Little Festival of the Unexpected | Sweet Goats & Blueberry Señoritas

PORTLAND STAGE PRESENTS:

VIRTUAL READING MAY 13 | 7 PM | FREE

Sweet Goats & Blueberry Señoritas

by Richard Blanco and Vanessa Garcia

Beatriz.........................................................................................................Vanessa Elise^ Tio Eme........................................................................................................Emiliano Diez* Blake.............................................................................................................Dustin Tucker* Georgette........................................................................................Kathy McCafferty* Maynard............................................................................................................. Paul Haley Marilyn..................................................................................... Martica De Cardenas* Director...............................................................................................................Sally Wood Asst. Director, Dramaturg, Stage Directions......................Macey Downs

Run Time

90 Minutes No Intermission

About the Play

Sweet Goats and Blueberry Señoritas follows Beatriz, a CubanAmerican baker in Maine trying to figure out whether she should stay in Maine with the wonderful community she’s developed, or reunite with her estranged mother in Miami. When her uncle arrives for an unnanounced visit, Bea’s world is turned upside-down as she tries to cook up the recipes of her childhood with the raw ingredients of Maine.

*Member of AEA, appearing through permission from Theatre Authority. ^Equity Membership Candidate

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Richard Blanco (Playwright) was born in Madrid, his family had recently arrived as exiles from Cuba. Fortyfive days later, the family immigrated once more to New York City, and eventually settled in Miami. Only a few weeks old, Blanco already belonged to three countries, a foreshadowing of the negotiations of cultural identity, community, and belonging that would shape his life and continue to inform his work. As a poet, memoirist, and essayist, Blanco is a sought-after speaker who captivates audiences around the nation and the world with his dynamic storytelling and powerful readings. Advocating for diversity, LGBTQ rights, immigration, arts education, cultural exchange, and other important issues of our time, Blanco routinely speaks at a variety of venues and functions, including fundraisers and galas, professional development conferences, middle and high schools, universities, commencement ceremonies, writing conferences, and literary festivals. In 2013, Blanco was selected by President Obama as the fifth inaugural poet in U.S. history. He stands as the first Latino, immigrant, and gay person to serve in such a role. His latest book of poems, How to Love a Country (Beacon Press, 2019), both interrogates the American narrative, past and present, and celebrates the still unkept promise of its ideals. The Academy of American Poets chose Blanco to serve as its first Education Ambassador. He has also served as artist-in-residence at Colby College, and has taught at Georgetown University, Wesleyan University, American University, and many literary centers throughout the country. A builder of cities as well as poems, Blanco holds degrees in civil engineering and creative writing from Florida International University. In addition, he has received honorary doctorates from Macalester College, the University of Rhode Island, the University of Southern Maine, and Colby College.

Vanessa Garcia (Playwright) is a multidisciplinary writer and creator working as a screenwriter, novelist, playwright, and journalist. She has written for Sesame Street, Caillou, and is a consultant on Dora the Explorer.

Her debut novel, White Light, was published in 2015, to critical acclaim. Named one of the Best Books of 2015

by NPR, it also won an International Latino Book Award.

Her plays have been produced in Edinburgh, Miami, Amsterdam, Los Angeles, New York, and other cities around the world. These include the immersive hit, Amparo(“Miami’s Hottest Ticket,” according to People en Español); The Cuban Spring (a full-length Carbonell Award nominee for Best New Play, 2015), The Crocodile’s Bite (a short included in numerous anthologies such as Smith & Kraus’ Best Ten Minute Plays of 2016; the City Theatre Anthology 2015; and the Writer’s Digest Annual Award Anthology, 2015), and Freek!,a short play for Young Adults (anthologized in The Applause Acting Series’ 5 Minute Plays For Teens). As a journalist,

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feature writer, and essayist, her pieces have appeared in The LA Times, The Miami Herald, The Guardian, The Washington Post, Narrative.ly, American Theatre Magazine, The Huffington Post, ESPN, and numerous other publications. She holds a PhD from the University of California Irvine in English (with a focus in Creative Nonfiction), an MFA from the University of Miami (in fiction), and a BA from Barnard College, Columbia University (English and Art History). Her newly commissioned and autobiographical radio play, Ich Bin Ein Berliner about the fall of the Berlin Wall and her relationship to Cuba premiers in April of 2021.

Martica De Cardenas (Marilyn) is positively thrilled to be working again this year. She was last seen on stage in Poor Clare at the Echo Theatre in Los Angeles. Her other stage credits include In the Heights and Real Women Have Curves, A Streetcar Named Desire, Cyrano, The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told, The Mousetrap, The Odd Couple (female version), Sweet Charity, She Loves Me, The Good Times Are Killing Me, and several original productions with The Krane Theatre Company (with Vanessa Garcia). In addition to stage work, Martica has written, directed, and produced for film. Currently, she teaches in West Los Angeles, and thanks her family and friends for their continued love and support.

Emiliano Diez (Tio Eme) began his career in 1976 in theater and television in his native land, Havana, Cuba.

