What's it all about

Trópico Macbeth is an original stage play written by Cleveland artist John Rivera-Resto based on Shakespeare's The Tragedy of Macbeth. While staying close to the basic plot of the original -a tragedy of murder and political ambition, this adaptation, set in the Caribbean of the 1930s, has a different storyline and new characters.

During live stage performances, Hispanic characters in the play spoke Spanish (with simultaneous English dialogue through a wireless ear-piece for the non-Spanish speaking audience), and the “American” characters spoke mostly English in a dialogue that reflected popular idioms of the time.

At its core, Trópico Macbeth is a story of strong women and how they use men to achieve power, justice and revenge. In this story, a decades old hatred between the Orillan and the Doncan families explode when Sofia Orillan uses her niece, Grania Macbeth (lady Macbeth), to manipulate her husband, commander Macbeth, in a Machiavellian plan to overthrow the Doncan regime and reinstate the Orillan to power.

Set against a backdrop of a changing and tumultuous world with strong ideological divisions, American commercial and imperial political interests and a new modernity of unrestrained ambition, Trópico Macbeth melds into a reality straight out of 1930's headlines. Full of lush tropical colors, popular superstitions, interesting and iconic characters and exotic locales, Trópico Macbeth is everything you would expect from a Spanish-Caribbean setting that dances to the beat of the rhumba.

Table of content

If you love to get a behind the scene look at how art is made, this page is for you. It describes in detail, from conception to completion, how Trópico Macbeth was created and the theatrical production style that made it possible: cinematic theater. It also contains insights from its creator John Rivera-Resto and a step by step description of how he managed to get it done. If you are only interest in a particular subject, just click on the content listing and it will take you there. Enjoy!

One story, two parts                                            Why it was written

Creating the world of Trópico Macbeth          The historical backdrop

An auteur director                                               Who is John Rivera-Resto

Historical research                                              Understand the past

The evolution of a playwright                            Learning theater

Writing Trópico Macbeth                                   A step by step walkthrough

It starts during reseach                                       Collecting information

Listing characters                                                Who's who

Crafting the story                                                 Spinning a good tale

Creating a dramatic script                                  Breaking it down

Adding dialogue                                                   What works

Making time disappear                                     At the edge of their seats

Production design                                                Buillding a visual world

Imagine the script                                                The production bible

Budgeting                                                              How much you need vs how much you have

Costume design                                                    First on the list

Costume construction                                         Cutting corners

Set design                                                              Thinking out of the box

Cinematic theater                                                Blurring the lines between theater and film

Set and props construction                                Doing a lot with less

Stagehands                                                            Moving in the dark

Digital painting and Rear Projection               Creating a visible world

Creating animatics                                               Working on a virtual stage

Video and sound editing                                     How to create animated storyboards

Creating the musical score                                 Moving up to the next level

Casting talent                                                        A most difficult task

Rehearsals                                                             Joining forces with Babel Box Theater

Directing                                                                Movie style

Setbacks                                                                 Understanding the game

Visual Effects                                                        Creating the impossible

The Santa Marina Orchestra                             Having fun with cardboard

Lighting tips                                                          What works best

Breaking the language barrier                           Automatic audio translation

Promotional videos                                              Showcasing the project

The Trópico Macbeth Video                               A two hour achievement

What’s next                                                            Producing the entire play in 2026

Appendix:                                                               What do you need to create cinematic theater?


One story, two parts

Trópico Macbeth is a story told in two parts: Trópico Macbeth: the rise to power and Trópico Macbeth: the descent into madness. In part one "el presidente Doncan" is the focus of the story and part two deals exclusively with Macbeth.

Dedicating half of the play to Doncan was a deciding factor in writing the play. -"I had no interest whatsoever in doing a literal Spanish version of Shakespeare's Macbeth. But I used the story of Macbeth as the framework to build another narrative to explore two questions: Firstly, what made Latin American dictators so attractive to the masses, and secondly, how and why the United States backed, supported, tolerated and even helped create some of them?" -John Rivera-Resto

In Shakespeare's Macbeth, Duncan is the benevolent king of Scotland, presented in plays and films as a kind and generous man. Perhaps too trusting for his own good, he gladly accepts Macbeth's pledge of loyalty. But in Trópico Macbeth, John's Latin version of Duncan becomes "Alipio Doncan," president-for-life of the Caribbean island-republic of Santa Marina, an unscrupulous and charismatic autocrat who rules his subjects with an iron fist.

In Shakespeare's version, Duncan dies relatively early in the play. But John devoted more time to both characters by splitting the play into two parts: the second part dedicated to Macbeth and his descent into madness and the first part focusing entirely on Doncan as the central character while Macbeth plans his destruction.

