From the valley to the Heights and back again

By Rebecca Park, Contributor

The countryside of El Salvador brings to mind certain images: those of civil war, of earthquakes, of destruction. But with El Canuto del Rock, a summer show at GALA Hispanic Theatre, we’re reminded that it can also, well, rock.

A Salvadorian DJ decides to bring good ol’ rock n’ roll to the peasant countryside. A young biracial filmmaker from Columbia Heights wants to tell his story. And local band Machetres plays a steady blend of Latin-rock beats throughout. These two characters meet somewhere in the middle of their lives to share their stories, the life lessons learned, the obstacles overcome. The biggest parallel, of course, is the music that unites them.

The brainchild of Quique Avilés, El Salvador native and DC resident, he wrote and starred in the rock musical. The show is in his heart and he is the heart of the show. Whether exuberantly bopping his head, denouncing “los haters” or fighting his way from peasant roots to rock recognition, he lights up the stage with his energy and well-mimed DJ mannerisms. The multilingual performance was surtitle-less, but you don’t need to speak Spanish—or even Spanglish—to understand the nuances of the DJ Don Amadeo’s journey.

His counterpart, DC filmmaker Liliana (Cherie Latson), balances his story with her American perspective. Latson is not the dynamic presence Avilés is and, compared to his unwavering enthusiasm, her youthful spunk isn’t quite so spunky. But her role bridges all kinds of gaps the audience may be feeling toward their loveable but unlikely and unrelatable hero: generational, national, cultural. And isn’t that what music these two people love is supposed to do?

“Rock and roll is for everybody,” Liliana proclaims near the end of the show. There’s the feeling Avilés is sharing. Music and its joy, told with the energy of live music and upbeat acting.

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