The Pharr Community Theater jumps into its ninth year with Ray Bradbury’s “The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit”

by Robert Longoria

PRESS RELEASE by Pedro Garcia

Pharr, TX – What would you do to accomplish your dreams? How far would you be willing to go to realize them? In Ray Bradbury’s “The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit,” Gomez, a down on his luck man who dreams of a better life, wonders how to find a solution to life’s problems.

He then spots in the front window of a store the answer to every successful man’s dream, the most beautiful white suit, “white like vanilla ice cream!” Gomez and his five similarly luckless neighbors pool their money to afford the prized suit that will help each of their dreams and fantasies come true. The catch? They will have to share the garment, even with the sloppy and disorderly Vámenos!

Ray Bradbury, who created classics such as “The Martian Chronicles” and Fahrenheit 451”, wrote “The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit” in 1972 as a play that was turned into a major motion picture in 1998, starring Edward James Olmos.

This whimsical fable is brought to life onstage by The Pharr Community Theater Company (PCT), which celebrates its ninth year in production. “The play is poetic, hilarious, and stylish,” said longtime PCT co-producer and Artistic Director, Pedro Garcia.

Ensemble cast rehearsing fight over the suit scene. L – R: Jaime Torres, Roel A. Salinas, Joel Gutierrez, Fransisco Cristanto, & Francisco Garza Rincones

Garcia praised guest director Armando Gonzalez, 22, whose direction electrifies the theater. “Armando has a knack, a natural gift, in staging this ensemble of fourteen actors and dancers. He’s grasped this nearly 50 year-old story, bringing a fusion of Cuban, Latin, and Mexican music,” he said. “Gonzalez has charisma and I bet you will want to get up and dance, even cheer” added Garcia. “The story has a lot of heart!”

Armando Gonzalez is one of many University of Texas Rio Grande Valley students who have come to work for the Pharr Community Theater. Gonzalez credits the mentorship he received from the Theater and Film & Production program at UTRGV with giving him the tools to direct well. Gonzalez said, “There’s a specific UTRGV professor, Trey Mikolasky, who I learned a lot from as an actor, and now as a director. I’ve applied a lot of his teachings, including warm ups and acting exercises that help actors relax and focus and so much more.”

“The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit” ushers in a new era of productions under recently-appointed CEO, Adriana Guerrero, who took over from theater co-founder, Dr. Elva Michal. The play’s debut will showcase the community theater’s elevated seating and more intimate black box atmosphere. “Our little theater and its renovations will make the show fun to watch from any angle. All performers will be close up to the audience and every seat will be a good one – like watching a good movie – with awesome audio and lighting as well,” said Guerrero.

Showtimes for the play are April 14 through April 24, 2016 at The Pharr Community Theater, 213 W. Newcombe in Pharr, TX. Thursdays through Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 3:00 p.m. Seating is limited to 50 persons per show and tickets will be sold at the theater starting one hour before curtain upon availability or can be purchased in advance by calling 956-600-9463. The theater is wheelchair accessible.