"This play is so much about how men relate to men," says Conrad Mata, who plays the yoga instructor, Julián. "The script encourages audience members, especially men, to reconsider how they express love to the men in their lives. The current state of men's relationships can be extremely competitive and negative, so I sincerely hope that those who witness it remember that positive male relationships exist."
The Hombres, penned by Tony Meneses and directed by Dana Hart Wright, will run at Vintage from Friday, May 31, through July 7. Its story navigates the rough terrain of machismo in Latino culture through a touching platonic relationship between Julián and Héctor, the construction crew's leader, who wants to take yoga classes in exchange for cleaning the studio. Although Wright is neither Latino nor male, she says the script's universal themes speak to her.
"It's such a beautiful story," Wright remarks. "The Hombres is about machismo Latino culture, but the play's deeper themes revolve around who society expects us to be, which I can relate to. It takes place primarily in a yoga studio, so there is a backdrop of mindful yoga practice that transforms these men for the better. The fact that it was a story about men doing that drew me in, because I do not believe we talk about masculinity enough in today's world."
"This play is so much about how men relate to men," says Conrad Mata, who plays the yoga instructor, Julián.
Courtesy of Nick Martinez
When Wright agreed to direct the project, she accepted it under one condition: "I told Bernie Cardell [Vintage's artistic director] that we needed to get an assistant director that was a part of one or more of the communities that this play was about." Cardell agreed, and the team selected Nick Martinez as the play's assistant director.
"I have had a lot of conversations with Nick about what it was like to grow up as a Latino man in the local community, because he was born and raised in Colorado," Wright says. "Nick and I, as well as several of my male Latino friends, were constantly discussing what they were raised to believe a man does and is. I also spoke to a few of my friends who are yoga practitioners."
The contrast between the construction site and the yoga studio, which are the play's primary settings, symbolizes the different ideas of masculinity each character embodies. It also mirrors the internal struggles of Julián, a role that is deeply personal for Mata and echoes his own challenges with cultural identity and masculinity.
"Julián is very disconnected from his own cultural heritage," Mata says. "He is Latino, but he does not speak Spanish fluently and is disconnected from his history; I certainly felt this way growing up in suburban Colorado, away from my family, which prevented me from connecting as much with my heritage. I have always identified as a male, and I still do, but I haven't always known how to tap into my masculinity. Julián is also going through that; however, I'm a few steps ahead of him because I am more grounded in how to present the balance of femininity and masculinity within myself."
Brandon Lopez’s character, Pedro, offers a different perspective on masculinity.
Courtesy of Nick Martinez
"Pedro is not afraid to talk to the guys and can call them out when they are not thinking straight," Lopez says. "He is the fun guy on the construction crew who is also a family man. Pedro also grew up in a family of only his mother and sisters, so he is not afraid to discuss masculinity issues because he has spent his entire life surrounded by powerful women. He represents a lot of what this show is trying to put forward about breaking down the barriers of masculinity."
The play runs for ninety minutes with no intermission, allowing audience members to be immersed in a continuous exploration of complex topics that are rarely discussed on stage. Wright hopes that The Hombres will reach beyond the traditional theater audience.
"I would just like to invite men who are not in the theater community and do not practice mindfulness to attend The Hombres," Wright says. "This play speaks directly to men in a way that most productions do not. It takes men's issues seriously without talking down to them. There is an epidemic of male loneliness in this country, so shows like this are more important than ever. Even if you have never heard the name of the play before, come out to support new work."
The Hombres, opens Friday, May 31, through Sunday, July 7, Vintage Theatre, 1468 Dayton Street, Aurora. Get tickets at vintagetheatre.org.
