The cast of "How to Break In A Glove," a play by Chris Anthony Ferrer, presented by City Theatre, playing at the Carnival Studio Theatre in the Adrienne Arsht Center. (Photo by Passion Ward)
At its heart, “How to Break In a Glove” is not just about a family living under one roof, it’s about generations learning how to understand each other, clumsily, painfully, and sometimes hilariously.
Franco Kiglies as Tony Lugo in "How To Break In A Glove."(Photo by Passion Ward)
Set within a Cuban American family living in Hialeah, the play follows three generations navigating family communication and emotional vulnerability. Playwright Chris Anthony Ferrer drew heavily from his own childhood and relationships with family members while developing the story, though the script eventually went beyond autobiography.
On Thursday, Feb. 5, the world premiere play developed through City Theatre’s Homegrown playwright development program, brings a personal yet relatable story to the Adrienne Arsht Center's Carnival Theatre Studio, blending Cuban-American culture with universal themes of identity and generational change.
“The idea came from questions I had when I was little, especially about my relationship with my grandparents,” says Ferrer. “In the first draft, it was essentially an autobiography. Now, it’s taken its own identity. The roots are there, but the characters became completely different from the people who inspired them.”
The story captures culture shifts — when immigrant families assimilate into the culture of South Florida over time.
“You’ve got the grandparents with strong accents, the parents with that very Miami blend, and then the child with none,” says Margaret Ledford, artistic director of City Theatre. “That reflects the immigrant experience, and how language and identity shift over time.”
While deeply rooted in Cuban American culture, “How to Break In a Glove” speaks to universal themes of family tension.
“Chris does a remarkable job balancing culturally specific storytelling with universal experiences,” says Gladys Ramírez, City Theatre’s executive director who is directing the production. “It’s about growing pains, personal setbacks, and family relationships in ways that anyone can recognize.”
Playwright Chris Anthony Ferrer drew heavily from his own childhood and relationships with family members while developing "How to Break in a Glove." (Photo courtesy of the artist)
While the play explores serious emotional themes, humor plays a central role.
“There’s humor in everything, even horrible days,” says Ferrer. “People joke because they’re uncomfortable with heavy situations. It’s a coping mechanism, and that’s reflected in these characters.”
Authenticity remains an important aspect of the production. City Theatre made sure to employ local artists both onstage and behind the scenes, strengthening the cultural realism of the show, according to Ramirez.
“It’s really powerful to bring together people telling stories they know and have experienced. That familiarity helps connect with audiences,” says Ramirez.
Four years ago, City Theatre launched the Homegrown playwright development program. The work is the first full-length production to come out of the program, making it more than just a play to the company.
With Ferrer being part of the inaugural cohort, his process from drafts to premiere shows precisely what the initiative was designed to accomplish.
“This is a natural extension of what the program is intended to do, create a pipeline for playwrights,” adds Ramírez. “It’s a testament to Chris as a writer and to what he continued to develop through readings and workshops. We saw an opportunity to push the program to the next level.”
Ledford agrees, adding that the Homegrown program is meant to provide the resources for playwrights to create short-form writing into fully realized productions, and “How to Break in a Glove” is a representation of that.
Barbara Bonilla and Kaelyn A Gonzalez in "How To Break In A Glove," a world premiere at City Theatre. (Photo by Passion Ward)
“Chris began the play in our program. We saw it from the beginning, and then he continued developing it and invited us to a reading,” says Ledford. “It really is the manifestation of what we want the program to be, providing resources and support for playwrights to develop their work and bring Miami voices to a wider audience.”
The production itself is ambitious, featuring a cast that spans multiple generations, child performers, fight choreography, smoke effects and complex staging elements. Despite a financial setback for the company with Miami-Dade County and the state of Florida cutting arts budgets this past fiscal year, Ramirez explains City Theatre was able to produce the world premiere by getting other sources of funding.
“We didn’t want to pull back on this story,” says Ramirez. “It’s too important, not just for audiences but for Chris as an artist.”
The leaders hope this production will extend beyond South Florida, helping push Miami-based storytelling to a national stage.
“Our goal is to create work from Miami that becomes part of the American theater canon,” says Ramírez. “This production is part of that investment.”
IF YOU GO
WHAT: "How to Break in a Glove" by Chris Anthony Ferrer
WHEN: Opens Friday, Feb. 6 through Sunday, Feb. 22. Performances 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday; 2:30 p.m. Sunday. 2:30 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 7 and Feb. 21.
WHERE: Carnival Studio Theater at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts, 1300 Biscayne Blvd., Miami.
TICKETS: $66.69 and $72.54 (includes fees)
INFORMATION: (305) 949-6722 or arshtcenter.org
