinas), their brother, is a classical pianist who plays salsa at La Varona’s nightclub in the heart of Little Havana to pay the bills. The nightspot, run by a flashy Latinx lesbian, namesake La Varona (Luz Nicolás), is a network for musical talent, money laundering, and high-stakes gambling which gradually ensnare the Palacios sisters.
The Palacios sisters adapt in a modest home, inherited from their father, situated less than ten miles from Hialeah, a traditionally working-class city. The property soon becomes a battleground for the family’s aspirations and allegiances. The sisters lamentably venture beyond sunny Miami, delving into the city's hidden depths. Violence erupts, and nightclubs are filled with illicit dealings. It was a time of cocaine cowboys, dangerous obsessions, and love.
Las Hermanas Palacios — Sound design, Justin Schmitz; props, Luke Hartwood; costumes, Rodrigo Muñoz; lighting and projections, Hailey LaRoe. Run time is two hours with a ten-minute intermission. In Spanish with English surtitles. Performances through Feb. 25, 2024, at the GALA Hispanic Theatre, 3333 14th St. NW, Washington. galatheatre.org.
Cecilia Mencia is a journalist and editor-in-chief at DCTRENDING.