Haitian fine art is recognized globally for its uniqueness and authenticity, but now the full breadth of Haitian creativity in the face of overwhelming obstacles is on display on stage in the Miami New Drama world premiere of “Create Dangerously.”
Coinciding with Haitian Heritage Month, the production runs through May 28 at the Colony Theatre in Miami Beach.
Tony Award-nominated artist Lileana Blain-Cruz wrote the play based on Miami-based Haitian author Edwidge Danticat’s book of essays, “Create Dangerously: The Immigrant Artist at Work.” Through an imaginary conversation between her and Danticat, the story follows a woman reconciling what it means to be an artist from a country in crisis. Blain-Cruz, who also serves as the production’s director, is characterized in the show and reckons with her identity as a second-generation Haitian American, giving voice to many other Haitian Americans in her situation.
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Miami New Drama, founded in 2016 by its artistic director, Michel Hausmann, is the largest bilingual theater in the country which commissions and develops plays for years before they see the light of day. The theater maintains a commitment to be as diverse, multicultural and multilingual as its community, and does not stray away from political or controversial themes.
“Miami New Drama is so dedicated to conversing with the communities that are in Miami – and holds onto that specificity – that it made sense to premiere “Create Dangerously” in Miami,” said Blain-Cruz.
Danticat wrote the essays more than 10 years ago as a love letter recognizing what it means to be an immigrant artist, and about the trials and tribulations Haitians experience away from and at within their home country.
The play does not follow a linear storyline but instead pulls excerpts from the collection of essays that reflect Blain-Cruz’s moments with family, politics and the impact of different artists in her life. The show consists of a five-member cast that acts almost as a Greek chorus, but each actor plays a symbolic role representing Danticat as they take the director character through discovering her roots and history.
“The play is a dramatic event. It brings together some historical events from Haiti and some insights from Edwidge,” said Hausmann. “It’s very nontraditional and somewhat experimental, but I think that makes it more exciting.”
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Lileana Blain-Cruz, Writer & Director
Blain-Cruz grew up around theatrical shows and developed an intense curiosity about the arts. She began exploring what directing entailed after absorbing different theatrical work throughout her time aa a graduate student at Yale School of Drama.
“Theater gives access to form connections with other human beings, and so ultimately, this show gives us a way of hearing about a group of people. It gives you a new way of thinking about a community and its complicatedness,” she said. “There are different ways of being Haitian or Haitian American, which gives you a personal look inside two, three or five different lives. That’s so exciting to me.”
Blain-Cruz mulled over what she could bring to the city as a former Miamian who attended Immaculata-La Salle High School. Conversations with Hausmann led her to consider what she could do to change the theater world and hold Miami in the center of that decision.
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Award-winning writer Edwidge Danticat is the author of “Create Dangerously: The Immigrant Artist at Work.”
“My family on my mother’s side is from Haiti, and it’s a place that I love and hold dear in my heart, but I’ve never been to,” she said. “After reading Danticat’s books, they were a way for me to understand some of the histories and visit an island I had never been to.”
Hausmann emphasizes how this type of nostalgia for a place unknown and filled with trauma and loss is a common experience for several immigrant communities in Miami-Dade County, who he says don’t take the time to understand one another.
“This show is a great moment ... (to) see how alike we are. On the surface, the struggles of the Haitian immigrant’s experience in Haiti can seem completely foreign to a Venezuelan or Cuban immigrant, but deep down, it’s all the same,” said Hausmann. “I think it’s a great discovery for people, especially in Miami, where instead of a melting pot, it is a kettle, and someone forgot to turn on the heat. To turn on the fire, we must create a place like this to showcase our rich community.”
(Furiosa Productions)
The cast of Miami New Drama’s world premiere of “Create Dangerously” evoke Haiti and the courage of artists who stand up to tyranny.
Focusing on identity, culture and legacy, the play had been in development for three years.
“Danticat gave some perspective about what it means to be in between, to have family in different places and never to know if you’re going to see them again, yet to be both connected and disconnected,” said Blain-Cruz. “This is the piece that I want to make for Miami.”
The writer-director brought on colleagues who could make the play’s language feel alive, such as actor Paul Pryce, who Blain-Cruz says has a great voice and imposing presence. Pryce acknowledges the rare honor of working on a piece of Caribbean origin that allows Haitians and other immigrant communities to reflect on where they came from, and the sacrifices made by prior generations.
“I’ve met people from all over being away from home and trying to find a way to feel connected. The play talks a lot about being an exile, some by force and others by choice,” said Pryce. “Many of us are moving or have generations in other parts of the world. We all yearn to stay connected to who we are and where we’re from.”
Blain-Cruz encourages audiences to come with an open mind to witness a conversation between a couple of artists and the audience about what it means to create in the United States as a Haitian.
“I want the audience to take away love from the show and think about how to be brave and have faith to move forward despite that fear,” said Blain-Cruz. “I hope people can take away gratitude and appreciation for life and our loved ones while we have them.”
Tickets to “Create Dangerously” range from $46-$76 and are available at MiamiNewDrama.org.
“Create Dangerously” runs through May 28 at the Colony Theatre in Miami Beach.