Barefoot Boy With Shoes On

Trapped in horrendous and cramped living conditions with his father and grandfather, Rosario Cortez battles to break his family's cycle of poverty and remove his son from the violence and squalor of the urban ghetto.

"Few playwrights are persuasive enough to make an audience root for a young man who batters his girlfriend and considers kidnapping and murder to get what he wants. But from the moment we meet Rosario Cortez, singing to his infant son and promising him a better future with a passion that burns white-hot, we like him. After we see his living conditions - sharing a cramped room with his father and grandfather, who spend their days watching porno films - we know that extreme measures are necessary. That doesn't mean that we approve of Rosario's means or the ways in which he expresses his anger. But we understand his motives, share his dreams and admire his tenacity. It is not surprising that the writer who's created Rosario and his world of longings is Edwin Sánchez, who also wrote TRAFFICKING IN BROKEN HEARTS. That haunting play centered on a love triangle involving a street hustler, an abused teenager and a yuppie lawyer, all yearning for something more in their lives. Sánchez knows how to capture the world of dreamers ... play ... moves gracefully ... carried along by beautiful writing ..." -Aileen Jacobson, Newsday

"... a touching drama that's worthy of attention ..." -David Kaufman, Daily News

"Edwin Sanchez's tough, twisty, surprising new plays shows his usual flair for dealing with predictable subjects unpredictably ... [and with] sparky verbal flights ..." -Michael Feingold, Village Voice