Culture Clash’s “American Night: The Ballad of Juan José”
By Carlos San Miguel
“American Night: The Ballad of Juan José” is a fantastic play that premiered at the 2010 Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Written by Richard Montoya and developed by Culture Clash (Montoya, Herbert Siguenza and Ric Salinas) in collaboration with director Jo Bonney, this LA tour (a co-production with the recent run at the La Jolla Playhouse) is a treat for local audiences as it retains all but one of the original performers.
Actor extraordinaire, René Millán, a Chicano from San Diego, leads the cast of nine actors, with Montoya and Siguenza serving as part of the ensemble, but noticeably absent is the third Clashero — Ric Salinas, who (regrettably for fans) is sitting this show out. Millán does an amazing job as the character of Juan José, essentially being on stage for the entire performance and transitioning from acting, singing and dancing without missing a beat. It’s a true pleasure and inspiration to watch such a talented Chicano relishing his chance to pursue his dream.
The story revolves around Mexican immigrant, Juan José, the night before he is to take his United States citizenship exam. Millán honorably portrays a man who audiences can sympathize with in his steadfast determination to find a better life for his himself and his young, pregnant wife Lydia, played by the gorgeous and equally talented Stephanie Beatriz (previously seen in the play Lydia at the Mark Taper Forum a few years ago). She and the rest of the cast, except Millán, in true Culture Clash form play a dizzying array of characters, both females and males. Each actor of the ensemble delivers 100% and, after having performed together for a full season in Ashland (about six months), they’re in perfect sync.
In traditional Culture Clash fashion this play continues to evolve the very definition of Chicano theater, as Juan José experiences a fever dream of history, becoming not just student, but participant. The play opens with a beautiful Mexican corrido and quickly establishes (for those unfamiliar with Culture Clash’s style of carpa-inspired teatro) that this play is a comedic romp – a social satire aimed at making audiences think, laugh, hopefully learn something and appreciate life from a different perspective. And yes fan favorite “character,” Kyle the Bear (who has appeared in previous Culture Clash plays, Zorro in Hell and again in Palestine, New Mexico) makes a brief but gut-busting hysterical cameo.
Along the wavering comedic/dramatic pseudo time-trip/history lesson, Juan José encounters some of American history’s very notable events and characters, including the truly nation changing and contentious 1848 signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. The event created disdain, by generations of racists, towards an entire segment of American citizens – Chicana/os. Montoya’s character in this scene draws special applause when he utters the sentiments of all Chicana/os, “We didn’t cross the border, the border crossed us!”
Filled with a series of dramatic moments, it’s fair to say this play is definitely more of a comedy inherent with Culture Clash’s biting wit. Over the years Culture Clash members have become not only superb performers, but also masterful playwrights, with each new work showing something more meaningful behind the jokes, as it so directly relates to the current political and social climate. Montoya’s mocking inclusion of well-known racist Arizona sheriff, Joe Arpaio, is an excellent example of how he always seems to have his finger on the button of hot topics, but with this play keeps equal focus on history.
Montoya commented, “With regards to our multicultural appeal, the focus on ‘American Night’ was to enable it to incorporate and define where various cultures intersect. It’s about an African-American nurse in West Texas in 1918 healing Mexican revolutionaries and children of Klansman— through the eyes of a Mexican immigrant,” he said. “This is the stuff of real importance to me, where the cultures can intersect; even if it means we are force-feeding the viewing audience.”
Hats off to director Jo Bonney and the entire production team behind this play, especially projection designer Shawn Sagady – who did an amazing job with the moving images that permeate the stage and accentuate each scene in visually stunning ways. The full cast includes: Kimberly Scott, Rodney Gardiner, Daisuke Tsuji, Terri McMahon and David Kelly. Choreography by Ken Roht, scenic design by Neil Patel, costume design by ESosa, lighting design by David Weiner, sound design by Darron L West and projection design by Shawn Sagady.
For tickets:
- Shows running until Sunday, April 1: Tuesday through Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.
- Kirk Douglas Theatre, 9820 Washington Blvd., Culver City, 90232
- Call: (213) 628-2772
