The ‘¿Qué pasa USA?’ play is coming back to Miami. Here’s how to get tickets
Three years after its premiere, the comedy “¿Qué pasa USA? Today!” returns to share the adventures of the Peñas, that family of Cuban exiles that half the world fell in love with on the television series “¿Qué pasa USA?” (1977-1980).
Nelson Albareda‘s production pays tribute to the iconic South Florida PBS series that for four seasons made millions of families laugh with Luis Santeiro’s libretto which was adapted for the stage by Patrick H. Pino. The play is directed by Gonzalo Rodríguez.
The original plot describes the process of adaptation of the Peñas to the United States, their adopted country, and the generational struggle.
It starred Ana Margarita Martínez Casado, Manolo Villaverde, Luis Oquendo, Velia Martínez, Steven Bauer and Ana Margo.
The theatrical version, which will be presented May 12 to 15, 2022, reveals the fate of the characters four decades later.
The cast is made up of Vivian Ruíz, Martha Picanes, Rodolfo Jaspe, Grethel Ortíz, Tania Guzmán, Ariel Texidó, Nick Simmons and Eduardo Westweiler. In addition, original cast members Ana Margo, Connie Ramírez, Bárbara Ann Martin and Steven Bauer round out the stage version of the show.
“Doing the play ‘¿Qué pasa USA? Today! has given me the opportunity to relive very fond memories: the beginning of my career, my youth and the close friends I made within the production team and the cast. A cast united by friendship over forty years, who gave me their unconditional support when I moved to Hollywood with the dream of succeeding there,” Bauer told el Nuevo Herald. “Another great satisfaction has been to reunite with the character Joe Peña, who will live in my heart because of his nobility and his naivety. He is a character that I love and will always love.”
Writer Luis Santeiro, main screenwriter of the legendary sitcom, recalled that at the time “¿Qué pasa USA?” was on air there were no programs that reflected the experience of Hispanics in this country.
“The series was well acted, well produced and well written; and although it was a humorous space, we approached the subject with the honesty and seriousness it deserved, without the pressure of Hollywood ”.
The writer pointed out that since all the members of the team were Cuban, they knew the immigrant experience very well.
“’¿Qué pasa USA?’ represented a moment of Cuban exile. Nobody imagined that a local program would become so successful at the national level and would last over time ”.
“For me it is a dream come true to revisit a work that gave me great satisfaction to direct and adapt,” said Gonzalo Rodríguez, director of “¿Qué pasa USA? Today!,” after recalling his visits to the studio where the television series that inspired the play was filmed.
Nelson Albareda, Executive Director of the production company Loud and Live, said that calls for a revival of the play never stopped so he decided to do it for audiences.
“It is one of the projects that has filled me with the greatest satisfaction in my career. A tribute to my cultural heritage, my family and Miami. I am very proud of what we achieved with ¿Qué Pasa USA? Today!”
Pre-sale for Arsht Center Culturist members is Monday, Dec. 20. Public tickets sales start Dec. 22 at noon. Tickets start at $49 and may be purchased through the Adrienne Arsht Center Box Office by calling 305-949-6722, or online at arshtcenter.org.
¿Qué pasa USA? Today!
When: Shows are May 12 at 8 p.m.; May 13 at 8 p.m.; Saturday, May 14 at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.; May 15 at 2 p.m and 8 p.m.
Where: Adrienne Arsht Center. 1300 Biscayne Blvd. Miami
305- 949-6722 or www.arshtcenter.org.
This story was originally published December 17, 2021 at 9:29 AM.
