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SETTING
THE DAY IS MONDAY, OCTOBER 24, 1994
THE ACTION TAKES PLACE IN A ONE-ROOM BASEMENT APARTMENT IN A TENEMENT BUILDING, NEW YORK CITY.
SYNOPSIS
DA SPANISH MOB is an off-beat, quirky, highly energetic, character-driven comedy about loyalty, hope, love, family, education, friendship and culture and includes a tribute to a hero in the midst of all the zany and physical comedy. It involves the lives of three wanna-be mobsters and a minister: RICARDO CHU-CHO PEPIN RAMIREZ,, a short-term memory brat; MIGUEL RAMIREZ (Ricardo's older brother), the colorful and somewhat confused leader seeking true love; PHILIP JIMENEZ,, a pretentious, multi-language-speaking wanna-be with an unusual passion for culture and foreign dialects, and REVEREND DAVID REYES (Miguel and Ricardo's cousin), a hip local pastor and man of dignity. The four get involved in a job for the local legendary mob boss, MR. GORGONZINI, and his henchmen. They're in way over their heads.
It's 3:30 in the afternoon on October 24, 1994. After waiting in front of the local bank (the target for their big caper) for forty-five minutes and following a confrontation with CRATER-FACE SALLY, Gorgonzini's main man, the four realize that they have BOTCHED UP what was to be the biggest job of their lives. "Someone" screwed up with the time -- the job was scheduled for the wee hours of the morning: 3:00 A.M.!, not P.M.! Amidst the threat of snipers and police, the four find themselves stuck, ironically, across the street from the bank in a tenement building basement apartment hideaway for fifteen and a half hours! It is there, while dealing with fear, electrical blackouts, and a stranger, that panic sets in. It is also amongst the ruins of that basement hideaway that they discover treasures, secrets, a journey into their past including old photos, a camera and a radio, and where a "twist of fate" involving Methaqualone pills transpires. These discoveries force them to take a closer look at their lives. The lessons they learn about themselves, their pasts, and "family" and the true historical events that occur during those unforgettable fifteen hours teach them that…
"You're never in control of your own destiny."
"Writers Del Rio and Vasquez are willing to smash Latino stereotypes by making a gang of winning woosies their stars… fast and funny COMEDY OF ERRORS, with a dialogue that zips… A cast of four talented actors playing with poise.". - Salomon, Village VOICE
"DA SPANISH MOB echoes the existential yearnings for escape and truth which Beckett and Satre brought to the stage, but… contemporary and American in focus… cinematic lineage… are evoked cleanly by the tensions and shenanigans of this play's protagonists as (in a bloodless way) is RESERVOIR DOGS. Da Mob's leads are MARX BROTHERLY in temperament." -Daniel Gallant, Greenwich Village Gazette
"In all, DA SPANISH MOB - presents a rowdy, uproarious team whose creative energy is contagious enough to jump off the stage and bite the audience." -NY Daily News, Neil Perlich Porter
THE WRITERS
NELSON VÁSQUEZ
Over twenty years of professional experience… his passions have motivated and established him as a professional actor, writer, dancer, director and producer.
Nelson Vásquez is a native New Yorker, born and raised in Hell's Kitchen and the Amsterdam Projects, located directly behind Lincoln Center, the cultural center of New York City.
This has been an exciting year for Nelson. He appeared in "EL CANTANTE", he co-stars as the legendary musical director/founder of Fania Records, Mr. Johnny Pacheco, alongside Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony, and was nominated for the 2007 Paoli Award for "Actor of the Year."
"...the Nuyorican actor, Nelson Vasquez, accomplishes an astonishing physical likeness and characterization as the master, Johnny Pacheco" --EL NUEVO DIA, San Juan, PR by Ana Enid Lopez Rodiguez
Additionally, Nelson stars in the lead role, as a writer who plans a camping trip with his best friends, in the horror/suspense feature film, "SACRED GAME" directed by Bernardo Chilindron.
As an actor, Nelson has had the pleasure to work with some of Hollywood's prominent directors including Spike Lee, Brian DePalma, Michael Apted, Mary Harron, Martin Scorsese, Ron Lagomarsino, Steve Buscemi, Chazz Palminteri, Michael Bregman, Abel Ferrera, Martin Scorsese and Leon Ichaso. He has appeared in Carlito's Way and Carlito's Way -Rise To Power, Pinero (as Tito Goya, who was an actor, poet, musician and co-founder of the Nuyorican Poet's Café, in NYC) He also appeared in HBO's hit series OZ (as the brutally blinded Correction Officer, Eugene Rivera) for 3 seasons, Extreme Measures, Money Train, Summer Of Sam, When the Music Stops, Girl 6, Wannabes, Law & Order, NYPD Blue, Sins Of The City, Jonny Zero, and Do The Right Thing.
But Nelson's true fulfillment and rewarding passion comes from the theatre world. "There's nothing like being immersed in a character and taking the audience for a ride along with you". He has had the great pleasure of working with Graciele Daniele, Casey Childs, Jon Jory, Michael Grief, Melia Bensussen, Neil Pepe and Mr. George C. Wolfe. Nelson has garnered praise from many theater critics for his work in Barefoot Boy With Shoes On, Clean, Icarus, Blade To The Heat.
