“Don’t Eat The Mangos,” takes the stage at the Huntington on April 3. It’s a story of dark secrets, wicked humor, and honest truths, all with a talented cast and crew to bring it to life.
Written by Ricardo Pérez González, the play focuses on the lives of three sisters living in Puerto Rico. As they prepare for an incoming storm, the sisters come to terms with emotional revelations about their family and home.
Gonzalez developed the play at Sundance Institute Theatre Lab in Utah, which is a program developed through the same institute that puts on the Sundance Film Festival each year. The play then premiered in 2020 at The Magic in San Francisco. In 2021, the play won the Will Glickman award, which “celebrates excellence in playwriting by selecting the best new play to premiere in the region each year,” according to the website.
Gonzalez himself is a queer Puerto Rican playwright who has written other works like “In Fields Where They Lay” about the World War One Christmas Truce, an actual historical event in which soldiers on the Western Front came together during the holiday. Gonzalez also co-wrote the script for “The Rest of Us” with Laura Moss.
In an interview with The Beacon, Lyndsay Allyn Cox, the Huntington’s producing director and Kevin Becerra, associate director of artistic programming, spoke on what audience members should expect and why they should come see the production.
“‘Don’t Eat the Mangos’ is a hilarious and honest exploration of family, trauma, and how we heal. It truly is wickedly funny,” they said. They described it as a “delicate balance of really sharp comedy and bold emotional depth simultaneously.”
Although this may seem like a difficult balance to strike, Cox and Becerra expressed how hard the artistic team has been at work on the play, getting it ready for opening night on April 3.
“Absolutely the most exciting part of this production is the ensemble of creatives putting it together,” they said. “The designers, the cast, the stage management team, and everyone in between are at the top of their games making this incredible piece.”
Leading cast for the production includes Screen Actors Guild award winner Jessica Pimentel, Yesenia Iglesias, and Evelyn Howe, starring as the three sisters. They are joined by Emmy-nominated Susanna Guzmán and José Ramón Rosario as Mami and Papi, respectively.
The production is directed by David Mendizábal, with Assistant Director Amelia Rose Estrada, Voice and Dialect Coach Adi Cabral, Scenic Designer Tanya Orellana, Costume Designer Zoe Sundra, Lighting Designer Cha See, Sound Designer and Composer Jake Rodriguez, Fight Director and Intimacy Coach Ted Hewlett, Stage Manager Jake Mariño, and NY Casting Director Kate Murray rounding out the production team.
Performances of “Don’t Eat The Mangos” will run from this Thursday, April 3 through April 27. More information, including ticketing options, as well as a full list of cast and crew, can be found on The Huntington’s website.
