Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Venezuelan comics booked in Boca.
The owners of the Boca Black Box Center for the Arts kind of stumbled onto the knowledge that there was a large Spanish-speaking audience for their fare.
“I had no idea,” admits co-owner Randy Singer. “What happened is we had a call from [stand-up comedian El George Harris’] manager who wanted to rent the venue. Within two weeks, not only was it sold out, but we had a waiting list for 200 people who wanted tickets. So before the show we went onstage and asked how many people are from Miami. No one applauded. Then they started shouting to us, ‘We’re from Boca.’”
And Boca Black Box listened to that audience. The El George Harris comedy concert was Mother’s Day in May. Now, three months later, the venue has put together a series of four stand-up stars from Venezuela who will perform their sets completely in Spanish.
“My background is business,” Singer continues. “So when I saw that opportunity, I saw it as a business opportunity. I thought, ‘Why don’t I continue that?’”
First up is Emilio Lovera — known to his fans as “the man of the thousand faces” — opening the series on Aug. 26 with his show “La Piñata latinoamericana” (The Latin American piñata). (See details below.)
Next will be celebrity impressionist David Comedia’s “The Imiteitor. El Humor es una amenaza” (The Imitator. The Humor is a threat) on Sept. 30. Tickets are $30 and $40.
The third act will be Erika de la Vega, who will bring her one-woman comedy “Tu no sabes quien soy yo” (You don’t know who I am) to Boca Black Box on Oct. 27. Tickets are $40 and $50.
The series concludes with comedic singer Judy Buendia and her musical monologue “My Ex fue un error” (My ex was a mistake) on Nov. 30. Tickets are $30 and $40.
Singer says he compiled the list with the help of one of his employees. Sort of.
“We have a Venezuelan bartender. I went to her and asked if she knew any Venezuelan comedians. She just looked at me with a blank stare. I said, ‘Look, let’s go ask your mother.’ So I went to the bartender’s mother and asked her for a list of names. And the mother sent to me names of people she would love to see. And that’s how it started.”
Of course the political upheaval in Venezuela has not escaped Singer.
“Of course Venezuelans have more important things to worry about right now,” he adds. “Of course there are concerns about the crisis. But I think that’s exactly why they will come, a sense of community. These are not just comedians. They are very popular with Venezuelans.” Singer says the series fits into the larger aims of Boca Black Box.
“We are a diversified venue, more so than any other venue,” he says. “We’re bringing a diverse bunch of entertainment to South Florida. We just added midget wrestling in October. We’re the kind of venue where you can see a musical during the week, or someone like Andrew Dice Clay on a Friday and come back for a Venezuelan comedian on a Saturday. I really don’t think there’s any theater out there that is as diverse as we are.” Emilio Lovera’s “La Pinata latinoamericana” is Aug. 26 at the Boca Black Box Center for the Arts, 8221 Glades Road #10, Boca Raton. Showtime is 8 p.m. Tickets are $50 and $60. To order, call 561-483-9036 or go to BocaBlackBox.com.