The 2013 NPT Fall Season Opens With Lydia

As the lights come up on this powerful drama about a modern immigrant family by Octavio Solis, we are confronted with a young girl named Ceci Flores who is helplessly trapped in a body badly damaged in an automobile accident. Her disability has robbed her of the physical means to speak or sing or dance, but her mind is vital and active, and we hear her thoughts even as those around her go about their daily lives.

"She touched me and I flew. Touched my fault line. And I flew. With her hand, laid holy water on my scar.  And I flew on wings of glass. Flying out of range of pain, purpose, this thing we call Vida, soaring into the blueness of memory, closing my eyes for the thud to come."

These haunting words from the mind of Ceci open the play titled Lydia by Octavio Solis, and with them, a new fall season for the National Pastime Theater. It is a play that takes us on a poignant and somewhat painful journey in the lives of a troubled family who fight for their dreams of a better life in the face of financial hardships and family secrets. Lydia enters the picture as a young caregiver entrusted to look after Ceci, and in her we have the confident and sensual embodiment of the passions and desires that Ceci is not able to express herself. There are many twists in the complex story that may surprise you in the end and keep you thinking about this family journey long after you leave the theater.

Lydia is directed by Cecilie Keenan, and she has assembled an outstanding cast that includes Jessie David Perez, Rafael Franco, Matthew Harris, Sindy Castro, Rose Guccione, Nelson Rodriguez and Sarai Rodriguez.

Lydia opens for a preview performance on Thursday, October 3, and regular performances run from Friday, October 4, until Saturday, November 9. Tickets are available by clicking on this link to visit the secure Brown Paper Ticket web site.