"One menu, two waiters and countless stories" is the premise behind the theatrical improv show Al Grano, which returns to the stage on Thursday, May 9 and 16 at 8:00 p.m. at Abracadabra Counter Café in Santurce.
The show, which premiered in September 2023, offers long-form improvisation.
The story is created on the spot and runs the length of the performance, but the most entertaining part of Al Grano is that the audience provides the starting point for the story.
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"Being able to show up and have the audience kind of get wrapped up in it, which is almost like when you were little and you'd play on the spot with your friends and they'd go along with it, but this time we're the ones playing, and the audience is watching and enjoying it," said Xavier Ortiz Torres, one of the show's creators, in an interview with Platea.
The story that everyone hears at the coffee shop
Al Grano is set in a cozy, small café where anything is possible. It stars actor and social media personality Ricardo André Lugo (known as @tralugo), and Ortiz Torres, an actor and writer who collaborates on Teatro Breve productions.
The duo came up with the premise one day when they arrived at the café where they used to meet to talk through ideas and noticed that the space was fertile ground for all kinds of stories.
"We were always sitting around talking over coffee, and he [Xavier] says to me, 'I see it as something like this, because a lot is happening here.' We'd literally look at the cashier who was working and the story she could tell, the guy making the coffee, the couple breaking up behind us. Things like that," Lugo recalled with a laugh.
But they took it a step further: they wanted each person to feel like a character. To do that, they avoided conventional theaters and premiered the show at Abracadabra, a breakfast and brunch spot.
With the help of stage director Linda Maymi, they turned the entire space into a stage, and with music, lighting and transitions, the line between audience and actor blurs.
When it came to presenting that format to the public, both agreed that mental agility is essential, both to avoid the predictable and to respond well to any unexpected turn.
"Having the audience there while the story is being written is a fun kind of pressure," Lugo said with a mischievous laugh.
An ode to the pioneers of long-form improv
The actors acknowledged other collectives and productions that have been pioneers in presenting this format, including the Liga Puertorriqueña de Improvisación Teatral, an organization founded in 2003, with shows such as íntimo and ImproHistorias; actors Helena Ramírez, Esteban Ruiz and Erik Rodríguez, with Impro al cubo in 2014; and Teatro Breve, with Bajo el mismo techo, in August 2023.
The documentary 3, 2, 1 ¡IMPRO! captures the history of improv on the Island and is still screening at some Caribbean Cinemas locations.
Although this format has lent itself largely to comedy, Ortiz Torres pointed out that it can take on emotionally complex plots and other genres, as has happened in previous performances of Al Grano.
"We tackle comedy, but also maybe a comedy that's a little more aware of what's going on," he said.
If you're planning to attend
For the show, Abracadabra will have food and refreshments for sale. Although the restaurant prepares a different menu for occasions like these, both recommend, if available, the falafel with hummus and the house wine.
Each performance will run about 1 hour and 30 minutes. Al Grano credits Ricardo André Lugo and Xavier Ortiz Torres as actors, producers and stage directors, and Linda Maymi as stage manager, with production by Edgardo Soto.
To buy your ticket and reserve your spot, you can call or message (787) 606-2076. You can also purchase it at prticket.com.
Cover photo: Abracadabra Counter Café (left)
This content was translated with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI).
