R 076
2024 -- H 7501
Enacted 02/06/2024

H O U S E   R E S O L U T I O N
JOYOUSLY CELEBRATING TRINITY REPERTORY COMPANY'S PREMIERE OF "LA BROA' (BROAD STREET)", A PLAY INSPIRED BY THE LATINO HISTORY OF RHODE ISLAND

Introduced By: Representatives Morales, Shekarchi, Blazejewski, Diaz, Chippendale, Batista, Shallcross Smith, Tanzi, McNamara, and Fellela

Date Introduced: February 06, 2024

     WHEREAS, "La Broa' (Broad Street)", Trinity Repertory Company's new production
currently premiering at the Dowling Theater, is a play inspired by the seminal work of oral
histories compiled by author Marta V. Martinez's book, "Latino History of Rhode Island:
Nuestras Raices." The play tells the real-life stories of Providence's Latinx community over the
last sixty years, with many of these stories taking place at Dona Rosa's Market at La Broa' (Broad
Street); and
     WHEREAS, The brilliantly creative team that brought "La Broa' (Broad Street)" to the
Providence public includes the talented playwright Orlando Hernandez, who is an accomplished
Choreographer and Musician, and gifted Puerto Rican Director Tatyana-Marie Carlo, whose
previous work includes directing three past productions at Trinity Repertory and directing Pride
and Prejudice for the Hartford Stage. Other production artists include Assistant Director Diego
Alejandro Gonzalez, Music Director Matthew Requintina, Set Designer Patrick Lynch, Costume
Designer Amanda Downing Carney, Lighting Designer Christina Watanabe, Sound Designer
German Martinez, Video Designer Peter Sasha Hurowitz, Dialect Coach Cynthia Santos DeCure,
Stage Manager Buzz Cohen, and Assistant Stage Manager Anais Bustos; and
     WHEREAS, The talented cast of "La Broa' (Broad Street)", includes guest artist Alina
Alcantara, playing a character inspired by Dona Fefa, known as the "Mother of Providence's
Hispanic Community", and the founder of Providence's first Latina-owned business. Additional
performers include Rosalyn Tavarez, a second-year student in the Brown/Trinity Repertory MFA
program and Jen Anaya, Jeff Ararat, Rudy Cabrera, Alexander Crespo-Rosario II, Arturo
Puentes, Marina Tejada, David Bertoldi and Madeleine Russell; and
     WHEREAS, La Broa' has drawn positive reviews across the critical spectrum with
Boston Globe correspondent Bob Abelman proclaiming that it "delivers a love letter to the
founding families of Las Comunidad Latina of Providence." Mr. Abelman goes on to make the
important point that plays like La Broa' "provide a voice for ordinary, often underrepresented
people who have lived through extraordinary circumstances, but do so with creative
embellishment and dramatic flair. And so they have the great potential to break stereotypes,
enhance understanding, and foster empathy by being entertaining as well as informative"; now,
therefore be it
     RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island hereby
joyously celebrates Trinity Repertory Company's premiere of the play "La Broa' (Broad Street)",
a play inspired by the Latino history of Rhode Island; and be it further
     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to
transmit a duly certified copies of this resolution to Orlando Hernandez and Tatyana-Marie Carlo.
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