Krystal Millie Valdes in Miami New Drama's "Lincoln Road Hustle." (Photo by Morgan Sophia Photography)
“Lincoln Road Hustle” is hardly your average traditional live theater piece. Indeed, it is an immersive, site-specific, yet imperfect live theatrical experience. Still, it features ingredients to satisfy people’s hunger for riveting and stimulating theater.
The roughly 100-minute, intermission-less play, which runs through Sunday, Feb. 16 as a Miami New Drama (MIND) world premiere production, includes comedy, conflict, obstacles, high stakes, ambition, pride, extortion, corruption, fraud, and more. And while “Lincoln Road Hustle” is specific to Miami with local references, it is universal enough to appeal to audiences elsewhere.
The action unfolds not on a traditional stage, but outside on Miami Beach’s Lincoln Road. If you are not from the area, this is a world-renowned, outdoor pedestrian promenade with more than 200 shops, cafes and galleries, public art, culture, happenings, and more.
Locals will recall that at the end of 2020, during the heart of the pandemic, MIND presented a thrilling, award-winning outdoor theatrical experience titled “Seven Deadly Sins.” That also took place on Lincoln Road. Specifically, small groups of people watched and listened while several plays, each corresponding to one of the seven deadly sins, unfolded in places such as empty storefronts. If “Seven Deadly Sins” thrilled you, “Lincoln Road Hustle” will also captivate.
Immersive experience guides for Miami New Drama's "Lincoln Road Hustle." (Photo by Morgan Sophia Photography)
MIND Artistic Director Michel Hausmann commissioned Miami-based documentary filmmaker and playwright Billy Corben and New York-based playwright Harley Elias to create a story taking place on Lincoln Road. Both men have previously worked with MIND. Their finished product in this case was “Lincoln Road Hustle.” While its inspiration is a real location, the tale is fictional.
The audience first gathers at the 1100 block of Lincoln Road for a press conference. At the event, Robert DeLeon (a confident Steve Anthony, with an air of self-importance), a Miami developer, announces his plans to demolish the entire block to build a development that includes a casino and five-star hotel condo. To him, it is an example of economic development and progress. But to others, the project may mean the end of their business or a threat to preserving the past. More specifically, archeological testing may have uncovered evidence of the remains of an ancient civilization buried underneath the project’s site. And activists do not plan to sit still and let DeLeon encroach on what may be an archeological landmark.
Following the press conference, MIND divides the audience into smaller groups according to a color-coded system. Each group walks to different locations along Lincoln Road. In these spots, audiences eavesdrop on characters revealing how the casino-hotel-condo project will affect them. When we experience a scene outdoors, headphones allow us to clearly hear and understand the actors.
Jovon Jacobs and Gregg Weiner in a scene on Lincoln Road in Miami New Drama's immersive "Lincoln Road Hustle." (Photo by FURIOSA Productions)
In all, audiences witness several 12-to 14-minute scenes before everybody returns to the site of the press conference. Then, we learn whether DeLeon’s planned development will “rise or sink into the Miami Beach sand,” as a promotional flyer puts it.
Some scenes suggest a stronger link to DeLeon’s planned development than others. For instance, the characters in “Kitchen Critiques” do not seem terribly concerned about DeLeon’s proposed development and how it might affect the restaurant that serves as this scene’s location. True, a few lines of dialogue include a reference to the planned project.
Instagram Influencer: Curious, why are you opening a restaurant on this block when it’s gonna get torn down by the casino?
Chef: That’s not gonna happen.
Instagram Influencer: Um, it’s literally happening tonight, they’re doing the groundbreaking.
Chef: Sure, ok. Any allergies or intolerances I should know about?
Gregg Weiner and Jovon Jacobs in a scene about a street sweeper and a menu hawking restaurant worker in Miami New Drama's "Lincoln Road Hustle." (Photo by Julia Rose)
It seems odd that an ambitious artist such as Chef Luna is unconcerned about an imminent project that may put her long-planned restaurant out of business. Did she even know about DeLeon’s plans before the Instagram influencer mentioned them? Or is this scene simply satirical, taking aim at apathetic people who are so far removed from reality that it is laughable?
During much of the rest of the scene, the chef and influencer debate what constitutes “real” food criticism, and engage in a food fight (yes, they throw food at each other like children in a school cafeteria and nearly get physical with each other). In addition, extortion is on the menu in this scene. Certainly, it is juicy stuff and fun to watch; the pleasure of watching adults behaving badly never goes out of style.
It is hard to care too much about this seemingly apathetic chef and her business. Carmen Pelaez ably portrays her with a quiet confidence, but you find yourself wishing for more passion from Chef Luna.
Opposite Pelaez, Marcela Paguaga plays the influencer with a lively demeanor that turns competitive when the characters decide to play rough with each other.