Creating the world of Trópico Macbeth

"I always felt that William Shakespeare would have loved Latin American politics in the first half of the 20th century. An era so rich with armed conflicts and military dictatorships –as in Mexico and Venezuela, and civilian oligarchies –as in Chile, Brazil, or Argentina, that he would have had a field day as a playwright. Add to the mix the enormous U.S. leverage in Latin American affairs and the stage would have been set for an orgy of tragedies and literary masterpieces to come." -John Rivera-Resto

Trópico Macbeth takes place in 1934, on the fictional Caribbean republic of Santa Marina, a tropical island east of the Greater Antilles. Santa Marina is an idyllic tropical paradise, with a million inhabitants living in poverty and a small but powerful ruling class that owns all the island's resources under the rule of a dictator. However, the island's economy is manipulated and controlled by the American food giant, the Federal Fruit Company.

In the United States, Franklin Delano Roosevelt had just been elected president of a country in the midst of the Great Depression. The economy was in dire straits, with many banks failing and a large portion of the population struggling to make ends meet. Europe was grappling with the aftermath of World War I and the devastating effects of shattered economies, and many nations were facing political instability. Italy had fallen to fascism under the leadership of Benito Mussolini, and its policies were becoming increasingly authoritarian and aggressive.

Germany was facing severe economic problems and the rise of extremist ideologies, which ultimately led to the rise of the Nazi Party. In Spain, civil war was just years away from breaking out. And in Santa Marina, the dormant seeds of revolution were germinating as wealth inequality, corruption, and dictatorship were about to surface.

The result of this social, economic, and political imbalance, emblematic of the world in general and the entire Latin American region, is a story about dictators and greed of the first large-scale American international business conglomerate (based on the United Fruit Company), which did nothing to stop the flow of wealth in the form of raw materials and food to the United States, even if it meant trampling on democratic principles and ideals in Latin America. In this historical context, a Shakespearean story like Macbeth becomes entirely plausible and believable.

Welcome to 1934! An introduction to the world of Trópico Macbeth. Promotional video for the 2024 Cleveland production.

Trópico Macbeth does an excellent job of presenting the tumultuous political climate of 1934 by telling a story right out of the headlines of the time. The characters, while fictional and based only in part on some of the characters in Shakespeare’s play, interact with new characters that represent the military and political elite of Latin American countries in the region, living in the non-fictional times of the 1930s, always under the giant shadow of the United States.

An auteur director

John Rivera-Resto is a multifaceted artist who works in a wide range of creative mediums, from writing to painting, from design to acting, and more. In the realm of the performing arts, he can be described as an "auteur director," someone who exerts strong personal influence and creative control over all aspects of his productions. John's ability to move seamlessly between different mediums over a career spanning five decades gives him complete creative freedom and allows him to work very quickly on even the most complex projects.

Quite literally, John is the primary author of his dramatic work, just as a writer is the author of a novel. As a result, he possesses a distinctive and recognizable, thematically focused style that often includes recurring themes, visual motifs, and a narrative structure. He exercises a high level of control over all aspects of production, including writing, producing, directing, visual design, editing, and even acting. His distinctive voice reflects personal perspectives, beliefs, and a creative vision that gives his work a unique touch.

Historical research

John Rivera-Resto is known for his passion for historical accuracy. His philosophy is that research is crucial for creating a believable and accurate representation of the past. He had previously dwelt on the early decades of the 20th century for his productions of 'La casa de Bernarda Alba' ( by Federico García Lorca) and for 'Tiempo Muerto' (by Manuel Méndez Ballester). But for Trópico Macbeth he went even deeper and dedicated 2022 to do a year's worth of research to design the production.

Doing research involved gathering information about the chosen era, like customs, clothing styles, military weapons, architecture, language and popular idioms, decor fashions, religious practices and beliefs, politics, popular media and social dynamics. John filled notebooks with information, observations, sketches, and diagrams, and collected hundreds of images for visual reference, which he then categorized by theme and stored in a digital image repository.

The research also involved watching every newsreel and film available online from the late 1920s through the 1930s, reading biographies and anecdotes about people from the era, and listening to the wonderful music of the time. In short, anything and everything that could transport him back in time was worthy of his attention. His next step: writing the play.

The evolution of a playwright

John's first play was titled "Los Villalobos," a fifteen-minute one-act play he performed with friends at a Christian youth society in Puerto Rico. He was fourteen years old at the time. Others followed. At seventeen, he wrote, produced, designed, directed, and acted in "Como en los días de Noé (As in the Days of Noah,)" an apocalyptic play exploring the destruction of a nation by a divinely foretold cataclysm (an earthquake) due to the evil nature of its fascist regime. John played the doomed dictator (the beginning of his predilection for playing complex villains) along a cast of a dozen actors and half a dozen crew.

The enterprising production included half a dozen set changes (done in 30 seconds), a massacre of "the faithful" at the hands of smartly dressed stormtroopers (modeled after the German army´s shock troops—this was before Star Wars), an angel who materialized on stage out of nowhere, a torture chamber where "God's messenger" had his shirt shredded as he is whipped into a bloody mess, and an earthquake with debris fatally falling on the dictator. All of this was done the old-fashioned way, long before computers, before a live audience of 400 spectators, in the former Bible teaching institute building of the Fuente de Salvación Misionera Church in Lijas, Puerto Rico. Those who were there to see it in 1976, still talk it about today.

