Everyday People, Everyday Stories

Marina Tejada as Lucrecia and Alina Alcántara as Doña Rosa. Photography by Marisa Lenardson.

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In 2019, The Prince of Providence made its world premiere and became one of the most successful productions in the history of Trinity Rep, the State Theater of Rhode Island. Dramatizing the story of former Providence Mayor Buddy Cianci, it was a show about Rhode Island, written specifically for Rhode Island.

Nearly five years later, Trinity Rep continues its commitment to local stories with La Broa’ (Broad Street). Inspired by the oral history collection “Nuestras Raíces” compiled by Marta V. Martínez, La Broa’ threads together tales of the state’s Latin-American immigrant communities. The needle weaving the tapestry together is Doña Rosa’s Market on Broad Street, where the characters host community meetings.

The character of Doña Rosa is inspired by the real-life Josefina “Doña Fefa” Rosario, nicknamed “Mother of Providence’s Hispanic Community.” Portrayed with humor and heart by Alina Alcántara, Doña Rosa is a Dominican-American entrepreneur and mentor, guiding fellow immigrants from New York City to Rhode Island. When Mexican-American college student Ana (a character inspired by Marta herself, played by Rosalyn Tavarez) struggles to find her place in a new city, Doña Rosa and her daughter Lucrecia (Marina Tejada) offer a sense of home for Ana in the Ocean State.

Rudy Cabrera as Pepe and Alexander Crespo-Rosario II as Chama. Photography by Marisa Lenardson.

“We get to hear the stories of Buddy Cianci, who was this huge figure. But what about the regular, everyday people who made it possible for generations of families to be here now?,” asked La Broa’ (Broad Street) director Tatyana-Marie Carlo. “Everyday people like Doña Fefa weren’t acting as pillars of their communities for fame or notoriety. They were doing it to help people. I think highlighting the stories of people who wanted to help their communities [but] weren’t necessarily a ‘big figure’ like a mayor shows that you, an everyday person, can make the world a better place.”

We also follow the stories of other community members, how they came to Rhode Island, and how they fought for their personal and political rights.

Yolanda (Jen Anaya) is a nurse who advocates for pay equity and Spanish interpreters in the healthcare system; Carlos (Alexander Crespo-Rosario II) becomes a community organizer for la comunidad latina; Pedro (Rudy Cabrera) becomes one of the first Latinos in Rhode Island to run for elected office with the help of his campaign manager Matías (Jeff Ararat); and Don Pacheco (Arturo Puentes) brings them all together through his love of music. Pacheco’s dance number at the end of the first act will surely have you on your feet!

Arturo Puentes as Don Pacheco. Photography by Marisa Lenardson.

If you know Rhode Island’s comunidad latina, you’ll appreciate the production’s inside jokes, including references specific to its Puerto Rican, Guatemalan, Dominican, and Colombian communities. Most of the cast is local to Rhode Island, bringing first-hand knowledge to their roles. And since this show’s presented bilingually, both Spanish and English speakers can understand and enjoy the story.

Even if you are not as familiar with Broad Street, you’ll find connections in other ways. As characters sip Awful Awfuls at The Newport Creamery and attend Providence Friars games, you’ll travel in time from the 1940s through the 1990s, exploring Rhode Island history. On a deeper level, family, loss, and love are themes we all understand, regardless of ethnicity or place of origin. If you relate to any of that, you may just find something that moves you on La Broa.’

“Rhode Island’s story has long been the story of immigrants,” Trinity Rep’s Artistic Director Curt Columbus said. “It is a story of struggle and success, challenge, and opportunity, one that every Rhode Islander with immigrant heritage can appreciate. La Broa’ gives us a very real, personal glimpse into this particular community over the last 60 years. And as with all great theater, the more specific the experience, the more universal it becomes.”

Jeff Ararat as Toño and Marina Tejada as Rosita. Photography by Marisa Lenardson.