Carmen Pelaez as Chef Luna and Marcela Paguaga as an influencer in Miami New Drama's "Lincoln Road Hustle. (Photo by Julia Rose)
Another scene that seems strangely disconnected from DeLeon’s plan involves a young woman intent on marrying the son of another character whom the playwrights have named “Mother-in-Law.” When we eavesdrop on the two, “Librarian” and “Mother-in-Law” are seated outside a restaurant. Shortly after the scene begins, the atmosphere seems laid-back and friendly. However, the air grows more heated as the scene progresses and disagreements arise.
Actress Krystal Millie-Valdez has convincingly portrayed characters with seemingly natural nervous energy, and she does so here as well. The performer lends the librarian a determined air and an eager-to-please persona that makes you care about the character.
Irene Adjan carries a quieter, more confident aura as the mother-in-law and is generally pleasant at first. But as the afternoon or evening progresses, Adjan gradually reveals this character’s formidability.
In “Lincoln Road Hustle” people are not necessarily who they say they are. Expect at least one shocking revelation. But it is no secret that actor Kristian Bikic enlivens the action with his vivacious and comical portrayal of a character named Cardio. This young man on skates rolls in and out of the action looking like a lit-up Christmas tree and playing a character who seems like a cross between a younger Jim Carey and Austin Powers. While Bikic’s character is not central to the action, he provides welcome comic relief.
Audience members wear color coded headphones for "Lincoln Road Hustle." (Photo by Julia Rose)
Speaking of comedy, we experience it in multiple scenes. One of them contains an odd mixture of crude humor and grave reality. Corben and Elias have titled it “Shit Dance.” Part of the scene involves characters observing a bird’s movement before, um, defecating. Yes, you read that correctly. In quite a contrast to that moment, one of the characters later receives a phone call that no parent should ever have to take.
Despite the scene’s strangely wide swing in mood, this sequence between “Host” and Sweeper” illustrates how DeLeon’s planned development can affect your average “man on the street.” The characters here are average working people who hope for better days ahead and the announcement of the casino hotel-condo instills hope in at least one of them.
“We really…have spent way too much time on this street. I mean, you know the pre-bowel movement bird dance,” observes the “Host” who works for a restaurant on Lincoln Road. “You know what’s gonna be good for us? This casino! Finally f'ing happening. You know how many jobs they’re gonna be giving out? All sortsa new jobs.”
Sweeper has his doubts, but Host insists that the development could prove life changing for them.
Gregg Weiner as the deejay in Miami New Drama's "Lincoln Road Hustle." (Photo by FURIOSA Productions)
“Oh, come on man! Believe in tomorrow,” he says. “You know what you should do? Dealer. Blackjack dealer. Cuz you’re good with numbers.”
Gregg Weiner imbues Host with a dry wit while Jovon Jacobs injects Sweeper with a believable nervous intensity and wariness.
Should you be wary around someone like DeLeon? While he seems sincerely dedicated to economic development and progress, he might carry a shady past. This is what one scene suggests. Its title, for some reason, is “Lifted.” We will not say too much about this scene, because doing so could spoil at least one of the show’s surprises.
Speaking of wrongdoing, one of the other scenes is appropriately titled “The Heist.” It is one of the show’s most suspenseful scenes and makes us think about moral ambiguity not only in “Lincoln Road Hustle” but in our own lives.
“I’m doing the wrong thing for the right reasons,” Marjory tells the other character, named Juan.
The audience listens to a scene from "Lincoln Road Hustle" using headphones to hear all the action. (Photo by Morgan Sophia Photography)
Performers Gabriell Salgado, as Juan, and Kaelyn Gonzalez, as Marjory, play the scene with believable urgency while acting impressively natural. The stakes are high in this fast-moving sequence. Fasten your seatbelts.
The last scene offers a wild ride as well. Be prepared for a shock.
When it comes to presenting quality immersive live theater, South Florida boasts at least a trio of companies that can stand proud of their achievements. In no particular order, they are Area Stage Company and its visionary artistic director, Giancarlo Rodaz; Juggerknot Theatre Company and its creative leaders, the Bravo sisters, and Miami New Drama (MND) with its fearless artistic director, Michel Hausmann. Kudos to him for thinking outside the box and giving South Florida audiences something different.
Kaelyn Gonzalez and Gabriell Salgado are a couple of thieves in "Lincoln Road Hustle," Miami New Drama's immersive theater experience. (Photo by FURIOSA Productions)
If You Go:
- What: Miami New Drama’s “Lincoln Road Hustle” by Billy Corben and Harley Elias.
- Where: On two blocks of Lincoln Road in Miami Beach.
- When: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, 7 p.m. Sundays through Sunday, Feb. 16.
- Cost: $85 or $95 for premium seating; $49 for standing room.
- Information: Call (305) 674-1040 or go to www.miaminewdrama.org.
