Gardens of Anuncia by playwright Michael John LaChiusa recently made its New York debut in the fall of 2023 at Lincoln Center in one of its two Off-Broadway houses, the Mitzi E. Newhouse.
What is it about?
Michael John LaChiusa's musical is a loving and admirable retelling of the early portions of Graciela Daniele's life.
The story begins with Anuncia, played by the immensely talented Priscilla Lopez, working her garden, and pondering the day ahead of her in which she is to receive a lifetime achievement award. Her thoughts bring her back to the women who helped her to get to this point, especially as she grew up under the Perón regime in Buenos Aires. She laughs off the nuances of the award having much surpassed the need for outside approval, after all that's not why she creates art.
We flashback to the beginning, her life as a dancer early on. Her dance career started quite early as she was hired by a dance company and eventually met with international success, having quite the name, especially in New York. Yet the show does not center on her ability to dance, but rather the relationships with three incredibly important women in her life, Mami portrayed by Eden Espinosa, Granmana played by Mary Testa, and Tía portrayed by Andrea Burns. We see this unique and strong set of women all account for a younger version of Anuncia, moments with specific men in their lives. The stories they tell denote moments of passion, heart, independence, and above all a sense of love and compassion. Anuncia's family leads a complex and complicated life that is nearly impossible to grasp yet we as an audience are given tools to create connections. We understand the concept of adversity and hardship and in their own ways, each of these women are facing a form of complication.
The political situation: Juan Perón’s dictatorship and the degree of uncertainty play a large role in the show, especially when we look at Anuncia's mother's story: She actively and passionately dislikes the political powers in charge and yet she works in a government job. The uncertainty and anxiety around his power trip of a rule are utilized to show the connection between the women. To show how they rely on one another and find solidarity in companionship. As the situation worsens the women in Anuncia's life urge her to leave, to pursue dance, yet she cares for her family deeply and struggles to find the balance.
While at first glance the show appears to be about Anuncia, by the end we come to understand the show is about the women and camaraderie in her life that led to her being who she is as well as understanding the art that she creates. Daniele's personification within the show is through the retelling of true events but rather creates a garden and plants to do the real legwork.
A Brief Production History:
Gardens of Anunciawas commissioned by The Old Globe Theatre in San Diego. The show premiered on September 17th, 2021, with preview performances beginning on September 10th and ending on October 17th, 2021. The cast remained largely the same for its New York and Off-Broadway debut with a notable addition of Priscilla Lopez, now playing the titular role: Anuncia. Daniele returned as the show's director as well as co-choreographer. Many of the original creative team followed the production as it moved to New York.
So what do you think?
I have been a long-time admirer of Michael John LaChiusa's work and Gardens of Anuncia is truly no exception. I do; however, feel that many of the moments felt disconnected. They were centered around a central idea and retained a similar intent but never fully committed to an overarching concept. Moments of magical realism interject themselves with such force, that it's almost jarring. They move the story along and allow it to transform into a more abstract scene yet still come across as a bit of a shock compared to the previous narrative. The show has moments that are quite "normal" in terms of the theatre we consume: sing, dance, talk about life, move on, but then it has these more abstract and magical moments that I wish they had chosen to lean into a bit more. That being said, the show was beautifully written, and by no means was a challenge to follow. They handled topics of political unrest with care and were considerate to not hyper-translate to our current state. They allowed the audience to make the connections necessary and did not force the conversation to move in that direction. LaChiusa's book was heartfelt and well-rounded.
Another stand out in terms of the creative team was the set design, designed by Mark Wendlend. The set featured a series of maze-like structures that double as plants within the garden and the actors weaved in and out intermittently. It was a beautiful way to create additional layers to an otherwise mostly bare staging. Coupled with Jules Fisher and Peggy Eisenhauer's lighting design, the setting was mystical yet real in a truly beautiful way. It was dimensional yet simplistic enough that the actors' movements could be highlighted.
This 90-minute musical is a beautiful conversation on women's companionship, love, and sacrifices. while it details many of the events in Daniele's life this coming-of-age story uses wit, tango-inspired music, and heart to transform into a much larger conversation on the power of love and the women in her life. As Anuncia she takes a step back and instead works to create a piece that uses her story as a means of conveying a larger message.
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