John recalls: "It was basically like an over-the-top high school production done by a dozen teenagers. I wrote, designed, directed and acted -and loved every minute of it! Everything was done by volunteers, the set design was simple and cheesy, but it was ingenious and the acting was very good. Mr. Encarnación, my high school theater professor came to see a rehearsal and was blown away. I discovered there and then that doing theater was more fun than painting murals... but murals paid."

From fourteen to seventeen, John had devoured any book he could lay his hands on dealing with stagecraft, doing theater and acting. He also wrote a few more religious plays, studied classical Spanish theater, and did his first ever painting: a 2,275 square foot mural of the Garden of Eden in one of the largest temples in Puerto Rico. This mural -and a dozen others that followed, soon overshadowed his dramatic achievements in the public's eye due to their mass exposure and attention in the media.

By the time John staged "Como en los días de Noé," his last play in Puerto Rico, he felt he needed a bigger stage. So in July of 1977 he returned to Cleveland, Ohio after a fourteen year absence. He could not speak English at the time. But by 1983 he felt his command of the language was good and he wrote his first English-language play,"Death of a Mercenary". Religion was out, realism was in.

Writing Trópico Macbeth

It starts during research

By the end of 2022, feeling satisfied with the research, John managed to take time off from other commitments and dedicated six weeks to writing Trópico Macbeth (one Spanish version and one in English). When asked how he managed to do such a monumental piece of writing in six weeks, he answered -"Because I didn't have seven weeks."

John's writing practice always follows the same pattern. During research, visual ideas begin to form in his mind. For Trópico Macbeth, he also studied Shakespeare's Macbeth to better understand the story´s structure. He jotted down snippets of character interactions or specific phrases that caught his attention. He envisioned how certain scenarios might play out and how certain people would act in that setting. Then, he added more layers to his thinking.

For example, how would a soldier behave in a hot and humid tropical environment? What type of fabric was used to make military uniforms? How quickly did clothing fade in the tropical sun? What sound does the shot of a Mauser C96 pistol make compared to that of a 1911 Remington A-1? What brand of cigars did they smoke? How did they get their news or weather forecast? What were the hit songs of the time? Did women from upper class comb their hair first and then get dressed, or dress first and then comb their hair? And so on.

Listing characters

John starts by writing in a notebook, usually with a fountain pen. He writes in English. The first thing he writes down are the characters' names, who they are and what they do. He notes their ages and a brief physical description. He also notes their interactions and relationships with other characters, as well as the unique, often quirky, habits or behavioral traits that make them stand out. Each character should drive the story forward. That's their reason for existence. Names are important; they have meaning. He toys with them, make changes. Choosing new ones take time.

He gives each character a backstory (education level, where they grew up, hobbies, family situation, etc.) and reflects on their strengths, weaknesses, and ambitions. John comments: "Knowing a character well is crucial because when I write about them, I am that character. I think, feel, move, and speak as the personification of that person. To me, it's not someone on paper; it's a human being living life as best they can in their own world—a world I've created. I'm the one placing the thorns or the rose petals along the way."

Crafting the story

Once the character list is finalized, the writing of the story begins. John narrates the story from beginning to end on a voice recorder, without specific details or embellishments, and then writes it down. There is no dialogue, no acts, no scenes. Only an account of incidents and events and how they affect the character pursuing a specific goal, and how the reactions of others influence the achievement of that goal. As he builds up the story, John likes to repeat the following mantra: "Don't insult the intelligence of your audience."

The story is written in chronological order. John follows the basic plot points of Shakespeare's Macbeth: the witches' prophecy, Macbeth's ambition, the murder of Doncan, Macbeth becomes king, Macbeth's paranoia, further murders, Lady Macbeth's guilt and death, Malcom's invasion, Macbeth's death by Macdof, Malcom's restitution as king. But in Trópico Macbeth the characters are different; they don't behave the same way. They may achieve the same goal, but the path to it is different. There are also new characters and another subplot involving family rivalry.

After the entire narrative is written down, John analyzes it for inconsistencies and contradictions. He makes edits altering or modifying something or rearranging the timeline of events. He repeats the process with every single character by running the story through their eyes, focusing on events as were experienced by each character and retelling the narrative from their perspective. He makes sure their actions are consistent with their personalities and backstories.

Lastly, John confirms that the main plot points in the story from its beginning to its end have lasting consequences to shape the story's narrative arc until ultimately leading to a resolution. "Story is everything and everything else is subordinated to it." -John Rivera-Resto.

Creating a dramatic script

John strongly believes that in both theater and film, all artistic choices, including sound and visual elements, and performances, are ultimately subservient to the narrative and its impact on the audience. For this reason, John never moves forward until "the story clicks". From them on, he moves from paper and pen to typing on a word processor.

