Illegal immigration was never an issue that I felt truly deserved so much attention. I do not provide a home for any illegal aliens, sell fake green cards or extended visas, or know any family or friends that are trying to become American citizens; so illegal immigrants never had a large effect in my life. In fact, I was probably one to vote against illegal immigration. New York City is already so crowded and diverse, I thought, why make the city even more congested with those who don’t deserve to be here. Surprisingly, Carlo Alban was able to drastically alter my view on the subject through his one-man performance Intríngulis.

Throughout my life, I have seen films about the hardships of foreigners fighting their way onto American soil to escape the poverty, oppression, or war that made their homeland unbearable, but I never felt a change of heart towards the issue illegal immigration. Yet, Carlo’s performance was different. I never felt so connected to someone who actually went through the events I had only seen in movies or documentaries. Instead of sitting down to watch a man make a fool of himself, I saw a human being revealing the story of his life to those who were willing to listen. Instead of trying to persuade an audience to change their views by pushing the idea that illegal immigrants deserve to be in America, he just told a true story that was down to earth and very relatable.

The approach Carlo chose to present his story creates a connection between him and his audience that can’t be found in any movie. The decision to make a one-man show, hold it in such a small theater, and to present a real story about a boy growing up in America as an illegal immigrant allows the audience to feel sympathy for Carlo. Carlo doesn’t try to put himself on a pedestal to appear to be an individual who is better than everyone else, instead he puts himself on our level, the one that all of us normal humans live on with real lives. Although he played multiple roles, each of his characters were people with regular jobs, listened to similar music (I loved the reference to Nirvana), and had issues that I have even gone through. Building a connection with Carlo was so easy because it felt like I was listening to one of my friends going on one of their extended rants with some intermittent guitar playing, which I have to say was phenomenal.

Carlo Alban is not illegal immigrant. He is an American citizen who deserves to be here just as much as you or me, if not more. I realized that foreigners that come to America are not people who come to leech off the benefits that the rest of us citizens work so hard to achieve, instead they work harder than any American who was born with these rights. They even pay taxes! Strangely, it took Carlo Alban’s story for me to realize that. Hopefully, everyone who is still skeptical about the idea of illegal immigrants will have the chance to listen to Carlo’s story to figure out that those who come here for the American dream deserve to stay as long as they work for it. If Carlo continues to perform, he will slowly change the views on illegal immigration one person at a time.

New Joisey. Home of Six Flags, Jersey Shore and well…nothing else. Except for Carlo Alban. Carlo’s one man show on illegal immigration really hit home. No one ever really gladly admits that they were (or are) illegal, however, Carlo does both. Nonetheless, I was genuinely impressed with Carlo’s performance.

The level of personal that Carlo’s performance was such a crucial part of what made this play important to me. He held nothing back, giving his audience (even if it was only about 15 of us) his entire history. The story of how he came here, what happened when he got here, the story of how he got his citizenship and all of the years in between. The thing that touched me the most was Carlo’s relationship with his brother. I knew from the first time he mentioned his brother staying home that it would come back to bite his family in the we all know what. Having siblings, I can’t imagine ever leaving one of them behind in another country, even if it was for the best.

Carlo’s acting really had us all feeling the same emotions he was. From the first scene to when he was smoking with his “friend” all the way through to where he was fighting with his brother in the living room after 9/11. Every single scene had a different emotion that he forced upon us without us even realizing it was happening. The most passionate scene, I think, was when Carlo shot the paintball gun for real. Not only did it scare the crap out of me but it keep the audience engaged.

I think that Intringulis was a very passionate and personal play that really touched my heart and made me see a whole different side to illegal immigration. It just goes to show that there are two sides to every story.

Maria Full of Grace, out of all the other plays we have read, and the performances we have been to, stands out the most for me because throughout the whole movie, there wasn’t one point where I didn’t feel bad for her. Her personal endeavors as well as here familial dilemma put her under immense pressure, and in the end, she made the right decision by choosing to stay in America with her soon-to-be-born baby so that she can provide the best life possible for her. I praise Maria so much not only because of the hardships that she had to go through, but the decisions she made through them.

