World Premiere of Michael Marrero’s “Alligator Alley” at The Studios of Key West

Key West playwright, photographer, and filmmaker Michael Marrero returns to the stage with his latest play, “Alligator Alley,” with performances March 5-16 at The Studios of Key West. Oscillating between bitingly funny and charmingly heartwarming, “Alligator Alley” follows two childhood friends as they navigate the dystopian sprawl of Florida City and the wilds of the Everglades.

The play centers on a teenager, the headstrong Mayar, who wears a hijab, the traditional Muslim headscarf, and who relies on both her sense of humor and her close friend, Becca, as she attempts to escape her current surroundings and start a new life outside of Florida City. Like his hit play “Locura,” which was recently staged at Guild Hall in the Hamptons, Marrero has created a world in “Alligator Alley” in which Florida is more than a backdrop or location where people happen to be, it is a main character woven into the very fabric of the story itself.

According to Studios’ Board President Stephen Kitsakos, a dramaturge and theater director, “Michael’s play is saturated with quirky, eccentric characters, both realistic and absurd. Each voice he has written contributes to the overall arc of the journey of Mayar and Becca, while simultaneously commenting on the landscape of contemporary American society.”  He adds, “themes of social isolation, violence, islamophobia, crass commercialism and cultural identity weave seamlessly throughout.”

The cast of “Alligator Alley” includes acclaimed New York City-based actors Nayem Cardenas-Lopez, Jordan Puhala, and Julio Trinidad. Key West audiences have seen Trinidad perform Marrero’s work before, as he originated the role of Octavio in “Locura” in Key West (also starring in it at Repertorio in NYC and Guild Hall) and appeared in Marrero’s award-winning short film “Riley Was Here.”

Directing the play is Zachary Fine, last seen on Broadway in David Mamet’s 2015 play “China Doll.” Fine’s recent directing credits range from numerous productions at the Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival and “Throw Me On The Burnpile and Light Me Up” in Key West to Grammy and Tony-nominated actor Bryce Pinkham’s “Between the Moon and Me” at the Birdland Cabaret in NYC.

Shows run Tuesday through Friday, March 5-8, and Wednesday through Saturday, March 13-16, at 8pm. Tickets are $60 Preferred Seating, $44, $35 for Studios’ members. Tickets are now available at The Studios’ box office at 533 Eaton Street, or by calling 305-296-0458, or visiting tskw.org

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