Once satisfied with the story, John took the next step: dividing it into acts and scenes to create a dramatic script. This is the blueprint for the play. Acts and scenes are used to break down the story into manageable sections for the audience to digest. Scripts are basically divided into three acts representing a beginning, a middle, and an end. In other words, acts represent the setup, confrontation, and resolution of the story.

Acts are then divided into scenes to control narrative flow and tension, develop characters and conflict, and encourage audience participation. Another pragmatic reason for this format in a play is to allow scenery changes between scenes, give the actors and audience a break, and just as importantly, to allow everyone to attend to their bodily needs!

Before sitting down to write the play script, John already knew the story would be presented in two parts. He estimated that each part would last about 120 minutes on stage (two hours). That became his target time. Dividing the story in two would also help the audience focus separately on the two main characters: Doncan and Macbeth. It also made the production manageable since the "installments" would be shown on different days.

Each installment focusses on specific thematic elements or time period, allowing John to explore different facets of the story and characters over time. He divided the play into six acts: three on the first installment (part 1), and three on the second installment (part 2), and then divided the story in each act into scenes. With the narrative of the story broken down into acts and scenes, he moved on to the third and most challenging step: writing dialogue.

Adding dialogue

"Writing great dialogue is like walking around with a loaded gun while having a chip on your shoulder. It's a dangerous combination that leads to an explosive ending." -John Rivera-Resto.

Dialogue gives voice to the characters. It's crucial for telling the story and communicating information to the audience. So, after dividing the story into acts and scenes, stage directions and so on, dialogue was added following the traditional format of plays. John used everyday language for the characters, both English and Spanish speakers. But because Tropico Macbeth is set in the Caribbean in the 1930s, he used the idioms and colloquialisms of the time. And, to make sure he got it right, he also watched films from the era to capture their rhythm.

Over time, John has adopted certain personal rules for writing dialogue that can be applied to most productions:

 1- Don't waste words describing what's seen on stage -such as scenery, props, costumes, or physical descriptions.

 2- Each line must have a purpose that's significant to the plot.

 3- Don't waste words; get to the point.

 4- Don't use words your audience won't understand.

 5- People speak the way they live.

 6- Each profession has its own language.

 7- Don't try to be cute.

 8- Everyone has their own rhythm when speaking.

 9- No two people sound the same.

10- Real-life people use slang.

11- In real life, people swear -some swear a lot!

12- Nationality affects the way you express yourself.

13- Social ranking affects dialogue between unequal people.

14- Changes in lifestyle bring changes in language.

15- People from different age groups tend to say things differently.

16- Body language speaks volumes.

17- Absurdity can be funny.

18- Terror speaks clearly, softly, without emotion and without vulgarity.

19- Dialogue is action, reaction and response.

20- Avoid tongue twisters.

21- English is easier on the throat, but Spanish sounds deadlier.

22- Keep it short; save long speeches for church.

23- If a character speaks with an accent, make it part of his backstory.

24- If an actor speaks with an accent, create a backstory.

25- If an actor can't do a perfect accent, change the actor.

26- Don't use lines out of context.

27- Idiots at the beginning don't speak like geniuses at the end.

28- There are things that should remain unspoken.

29- Every character wants something.

30- Every character fears something.

31- Subtext is seen through body language, not usually spoken

A difficult problem to address when writing dialogue is the need for extensive exposition. This may be necessary to reveal information, explain details about a character, or advance the plot. Viewers watching a play set in a historical period will likely have gaps in their knowledge that need to be filled in order to understand some of the story's plot points.

John faced this problem when writing a very important scene in Tropico Macbeth: the "Americans" scene. There are characters who spoke either English or Spanish. In fact, a bilingual character from each group had to translate to the others in their group.

But this arrangement was designed to break up the long exposition with actions, gestures, and reactions from other characters. In this way, he managed to create moments of tension and conflict, and reveal information in an engaging way for the audience.

The revelations cleared the way for the story to flow smoothly through the play. And, they were interesting and “gossipy”: the new US foreign policy toward Latin America, driven by the election of Franklin D. Roosevelt; the use of economic power by US conglomerates to influence local political decisions in their favor; the slaughterhouse that gave rise to Macbeth: the Chaco War; the deadly internal political conflict between the Doncan and the Orillan family; the unusual circumstances of Macbeth's marriage; and the plot to get rid of him.

The resulting scene is a masterclass in writing and stagecraft. The actors were perfectly cast. In fact, the "American actors" didn't understand a word of Spanish! But by placing the only woman in the group at the center, wearing her distinctive red beret, the audience's attention was drawn primarily to her, the playwright's spokesperson.

This interesting arrangement juxtaposition of characters, the changing documentary background imagery, the clever weaving of two languages and the natural way the characters learned and revealed facts, created a perfect balance for conveying information without sacrificing authenticity and moving the story in a captivating and engaging way.

A key component of good dialogue is the actors' delivery. The right actor makes all the difference. When preparing the scene, John took Gloria Ossa aside (a Chilean actor) and explained the importance of the scene and his concern with the long sections of dialogue. It was up to her to "dominate" the men and keep things interesting. He said: "Treat them like a group of kids."

