Puerto Rican Traveling Theater revives 'The Beep' in New York
The musical theater piece exploring identity, migration and generational links returns with new texts by contemporary Puerto Rican authors through Nov. 22.
The short version
- Metro Puerto Rico reported that Pregones/PRTT revives 'The Beep' ('Deje su mensaje después del tono') this Thursday with previews beginning in New York
- The production adapted by Rosalba Rolón combines live music, humor and Spanglish and runs until Nov. 22 according to both Metro Puerto Rico and HolaNews
- New texts by three contemporary poets from the island were added through a collaboration with the Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Puerto Rico, Metro Puerto Rico reported
- The work includes pieces by Julia de Burgos, Jesús Colón and Manuel Méndez Ballester, HolaNews reported
Revival of a 2006 production
The legendary Puerto Rican Traveling Theater (PRTT) began previews of 'The Beep' ('Deje su mensaje después del tono') on Thursday in New York, Metro Puerto Rico reported. The musical theater piece intertwines poems, stories and songs by Puerto Rican authors from the island and New York to explore identity, immigration and generational bonds. Metro Puerto Rico reported
Adapted by Rosalba Rolón, artistic director of Pregones/PRTT, the production combines live music, humor and Spanglish. It addresses the feeling of belonging to two places, the coexistence of languages and generations, and the construction of a home away from Puerto Rico without abandoning roots, according to HolaNews. Pregones first presented the piece in 2006 and revives it for its 20th anniversary with new texts. HolaNews reported
Also on PuertoRico.com: Puerto Rico holidays calendar
What the sources posted
Posts and statements below are the sources' own words, quoted as published. They are not independently verified.
Refrescamos la pieza con esa colaboración del Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Puerto Rico, que recomendó escritores, de los cuales elegimos tres poetas contemporáneos
Our translation: We refreshed the piece with that collaboration from the Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Puerto Rico, which recommended writers, from whom we chose three contemporary poets
The source's own statement, as quoted by EFE. Not verified by PuertoRico.com.
New texts and classic authors
The revival incorporates new texts by contemporary island authors selected from recommendations by the Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Puerto Rico (MAC). "Refrescamos la pieza con esa colaboración del Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Puerto Rico, que recomendó escritores, de los cuales elegimos tres poetas contemporáneos", Rolón told EFE, as reported by both outlets. These join works by Nuyorican authors, some deceased, Metro Puerto Rico reported.
The production includes a fragment of a poem by Julia de Burgos dedicated to dockworkers, texts by Jesús Colón, a key figure in the Nuyorican movement, and by Manuel Méndez Ballester, known for the tragedy 'Tiempo muerto' about sugarcane workers, HolaNews reported.
Themes and scenes
Rolón said the work reflects on messages one generation transmits to the next, often unconsciously, and on technological and social changes. The piece recovers sounds of old telephones and calls to evoke different eras, according to Metro Puerto Rico. "La tecnología, las historias, nuestros sentimientos, nuestro ambiente... van cambiando en conjunto", Rolón commented.
Scenes depict a Puerto Rican family moving to New York and facing adaptation challenges. The father wants to leave El Barrio quickly for a better future while the wife defends the community, Metro Puerto Rico reported. Rolón explained: "Hay un roce (en la pareja), pero a la larga se encuentran ellos mismos y en su comunidad". Other scenes satirize anti-immigrant discourse, question the need to learn English on the island, and humorously address stereotypes about women in the community, HolaNews reported.
Where the sources differ
Both Metro Puerto Rico and HolaNews agree on the start date, the adapter Rosalba Rolón, the 2006 premiere, the MAC collaboration for three new poets, the included authors (Julia de Burgos, Jesús Colón, Manuel Méndez Ballester), the themes of identity and technology, and specific scenes about family adaptation, anti-immigrant satire, English learning and gender stereotypes. The articles are nearly identical in content and quotes, with Metro Puerto Rico adding that the run ends Nov. 22 while HolaNews mentions previews beginning Thursday; both attribute the same statements to Rolón via EFE.
What the reports do not say
The reports do not specify the exact venue for the performances, ticket prices or sales information, the names of the three contemporary poets added, the full cast or director beyond Rolón's adaptation role, or whether the production will tour to Puerto Rico. They also omit details on the length of each performance and the names of living versus deceased authors beyond the classics mentioned.
Sources
Every link below was opened and checked when this story was published. Official means a government body, agency or the organization itself; Reporting means a news outlet.
- Reporting Teatro Rodante Puertorriqueño revive ‘The Beep’, una reflexión sobre identidad y migración
- Reporting El teatro puertorriqueño de Nueva York recupera 'The Beep', una obra sobre la identidad
How we checked this
Metro Puerto Rico and HolaNews both covered the revival of 'The Beep' by Pregones/PRTT, drawing from the same EFE interview with Rosalba Rolón. Details on the included authors, specific scenes and Rolón's comments rest on these two nearly identical reports.
Compiled by the PuertoRico.com News Desk from the reports and statements listed above, and checked against them before publishing. It does not include original interviews. Spot an error? Email support@puertorico.com with a link to this story.