by Robin Galen Kilrain

A History of Hispanic Theatre in the
United States: Origins to 1940

Zarzuela. Cuadro. Revista. If you already know what these words mean, you will doubtlessly find this book intriguing. If you don’t yet know, you’ll probably enjoy finding out. For though Nicolás Kanellos’ seminal title A History of Hispanic Theatre in the United States: Origins to 1940 is the result of many years of extensive research, the exhaustive nature of which reflects the author’s scholarly connection, the result is only enriched by his in-depth investigation.

Professor, publisher, and former actor and director Kanellos recognized a need: As he states, this particular fertile history was, largely, “an underground or forgotten tradition” (p. xiv). Filling this need for exploration and remembrance, his award-winning book is bursting with myriad historical details uncovered from archives in Spain, Mexico and Puerto Rico, as well as those gleaned from probing within the States. Once coalesced, these facts reveal how, from the late 19th century to the mid-20th, various areas of our country experienced Hispnic theatre.

That term comprises numerous genres of performance that played multiple important roles, reaching far beyond simple entertainment. Whether recalling the rich cultural heritages of the nationalities represented or reflecting topical concerns about economic or political issues, these related art forms served their largely immigrant audiences well. A strengthened sense of community alone was worth any price of admission.

Following the geographical as well as chronological spread of Hispanic theatre, Kanellos takes his readers on a tour of this country: from the Southwest (San Antonio) to the Southeast (Tampa) to the Northeast (New York City), and a number of points in-between. He cites California, however, as its original professional home. And, in the late 1920s, specifically the City of Angels as its “Mecca.”

With more than 30 working Hispanic playwrights and numerous venues featuring live Spanish-language performances, that title seems appropriate. (The ’20s in addition saw a burgeoning Hispanic film industry in the city.) In a chapter of the book allotted to Los Angeles, Kanellos introduces us to the scene, describing both its human and inanimate players alike. The careers of playwright-actor Eduardo Carrillo and playwright-journalist-composer Gabriel Navarro, among others, are highlighted. Also in the spotlight are the stories of such theatre houses as Teatro Principal, Teatro California and Teatro Hidalgo.

Regardless of the boom, these spaces often had to struggle to maintain Hispanic theatre works front and center. Some succeeded better than others in keeping pro wrestling, burlesque and cinema at bay.

The many references to articles in La Opinión, the popular LA Spanish-language newspaper founded in the late 1920s, support Kanellos’ belief that English-language media in the United States consistently ignored Hispanic theatre. Helping to further this viewpoint, as well as serving as an indication of the author’s dedication to authenticity, are numerous quotations from yet other print sources, also remaining in their original Spanish. Don’t be discouraged if you don’t habla español, though: A copious Notes section offers translations, along with other interesting asides. And for those, bilingual or not, who are new to the subject matter, Kanellos has provided a glossary (where, yes, zarzuela, cuadro and revista can be found).

Featuring more than a dozen pages of photos — including those of performers, theatre facades and broadsides — A History of Hispanic Theatre both shows and tells in its thorough examination of the roots of this relatively seldom-explored theatrical history. Should you nevertheless want to delve deeper into the topic, as Kanellos himself describes the book as “a basic starting point for further studies” (p. xiv), the following list of titles could help get you started.

¡Aplauso!: Hispanic Children’s Theater.
Joe Rosenberg, editor. A collection of plays for children, some written in Spanish, some in English and some in a bilingual presentation.

Hispanics in Hollywood: A Celebration of 100 Years in Film and Television. Luis Reyes and Peter Rubie. Should you want to look at Hispanic performance history from another angle.

Shattering the Myth: Plays by Hispanic Women. Denise Chávez and Linda Feyder, editors.  An anthology of plays from the late 1980s up to 1991, by six female playwrights.

¡Teatro Hispano!: Three Major New York Companies.
Elisa De la Roche. Three companies traced from the 1960s to 1995 (when the book was published), with one chapter on the general history of Hispanic theatre from the ’20s to the ’60s.

Zarzuela: Spanish Operetta, American Stage.

Janet L. Sturman. As your reward for reading all the way to the bottom, for those of you still wondering, with this title the definition of zarzuela is revealed!