Gloria replied that she grew up with four brothers and she could handle them. And in fact, she was superb! It turned out to be one of John's favorite scenes, and the audience's as well. During one of the rehearsals, John applauded the cast and said, "That was so good, I almost forgot I wrote it!" A huge compliment, indeed. That’s what great dialogue does.

Making time disappear

A two-hour play can feel like an eternity unless time disappears, keeping the audience completely absorbed in the story. To achieve this, John structured his scenes like the great film directors, creating a series of sequences that build toward the climax. Each sequence is a narrative unit within a film with a beginning, a middle, and an end, just like the script, usually composed of several thematically or visually connected scenes.

Sequences are like a series of mini-stories that typically last between 10 and 15 minutes on screen, each building on the previous one and increasing the tension until the end. By sequencing a long story into manageable chunks, the audience gains a clear view of the plot as it unfolds and becomes more involved in the narrative until the end.

Here's an example of how it works: John's favorite film is Lawrence of Arabia which was directed by David Lean. The movie was a critically acclaimed masterpiece, winning seven Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director. It kept audiences glued to their seats, despite running almost four hours! Lean achieved this by dividing the script from beginning to end into sixteen cinematic sequences. For Trópico Macbeth, considering the differences between the two dramatic mediums, John adapted this sequencing method to his play to achieve similar results.

For example: In Trópico Macbeth Part 1, Act 1 establishes the situation, introduces the characters, states the ultimate goal, and sets the stage for subsequent developments. John does this by dividing the act into seven scenes, each with its own setting, goal, and theme, similar to the sequences in a movie. The second act introduces the remaining characters, presents a series of obstacles to achieving the goal, and the plan to overcome them. This is accomplished in five scenes.

John then placed an intermission at the end of the second act, knowing that the audience would be eager to come back to see the final outcome. The third act shows the execution of the plan and its consequences, all in six scenes. In addition, the third act also sets up the cliffhanger that would draw the audience back into the theater to see the second installment of the story.

The final countdown for Trópico Macbeth Part 1: eighteen scenes or sequences, with an average length of six and a half minutes. Of course, some scenes ran longer than others, but the method worked. The pacing held the audience's attention throughout the two-hour play, right up to the very end. In the cinematically edited video of the play, it works even better.

Production design

Production design is the creative process of planning and building the visual world of a production. It encompasses the overall look and feel of a scene, including location choices, sets, costumes, props, color scheme and other visual elements drawn from research material. In the theater, production designers work closely with directors to create a coherent visual narrative.

They also collaborate with costume designers, art directors, lighting designers, and other specialists to ensure a cohesive visual style. Production designers are also responsible for managing the art department's budget and schedule. At its core, production design is the process of visually bringing a director's vision to life, creating a world that the audience can believe and be emotionally moved by.

As with all of his productions, John does the production design. Being an artist and designer by trade is a huge advantage. This allows him to ensure his vision is realized, have greater control over the project, and save costs or time. But the biggest advantage of wearing all the hats is that, while writing the script, he's also mentally designing, building, and budgeting the production!

Each scene in his script begins with a description of the set exactly as it will look on stage. Everything is written on the page because he knows how it will be done along with rough estimates of how much time and money it will take to build it. You also have a blueprint or model of the stage you'll be using. So, in addition to planning the scenery, decor, furniture, and props for each scene on paper, you also plan the movement and placement of everything backstage during scene changes. Obviously, this part of the process will evolve and be revised as production begins.

When you also consider that a production like Trópico Macbeth Part 1 has seventeen set changes, one for each scene, we begin to understand the complexity of the situation. Add to that twenty-one actors and a few stagehands moving around in the dark in a tight space, and the situation can feel overwhelming -unless you are John.

This is where five decades of artistic experience working on large-scale projects comes into play. By the time he finishes the scripts (one in Spanish, an English version and a production script with additional notes), so are the production design and budget. This is a monumental time saver; there's no room for waste. If he estimates that something crosses the red line, he simply edits the script and writes his way to a fix. Now, let's compare this to how most productions work.

The director receives a play script to study. The script may or may not have stage directions or descriptive notes. So the director takes notes, worrying primarily about the actors. The production designer receives the same script and also makes notes. The focus will be on the set, decor and props needed.

The costume designer also gets a script with the jobs of coming up with a tally of costumes and how to create them. Then they all meet and compare notes. The director's notes usually get their way. So the production designer and the costume designer make revisions and the production designer estimates a rough production budget. Then the budget goes to the production office.

In almost every case the production manager is told they need to cut costs by half or more. Then they tell the director and the costume designer and he or she isn't happy. So everyone gets together to bump heads and find a pragmatic alternative on how to get it done. In the end, no one is happy, compromises are made and production quality and cohesion suffers. On more occasions than not, they all wanted a thoroughbred horse but ended up with a camel.

The production of Trópico Macbeth avoided most of the production pitfalls because the writer, the producer, the director and the production designer was just one person. This is why John works the way he does and always ends up producing exceptional work in less time and for even less money. But before coming up with production budget, he does one more thing: he creates a production bible.

