The critics agree! Jardín de Sueños is a garden of delight …

In The Oregonian newspaper, Carol Wells writes … “At its most vivid, Jardín de Sueños at Milagro Theatre seeks, as its title implies, to skirt the rational mind and place us, wondering, in a garden of dreams. At this it succeeds. The play is spoken in Spanish (with unobtrusive English subtitles), but its true language, that of the unconscious, makes it universally accessible. The play is the first local production by Portlander Sofia May-Cuxim. Its heroine is Cristina (the charismatic Siumara Samayoa), a young woman on the cusp of adulthood who is initially overwhelmed into inaction by the difficult decisions she must face. It is her dream world we enter, and her journey we follow. …” [Read the whole review here]

While over at PDX Kids Calendar, family reviewers Scott, Hadley and Ruby Corwin write “This really is an all-ages work, with the themes and messages resonating to parents and kids alike. My co-reviewers, ages eight and ten, gave the production a very high rating, and particularly enjoyed the dream world characters like the jaguar, and the humor shown in scenes like the armadillo trying to sing. Teatro Milagro is a jewel within our community that is a warm and welcoming immersion into Latino culture. The theater is technologically professional, but intimate enough that there is not a bad seat in the house. … Writer Sofia May-Cuxim and director Nelda Reyes show great deft in creating a play with very broad appeal across ages and cultures. … Audience members of all ages will connect with Jardin de Sueños because, beyond being the story of one girl, it is the story of a family coming together to solve a problem. The very specific solutions to the problem, college funding for undocumented students, come a bit quickly in the final minutes. But, the message is clear and helpful: there are options. In Cristina’s family, each member evolves to push back against factors threatening to keep them down. In the end, there is no simple resolution or magical infusion of college funding. But, in Jardin de Sueños we see renewed hope and real direction on an important issue presented in a thoroughly engaging and entertaining way.” [Read the whole review here]

At PortlandStageReviews.com, Faddah Wolf writes, “Reyes and her cast handle all this in the dream logic masterfully — the mask work, the legends and story characters, easily taking on the different roles for their emotional core without being superficial. Waking from her dream walkabout, Samayoa’s Cristina is released from her mask by El Jaguar, able to express her desire to her family, and perhaps because of it, finally able to remove her family’s stereotypical masks and deal with them authentically, as she is no longer viewing them through her own masked role. While some remedies are explored for Cristina to pursue her dreams, there are no easy answers. It is left for this family, this community, and all of us to answer — what are the remedies for those who are part of our U.S. cultural fabric now, whether we are willing to acknowledge the truth of that or not? Do we allow a suiciding of a culture as it follows no-win pursuits into quick fixes in crime and self-destruction? Do we choke off roots or give them nothing but a dry, stony landscape where they can find no sustenance? Or do we welcome this rich, vibrant tradition of stories and culture to express itself and become the part of the North American culture to which it has already contributed so much? Drink from the wonderfully rich stream of cultural dreams and aspirations that is Jardín de Sueños and experience the visions for yourself. At the premiere performance there were entire families with young children paying rapt attention in the audience — good to see this storytelling heritage passed and taking root in the next generation.” [Read the whole review here]

“This acid trip at Miracle Theatre is like a Latino version of Alice in Wonderland: A young woman slips into a dream world filled with anthropomorphic creatures that serve as metaphors for her disappointing family members. The performances are ardent and often goofy, especially when paired with the chuckle-worthy costumes. But the star of the production is unquestionably the set, a lush garden that glows, drips and slowly evolves throughout the story. The play is the first locally produced show by Sofia May-Cuxim, who infused the story with elements of Latino folklore,” wrote Aaron Spencer in Willamette Week [No online link available yet]

At beportland.com, Chloe Hagerman writes: “Unlike most of Miracle Theatre’s plays, which are bilingual, Jardín de Sueños is performed entirely in Spanish. As the actors speak and move about the stage, English subtitles are projected above their heads as a Power Point. It’s an opportunity to practice your Spanish as much as it is to enjoy the play. I am always amazed at what Miracle Theatre is able to do with the small space that they have, and the sights and sounds of their dream garden left nothing to be desired. Whether or not you believe dreams carry important messages, Jardín de Sueños conveys some powerful ones that will stay with you when you leave. There are people around who will always be ready to help you. But the biggest message is about the importance of finding your own voice. Other people can only do so much. You have to find the words. At the end of the day, it’s your life and your story — go out and tell it.” [Read the whole review here]

And while not reviews, you may be interested in these other news stories about the show:
Univision Portland
El Hispanic News (English Spanish)
El Centinela

Photos by Russell Young