Anna in the Tropics Director's Notes

In Anna in the Tropics, Nilo Cruz has graced us with a beautiful play that is at once modern and present, as well as timeless and a part of the eternal. That is what makes a “classic.” Like the works of Shakespeare, his language is rich and poetic, lyrical and urgent, and ultimately bears a message for us all, regardless of its time and setting. As a director, and a lover of language and poetry, I could not hope for a better script to work on. Ironically, I also believe that summertime in the expanse and romance of the woods at APT is the perfect setting for this play set in the tropics of Florida.

Set in 1929, the play takes place in the midst of a massive amount of change for our country: the end of the roaring twenties, the stock market crash and impending economic depression, an outbreak of influenza, and growing questions around mechanical modernization and the value of the core of the nuclear family. Amidst all this, in the microcosm of a Cuban-American cigar factory in Ybor City, the reading of the classic Russian novel Anna Karenina serves as a crucible for inner transformation. More specifically, the reading of the book out loud is a catalyst for the release of long-suppressed desire, frustration and even rage. Suspicions, secrets and longings are released in a family that is struggling to maintain its balance, as well as its relevance, in a quickly evolving world. Again, APT is the perfect setting for a story about the incredible power of the spoken word.

One of the most beautiful moments of the day in any tropical climate near the ocean is sunset. The blazing sky ranging from yellow to orange to pink, and deep, fiery red, the deepening of the water from pale green and bright blue to a fathomless, bottomless, darkness and the breeze rustling through the palm trees and hibiscus flowers, are all accented and heightened by the sound of the lapping of water and the crashing of waves. Every human emotion is found in those colors and sounds. Just like this play. I encourage you to listen to this play closely, to move deeper beyond the visual spectacle and hone in on its warnings, its messages, and finally, its gifts.

- Robert Ramirez, Director of Anna in the Tropics