Imaging the script

Having a well-organized, accurate and comprehensive system that effectively manages and preserves important information is a must. John is a visual artist in every way and imagery is the best way he knows for communicating his thoughts and ideas to others. As soon as the script was completed, he created a visual journal -his "production bible" using images for quick reference and illustration purposes. A visual journal proves invaluable especially when working with volunteers, actors, crews and technicians with little or no experience in stagecraft. A picture is truly worth a thousand words.

The journal is created in Photoshop. It follows the script from beginning to end. There is a heading from every scene with the Act, scene, the setting (where the scene takes place), the corresponding page number on the script and the total number of pages per scene. This last number is important to estimate the time a scene will run. Then icons or figures representing each character appearing on each scene are added. The icons, also created in Photoshop, are simple and easy to read at a glance, with the name of the character they represent listed below.

The journal is especially important to illustrate large ensemble sequences like the scenes with a full orchestra or battle scenes with hundreds of soldiers. At this early stage in the production, these scenes and sequences have not been planned or choreographed. But the illustrations give the production team a clear idea of what the vision is without going into details.

Thanks to the extensive historical research, weapons and props are accurately illustrated. Special visual effect scenes are also represented. John includes the number of actors he might need to film raw videos needed to create action sequences. The illustrations are also a good reminder of challenges that need to resolve, such as acquiring horses and vehicles.

Budgeting

Every producer needs to manage their money, track expenses, and achieve financial goals. This is not easy. You have to estimate income and expenses, set priorities for spending, and track progress toward financial objectives. To do all this you need a plan because this is the one job that no producer wants but can't avoid if you want to succeed in this business. Finding sources of funding is very hard, very competitive and it takes a lot of time.

It is said that producers spend 80% of their time finding money and 20% on artistic work. This is a common saying in the arts and entertainment industries, highlighting the constant challenge of securing funding. And while this is not a precise universally accepted statistic, it reflects a widely held sentiment among producers, particularly in independent projects or those involving fundraising.

Trópico Macbeth was financed primarily with private funds and required more than a year of negotiations. One-fifth of the budget (primarily used to pay actors) came from a public nonprofit organization: :the LatinUs Theater Company. The theater, in turn, receives funding from foundations to serve the general public through cultural enrichment. In industry terms, Muralmaster Studio was the producing entity with full creative control that delivered a product, while LatinUs played a role equivalent to associate executive producer, providing performance space and funding. It was a mutually beneficial partnership.

But before seeking funding, John needed to know how much he would need to finance the project. At this point, several important steps have been completed: historical research, writing the play's script, a production design, and finally, putting together a general visual journal. From this, the production figures were carved. They are basically an accounting of everything needed. They included a count of the cast, a list of costumes, props, scenery, decoration, digital art, special effects, materials, etc., and a list of the technicians and specialists needed to create it all.

Prior experience is essential for a rough budget estimate, as actual costs wouldn't be determined until the costume and set designs were finalized. However, the estimated budget gives a good idea of ​​how much money is needed and helps create a financial plan for raising it. With a budget in mind, John was able to begin negotiating favorable financing terms, such as bartering with other art studios, in-house construction with cost-saving solutions, in-kind donations, calling in favors, or receiving pro bono work.

At the time of writing, in June 2025, the financing process is still ongoing, as Muralmaster Studio aims to film parts 1 and 2 of Tropico Macbeth in the summer of 2026, in a cinematic style similar to that of the famous Shakespeare Series produced by the BBC Masterpiece Theater. The ultimate goal is to find a streaming distributor for online platforms to make it available to a wider audience.

Costume design

With the budget established, John's first task was to design the costumes. Trópico Macbeth required over one hundred costumes and construction had to begin immediately. He had already sketched out design ideas during research and knew exactly what was needed. Two-thirds of the costumes were military uniforms and a color plate of historical costume samples had already been added to the visual journal for easy reference.

German, French, and British World War I-style uniforms and kit had been adopted by most of Latin America. Wealthier countries equipped their soldiers better, but some managed to catch up by adopting native alternatives such as hats or footwear. A notable feature, even in the armed forces of the wealthiest countries, was the color variations in the fabrics of identical uniforms, either due to military contracts with different manufacturers or due to availability issues for certain raw materials. Details like these are important when designing for historical accuracy.

Uniform styles and materials also varied considerably depending on climatic conditions. Since Tropico Macbeth was set on a hot and humid tropical Caribbean island, the designs were narrowed down to uniforms with lighter, summer-appropriate fabrics. Thus, guided by research and other descriptions in the script—such as the fact that the National Guard in Santa Marina received supplies and training from the United States, or that the Macbeth's militia used Bolivian equipment captured by the Paraguayans during the Chaco War—John was able to work quickly and capture his designs in Photoshop.