Every decision she made, she made it for a reason, and I don’t believe that she was irrational in making those. The whole purpose of Maria coming to America was to provide money for her family and to support her sister’s baby. Even though I wouldn’t support drug trafficking, she only had benevolent intentions as she did so, which is why she was, according to me, definitely justified in becoming a drug trafficking mule. Unfortunately, this is the way of living for many people as it is the only way they can survive in many of these poverty-stricken third-world countries.

Another quality of Maria that I admired was that Maria had her own voice, she wasn’t going to be oppressed by her boss and she wasn’t going to be forced to go back to Columbia and live with her family, she made her own decisions on her own principles which she thought were right.

This piece had such a profound effect on me because somehow, I felt that I could connect with her, even though I have never ever had to experience myself anything like what she had to go through for which I give props to Joshua Marston. The storyline was also very realistic and made me realize the trivialities that we stress ourselves over while people, while there are other people out there just struggling to support their families.

Even though I hadn’t been born yet, my mother was in a similar situation to Maria about eighteen years ago. She came to America pregnant my twin brother and me while my father was working three different jobs trying to provide for us. I was too small back then to understand what was going on but after hearing and watching Maria’s story, I realize the struggles that some people have to go through in order to create a better life for themselves.

Do The Right Thing – terrible intro, lots of craziness

Intringulis – Grrrrrrrrrreat, OMG so good

Yellow Face – ehhh, I liked acting it out though

Maria Full of Grace – Best movie for sure, Bianca’s annoying -_-

A View From a Bridge – Best play we read, sad ending

Asunción – So funny I’d consider LMAOing

Top of the morning to you! I hope everyone survived the weird storm and still got to have some Halloween fun this weekend. I’ve always dreamt of a white Halloween ^_^. Now onto more pressing matters, the champion performance of the unit. Above is a synopsis of my reactions to the pieces of the unit and the winner is…*drum roll*… INTRINGULUS!

I think every piece had something to offer however, Intringulis is truly a work of genius because it was able to connect to so many different individuals. As we saw a few blogs ago, Queens is an incredibly diverse area, I mean look at our class! And if I remember correctly Intringulis was the one that impacted most of us, even though we are from different ethnicities, different backgrounds, different situations, etc.

The other pieces definitely had something to say and they all moved me in some shape or form. However, Intringulis truly left a mark on me. It’s interesting because I was really skeptical about a one-man show but after seeing Carlos in Intringulis I love one-man shows! But this piece had a beautiful story, an intriguing set, powerful music, an extremely talented actor, a hint of comedy and a moving message.

Although Intringulis was not as funny as Asunción it successfully added comedic moments without losing the message. It was modern with references to the Jersey Shore and Napoleon Dynamite. More important than anything else, Intringulis gives the audience the chance to really see what it’s like to be an illegal immigrant. Unfortunately, so many of us are so quick to judge that we never stop and consider that rule we all learned in kindergarten: put yourself in the other person’s shoes. For 90 minutes everyone in the audience is put in Carlos’ shoes and it really makes you reassess your views on illegal immigration.

So overall, I think all the pieces gave it a good try but in the end Carlos and Intringulis won.

I must admit that I was very pleasantly surprised after seeing Carlo’s performance at the Intar. Not only was it very entertaining and creatively put together, but it spoke about a message that is very prevalent in today’s world. I think what made it all the more touching was that it was a very personal experience that allowed us to see into the various aspects of the life of an immigrant.

Before Carlo’s performance, I had many misinformed pre-notations about undocumented immigrants. I have known my share of people that are in this country illegally, but I did not realize how much money goes into staying in this country. Fake green cards, fake social security cards, fake birth certificates. All of which wouldn’t have to exist if it weren’t so difficult to obtain citizenship in this country. The notion that shocked me the most was that once an immigrant has all these fake documents, he or she pays taxes using the social security number provided, yet never can reclaim that money during income tax. I don’t know how many of you have filed your taxes on your own yet, but I’ve been doing it for the last 3 years, and I can say that income tax season is one of my favorite times of the year. I can’t imagine contributing all that money in taxes and getting NONE of it back. Especially once I retire and will rely on social security checks to supplement my retirement fund.

