The Poetry of Yearning

Get swept away on the tobacco-sweet breeze of this lush and poetic romance, as family ties smolder beneath a Florida sun. An alluring new lector has arrived in their midst like a match in a powder keg, carrying with him the long-held Cuban tradition of reading aloud as the workers roll cigars. They burn through their work days rapt in his reading of Anna Karenina. But not everyone is a fan of the tradition or the man. As desires ignite and loyalties are tested, each lyrical passage pulls them closer to a reckoning between the past and the future. A pulse-racing, Pulitzer-winning epic, offering a limited number of performances, perfectly accompanied by the sultry summer breeze. Runs August 1 - September 26.

Featuring: Phoebe González, Elizabeth Ledo, Melisa Pereyra, Ronald Román-Meléndez, Triney Sandoval

Synopsis

In the heat of Florida, a Cuban-American family spends long days rolling cigars for a factory. They carried with them many traditions from Cuba, including employing a lector to read to them as they work. But with automation on the rise, money is tight, and there are differing opinions on whether that tradition should continue. Still, matriarch Ofelia hires a new lector, Juan Julián – a charismatic young man who captures the attention her daughters, Marela and Conchita. Juan Julián begins his reading sessions with Anna Karenina. As the book’s story unfolds, the family’s lives run parallel, bringing secrets and lies to the forefront and threatening their livelihood and relationships.

Contains adult themes. Contact the Box Office at 608-588-2361 for more information.

Season Select: Anna in the Tropics
By Erin Milleville