"DERECHO" at The La Jolla Playhouse Touches Upon Assimilation, Politics, and Race

While Truly Diving into a Bond Between Sisters

Ashley Alvarez (left) and Caro Guzmán in La Jolla Playhouse’s world premiere of DERECHO. photo by Rich Soublet II.

A Blog View by Alejandra Enciso-Dardashti

It brings me hope when powerhouses like La Jolla Playhouse produce new work like their latest production DERECHO; it also gives me different feelings -call it a defense mechanism- when those works bring Latin American stories/characters that take place/live in the States. DERECHO, a work that was developed in the 2020 Bay Area Playwrights Festival and also developed as part of the Playhouse's 2022 edition DNA series, written by American-Uruguayan playwright Noelle Viñas, is a multilayered piece that at its core, explores two sisters's bond and event-full relationship. 

Eugenia (Ashley Alvarez) is the oldest sister of two, a lawyer propelling her political career in Alexandria, Virginia. Her husband Gabe (Luis Vega) is very involved in the campaign and wants Eugenia to thrive as the next representative. Mercedes (Caro Guzmán), Eugenia's younger sister, is a singer/composer who is living with Eugenia and Gabe while she figures out her next career move. The family lives in a prominent neighborhood and is well-off. Tanya Orellana's scenic design frames this to the T as the couple's house is beautiful and spacious.

Within the campaign strategy, Eugenia would like to bring old family friend and social media wiz, José Portillo (Jorge Sánchez Díaz) into the mix to boost things further. Portillo is excited as he just had a baby with his wife Soledad (Carla Navarro) and the money would be good for the family. Gabe on his end, aims to bring his bestie and millionaire, family foundation runner, Jeff Randolph (Eric Hagen) to put some funds into the campaign. Eugenia plans a feast for the courting and asks Mercedes to help. The sister, in younger sibling fashion, fires up the grill for an asado with chorizo and beef contradicting Eugenia's green initiative, yet, honoring their Uruguayan roots. It is then that the narrative gears into the "first generation" credo and the sister's yin-yang perspectives. Eugenia is basically whitewashed on the surface and struggles with the stereotype of her Latin American-ness while also feeding the stereotype (if that makes sense). 

Jorge Sánchez Díaz and Carla Navarro in DERECHO; photo by Samantha Laurent.

In the beginning, I sighed and thought "Another one of these one-dimension plays" but not quite, as Viñas gives a brief yet nice stroke on the multiple Latino stereotypes in the States created by both white people and yes, Latinos as well. I would also say that there are facts mixed in that then morph into a stereotype and the playwright "polaroids" that in the work. Starting with one of my favorites, the term "LatinX"... the sisters go off on the term along with José and Soledad pointing to old versus new and marketing versus reality. There are cool intersections in the play that represent character introspections, punctually blocked by the play director Delicia Turner Sonnenberg, and awesomely lit by Sherrice Mojgani who contrasts fading out to black with bright white chicken coop-type lighting that perfectly dresses the scene and prompts the feelings. Gabe's parents are from the Dominican Republic but they did not enforce Spanish speaking in the house so he would assimilate. Another happening in the immigrant world that is a topic of constant debate.

When Eugenia looks for grounding, she searches for rhythm in the Puerto Rican artist Daddy Yankee's Lo que pasó, pasó (what happened, happened). For context, Daddy Yankee left hardcore reggaeton and perreo (twerk) for Christianity which makes this even more interesting. Really taking the metaphor in, and not going through the rabbit hole of assuming all people in Latin America are gifted with good rhythm, Eugenia strongly believes in her platform and that she could truly do some good, taking from her experience with a single mom with a minimum wage job and no diploma, who succumbed to cancer and taking care of her (half) little sister but really, who took care of whom? Again, Noelle Viñas weaves in different layers that unfold sometimes organically and sometimes, "de sopetón" (abruptly) which makes the story pop. There are tints where Eugenia seems to be fully assimilated yet, her heritage weighs heavily and she cannot balance both but she wants her cake and eat it too. Isn't that fun? Germán Martínez's sound design mixes echoes into some of the dialogues that represent the inner and outer voices of both Eugenia and Mercedes along with their thoughts. Another song comes along in the plot, the super-popular 17 Años by Los Ángeles Azules.

Caro Guzmán and Eric Hagen in DERECHO, photo by Rich Soublet II.

Derecho in Spanish means law and straight. It also means, -something that I learned with this play lol-, in a climactic sense, a strong, long, harmful storm. The Derecho is brewing in Alexandria and as the feast guests question intentions and safety, confessions and feelings are revealed changing the course completely. So, this is a full-on family storm while trying to weigh in American politics through the law with a straight -rigid- platform. There is a point in the script where Eugenia compares herself to a real-life New York, left, Rep that had my jaw reach the floor. I thought it was intense and it felt like a "tell me how you really feel" moment... The cast's interpretations are on point with the right intensity and intention. The sister chemistry between Ashley Alvarez and Caro Guzmán is palpable. Something that is also palpable is the older/younger sibling dynamic and, I do not know if I am adding my own seeds into this field but, one sister is light, the other is not. Something that is SUPER common in Latin homes even with full siblings so, I do not know if the playwright also hinted at that or wanted to make the difference because they were half-sisters. Dominique Fawn Hill's costume design also accentuated the sister's personalities having Eugenia wear a long pleated skirt with a matching blouse ensemble with nude pumps while "Merche" rocks a long denim skirt with a vest and black leather booties. The rest of the cast members also carry nice pieces that round the personalities like Gabe and Jeff with their work casual attire while José still shows work attire yet is more relaxed and Soledad in her "new mom" vibes has wide-leg short jeans with a t-shirt and top with a curly wig that really accentuated the character, designed by Alberto “Albee” Alvarado who also gave Eugenia perfect, flowy waves and Mercedes, long stunning braids. 

I loved seeing Carla Navarro and Globe MFA Alumni Eric Hagen in their Playhouse debuts. Aside from having a good, deep delivery, it always fills my heart to see local actors on the bigger stages. Jorge Sánchez Díaz and Luis Vega bring both umphs and freshness to the scenes, relieving and intensifying the reaction as the story synchs in. Turner Sonnenberg's directorial hand definitely shows as the frame is precise but with feeling which are some of the signatures of the seasoned director. 

DERECHO takes a nice plunge into American politics and the current climate which is very pertinent months away from the election. For some, it might be too much, and for others, a conversation starter (and ender). But like I mentioned in the beginning, at its core, this play is about the bond between two sisters and how life sometimes gets in the way. 

Currently playing until August 18th. For tickets and performance times, please click here.