I never wrote a blog about my Ghetto Babylon experience, and just wanted to take a quick minute to give tribute to this wonderful play. I had the pleasure of reading for the role of Sarafina Santos in Ghetto Babylon a few years ago, for the Dramatic Question Theatre's "Playwrights/Directors Lab" (PDL) series, which took place at the Theater for the New City. I also played Sarafina at the Repetorio Español in the 2010 Metlife "Nuestras Voces" National Playwriting Competition, which took home 3rd Prize. After many revisions, another PDL series, and a full literary make-over of the character, I brought Sarafina to life at the Workshop Performance of the play at the Soho Playhouse in 2011. Two gracious years later, Ghetto Babylon was picked up to be a part of the 59E59 Theater's 2013 Season Line-up, an Off-Broadway house in New York City.
As one of the original actors, I could not be more than happy for the official production of this play. Three new cast members came on board, and we sold out our entire run, with Michael Mejias' brilliant words and Gregory Simmons' amazing direction. After each show, as I said goodbye to the playwright, I hugged Mejias and repeated these same words every night: "Thank you for writing this play." I truly believe that this story was meant to be told to the world. It is so inspiring, and touches so many lives. You cannot help but fall in love with the characters that grace the stage. It was so fun to bring Sarafina to life after so many years of helping to flesh out her character. She is someone who lives in me now. One review stated,
"[Talia's] performance is of the nature that you walk out convinced Sarafina and Marrero are one in the same. She's quick in delivering her one-liners and heartbreaking towards the end" (Jeffrey Miele of BroadwayWorld.com).
Click here to read review
http://www.broadwayworld.com/off-broadway/article/BWW-Reviews-GHETTO-BABYLON-Hits-It-Out-Of-The-Park-20130805#
Thank you Michael Mejias, for writing this play.
Here are some photos to enjoy...
