Mark Braswell

Mark Walter Braswell (ASCAP) is a composer, lyricist, playwright, and producer living in Miami Beach. His latest musical, "Cuban Courage," is currently in development by a Miami theatre. This historical drama is based on the true story of Operation Pedro Pan in which over 14,000 children were flown unaccompanied from Havana to Miami between 1960 and 1962 for their protection. Prior to that show, Mark wrote the musical "Paying the Price," which brings to the stage his father's experiences in WWII as a tail gunner on a B-17 and then as a POW in Romania. "Paying the Price" enjoyed a successful premier by the Cape Fear Regional Theatre, in conjunction with the U.S. Army's Airborne and Special Operations Museum, which was followed by productions in Philadelphia and North Carolina. Mark’s other...

Mark Walter Braswell (ASCAP) is a composer, lyricist, playwright, and producer living in Miami Beach. His latest musical, "Cuban Courage," is currently in development by a Miami theatre. This historical drama is based on the true story of Operation Pedro Pan in which over 14,000 children were flown unaccompanied from Havana to Miami between 1960 and 1962 for their protection. Prior to that show, Mark wrote the musical "Paying the Price," which brings to the stage his father's experiences in WWII as a tail gunner on a B-17 and then as a POW in Romania. "Paying the Price" enjoyed a successful premier by the Cape Fear Regional Theatre, in conjunction with the U.S. Army's Airborne and Special Operations Museum, which was followed by productions in Philadelphia and North Carolina. Mark’s other musicals, "That Funny Kind of Feeling" and "Love Notes," were workshopped in New York and Chicago/Washington, respectively. Mark’s cabarets and musical revues, for which he also writes the book, music, and lyrics, have been produced in New York, Miami, Baltimore, and Washington. Mark has composed music for special benefits, weddings, and short films. His short play, "Cellphonitis," has been selected to be produced in the Miami New Stages Festival in 2015.

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Scripts

Cuban Courage

by Mark Braswell

Cast Size
14—16
Genre
musical

It is 1960 and Castro is placing Cuba firmly on a path toward communism. Seeing their freedom and way of life disappearing, Maria and Juan are anxious to protect their only son, Carlos. While Maria wants to send Carlos away, Juan insists on keeping their family together in Havana. Soon Carlos’ private school is closed and the pressure intensifies for him to go to public school and join the communist youth...

It is 1960 and Castro is placing Cuba firmly on a path toward communism. Seeing their freedom and way of life disappearing, Maria and Juan are anxious to protect their only son, Carlos. While Maria wants to send Carlos away, Juan insists on keeping their family together in Havana. Soon Carlos’ private school is closed and the pressure intensifies for him to go to public school and join the communist youth group. Juan and Maria then agree that they must send Carlos to Miami to prevent him from being indoctrinated by the communists.
After a brief stay in a Florida camp for Cuban children, Carlos is sent to be with a foster family who live on a farm in Iowa. He gradually adapts and grows fond of his foster mother, Ruth, but the painful memories of his exodus haunt him. After five years apart, Maria arrives in Miami, and she and Carlos move into an apartment provided by the Catholic Charities. A difficult period of adjustment for them begins, during which Carlos refuses to speak of the past. Years later when Carlos’ memories become overwhelming, Maria forces him to hear the truth regarding his departure and the sacrifices made by his father. Carlos finally decides to accept his past and claim his future.

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