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Students of La Joven Guardia del Teatro Latino continue to sharpen their skills in preparation for when they can perform in front of audiences again.

Founder and artistic director José Miguel Hernández Hurtado, a Cuban immigrant, founded the Syracuse theater in 1999 with the mission of enriching and educating disadvantaged youth in a theater environment that promotes growth and excellence.

As a shy kid, Hurtado got into theater at a very young age in Havana, Cuba, working under the direction of Raquel Reveulta, whom he said helped shape his career. He continued his training at Teatro Estudio Centro Latinoamericano de Creación e Investigación Teatral.

“(Some kids in Syracuse) don’t have (a) support system,” Hurtado said. “So I tried to put together a group … to help them believe in the dream and believe in themselves and increase their self-esteem.”

The community theater performs a play every year for Latino/Hispanic Heritage month, but had to cancel due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Sarah Lee | Asst. Photo Editor

Typically, the theater mounts its annual play during Latino/Hispanic Heritage Month, which takes place from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15. During the rest of the year, students participate in readings, dance classes and other offerings. But because of the pandemic, their annual production was canceled. Despite the cancellation, students continue to meet with in person, with safety precautions, to hone their artistic skills, Hurtado said.

The theater also canceled its annual gala. At last year’s annual fundraising event, Luis A. Figueroa Rosada, former student and current vice president of the theater, reunited with his theater friends. Rosada’s memories of his time at the theater include performances at the New York State Fair, nursing homes and business grand openings.

“Day in and day out, we (practiced) … and from that practicing to performing on the stage, it was just magic,” Rosada said.

At the gala, Rosada reunited with Florida resident and former student Yanetsy Meriño Bacallao, who is now the president of La Joven Guardia. Bacallao did not have a strong grasp of United States culture when she immigrated to the country from Cuba in 2003. As a student at the theater, she learned the fundamentals of acting and how to engage with the community.

Every time Bacallao took the stage, whether she played a wife, mother or princess, she was constantly learning. Now, as she works to help low-income families, she owes all of her success to the lessons she learned while at the theater, she said.

Outside of the theater Hurtado is a mentor to students, even translating school meetings between students, teachers and families who do not speak English as their first language. Sarah Lee | Asst. Photo Editor

“Theater is not you just acting. Theater is more than that. Especially at La Joven Guardia del Teatro Latino, it’s more than that. It’s a family,” Bacallao said.

Shirley Novak, a longtime supporter of the theater, met Hurtado when she was a student at Westside Learning Center. Their friendship grew and Novak continues to be impressed by Hurtado’s work in the community.

“(Hurtado is) probably the most positive person that I’ve ever known … He somehow manages to find something positive in whatever challenge that is,” Novak said.

Novak said her favorite memory as an audience member of La Joven Guardia del Teatro Latino’s work was when she was in attendance at the Michael Harms Theater Festival in 2009. Before La Joven Guardia del Teatro took the stage, she recalled sitting nearby some of the judging panelists and overheard them express how they were not Spanish speakers. Despite the language barrier, she remembers their work winning several accolades, Novak said.

La Joven Guardia del Teatro Latino also serves central New York beyond the scope of theater. Programming is not exclusive to Spanish speakers, so to prepare for productions in Spanish, the theater teaches non-Spanish speakers the language in short sessions, Rosada said.

Hurtado also serves as a mentor for his students. He has translated school meetings between teachers, students and families who do not have a strong command of English, Novak said.

Students in La Joven Guardia del Teatro Latino are continuing to meet in person while following CDC guidelines. Sarah Lee | Asst. Photo Editor

“José Miguel uses theater in such a way that not only does he get good performances from the kids on stage,” Novak said. “But they understand right from the get-go that they need to keep their grades up, they need to be responsible, to themselves, to their families and the other kids performing with them.”

Bacallao noticed that every student who joins the theater sees their life in a completely different way. Her main goal for the theater is to teach students the art form, while also inspiring them to excel in all aspects of their lives.

“It’s just amazing how (Hurtado is) able to just be so flexible and just be able to teach these kids, unite all of these communities together and work as one,” Rosada said.

In the coming years, Hurtado hopes to continue to share his love for theater, provide his mentorship to the students and a safe space for the arts. He hopes to pass the joy of theater down to the next generation, with the goal of making theater accessible around the world.

Alumni of La Joven Guardia del Teatro Latino have continued their love for performing and have gone on to work as doctors, teachers, special educators, scientists and chemists. And while their time as students has passed, Bacallao and Rosada are both thankful to the theater and Hurtado’s mentorship.

“(La Joven Guardia del Teatro Latino) literally changed my whole life,” Bacallao said.

Published on October 11, 2020 at 9:16 pm