Fantasy Films and Falling in Love

The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao

In 2007, Dominican American author, Junot Diaz wrote an incredible, multi-award-winning  novel that was especially unique. He lovingly gave his fellow Dominicanos a story with which they could truly relate. Through the character of Oscar de Leon, a young, overweight teenager living in New Jersey, the Dominican community could finally see themselves as a part of the American story, vividly alive on each and every page. Now, in enjoying its World Premiere in English, this new stage adaptation by Marco Antonio Rodriguez offers Chicago audiences an opportunity to experience Diaz’s book as it roars to life.

Oscar is a dreamer, a would-be writer, who views his world through anime, fantasy films and falling in love. Fervently believing La Inca, his Abuelita or grandma, Oscar fully understands that his entire family is plagued by the curse of dark fuku, or bad luck. The teenager’s devout belief colors Oscar’s life, but he’s determined to rise above all the hoodoo.

Oscar is nicknamed “Oscar Wao,” a comical corruption of “Oscar Wilde,” by Yunior, the college freshman’s first-ever roommate at Rutgers University. Yunior and the audience  immediately discover that, in addition to his passion for science fiction, comic books and creative writing, the young man is obsessed with finding romance. And because Oscar has been bullied and called names all of his life, particularly because he’s overweight and a little eccentric, he’s scared that he’s going to die a virgin. But Yunior, who becomes Oscar’s best friend, is resolute in helping change the young man’s future. He starts Oscar on a regimen of exercise, a better diet and some positive thinking. With renewed vigor, Oscar finds and falls in love with a wild child named Jenni, but she’s a free spirit with a boyfriend named Manny, and views Oscar as just a friend. When it seems like the girl has jilted him, Oscar tries to take his life by jumping off a bridge. And that’s just the beginning of Oscar’s Brief and Wondrous Life.

Although Marco Antonio Rodriguez’s stage adaptation can’t possibly include every single character and episode from Diaz’s novel, he’s gathered together all the main characters and events. We meet Beli, Oscar’s bitter “Mother of mine,” who, in Act II, we discover has her own traumatic backstory, leading up to the woman’s immigration from the Dominican Republic to America. It also shows the birth of her two children. The audience is introduced to Lola, Oscar’s strident, strong-willed older sister, who reluctantly becomes romantically involved with Yunior. We get to know La Inca, Oscar’s sagely wise grandmother, who shares the family history with Oscar and Lola. And we enjoy knowing Ybon, La Inca’s neighbor who is a “working woman.” Oscar immediately falls in love with the attractive and vivacious young lady of the night, but dangerous complications arise. Ybon’s life is ruled by the brutal Capitan, and he’s not about to let this pudgy poet woo his woman.

Directed with grit, integrity and compassion by Wendy Mateo, the talented Producing Artistic Director of Chicago’s Teatro Vista Productions, this production simply sizzles with a spicy authentic Latino flavor. In the novel, Yunior serves as narrator, often commenting and analyzing the events of the story. Diaz has Yunior, who’s also a writer, speak through “code switching,” alternating between Caribbean-flavored Spanish slang and academic university English. Both the author and playwright also use this device as a metaphor to illustrate Yunior’s struggle with finding his identity. There’s a problem with using this dialectic method in a production. The audience is usually comprised of both Spanish- and English-speaking patrons, much of the dialogue is a mystery to many theatergoers. There were many times on opening night when gales of laughter rang out; but the humor was enjoyed only if a theatergoer was bilingual. Sadly, in the playwright’s attempt to be inclusive, that was prevented by a cultural divide.

The cast is impeccable. Each character feels as if they’d stepped directly from the Pulitzer Prize-winning Junot Diaz novel. Hailing from Chicago’s Humboldt Park neighborhood, Lenin Izquierdo (JESUS HOPPED THE A-TRAIN, at City Lit) does an awesome job in his joyous portrayal of man-child, Oscar de Leon. His fearlessness and fortitude make Lenin the likable hero of this theatrical version of The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao. Julissa Calderon makes her promising debut at the Goodman in the role of Lola. Ms. Calderon’s a fireball of energy and theatrical expertise as she mixes it with both Lenin and Kelvin Grullon, so appealing and charismatic as Yunior. These three amigos make up the backbone of this story.

Completing this gifted cast are sweet Rossmery Almonte, as the delightfully gutsy and good-humored grandma, La Inca. Watch her as she hilariously wields a spray bottle of holy water at the airport. Jalbelly Guzman is sensational and seductive as Jenni, Ybon and an unnamed combative Trujillo Woman. Most often seen around the Windy City in multiple musical and classical theatre productions, such as THE LORD OF THE RINGS: A MUSICAL TALE, and MEASURE FOR MEASURE, at Chicago Shakespeare, Arik Vega is a familiar face in Chicagoland productions. Here he displays his versatility in playing Manny, Dionisio, Capitan and a violent Goon. 

But the real standout in this production is the exquisite Yohanna Florentino who returns to the Goodman stage as Oscar and Lola’s emotionally-taxed mother, Beli. Her raw, sometimes humorous and powerful portrayal of a woman who has experienced so much and sometimes suffered, is simply unbelievable. For this reviewer, Ms. Florentino makes Beli the heart of this production.

In addition to a strong cast and some cleverly creative staging, strong leadership and sensitive guidance, Wendy Mateo’s production features excellent technical support. Working hand-in-hand, Regina Garcia’s sparse, but flexible, set design, expressively lighted by Maximo Grano De Oro and featuring Stefania Bulbarella’s artistic and often amusing projection design that fills the stage with radiant moving images. Raquel Adorno’s authentic costumes add another layer to each character and Satya Chavez’s musical composition is the crowning glory to this production.

For Dominicans experiencing Junot Diaz’s fascinating and captivating story, brought to life by playwright Marco Antonio Rodriguez and made flesh and blood by director Wendy Mateo, there may be a feeling of familiarity. Besides seeing themselves on the stage, the voices in this play can remind the audience of other great writers. These voices, which are sometimes in Spanish—and as such, prevent English-only speaking theatergoers from understanding some of the dialogue—also come from an especially likable antihero. Oscar’s nerdiness and sometimes awkward behavior make him humorous, but even more, he’s a likable and geeky protagonist in whom most theatergoers will see themselves. Believed to be ill-fated by a curse, Oscar thinks that he and his family are doomed to certain downfall. But Oscar is optimistic that he can overcome this dark fuku through his devotion to comic books, fantasy films and eventually falling in love.                        

Recommended

Reviewed by Colin Douglas

Presented February 21-April 12 by the Goodman Theatre in the Owen Theatre, 170 N. Dearborn, Chicago.

Tickets are available in person at the box office, by calling 312-443-3800 or by gong to www.GoodmanTheatre.org/TheWolves.

Additional information about this and other area productions can be found by visiting www.theatreinchicago.com.