Maybe it’s because I feel like we’ve already discussed this a lot in class and I also talked about it in my video blog, but to me it actually feels kind of redundant to say that the piece that affected me the most was Intringulis. After all, we were polled at the end of class on Monday and I was part of the overwhelming majority. But even though it’s unoriginal, I’m in agreement with the crowd. For a one-man show that I was expecting nothing from, it really gave me a whole new perspective on illegal immigrants and their struggles upon coming to America.
Carlo’s story shows that although immigrants can find a better life in America, it definitely does not come easily. The most moving part for me was when Carlo added up all the money his family had to spend to come to America. Although I’ve never been one of the people who are violently opposed to illegal immigration, I was always under the impression that illegal immigrants did not pay taxes. Carlo showed me that I was wrong; in fact, illegal immigrants who are on payrolls pay more taxes than citizens because their Social Security numbers are fake, meaning they will never be able to claim the Social Security money that has been removed from their paychecks. They are also not able to get the tax refunds that many US citizens get at the end of the year. Learning this was pretty eye opening for me—after all, a lot of people who are opposed to illegal immigration base their argument on the myth that illegal immigrants do not pay taxes.
I was also affected by the internal struggles Carlo had with his illegal status. He just wanted to grow up and be a “normal” kid, but his family was in constant fear of deportation. So even though he got a bunch of acting opportunities, it was a big ordeal to ride in the Thanksgiving Day Parade and to do regular kid things like hang out with friends or listen to loud music. I can only imagine how horrible it must be to have to keep a secret like that from everyone you know. It’s bad enough to keep something minor from your friends, let alone the fact that you’re actually an illegal immigrant.
I think the main reason why Intringulis has affected so many people who have seen it is the fact that it puts a face to a cause. Carlo is a very likable guy who puts his entire life out there for everyone to see. He is trying to bring awareness to the fact that illegal immigrants are people who contribute to society and have to work incredibly hard and spend quite a bit of money to do so. It’s easy to say that all illegal immigrants should be deported, but when you actually know someone who is here illegally (and Carlo’s intimate show makes you feel like you do), it forces you to examine your beliefs in a whole new light. It’s rare that I see a performance with such a strong message, and I would honestly rank it with one of my favorite shows I’ve ever seen.
