"Local theater looks to Pablo Perea" by Mary Houlihan
September 26, 2004. Chicago Sun-Times
In the older section of Havana, an unending stream of young artists and musicians haunt the picturesque bars and cafes that are a highlight of this colorful section of the Cuban city. These lively nightspots are the core of the city's bohemian scene, where being drawn into a conversation is as easy as finding a mojito with your name on it.
It was in just such a place several years ago I encountered a group of congenial young artists who talked about their work and their hopes of one day making it to the United States, where they suspected unknown dreams awaited. Pablo Perea could easily have been one of those bearded, dark-eyed charmers in paint-spattered jeans.
Perea, who grew up in Guines, just outside Havana, is one of the lucky ones who actually made the trip and found success. Now living in Chicago, Perea, at 34, is an established artist with a thriving career. His most recent accomplishment is creating a 10-by-30-foot mural as a stunning backdrop for Apple Tree Theatre's production of Cuban playwright Nilo Cruz's "Two Sisters and a Piano," which opens Monday.
"In the '90s, our generation in Cuba was in the boom of cultural awareness," says Perea. "Artists like Compay Segundo and the Buena Vista Social Club opened the door and suddenly the whole world was interested in what was going on in Cuba. We are the generation that found it easier to establish contacts with galleries and institutions outside of Cuba."
And a Cuban artist was just what Apple Tree was looking for. The company received an NEA grant to hire an artist to paint a mural; originally they intended to hire someone directly from Cuba. But they were informed by the U.S. State Department that the artist would not be allowed to take money back to Cuba.
"We could hire someone, but we couldn't pay them," says Apple Tree artistic director Eileen Boevers. "So we had to go back to square one and still meet the criteria for the grant and hire a Cuban artist, but it had to be someone already here."
Perea was their man. He was represented by Havana Gallery (1139 W. Webster) for several years before making the trip from Cuba for his first one-man show in 2001. A year ago, he married Allison Hill, the gallery's director, and now calls Chicago home.
The play's director, Henry Godinez, says Perea brings a new energy to the production.
"In a kind of subliminal way, Pablo's mural adds another layer of resonance," says Godinez. "I think it amplifies the themes and atmosphere of the play without being too blatant. As a director, it's an enriching image to work around."
Turning point
Perea took an unusual path to a career in art. It began in medical school, where he became friendly with a group of artists who became a great influence on him. He listened to discussions on the history and philosophy of art, as well as eloquent conversations about discovering oneself through artistic self-expression. But he was not easily deterred from a career in medicine; he worked for several years as a general practitioner in a Havana hospital before turning solely to art.
At first Perea painted only a few small pictures while continuing his work as a doctor. But as he got more into painting, the number grew, and there came a moment in 1996 when he realized he couldn't handle both.
"I was working too many hours in the hospital and painting too many hours at night," he says, rubbing a spot of blue paint on his hand. "It was too much and that was my turning point."
But was it hard trying to work as an artist in Cuba? "No, it's hard being an artist anywhere," says Perea, laughing.
Apple Tree branches out for diversity
Though Apple Tree may be in suburban Highland Park, the company isn't adverse to building partnerships with city folk, namely the Latino company Teatro Vista, an ensemble that often performs in Chicago's Pilsen neighborhood, a location worlds away from the tony North Shore.
The friendship began back in 1997 when Apple Tree staged "Blade to the Heat," Oliver Mayer's drama about a Latino boxer, with several Teatro Vista actors, including Henry Godinez, Edward Torres and Gustavo Mellado.
Apple Tree is co-producing Nilo Cruz's "Two Sisters and a Piano" with Teatro Vista. Company co-founder Henry Godinez, now an artistic associate at the Goodman Theatre, directs. Teatro Vista ensemble members Charin Alvarez and Sandra Delgado star, along with Sammy Publes and Ivan Vega.
Boevers has made it Apple Tree's mission "to put a human face on situations around the world so that they are not simply isolated events happening far enough away to keep us comfortable." Last season, the company staged Eve Ensler's "Necessary Targets," which focused on women in a refugee camp in Bosnia.
"We want to stretch with a diverse presentation of stories and artists on our stage," Boevers said. "And if we occasionally cause a bit of discomfort for our audience with the stories we tell, well, that's a good thing."