Guantanamo.- Artists from the Guantánamo Puppet Theater are currently touring Colombia this summer, showcasing their work at prominent international festivals that highlight the excellence of Cuban performing arts on a global stage.
The delegation, featuring notable figures like Emilio Vizcaíno Ávila and Eldy Cuba Milán, has successfully brought the artistic talents from Cuba’s eastern province to various cities, including Bogotá, Itagüí, and Ibagué.
The tour commenced on July 9 at the Teatro Centro García Márquez El Original in Bogotá, where Vizcaíno Ávila performed the play Chimpete-Champata: The Tricked Rogue during the 16th La Voz Desobediente Monologue Festival, providing the Colombian audience with a taste of the humor and artistry that define Guantánamo puppetry.
Recently, the group also took part in the 13th Cántaro de Cuentos International Storytelling Festival in Itagüí, with Eldy Cuba Milán representing Cuba alongside artists from Italy, France, Colombia, and Brazil, emphasizing the significance of oral storytelling as a cultural connector.
The tour’s pinnacle occurred on August 26 at 6:30 p.m. at the Probeta Theater in Ibagué, where the group presented the play Opalín and the Devil as part of the Festíteres Territorios de Paz International Puppet Theater Festival, aimed at the children of Tolima.
The schedule features performances on Friday, August 28th, at the Leonardo Gómez House of Culture, as part of the 25th edition of Tardeando el Centro, supported by the Gilberto Alzate Avendaño Foundation (FUGA).
The Luz de Luna Theater Collective and Canticuentos – La Bici Encantada will present three shows in the Atanasio Girardot neighborhood, with entry available through barter or voluntary donations.
Emilio Vizcaíno, the director of the group, shared on Facebook that their inaugural performance in Santa Elena, Antioquia, was a “Paradise” experience, collaborating with the Polichinela Company, and he emphasized the valuable lessons gained from this theatrical family.
This Colombian tour also highlights the international acclaim of Cuban puppetry, which shares the stage in the State of Colima with the companies Géminis Teatro and Teatro La Proa from Cuba.
