←Recommendations of WORLD CLASSIC

Willy Loman. Joe Keller. And now Papo. The dark family dysfunction once chronicled by Arthur Miller has been reimagined, and newly realized in a fresh voice throughout this compelling work by Diaz-Marcano. The salesman and factory owner both blame their station in life for the choices they made for their families... and so does this failed ball-player-turned-plumber. Yet, while “World Classic” digs deep into themes of guilt, identity, and self-worth, the tender ending allows audiences to see a glimmer of hope that Miller never afforded us. Produce it, and make the cast Bomba at the curtain call.

A master work. Diaz-Marcano shows us a family on the verge of exploding, and then goes and shows us why for each of them, with tremendous empathy and heart. I appreciate the window into this world that he provides so compellingly. From moment to moment, it's fun, it's funny, it's tense, it's heartbreaking, and Diaz-Marcano keeps each emotion in mind, so that all are in play at any given time. A master class in context, subtext, identity and family drama. I keep using words like "masterful," and I mean every one. Simply beautiful. Grateful that Nelson shares it with us.

I'm lucky to have had the opportunity to see this lovely play at Milagro Theatre's Ingenio Festival. Where to begin? Fiercely intelligent and relatable, with big bold humor and deep heart, this play finds ways to connect the threads between past and future, between worlds and families. Diaz-Marcano's voice rises up clear and confident. Anyone in the audience tonight felt it: This play needs to be seen, in full glorious production, and soon!

Fantastic play. Real, raw family dynamics. Kitchen sink drama of the kind we see with white families all the time, but never with Latinx. A great piece for those wonderful character actors who are tired of playing maids and gardeners.

A beautiful picture of a family that is so real it hurts. Diaz-Marcano lets the story unfold quietly before the audience member and as the puzzle pieces click into place, everything starts to make sense. Every family has their secrets--every family has their disfunctions, and what I appreciate about "World Classic" is that at the end, the family is still a family. There is power in the bonds that they've formed and they are not so easily tossed away, no matter how much pain lies beneath the surface. Diaz-Marcano has written this play with humor, tenderness, and grace.