"...Rosario's is a remarkable journey, and one well worth taking with as charismatic an actor as Vasquez. (In a bit of nontraditional casting, he could make a fascinating Stanley Kowalski.)" -Variety by Robert Hofler -BAREFOOT BOY WITH SHOES ON by Edwin Sanchez
"...At the top of MOB's chart is an actor who blends rather than dominates, yet who stands out in modest and brilliant relief all the same. He is the Chico Marx of the group, Nelson Vasquez." -Greenwich Village Gazette by Daniel Gallant -DA SPANISH MOB
Still, Nelson’s dreams of creative self-expression, along with his artistic integrity and big imagination, were lacking fulfillment. So, he co-founded Pan y Vino Productions, a company dedicated to developing new works of many different genres for the screen, stage and television. Nelson co-produced and wrote the hit play and screenplay, DA SPANISH MOB, an offbeat comedy, with Michael Del Rio. He has also completed the screenplays, BOYS FROM AVENUE A, a sports/comedy and SPRING TIME IN COLD SPRING, a Psychological drama/thriller. He developed a television pilot, GOTCHA! COVERED TV, a sports series fusing sports, culture and entertainment. Nelson was also collaborating writer for the up-coming feature film, SACRED GAME and worked on the development for The Young Lords Party, a project for HBO/Talking Wall Pictures.
As director, Nelson directed the hit off-off Broadway play entitled, BOOGIE RICAN BOULEVARD starring the multi-talented Caridad De La Luz, aka LA BRUJA. "Exploiting the performer's gift for song and movement, whether lithe, sexy, or jerky comic, Nelson Vásquez directs with verve". -Village Voice Review by Francine Russo
Nelson’s diverse talents, artistic integrity, business acumen and impressive wealth of experience and knowledge have earned him the respect of his peers. His desire is to inspire, teach children and share his wealth of knowledge.
He has been featured in various magazines, newspapers and entertainment shows.
Nelson is a member of SAG, AEA, AFTRA. He is represented by PROFESSIONAL ARTISTS in New York City. For more information on Nelson, log on to his EPK -- www.myspace.com/nelsonvasquez
MICHAEL PHILIP DEL RIO
For over 27 years Michael has worked in just about every facet of live theater, including performing, writing, as well as the technical aspects of design, stage management, directing and producing. His productions of LONELY STREETS and LONESTAR were well received by the theatre critics. He served on the Artistic Advisory Board at the Lambs Theater for three seasons. He co-founded PAN y VINO PRODUCTIONS with Nelson Vasquez. Together, they wrote and co-produced the hit comedy, DA SPANISH MOB.
As the Vice-Chair of the EEOC at Screen Actors Guild, he produced live events including the Pan-Asian Night, African American History Night and the Latino Recognition Night, which honored Luis Guzman. He produced The Rich Life, a sitcom performed live at PSNBC, filmed by NBC-TV. He is an Associate Producer for the feature film, SACRED GAME and was the NY Production Coordinator/Producer for the French commissioned documentary, “PASTOR HARLEY,” (alongside Award Winning director, Felix Olivier.)
Michael recently appeared in the films, Illegal Tender, Sacred Game, I Believe In America and the multi-award winning film, All Night Bodega . In addition, he worked on Caleb's Door, Piñero, Reflection Eternal, NY Undercover, Unsolved Mysteries, Blue Steel, Down, Men Of Respect and The Reading Road Show. Michael works as a commercial actor and voice-over artist for both the English and Spanish markets.
His NYC theatre credits include: King of Dominoes, Da Spanish Mob, The Precedent, The Shadow Box, Lonestar, A Hatful of Rain, Tyrone-X, La Ronde, When The Bough Breaks, Lonely Streets and Toulouse. He played a lead role in the award-winning musical, GENTLEMEN'S FESTIVAL, and won an Owbie Award for his performance of a sociological misfit in the Vietnam drama, BUNKERS.
DA SPANISH MOB - “Del Rio’s alter ego is referred to as a vampire and when the character lapses into Spanish and into song or dance, this actor’s true talents are revealed. At certain moments his demeanor calls to mind the suavity of Benicio Del Toro”. Daniel Gallant - Greenwich Village Gazette
In addition to writing DA SPANISH MOB, (play and screenplay), he also collaborated on the screenplay BOYS FROM AVENUE A, and worked on the development team for the HBO Original Movie, THE YOUNG LORDS PARTY. He’s a collaborating writer on SACRED GAME and ALL NIGHT BODEGA. In development: Michael and Felix Olivier acquired the rights to the award-winning Cuban novel, DIRTY HAVANA TRILOGY, they won the Paris, France, Writer’s Guild Award. He is slated to write the screenplay in English and Spanish. He also has BUMPS, an Urban Fantasy and BECOMING MY MOTHER – tackling the issues of Alzheimer’s, UNLIKELY HERO for the stage and is currently collaborating with the creators of the upcoming edgy sitcom, THE LOFT.
Michael Del Río was born and raised in the multi-cultural Williamsburg, Brooklyn. He spent his teenage years in Puerto Rico and received much praise for his short-story writing while studying at the University of Puerto Rico. He graduated from The American Academy of Dramatic Arts and studied at the Terry Schreiber Studio under the tutelage of Terry Schreiber and Lee Wallace.
Michael is a member of SAG, AEA, AFTRA, THE DRAMATISTS GUILD. He is represented by DON BUCHWALD & ASSOCIATES.
For Information on DA SPANISH MOB, you can email us at [email protected]