luis rafael sanchez

Luis Rafael Sanchez a.k.a. "Wico" (born (c. 1930) in Humacao, Puerto Rico), is considered by many to be the greatest Puerto Rican playwright of modern times. Sanchez was raised by his parents in the city of Humacao, which is located in the lower eastern part of Puerto Rico. There he received his primary education. His family moved to San Juan where Sanchez continued to receive his secondary and higher education. His interest in literature led Sanchez to travel to Madrid, Spain and to New York where he earned his Bachelors Degree at the City University of New York. Sanchez's first play was "La Pasín segun Antigonia Perez" (The Passion According to Antigona Perez) a tragedy acted out in the present day Puerto Rico. The character of "Antigonia" was based on the life of Olga Viscal Garriga (1926-1995). Her life was rooted in politics and her 3 children. She was a member of the Puerto Rican Nationalist Party and an accomplished speaker who spent time in jail for her political beliefs yet, she saw herself as a simple woman with simple needs. In the 1950s, Sanchez wrote "La Guaracha del Macho Camacho" (Macho Camacho's Beat) which was converted into what is considered his greatest play. This tale spins around a song (Guaracha) with no audible beat. It is left to the imagination of the reader to come up with the beat. The song itself is the real protagonist of the tale. The "Americanization" of Puerto Rico is explored in this work. It examines the Puerto Rican who would give up his culture to assimilate into the American culture against the Puerto Rican who refuses to let go of his cultural identity. The book was translated into English by Gregory Rabassa. In the "Flying Bus", Sanchez explores the concept of a bi-polar culture, the question of assimilation and the opposition to the U.S. Anglo culture. Luis Rafael Sanchez is now a professor emeritus at the University of Puerto Rico and the City University of New York. He also travels to Europe and Latin-America where he has been involved in the teachings and works of theater. Some of the books written about Sanchez are: "El teatro de Luis Sanchez" (The theater of Luis Rafael Sanchez) by Eliseo Colon Zayas; "Puerto Rican Cultural Identity and the Work of Luis Rafael Sanchez" by Dr. John D. Perivolaris.

Luis Rafael Sanchez

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