'Dueling Critics' explore the west side's theater scene

I would be grateful if all the theater companies mentioned in these comments would make sure that Jonathan and I are on their e-mail lists so we know about their work in time to discuss it. We can only be informed critics if someone informs us.

As for the segment, I can only confirm what Jonathan said: We were asked to talk about "theater on the West Side," an enormous topic for a 4-minute segment. I chose to emphasize the diversity of "the West Side" rather than to focus on the Latino community. If this was a mistake, I apologize.

At the probable risk of satisfying no one, and possibly of giving even greater offense, I'd like to offer a few remarks. Kelly Kleiman and I were given no more than four minutes to discuss "theater on the West Side." We were not told in advance that our focus should have been specifically Latino and Humboldt Park, and we defined "the West Side" as everything from the far Southwest Side to the far Northwest Side. We compiled a list of about 20 theater companies, all of whose work we have seen at one time or another, and that list did, indeed, include Teatro Luna, Urban Theatre Company and Aguijon as well as the 16th Street Theatre, Adventure Stage, Chopin, Prop Thtr, Factory Theatre, La Costa, Albany Park Theatre Project, Provision Theatre and Gift Theatre among others. We were not asked to give a company-by-company run-down, nor was there sufficient time to do so. We also decided that Teatro Vista, Teatro Luna and Urban Theatre Company are troupes that often work in North Side and lakefront venues although they may have strong West Side roots. There may be a great quantity of Latino-oriented theatre in many West Side neighborhoods, as Ms. Maritza Nazario states in her comments.

I admit, and regret, that I'm not familiar with all that's going on, in part because I"m not fluent in Spanish (as I believe I said during the broadcast). But whether in Spanish or English or any other language, I cannot know of a theater company's work unless that company, or those artists, choose to inform me which means, obviously, that they would need to reach beyond the Latino community they serve. The place where the performing arts and a particular cultural community meet is a sensitive place. As an outsider, I've never tried to impose myself as a critic or commentator where I do not know the stories and themes of the community, unless that community has invited me to have a look. Theater companies such as Teatro Luna, Teatro Vista, Urban Theatre Company and Aguijon have invited me to see their work, and I believe the artists of those companies would agree that I have been supportive of their efforts.

All I have to say is that when the west side of chicago only comprises Humboldt Park, well the author of this article needs to update that map. There is a wealth of Latino theater on the west side of Chicago that includes, Berwyn (16th street theater), Little Village and Pilsen and Back of the Yards and Cicero. Keep looking!

@Eduardo: WBEZ and any other public agency or organization are businesses and the reality is that yes they have to meet their target audience. The fact that 848 seems more yuppie is because that audience provides a great deal of their financial support. It would be unintelligent as a business practice to do not do so. But actually for the size of the Puerto Rican community in Chicago I have heard many topics related to Paseo Boricua and the Puerto Rican Chicago community being the focus of stories. WBEZ even anchored one of their community bureaus in Humboldt Park. What is interesting and wrong to me is that most of the stories about Puerto Ricans revolve around the views of few organizations and what happens in Paseo Boricua which do not represent the views of the Puerto Rican community at large. If interested in Puerto Rican community WBEZ needs to get out west where Puerto Ricans live and search for stories where a great deal of Puerto Rican/Latino activity is happening. WBEZ's Chip Mitchell also did an interesting analysis on the most recent census and the shift in demographics in the Chicago Puerto Rican community and how Puerto Ricans are no longer the main population in Humboldt Park much less in East Humboldt Park. I know that census tracks affect funding and eventually WBEZ will start looking west where the Puerto Rican community live for stories. This is just a transitional time for WBEZ and all in Chicago. The problem with the dueling critics piece is not that WBEZ is not covering theater in the Puerto Rican and/or west side community because in fact this piece is proof they had. The problem is that uninformed critics were interviewed in this piece. If a critic like Venus Zarris of Chicago Stage Review would have been interviewed in this segment the piece would have been a very informed one because I have read reviews from Zarris featuring productions taking place in Cicero and Berwyn where many Latino artists are producing and not to mention her reviews on UrbanTheater, Teatro Luna and many other west side based companies. I saw another comment encouraging 848 to do another piece but this time interviewing artists. I differ. As an artist my job is to create not to evaluate and provide analysis. Perhaps as a community curator I can talk about the relevancy of a theater company within a community but not about the technical and artistic values of a production. If 848 decides to do another piece it has to be interviewing the right critics with informed opinions and experience. That would be a great deal for the west side cultural workers in Chicago.

