Events: Theater

JOSHUA JEAN-BAPTISTE is an actor, writer, public speaking coach and Miami native based in Los Angeles, California. Joshua’s work primarily focuses on culture, social satire, and technology.

He was last seen on stage in ACTUALLY at Gablestage and on screen in the digital series GROWN, which aired on COMPLEX Networks. His creative accomplice Edson Jean and he wrote, produced and acted in the series after winning the Project Greenlight Digital Studio competition with Ben Affleck’s and Adaptive Studio’s support. They have gone on to write local feature films such as LUDI, an Oolite Arts supported project scheduled for release in 2021.

Written works include THEM BEAUX at the Miami Theater Center, CLICK CLACK, a digital theater piece with New City Players along with original one-person shows SPACE APES at Broward College and OPEN at Micro Theater Miami.

He is a proud alum of New World School of the Arts and holds a BFA in acting.

He is excited to be working with Gablestage and is honored to be an Engage Grantee.

George Bernard Shaw’s classic play is taken into a new realm of expression in this Flamenco dance/drama with dynamic guest artists Leonor Leal from Sevilla, as Cleopatra, Gabriel Arango as Cesar, Jorge Robledo as Marco Antonio, Niurca Marquez as Ftatateeta and Jose Junco as Potiano, who give body and soul to the choreographer’s vision.

The music, composed and played by Special Guest Artist Guitarist Jose Luis Rodriguez and Guitarist/Singer Paco Fonta in collaboration with Joe Zeytoonian and Myriam Eli of Harmonic Motion Middle Eastern Dance and Music Ensemble, provides the musical canvas for this gorgeous work.

The combination of Flamenco with Egyptian and other Middle Eastern music and dance styles is extraordinarily effective in telling this story. The exceptional beauty of the music and choreography, coupled with the virtuosity of the musicians and dancers, makes for an utterly captivating theatre experience, flooding the senses with exquisite, ancient and ageless images and feeling.

Under the direction of Ilisa Rosal, a stellar cast of international artists created the characters of Shakespeare’s tragic drama for the World Premiere of this work at the Gusman Center for the Performing Arts as part of The Miami Dance Festival.

Featured Guest artists included the world renowned La Tati, along with dancers Pedro Cordoba, Cristian Almodovar, Antonio Arrebola, Ismael “El Cordobes”, Jose Junco, Alejandra Gudi, Aurora Losada “La Pipi” and Marina Sagardoy, guitarists Vacky Losada and Jesus Heredia, Flamenco singers Emilio Gavarre and Loreto de Diego, oud player and vocalist Joe Zeytoonian and percussionist Myriam Eli. The musicians created and arranged the music and lyrics, in some cases using spoken texts taken from the original work in order to retain the power of the language and imagery of some of the most important scenes.

There are few opportunities to see artists of this caliber collaborate in such an ambitious and important work. This consummate group of choreographers, composers and performers achieved the extraordinary with this amazing interpretation of one of Shakespeare’s greatest tragedies, magnificent and heavy with meaning.

This production features 12 dancers and musicians, including six top artists directly from Spain led by Special Guest Artist Pepe Flores, one of the most important artists of his time, in the role of Count Dracula. He was joined by guest artist dancers Agustin Barajas, Juan Mateo and Fran Bas from Spain, soloists La Emi from New Mexico, Maria Mercedes Perez from Cuba and Alessandra Torres from Venezuela, along with singer Luis Moreno and guitarist Miguel Aguilera from Spain, who created and performed original vocals and lyrics for the work.

The story and characters help audiences relate to what is being expressed by the music and dance, which becomes a universal language. It creates an exciting and inspiring theater experience. Generations of audiences have been enthralled by this quintessential myth of terror and temptation and the struggle between good and evil. It speaks to our search to understand the essence of strength, love, passion, seduction, loyalty, honor, heroism, the supernatural, the spiritual and the profane.