After completing the designs, an inventory of every garment, hat, footwear, jewelry, accessory, and weapon was taken to calculate the materials and supplies needed. Purchasing costumes was never considered. Except for costume shops for Hollywood films or Broadway productions, there was no other way to get them. Even with a specialty store, the budget would have been far exceeded. So, almost everything was made from scratch.

Costume construction

More than half of the costumes for Trópico Macbeth were made by Isis Quiñones-Torres -"John's right-hand lady." She had collaborated with John as Costumer and Costume Designer for his productions of The House of Bernarda Alba and in Tiempo Muerto. Isis redesigned the construction of some of the costumes to further reduce costs and save time without compromising the historical design.

For example, most of the pockets on the soldier's tunics were fake, and many of the buttons and rank insignia were glued on. Many of the pants were simple white drawstring cotton trousers purchased on discount, dyed to match the tunics. Even garments purchased online from low-cost retailers were altered, dyed, or reconstructed for historical accuracy. But for the most part, materials were purchased at thrift stores, and cotton bed sheets became the primary fabric source. They were dyed as needed before sewing.

After the designs were finalized, the illustrations were copied into detailed costume sheets showing all the costume changes per character. Most actors had two costume changes, while others, playing multiple roles, had more. In addition to the costumes, all the accessories, such as belts and gun holsters, were also made.

All footwear was purchased new from discount stores, ensuring it closely resembled historical models. Costs were cut even further. For example, corrugated cardboard—one of John's favorite and most versatile working materials—was used to create masks, replicas, and props.

Other cost-cutting measures were taken to further reduce expenses. For example, all leather goods were made from synthetic materials and aged to compensate for wear and tear. Some items, such as helmets and military caps, were purchased from military surplus stores at reasonable prices. They were then painted to resemble their historical counterparts.

Several non-firing replica weapons were also purchased and used as models to construct cardboard replicas. The replicas were used to film battle sequences and stunts to avoid injury to the actors or damage to expensive props. Badges, pins, and insignia were 3D printed. The gun replicas were used during performances to give actors a feel for the weight and handling of the real ones.

The costumes took almost a year to create. It was a huge undertaking that was well worth it. Despite time and budget constraints, the production managed to create costumes with a high degree of authenticity that greatly enhanced the quality of the production.

An in-depth look at the costumes for Trópico Macbeth with designer Isis Quiñones-Torres.

Set design

Set design, also known as "scenic design", involves creating the physical environment for theatrical or film production. This includes designing the scenery, props, and decorations to create a believable and visually compelling world for the story. A set designer works closely with the director, costume designer, lighting designer and other members of the production team to create a consistent and unified look for the show. The set designer must also possess strong creative and technical skills to translate the director's vision into a tangible set design.

For Trópico Macbeth, John designed the sets and oversaw construction. This isn't typical for most directors, but it's not uncommon either. Several notable directors have also served as their own production designers or art directors, blending their visual vision with the practical realities of set design or cinematography. In films, examples include Alfred Hitchcock, Stanley Kubrick, David Lynch, James Cameron and Ridley Scott, all of whom had artistic training and could easily handle production design. John feels this is undoubtedly a major advantage in achieving a cohesive artistic vision.

A set designer begins by first obtaining blueprints of the stage where the play will be performed. Trópico Macbeth was scheduled to be presented at the Latinus Theatre in Cleveland, Ohio. John was familiar with the venue since years before he contributed to its design and had directed and done production designs for half a dozen shows.

The next step in set design is to analyze the play to note the number of settings. For practical reasons like set construction and budget, most theaters select plays with a small cast and a limited number of sets or scenes, ideally to just one. In view of the budgetary constraints theaters operate within, it made a lot of sense to think big and act small.

But Trópico Macbeth was the complete opposite. In fact, some of John's confidants questioned the possibility of performing the play as written, on a twenty-five by thirty-one foot (seven-by-ten-meter) stage, especially with such a large cast. But John had actually written the play with the Latinus stage in mind and had even more ambitious plans. He was also going to stage battle scenes and a twenty-piece orchestra. Most thought this was impossible; John was undeterred. What he had in mind was to go beyond traditional stagecraft.

John had considered the complexity that Trópico Macbeth contained sixteen different settings with one repeating twice, for a total of seventeen set changes. But for a person who at sixteen made his reputation by painting a two thousand two hundred and fifty square foot (211.35 square meter) mural without ever taking a painting lesson, this was not much of a challenge.

Instead, his main concern was the limited size of Latinus' backstage area. With a dressing room, a bathroom, a non-standing-area behind the screen -needed to avoid interfering with projected images, that left three hundred square feet (27.8 square meter) of space which was unlit during performances. That about the size of a a 12 x 25 feet (3.65 x 7.62 meter) room. With a cast of twenty one actors and three support crew, there wasn't enough room to spare, let alone for scenery.

To make matters worse, the dressing room only had room for a limited number of actors, leaving more than a dozen without space to change costumes ahead of and during performances. So, before considering the set design, John needed to solve the problem of lack of space backstage. And that's precisely what he did: he rented a mobile container and placed it right in front of the rear exit door.