@Lewis: I agree that WBEZ should follow up with another story but not with artists. We are here to create artwork not to review. There are some responsible critics in Chicago for example Venus Zarris from Chicago Stage Review who I have seen reviewing local artists and even visiting local cafes and restaurants after the performances. One thing is to talk about the production merits of a theater production but another to understand the relevancy of a production in terms of the place it is presented. What respond to create work within the context of community.

Where WBEZ missed the mark was failing to select critics with no knowledge on community theater and/or at least no knowledge on the vibrant cultural history of theater production that exists in the west side of Chicago. If WBEZ comes with a follow up story it should consider including critics with knowledge in the subject and bring in experts like Zarris and many others responsible critics.

To WBEZ and the Dueling Critics Segment:
As a "teatrista" in Chicago, for the last 30 years I am profoundly offended by your comments on this particular segment. Not only there are numerous theater performers,writers, directors,stage designers, etc.living in the West Side, but many of these artists are doing theater in the community and have been doing it for many years. I can also list all the magnificent theater work that my colleagues already listed, but I think you got the point by now.
The work I have done for the last 30 years has taken place all over the West Side. Perhaps one difference from all the productions that you are accustomed to see is that we create theater for the community, we do not care much if critics attend or not or if our productions are funded with enough money to have several runs. We do theater for the people, the schools, the community, for those that understand and speak our language and I do not mean the Spanish language.

WBEZ, if you want to know whether there is Theater on the West Side ask the theater people on the West Side.

Maritza Nazario
Executive Director of En Las Tablas Performing Arts & West Side "teatrista" for 30 years

Obviously the writer of this report is not well informed, the last time I checked theater was alive and well on the west side of Chicago. In fact all the latest productions I have been to have been all from Batey Urbano which is clearly in Humboldt Park, Division Street, Paseo Boricua to be exact, Productions all sponsored by Mickey O, and the wonderful pleasure of witnessing the work of Vida Bella Ensemble. Not only that but the poetry is alive and well through Ponce at Nite and the staff that hosts those nights. I can't wait to experience all of the other opportunities Dr. Nieves has also mentioned. Perhaps we should go together so you can see that Theater is very alive and thriving in Humboldt Park and among the Latinos living, working and who continue to build community!

I'm very disappointed to see that this segment didn't comment on the rich and thriving west-side theatre scene. I hope that you will take the time to reach out to the many artists in the community and produce a new piece celebrating their work.

Dear WBEZ.
This piece was the most UNIFORMED and biggest waste of radio time ever! I cannot believe these critics went on air and PRETENDED to know about theater in Chicago's Puerto Rican/Latino/Northwest Side communities!!! WBEZ completely failed its listeners on this one!

Allow me to list just some of what your babbling critics missed:
1. The Vida Bella Ensemble and the American Educational Research Dissertation Award for 2010-The Brown Girls' Chronicles that went off-Broadway and has been performed coast-to-coast!
2. En Las Tablas-a LGBT group that does poetry and historical inquiry and produced several plays.
3. Batey Urbano and Micheal Reyes who collaboratively wrote "Crimes Against Humanity" has traveled the nation. It details the history of the incarceration of Puerto Rican prisoners of war who were arrested in Humboldt Park.
4. Miguel Morales who wrote, directed, and produced "Where's Papi?"
5. Coya Paz who has an ONGOING three-year series call "Tour Guides" in affiliation with the Guild Complex.
6. Urban Theater Company.
7. Wendy Mateo and Lorena Diaz, improve performers, who perform Domivenizuelan all over the country and who originated right here in Chicago!
8. Teatro Luna (Miranda Gonzalez, Alex Meda, and Lisa Guzman) founding ensemble members who have redefined Latino theater in Chicago!
9. Marisel Melendez and Ponce@Nite-she provides an open forum for artist who do performance poetry, comedy, and theater.
10. Mike Oquendo, a.k.a. Mikey-O, who is the godfather of comedy in the Latino community!

