Rogelio (Carlo Albán, left) and Rafaela (Silvia Dionicio) in Fandango for Butterflies (and Coyotes).
Fandango for Butterflies (and Coyotes) is a lively new play by Andrea Thome that presents stories of immigration and fear from Latino immigrants in New York City. Filled with music and dance, Fandango lightens the darkness of its topic without soft-pedaling it.
The play, directed by José Zayas, begins with performers singing on stage. The sounds of guitars and violins resonate through the theater. (A fandango is a lively gathering that traditionally includes guitars, castanets, people clapping hands, and dancing.) As the ensemble breaks up, Mari (Jen Anaya), short for Mariposa, wipes down the chairs. She has put together the fandango to catch up with her friends and community. Concern about such gatherings has grown, however, as ICE has been raiding the neighborhood, threatening imprisonment and deportation.
From left: Sinuhé Padilla, Pili (Frances Ines Rodriguez) and Mariposa (Jen Anaya). Photographs by Maria Baranova.
The fandango participants are Rogelio (Cario Alban), newcomer Rafaela (Silvia Dionicio), Elvin (Andres Quintero), Pilli (Frances Ines Rodriguez) and Johan (Roberto Tolentino), along with Sinuhé and Tania Mesa as the lead musicians. Rafaela is waiting to meet her former art teacher, who’s is late, but they’re all certain she’ll arrive. As they wait, they share stories of how they came to America.
Elvin tells of enduring the dangerous roads on his own, physical attacks, and bad weather. Rogelio, Mari and Pili were brought in by a coyote (a person who is paid to smuggle people across the U.S.-Mexico border) and had to deal with similar situations. Rafaela came when she was a kid by plane. Although they speak about their journey to the U.S, one of the most compelling scenes in the play is when the cast actually reenacts their migration. The choreography, music, and dialogue in that section are poetic and moving. The actors capture the physical, emotional and psychological struggle of this endeavor with outstanding dancing and singing.
In a heartfelt scene between Mari and Rogelio, their vulnerability is exposed. They’ve left their homes and families in search of a better life, yet this journey has filled them with complexities and loneliness far beyond what they expected. Rogelio is married but hasn’t seen his wife or daughter in ten years. He’s interested in pursuing “something” with Mari, but Mari has not reciprocated after their first date.
Mariposa: Look, I know loneliness is—I know what it is. We found each other at a moment. We had a very nice moment.
Rogelio: Yes. We did.
Mariposa: And a moment—it’s OK to just let it be a moment. Let’s appreciate that.
Rogelio: Don’t you want—family here? Don’t you—
Mariposa: Rogelio. Don’t ask more than you can give yourself.
This “moment” shows how even the idea of a romantic relationship can be unattainable. Although Rogelio misses his family, he knows the reality of their situation. His family may never make it to the United States, yet he is bound by marriage.
Elvin (Andrés Quintero, left) .performs with Pili and Rogelio.
Angst runs throughout the play. Elvin and Rogelio are drowning in worry as they await the arrival of their cousin Johan, who has left Honduras and is venturing to the United States using a coyote. Johan is gay and cannot stay in his country because of persecution. They check their phones repeatedly and look outside, just in case he has gotten lost or been taken by ICE. The production makes clear that the reality for the many immigrants who live in the city is fear. They’re afraid of attending the fandango because the center is in a Latino community, and it would be easy for ICE to find them in a place like that.
Elvin begins to panic, but Mariposa interjects, “No. We are not going to be afraid. This is why we’re here, why I brought everyone together today. Because there is too much of this fear. We’re familia here. We have got each other. This space, this church, now it’s an official sanctuary. That’s what we’re celebrating today…everywhere we make a fandango, we make a circle that welcomes everyone. That’s safe for everyone. We can make that circle anywhere. We have that power.”
The fandangos rejuvenate the spirits of the group. They are a source of hope and a memory of home, and provide a feeling of empowerment to individuals who often feel powerless. Thome does a great job of providing vignettes of lives on the margin.
The En Garde Arts production of Fandango for Butterflies (and Coyotes) plays at various venues around New York City through March 28. For the schedule and more information, visit www.engardearts.org.