Throughout the performance, I felt strong sympathy for Carlo’s eldest brother who was left behind in Ecuador. I understand that it must have been a difficult decision for Carlo’s parents being that he was over 21 and wouldn’t be able to obtain citizenship with the family, but I can’t imagine how he must have felt. I get upset when someone close to me forgets something stupid like my birthday, what if they seemingly forgot of my existence and moved on with their lives. I found it sweet that he learned some English so he could tell his younger brother in America that he missed him, and essentially teach his brother what it as to miss someone.

Overall, this performance left me with a very different view on immigration, and I’m glad  the NY Times decided to give it the review it deserves. I’d be interested to see a future play from his brother’s point of view.

Without a doubt, the piece that affected me the most was Intringulis. It was so powerful as a one-man show, with all the songs and dialogue. There was so much emotion present in his voice and that really carried over to me. By the end of the show, I felt so different toward illegal immigrants. I never realized the hardships that they go through and how hard and costly the immigration process is.

Like I’ve mentioned in my video blog, the reason the show was so effective was because of the limited distractions and intimate setting. The performance took place in a small room, and in front of a small audience; the number of people Carlo had to interact with was small, and so he could focus more intently on the few that were there. Also, the stage/set wasn’t full of unnecessary distractions. There was barely anything on the stage, and there was no need for the audience to be looking anywhere else but at Carlo. The way the stage was set up forced the audience to look at Carlo and what he was doing. I felt a connection to Carlo; even though I don’t know him, I know him.

When Carlo talked about his brother, Pacelli and how he had to stay behind, I was so moved. Having three siblings myself, I can’t imagine how hard it must have been to leave behind a sibling, even though Carlo was never so close with him. I don’t blame Carlo’s parents for leaving behind his other siblings because it wasn’t easy. It was a decision they had to make and they felt it was for the best. Carlo’s relationships were affected but that was part of the journey. He’s not given up so much but rather so much has been taken away from him, in his and his family’s quest to have a better life.

The reason I was most affected by this piece is because I’ve learned to be so grateful for having been born here. My parents came here and sacrificed their families, and the lives they had in Pakistan, so they can provide us with a better life. Intringulis has taught me to be really appreciate for the sacrifices my parents made for us, my siblings and I. I feel so lucky to be in this country today, and can’t imagine myself anywhere else. If I was living in Pakistan today, I would be a different person.

The piece that affected me the most was easily Maria Full of Grace. While I can’t say I can compare to her story (I don’t have much experience being a drug mule, you see), I can empathize. Maria and her risks had me both angry and on edge. She was at times stubborn, selfish, and irrational, but by the end of the movie I could not deny her strength.

At first, while I was watching Maria, I was extremely annoyed. One: why was the movie in Spanish? What ever happened to good ole’ English translations? And two: what was with this girl and her annoying best friend?

But then I got to know Maria a little better. This seventeen-year-old had to play the part of family supporter. With her single job she was expected to carry her household, a family of five. And throughout the whole movie, Maria was obviously unsatisfied with her life, always yearning for something else, or something more. But there wasn’t really anything she could do to change her situation. Maria was stuck in a family that was overly dependent on her, she was attached to a boy she barely had feelings for, had a best friend who couldn’t make her own decisions, and a job she couldn’t tolerate.

Maria was stuck living and working for other people. At times she got fed up and reckless. She got pregnant. When I realized Maria was expecting, I was all “oh shucks, how’s she ‘sposed to get through this situation?” I wasn’t sure what would be the best choice for her. But the one she made definitely had me shaking my head. “No Maria!” I said, “Don’t become involved in drug cartel!” “No Maria, don’t swallow those pellets; you’re pregnant!” Maria, I thought was acting childishly, recklessly, and obviously did not care much about herself or her unborn baby.

But by the end of the movie she was still alive, she’d made it to America intact gotten her money, and decided to stay to care for her child. I had to at least respect and admire her for that.

As the credits rolled, I took a step back and thought, what could make someone act so drastically? What could make someone put their life and the life of their unborn child in danger? And for what, for money? But then I supposed drastic situations could cause for drastic choices. And while Maria’s situation in Colombia wasn’t the worst, her experience in coming to America is reminiscent of other individuals and their sacrifices. Not just immigrants seeking a different, better life but also those who decide to take on dangerous jobs to support their families. It makes me think of what might’ve driven them to make the choices that they did. What they dared risk losing, and what they might’ve ended up leaving behind.