‘Ybor city’ will now be playing at The Actor’s Gang Theater in Culver City

“Ybor City” is the first bilingual play that will be presented at The Actor’s Gang Theater from March 7th-March 30th.

The play is newly written and directed by Mariana Da Silva with movement direction by Stephanie G. Galindo. They will have a total of thirteen performances to showcase next month. “Ybor City” takes place in Tampa, Florida and dates back all the way from the 1880s. The city was founded by Vincente Martinez-Ybor, who moved his cigar factory from Cuba to Florida. Ybor built the community including housing for cigar factory workers, then a highly specialized trade.

The play also tells the story of overworked Cuban cigar factory immigrants in 1931, who find themselves inspired by the spirit world toward revolution. In Addition, Ybor City’s cigar culture flourished until the Great Depression. Worldwide demand plummeted following the mechanization of the manufacture of cigars. This modernization led to the eventual abandonment of this formerly vibrant neighborhood.

To theatrically tell the stories of this remarkable community and also tell her own migrant experience, author-director Da Silva has created a sensory rich production that combines music, movement, projections and language. Da Silva is a multi-talented actress and writer. As an artist of Brazilian and Mexican background her unique perspective enriches her storytelling. 

“The play recounts a long-lasting oral tradition which became cemented as part of the cigar factory culture – that of the factory worker reader, or lector. Lectors read from a variety of printed materials, including novels and newspapers [as the workers labored].  Despite factory owners placing severe limitations on a lector's reading material, lectors began reading political pamphlets and texts.  This fostered a radical consciousness among the cigar workers, many of whom died on the job. This awakening leads to the first female storyteller whose refusal to back down led to unionism, regular strikes and work stoppages,” Da Silva said.

Da Silva expanded her creative horizons in 2020 when she participated as a writer in the CBS Pipeline Challenge, demonstrating her ability to compose compelling narratives that resonate with audiences from diverse backgrounds. Her storytelling also highlights the complexities, nuances, and richness of her Latinx culture and heritage. Previously she participated in Telemundo’s prestigious ‘Taller Telemundo’ training program, led by Oscar nominee Adriana Barraza. 

Mariana is a leader committed to fostering inclusivity in the entertainment industry. As the founder of El Cine, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, she champions accessible film education, meaningful conversations and celebratory screenings that elevate and honor the Latino community’s contributions to cinema. Through El Cine, Mariana empowers aspiring filmmakers, artists, and storytellers, creating opportunities for collaboration, mentorship, and growth.

Da Silva told CALÒ News that it’s important to support “Ybor City” because the Latino community doesn’t get too many opportunities to tell their own stories. “When we do get those opportunities we need to support it because I think our community is so hungry for it and that's how we show we want more of it and that creates spaces and opportunities for the people coming next for making the first in whatever project they are working on,” she said.

The Actors’ Gang Artistic Director Tim Robbins, who has guided the writing and production of Ybor City, said, “This innovative approach invites audiences into a mesmerizing world where movement and language converge, transcending cultural and linguistic barriers. With ‘Ybor City,’ as the lecturer reads to the workers – particularly Miguel de Cervantes’ ‘Don Quixote’ and Henry David Thoreau’s essays – we also celebrate the transformative power of literature. ‘Ybor City’ portrays a vibrant culture at its peak –blending historical drama, fantastic realism, supernatural intrigue, and the revolutionary spirit -- as it speaks directly to the human heart, which is part of The Actors’ Gang artistic mission. And we are thrilled that the cast represents the wide variety of ethnic and gender diversity that makes up this city.”

In addition, the bilingual play will have large scale pieces choreographed by Galindo and supertitles in both languages. The Actors' Gang's artistic mission of presenting a vibrant culture speaks directly to the human heart in “Ybor City,” a story of historical drama, fantastic realism, supernatural intrigue, and revolutionary spirit.

Over the past 40 years, The Actors’ Gang has performed for audiences in Los Angeles and worldwide, on five continents and in 40 U.S. States. Their groundbreaking Prison Project is currently in fourteen California prisons, serving incarcerated women, men and children with rehabilitation programs that significantly reduce recidivism. Each year, thousands of children in Los Angeles public schools discover confidence and creativity with their Education Department through in-school immersion and after-school programs. By students participating in classes they learn to encourage acceptance, respect and team building in fun and impactful ways.

For more information visit, theactorsgang.com. For any other questions call (310) 838-4264.

Time: Thursday, Friday & Saturday at 8:00 PM, Saturday, March 30 at 4:00 PM

Location: The Actors’ Gang Theater, 9070 Venice Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232