Destinos -“Growing up Gonzales”

Highly Recommended **** The 1st Chicago International Latino Theater Festival is here! Unlike the Goodman Latinofest of recent years, the Festival brings us productions from far and wide, some “solo” performances, some full scale productions. The schedule for this festival can be found at www.CLATA.org.

This evening, I watched a “solo” performance at the Richard Christiansen Theater, at Victory Gardens, entitled “Growing up Gonzales” starring Andres “Chulisi” Rodriguez, an 85 minute performance depicting the story of two brothers. Being a one man production, he plays Johnny Gonzales, who is cleaning up the apartment of his “little brother” Cisco, who has just passed away . As he moves about the flat, he finds things that remind him of their lives together and personal notes that Cisco had written, a sort of diary, where his true feelings came out.

The brothers were almost 10 years apart in age, making them brothers, not friends. During Johnny’s reading of these papers and the memories that come back from them, representing the simple innocence of the younger Cisco, Johnny allows himself to dig deep into his own heart and soul and deal with  the healing process that he was afraid to face.

This is a limited run- October 12th- 15th

performances Friday   8 p.m.

Saturday  8 p.m.

Sunday  2:30 p.m.

There is also a matinée on Friday the 13th at 10:00 a.m.

Tickets are general admission  $25- seniors and students  $20

Call 773-871-3000

Other festival shows remaining:

Chicago Shakespeare Theater   – “Amarillo”  ( I will be reviewing)  10/17- 10/29 at the new venue  The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare   312-595-5600

www.chicagoshakes.com/amarillo  from $25

Victory Gardens- “Ashes of Light” presented by Urban Theater Company   773-871-3000 10/19 thru 10/22  $20 and $25

Victory Gardens Theater  “Fade”  10/26 thru 10/29  a Teatro Vista presentation   www.teatrovista.org

Storyfront Theater, located at 4346 S. Ashland Avenue  “Meet Juan(ito) Doe  10/26- 10/28

a 75 minute World Premiere   Tickets are NO CHARGE, but donations suggested

The Cuban production “The Mirror” that was  to have played at Steppenwolf’s 1700 Theatre has been cancelled due to visa problems

The Columbia production, “Miss Julie” will be presented at Steppenwolf’s 1700 Theatre October 26- 28th  all 312-335-1650

To see what others are saying, visit www.theatreinchicago.com, go to “Destinos”