In 1980 he immigrated to Miami, Florida, where he resumed his acting career doing numerous plays such as Blithe Spirit, La Cage Aux Folles, and Passage, among others. His work continues on radio and television with shows like Madam Secretary, Blue Bloods, and One Day at a Time. He played the lead for two seasons on Los Beltran, winner of the Alma Awards, Imagen Awards, and Golden Eagle Awards for Best Comedy in Spanish Television. He was a series regular on George Lopez and has been a guest star on Everybody Loves Raymond, Major Crimes, Bates Motel, Miami Medical, Designated Survivor, NCIS, and nine episodes of the NBC soap opera Passions. Film credits include No Place Like Home, Three from Hell, and Step-Up Revolution.

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Vanessa Elise (Beatriz) is a multidisciplinary artist that holds a BFA in Theatre from New World School of the Arts. Some previous stage credits include: Miami Motel Stories: Little Havana and MiMo (Vivian, The Commissioner), Lipstick (Ana), Real Women Have Curves (Carmen), Wrongful Death… (Death), Collective Rage (Betty 3), Waiting for Waiting for Godot (Laura), Diego and Drew... (Tia Maria), Clark Gable Slept Here (Estella), and Church (Reverend Vanessa). Her original one woman show, Noise: An Interruption (Amaya), was chosen to perform in NY’s United Solo Theatre Festival off- Broadway in November 2015. Elise was honored with a Silver Palm for Outstanding New Talent and a Carbonell nomination for Best Supporting Actress for her work in Wrongful Death… and Clark Gable… She has credits in film and TV, which include the award-winning M3.769 and Bridges. Elise is a proud board member of the South Florida Theatre League. @vanessaelise7 Paul Haley (Maynard) performed most recently in the David Butler play Dying To Know with Mad Horse Theatre Company. He has acted in other roles for Mad Horse, and also in multiple productions for Good Theater, American Irish Repertory Ensemble, Theater At Monmouth, Acorn Productions and other area companies. He played the role of Father Jack in Portland Stage Company’s production of Dancing At Lughnasa in 2015, directed by Sally Wood.

Kathy McCafferty (Georgette) Recent roles include Anna in Year One, Blanche in A Streetcar Named Desire, Leontine in John Cleese’s Bang Bang!, Regina in The Little Foxes. Broadway Tour: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. Off-Broadway: Lincoln Center Theater, 59E59 Theaters. Regional credits include: Portland Stage, Palm Beach Dramaworks, Huntington Theatre Company, Ahmanson Theatre, Arkansas Rep., Boise Contemporary Theatre, The Williamstown Theatre Festival, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Shadowland Stages, Bay Street Theatre, Rep. Theatre of St. Louis, The Human Race Theatre, New Century, Hudson Stage, and others. TV/ Film: Little America, House of Cards, 30 Rock, Law & Order: CI, Law & Order: SVU, Dates Like This, The Onion News.

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Dustin Tucker (Blake) PSC credits include: Fully Committed, Greater Tuna, Buyer & Cellar, Bach at Leipzig, Hound of the Baskervilles, The 39 Steps, A Christmas Carol, It’s a Wonderful Life, Red Herring, Trouble is My Business, Peer Gynt, Vigil, six seasons of The Santaland Diaries and most recently standing in for John Cariani in Almost, Maine. Other theater credits include: Roundabout (Broadway revival of The Rainmaker), Primary Stages, Williamstown, Idaho Shakespeare Festival, Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival, Festival Stage of Winston-Salem, Sierra Rep, Theater at Monmouth and Great Lakes Theater. Film/TV: Spencer Confidential, Patriot’s Day, The Unholy and most recently as Pastor Brian on Dexter: New Blood (Showtime). He can also be heard reading books to you on Audible.

Mr. Tucker is a grateful member of Actors’ Equity Association and SAGAFTRA. IG: dustgowithit Sally Wood (Director) Has worked as an actor, fight choreographer, teaching artist and director. In Maine, Sally’s directing credits include AIRE Theater, Bates College, The University of New England, The Theater at Monmouth, The Good Theater, Bowdoin College and Fenix Theater Company. No stranger to Portland Stage, Sally has most recently directed A Christmas Carol.

Macey Downs (Asst Director, Dramaturg, Stage Directions) is a Directing & Dramaturgy Apprentice at Portland Stage with a passion for new play development. At Portland Stage, Macey directed Honey, Moon! by Gabriele Labanauskaite for the digital From Away Festival.

Macey has also assistant directed several mainstage productions at Portland Stage, including I and You by Lauren Gunderson dir. Cait Robinson; Last Ship to Proxima Centauri by Greg Lam dir. Kevin R. Free; Perseverance by Callie Kimball dir. Jade King Carroll; and Where We Stand by Donnetta Lavinia Grays dir. Kevin R. Free. In 2020, she earned her BA at Bard College as a double major in Theater & Performance and Sociology. She completed a senior project in directing with the premiere of a new play titled this is the knot in my stomach by Phil Carroll, which had its New York City premiere in NY Winterfest in November 2021. She has also directed scenes or productions of the following plays: Eurydice, The Wolves, Bluebird, Richard III, Being Norwegian, and Fun Home.

Special Thanks We would like to thank Anita Stewart, Cody Brackett, Todd Brian Backus, and Mical Hutson for making this reading tonight possible.

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