Shame on WBEZ for playing hooky on this immense and vibrant issue.

Wow. I'm generally a fan of the Dueling Critics segment on 848, but this missed the mark, BIG TIME. As a theater artist who lives in Humboldt Park, I was so excited to hear you were going to be talking about some of the stuff happening here and in neighborhoods around here. But you mentioned almost nobody! Yes - Aguijon and ETA are wonderful, and have been holding it down for years (go on!), but I'm surprised you missed companies like Urban Theatre Company; El Batey Urbano (which has both created theater pieces and presented touring shows); Teatro Luna (in Logan Square); Dulce Palabra; and Vida Bella Ensemble (all Puerto-Rican female ensemble).

I do agree that the West Side is underserved, and that economics are the primary reason we don't have more formalized theatre spaces here. Companies like Vida Bella and UTC have benefited from a great patron of Latino arts- Mike Oquendo. Companies like the Southside Ignoramus Quartet work to remedy this problem by building "theater tents" in backyards and parks, and many of us perform in churches, storefronts, cafes, and streets in limited runs. Do we need more support for community-centered work? Oh, hell yes. But there's still a lot more going on here than you give us credit for! Looking forward to the next installment!

Nothing on UrbanTheater Company, Cafe Teatro Batey Urbano, Vida Bella Ensemble or Teatro Luna? Not much of an article to read. Journalist all should be thorough investigators...

The reason there are not theater houses in Humboldt Park is obvious, economy. It is a reality that when you acquire a building there are many burden that comes with the space: maintenance, administration and making the space profitable during not presenting seasons which involves managing and renting a space. These are burdens that requires the implementation of a great deal of time, administrative and human resources structures to survive. Regardless of all, this does no means that there is no great theater happening in Chicago. Perhaps critics hardly travels past Wicker Park but if they would they would find amazing productions happening in the west side. I am sure that there are more companies presenting in the west side that I know but I can share some of the Latino theater happening in this part of town. First we have Aguijon Theater which is the only one briefly mentioned in the WBEZ interview. Aguijon is a pilar of Latino theater in Chicago located in the Belmont Cragin neighborhood which is the new hub for Chicago's Puerto Rican population. The company is the only Latino house presenting all Spanish language productions in the entire Midwest and recently started presenting bilingual productions in an effort to expand their audience. Aguijon has been presenting theater since 1989 and is the only one with its own space leaded by the amazing and truly committed Rosario Vargas and Marcela Munoz.

Then we have spaces that produce amazing production like "Gracias Rafael" under the direction of Maritza Nazario of En las Tablas Performance Center. En las Tablas owns its space and is located in the Hermosa Park neighborhood. En las Tablas offers recitals that features the teaching artists as well as the youth that registers in acting, ballet, salsa, and hiphop dance classes. Its is great to experience the community in one of these recitals that happen at their small space or under a tent in the backyard of the building. Unfortunately En las Tablas space is too small to present large productions so they rent spaces like the Chicago Performance Center for large scale theater.

Also we have companies that present themselves as community driven companies like UrbanTheater Company in Humboldt Park. UrbanTheater rents store fronts and theater spaces like Aguijon space and others companies for their productions. In the past five years UrbanTheater has captured the attention of many critics like Chicago Stage Review and earning many Jeff recommended productions. The company started featuring plays where the Latino and urban intersected. UrbaTheater has presented successful seasons of Miguel Pinero's work and most recent the work of the Obbie award winner playwright Jose Rivera. The company which started as a company that was centered in the urban-Latino experience now moves to more mainstream productions in their new season. Perhaps this will bring critics and writers to their productions but I wonder how the local community will receive their work. Nonetheless UrbanTheater is a west side company that has brought attention to the work of Puerto Rican/Latino playwrights and serve a community that values culturally relevant work.

I know there is more theater in the west side. Lets hear about them people. Comment!