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Acting by their own rules Independent theater is the Cuchipinoy way

On the streets of Jersey City or at various festivals throughout North Jersey and New York City, the Cuchipinoys create plays from the ground up.

Conventional theater, which the creative trio behind Cuchipinoy studied at Rutgers University a few years ago, stresses that actors to have strong stage presence and for directors to follow the scripts of contemporary or classical playwrights.

Rodney E. Reyes, Jonathan Calindas and Mario Corrales don’t think that way.

After years of laboring through acting classes in college and pursuing professional thespian careers in New York theaters, the recent graduates found themselves living the typical GenNext crisis – their 20s.

"We were asking ourselves what should we be doing with our lives," Corrales said. "We were trying to figure the direction of our careers."

The theater-lovers met about two years ago for dinner, where they also laid out the foundation for what would be Cuchipinoy Productions. Their mission was to create an indie production crew that celebrates the craft of acting while transcending the fourth wall to create a new art theater experience.

They have recently performed in Hoboken and at the Jersey City Art Studio Tour.

Calindas and Reyes write and direct many of the group’s plays, while Corrales handles the production side of the shows. He also directs.

"It’s a collaborative effort," Reyes said.

In explaining the origin of the name, Calindas said, "Back when we were in college, one of our yearly productions was a variety show made up of short plays we called Cuchifrito (or a Latin dish). ‘Pinoy [a traditional term for Filipino]’ reflects the Filipino part of our group. This fusion of the Hispanic and the Asian is what we are all about."

Medieval times

In Medieval [K]nights, one of their earliest shows directed by Reyes and Corrales, the crew took a look at the conventional standards of entertainment in current pop Americana. With a unique blend of sarcasm, the bizarre and traditional stage follies, Cuchipinoy told a story of a guy lost in a "Medieval Knights" theme club/restaurant and what he does to escape those surroundings.

"It was a comedy and we used one of the characters as a human prop," Reyes said.

[K]nights was performed at the fifth annual Spotlight on Winter festival at the Chashama Theatre in New York City last year and earned critical praise.

They followed their initial momentum with a more in-depth look at life and the purpose of God in our lives. While avoiding many traditional religious themes, Who Am I is a powerful play about the turmoil of humanity and the quest for peace and acceptance with one’s creator. In Who, the Cuchipinoy Production crew shined brilliantly. The play centers around four people who succeed in finding out who they are in the course of their short journeys. The purpose was for audience members to experience the cathartic emotion, Corrales said. Starring regulars Patrick Annelli, Jonathan Calindas, Jennifer Querjero, Dennis K. Philbert, Daniela Tedesco, Margarita Ventura, Nicole Watson and Corrales as (ironically) "God," Cuchipinoy took shape and became the refuge for young, struggling actors. The vision became apparent, and the urge to break theater’s fourth wall became more of a reality for everyone involved.

"This was an opportunity for us to come together and evolve as a company. We succeeded and it has been a good two years. We can’t wait for the future," Corrales said.

Just a few weeks ago, Cuchipinoy presented Leyendas at the Chashama Theater. With a modest turnout of friends, trendy New Yorkers in search of the next-big-thing, and producers, Corrales and crew put on a captivating performance about popular Central American urban legends. In one instance, Cuchipinoy regular Margarita Ventura plays the devil in search of human emotions. The play was adapted by Corrales and Reyes from original stories translated by Maria Laguna and Eddie Amezquita.

The production, conceived and directed by Corrales, told the stories through speech, acting and poetry and featured live music, unique costumes, and narration by several of the players. Leyendas was presented in association with the Spotlight On Festivals.

Their latest production is a reading in association with the ensemble "_gaia" at 66 Willow Ave. in Hoboken. The event is part of a quarterly series by the pair to promote the art scene in Hoboken and Jersey City.

"We join forces and the results are special," Corrales said.

The groups teamed up recently for the Jersey City Art Tour, where they performed in front of City Hall.

The writers are working on new scripts. In the meantime, Cuchipinoy is looking for people to support their cause. Any financial contribution will be accepted.

"We’re proud of everything we’ve done. Now we are waiting for the chance of an investor to be interested in what we have," said Corrales, showing his bohemian spirit. "We hope that happens."

In the meantime, "We’re glad that you are along for the ride," Calindas added.

For information on Cuchipinoy Productions visit www.cuchipinoy.com. q

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