A quote from Cervantes' Don Quixote, "There are but two families in this world, Have-Much and Have-Little," was part of the inspiration for Migdalia Cruz' new play. The Rivera family, existing on the periphery of society in the South Bronx, is a standard-bearer for the Have-Littles. Quiet desperation is an overstatement for their faint and failing hope of escaping the poverty and turbulence of the depressed neighborhood. Tied into dependence on a benevolent Virgin, their belief system nevertheless has perverted ritualistic self-flagellation into familial abuse.
The teenage protagonist of this coming-of-age story is played with astonishingly sweet innocence by America Ferrera. As perfect daughter Lillian, on the verge of her quincianera, she embodies the helplessness and futility of life in the dead zone with mature poise and appealing sincerity, always maintaining her innocence. In her diary Lillian writes, "Dear Book…," attempting to express what she scarcely recognizes as teenage angst coiled in barrio frustration, a deadly combination that locks its victims into the parental, no-interest-bearing lifestyle they are condemned to repeat. Haunted mother Carmen (Maricela Ochoa), single-parent survivor of an abusive marriage to José (Julian Scott Urena), a pathetically confused drunk, has no remedy for their stricken lives, only mounting, blinding fury at the inevitability of it all. Girlfriend Michi (Elsie Bocanegra), crudely belligerent (and funny) in her approach to the mystery of life, seeks a way out of misery through college and can offer nothing to Lillian, who has to continue looking for herself initially in all the wrong places.
The Have-Little covers familiar ground but manages to keep the uglier side of desperation in the reportorial column, much as Greek drama does. Cruz has a fresh approach that gets its effect as much from the poetry of the language as from its obvious authenticity, not to mention four excellent performances. There's real grit here but a bunch of charm, besides.
Director Diane Rodriguez has assembled a number of quality ingredients and given each the sharp spark of reality. Akeime Mitterlehner's detailed set design echoes the marred lifestyle of accepted but undesirable poverty, a good matching statement, with fine lighting, sound, and costume design by Rand Ryan, Drew Dalzell and Steven N. Lee, respectively.
"The Have-Little," presented by the Group at Strasberg in the Marilyn Monroe Theatre at the Lee Strasberg Creative Center, 7936 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood. Thurs.-Sat. 8 p.m., Sun. 3 p.m. Mar. 15-Apr. 14. $17-19. (323) 650-7777.