Performance, Trauma and Puerto Rico in Musical Theatre

This study explores how four musicals and their associated artists mobilize defiant joy in relation to trauma and healing in Puerto Rico. It argues that these works have reiterated, resisted, or transformed experiences of trauma through linguistic, ritual, and geographic interventions, engaging moments of trauma and healing through bilingualism, translation, ritual action, and geographic space. The musicals considered are West Side Story, The Capeman, In the Heights, and Hamilton, all tied to Puerto Rico through the representation of Puerto Rican characters and stories or the Puerto Rican positionality of their creators. The author also considers Lin-Manuel Miranda as an embodied site of healing and post-Hurricane Maria relief efforts led by Miranda on the island and from a distance. Acts of belonging shape notions of survivorship and witness in these works, and the book opens a dialogue between these musicals and the work of island-based artists Y no había luz, which has served as a site of first response to disaster.

Format: Hardback
Length: 136 pages
Publication date: 11 August 2023
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

This comprehensive study explores the profound impact of four musicals and their associated artists on the lives of individuals in Puerto Rico, specifically in the context of trauma and healing. By examining the historical trajectory of these musicals, the author argues that they have emerged as powerful mobilizers of defiant joy, offering a means of resilience and transformation in the face of adversity. These traumas, which can be traced back to disaster-related events, migrant experiences, colonialism, or patriarchal structures, are intricately woven into the narratives of these works. Through linguistic, ritual, and geographic interventions, the musicals engage moments of trauma and healing, providing a platform for community celebration, grieving, and emancipation.

The musicals considered in this study are West Side Story (1957, 2009, 2019), The Capeman (1998), In the Heights (2008), and Hamilton (2015). Each of these works is intricately linked to Puerto Rico, either through the representation of Puerto Rican characters and stories or through the Puerto Rican positionality of its creators. The author delves beyond the realm of musicals to examine Lin-Manuel Miranda as an embodied site of healing, a figure who has faced controversy but also played a pivotal role in post-Hurricane Maria relief efforts on the island and from a distance.

Within the narratives of these musicals, acts of belonging shape notions of survivorship and witness. The author highlights how these works offer a means of reclaiming identity and cultural heritage, providing a sense of pride and empowerment to the Puerto Rican community. Moreover, they serve as a testament to the resilience and creativity of the human spirit in the face of adversity.

This book also engages in a dialogue with the work of island-based artists Y no había luz, who have been at the forefront of first response to disaster. By examining the intersection of these musicals and the artistic practices of Y no había luz, the author sheds light on the role of art in healing and resilience-building. The book will be of immense interest to students and scholars in Latinx Theatre, Musical Theatre, and Translation studies, as it offers a rich and nuanced understanding of the power of art to transcend trauma and foster healing.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032251950