Balanza de los Instintos (Preying on Instinct)

A tragedy of real-estate extortion in a world that is dreamy, absurd and hyperreal.

In an average apartment of a bustling city, fatal interests converge. ​An old man wants to live his last days in what peace he can find. ​Burdened by her good heart, the old man’s part time, stand-in caregiver struggles with a way to survive and provide for her ​ far-away family. The landlord marches to the beat of progress and needs the old man gone from his apartment to steamroll forward with a promising real-e​state enterprise.

​Each character quickly realizes that their immediate need or desire pales in significance compared to the tragedy building around the​m. Instincts compete with circumstances to paint a bleak portrait of modern society. In a globalized world the catastrophes are as universal as they are personal and the plight of the old ​and the immigrant seems to be in the cruel hands of those with the bigger piles of gold.​

Balanza de los Instintos (Preying on Instinct)

• Written by Antonio César Morón
• Directed by Mario Colón Assistant
• Director: Edna Lee Figueroa
• Stage manager: Fabián González
• Cast: Juan Luis Acevedo Nicole Betancourt Carmen Cabrera Yaremis Félix Juan Villarreal
• Designers: Warren Stiles, set designer; Michael Birnbaum, lighting designer; Marios Aristopoulos, sound designer

About Antonio César Morón & Mario Colón

Antonio César Morón (Granada, 1978). Playwright, poet and essayist. He holds a doctorate in Literary Theory and Comparative Literature from the University of Granada where he also holds the post of professor. He is the author of six play anthologies: Ahora los esclavos; Elipses / El espejo más frío (where he explores about science fiction drama); Monólogos con maniquí, which compiles five solo performance works; Estado antimateria. Pentarquía de dramaturgia cuántica (Antimatter State. Quantum Dramaturgy Pentarchy,) which compiles five works using the quantum dramaturgy theory; Retórica del sueño de poder (Rhetoric of the Dream of Being Able to); and El metal y la carne (The Metal and the Flesh.) He has also published single works for the stage such as the comedy, Siseos de venganza (Hissings of Vengence), and the tragedy, Eurídice. His dual vocations as researcher and creator merge masterfully in his book entitled, La dramaturgia cuántica. Teoría y práctica, which exposed the theoretical bases of this new dramatic technique. His other renowned essays include La escena y las palabras. Ensayos de teatro y dramaturgia, Teatro y sentido, La interpretación frente a sus límites and his doctoral thesis, Jose Martin Recuerda en la escena Española.

Mario Colón. A University of Puerto Rico Alumnus, Mario began his career as an actor. He later became the founding member of the Experimental Theater Workshop at the Rio Piedras Campus of his Alma Mater. This setting gave him the perfect playground to define his vision as a Director. After working with some of the most important and influential Directors in the Puerto Rican theater scene, Mario was given the opportunity to make his professional directorial debut with the play Cuando Gloria Llame. Soonafter, Mario was awarded Best Director by El Nuevo Dia newspaper for his work in El Olor del Popcorn and Primero Los Niños. In New York, he has directed several plays including Extremities, Emigrados, Salsa Gorda, Mi última Noche con Rubén Blades and Cosas que Encontré en el Camino, which was presented at the 1st New York Cuban Theater Festival. Mario Colón currently works at the Hispanic Federation as Assistant Vice President for Communications and Special Events. He is the founder of the Delirium Theater Lab; he is currently Director of Que felices son las Barbies at Repertorio Español.

Presented in Spanish with English supertitles, the show will run Thursday to Saturday at 8 pm, and Sunday at 3 pm.