Partner Event: ¡Oye! Puerto Rican Theater Breaks Through: Exhibit Opening and Panel Discussion

The 1970s marked a turning point in the history of Puerto Rican theater in New York City. A vibrant arts scene of Puerto Rican playwrights, poets, and actors emerged, one that traversed the boroughs and neighborhoods of the city and influenced audiences from all cultural backgrounds. Groundbreaking, contemporary works of art that focused on the stories of Puerto Ricans in New York City proliferated. Incisive plays, such as Miguel Piñero’s Short Eyes and Eduardo Gallardo’s Simpson Street, debuted, and artist spaces, like the now famed Nuyorican Poets’ Café, were born and nurtured. This marked a sharp distinction from the previous generation. In the 1950s, during a post-war wave of migration from Puerto Rico to New York, newly transplanted Puerto Rican artists were creating works that reflected life on their native island. Productions by and about Puerto Ricans focused on the stories of those Caribbean communities from their homeland. Two decades later, a new perspective infused the plays and poetry by and about Puerto Ricans, one that embraced the identity of Puerto Rican New Yorkers, “Nuyoricans”, and focused on the dynamics of life on the mainland for citizens from the island. This shift brought new artistic innovation and a thriving artistic community. Join us as we explore the history of Puerto Rican theater in New York City in a conversation with leading artists and scholars, in tandem with the new archives exhibit, ¡Oye! Puerto Rican Theater Breaks Through, on view in David Geffen Hall. Moderator: Dr. Yomaira Figueroa-Vásquez (Director, Center for Puerto Rican Studies/Hunter College) Panelists: Dr. Karen Jaime (Associate Professor of Performing and Media Arts and Latina/o Studies, Cornell University) Caridad de la Luz (Executive Director, Nuyorican Poets Cafe) Dr. Virginia Sánchez Korrol (Professor Emerita, Department of Puerto Rican and Latino Studies, Brooklyn College)