At 23 years old, Nathaniel Emil Thomas is living the dream of many recently graduated artists, and it is all thanks to the love, determination and faith of his parents, Raúl and Yvette Thomas.
In his first two seasons as artistic director of Marietta’s New Theatre in the Square, a role Thomas took on just last year, he has already shown signs of the direction he wishes to take in terms of cultural diversity and the production quality he hopes to present.
“I sat down and I had an honest discussion with myself. I have the fortune of being an artistic director who doesn’t have to answer to anybody, not to any board of directors. It’s a privilege doing what I love to do. Shows that are worth it and being a self-sufficient artist in the city,” said Thomas.
In order to schedule the current season, Thomas, who graduated in 2016 from Ball State University with a degree in theater directing and stage management, did not hesitate to take risks. He has complete freedom to explore his vision, as his father is the new owner and manager of the artistic venue.
“It was important to find stories that represent my two cultures: I’m African-American and Latino. I want to do work for African-Americans, Latinos and all the cultures that coexist here,” explained Thomas. “I want to present works of art that interest me, that deal with topics affecting my community, but much more importantly, that make people think and inspire the public to address social and cultural topics.”
After a thorough process of researching and reading, Thomas chose six pieces.
“I found a ton of gems, like ‘Smoke in the Mountain,’ a piece for Marietta; ‘Native Son,’ for the African-American community; ‘La Gringa,’ for Latinos; and ‘The Glass Menagerie,’ a classic piece by Tennessee Williams, for everyone,” said Thomas.
In addition, Thomas included the satire ‘The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity,’ by Kristoffer Díaz, which explores the ‘American experience,’ as seen through the eyes of professional wrestler Macedonio Guerra.
First bilingual show
From May 18th to June 4th, Marietta’s New Theatre in the Square will present ‘La Gringa,’ the longest-running Spanish-language play in Off-Broadway history.
Carmen Rivera’s play tells the story of María, a young woman who travels to Puerto Rico in order to better understand her cultural identity. There, she discovers that she will not be welcomed with open arms, as she is perceived to be a “gringa.”
“When I read ‘La Gringa,’ I saw myself in it. In searching for her identity, the protagonist comes face to face with reality. The same thing happened to me when I went to Puerto Rico when I was 18 years old. I was really enjoying it, until I realized I couldn’t communicate with my people, because I didn’t speak Spanish. That made me analyze my own cultural identity,” said Thomas.
For actress Jade Fernández, the role of María suited her perfectly.
“I connected with María 100 percent. My father is Cuban and my mother is Puerto Rican. I always wanted to visit Cuba, and I finally did it in 2013. I visited my grandmother’s grave, just like María does,” explained Fernández.
The rest of the cast of ‘La Gringa’ is comprised of Ecuadorian-Colombian actress Denise Santos (Aunt Norma); Diamond Rodríguez (Cousin Iris), who has Puerto Rican roots; Nicaraguan actor Brian Espinoza (Uncle Víctor); Dominican Roger Payano (Uncle Manolo); and American Sidney Simmons (the neighbor ‘Monchi’).
For the ‘La Gringa’ actors, this new cultural venue offers much more than just a work opportunity.
“To have a theater and do it while being supported by your family, to see your father and mother involved, is wonderful,” expressed Payano.
Simmons, for his party, is excited to play a Latino character.
“The biggest challenge is that I don’t speak Spanish. I’m learning it, and my fear is that I don’t do ‘Monchi’ justice. But Emil and my coworkers are helping me with it,” said Simmons.
For Thomas’s father, the biggest reward is seeing his youngest child doing what he is most passionate about in life.
“As a parent who has had the fortune to do business, it would be a crime to not help my children the way my parents helped me,” said Raúl a chef who acquired the theater two years go with the goal of supporting the arts and providing a space for minorities in Georgia to tell their stories.
La Gringa runs through June 4 at Theatre in the Square, 11 Whitlock Ave., Marietta.
Information: 770-426-4800 and www.theatreinthesquare.net
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