The storage container was equipped with a table, a few chairs, lamps and a single rail garment rack. Then John assigned the backstage dressing room to the female actors and "the Pod" was turn into "the boy's frat house". Actors could now quietly go in and out the rear door for costume changes or to await stage calls. Lastly, an attendant was added to maintain order and everything worked like clockwork.

Once the backstage space issue was resolved, John set about designing and building the stage set, which was completed in just a few days (more details later). During the performances, the audience was impressed by the staging and the speed of seventeen seamless set changes. And they would have been even more impressed if they had known that almost all of the pieces were hidden on the stage!

Cinematic theater

Trópico Macbeth was staged in a style John calls "cinematic theater". Cinematic theatre style blends theatrical performance with cinematic techniques, using visual media (projections, video) to create a continuous, immersive, and dynamic narrative experience. It's a style that prioritizes a visually rich and engaging atmosphere, blurring the lines between live performance and screen-based storytelling. It incorporates sound effects and music to create a more immersive and atmospheric experience.

John's methodology for creating cinematic theater centers around a rear projection screen on a black box stage, typically a square or rectangular performance space, with black walls and usually a black flat floor. The simplicity of the space setup allows it to be used to create an infinite variety of stage settings for multiple types of performances. There is no elevated stage area; instead, performances often take place directly on the same floor level as the audience.

A major advantage of this setup is that, in addition to a theater, almost any space can be adapted for this type of theater. “Found spaces”, such as a store, a warehouse, a hall, a church, basements, and even an alley, are particularly suitable. The Latinus Theater, for example, used to be part of a warehouse.

The strength of this type of staging setup is that the dark or black space is perceived as an empty area around or between the lighted objects. What's lighted are the performers and this draws attention to the narrative, allowing audiences to fully immerse themselves in the story. The dark spaces also helps create an illusion of depth by making the subject stand out more.

The backdrop screen also appears black when not lighted. But when utilized as a backdroop, it can transformed the stage into any type of setting or moving imagery through the application of rear projection, allowing for diverse performance styles and audience experiences.

In addition to the creative possibilities of cinematic theater, its main attraction is its affordability. Thanks to its minimalist design, set design, lighting, and technical requirements, production costs can be significantly reduced. Therefore, a black box cinema can be cheaper to build and operate than a larger, more sophisticated theater.

John observes several rules about props:

 1- No real glass. Bottles, plates and glasses are plastic or cardboard.

 2- Reconstruct any heavy piece of furniture to make it lightweight.

 3- No real artwork. Make sturdy, lightweight copies.

 4- No real fire. Use water vapor mister with LED color lights to simulate fires.

 5- Use LED candles and lamps –and have spare remote controls and batteries.

 6- You can’t control artificial fog. Make it a projected visual effect

 7- Don’t use fluorescent tape to mark the floor. The audience can see it.

 8- Use carpet pads to silently drag heavy props during scene changes

 9- No real food. Glue plated food or similar props like food baskets as one unit.

10- No real weapons. Use plastic, wood, cardboard or foam replicas.

11- Number every prop and note their placement.

12- Use pads to muffle noises (chairs, tables, shoes, anything metal).

13- Add weight at the base of anything that may tip over.

14- Shit will happen; have Gorilla Tape and Band-Aids close by.

15- No real mirrors –fake it with aluminum foil or a printed image.

16- Have actors handle their personal props.

17- Practice handling props in the dark.

Set and props construction

Once the problem of lack of space backstage was resolved, John began designing the set. Reviewing the script, he made a list of the scenery for each scene. Then he noted how many pieces were needed. He had visualized the sets in his mind when writing the play. But imagining something and building it are two different things.

On stage, pieces change from scene to scene, and you have to find a home for them when they're not in use and plan the logistics of their movements. And this has to be done in seconds under dim lighting conditions. To better understand the complexity of set the design for Trópico Macbeth, let's review the play's set list:

           1- A clearing at the top of a hill in a tropical rain forest

           2- An underground fortress bunker

           3- A natural embankment along a riverbank

           4- A ceremonial bonfire in the middle of a forest

           5- A hilltop overlooking a flooded river

           6- Walkway on the ramparts on a Spanish-style fortress

           7- A room above the town hall with a large window overlooking the fairway

           8- A tarpaulin-covered trellis in the middle of a golf course by the sea.

           9- A bedroom in a government complex

         10- A state room in the governor's mansion

         11- A garden outside the governor's mansion

         12- Another garden near fountains

         13- A presidential bedroom

         14- The rear entrance of a military complex

         15- An ante room in a tropical mansion

         16- A non-specific room near the presidential suite

Except for one set that was used twice—the underground bunker, no two sets were the same. This was intentional. By avoiding repetition, each scene felt fresh and contributed to the story's evolution. Rear projection would make this possible and streamline set changes. But furniture needed to be built, and there was a lot of it.

However, John addressed the problem by designing a minimum number of pieces that could be used in different configurations depending on the needs of each scene. Here's the final list:

           1- Four small tables

           2- Four stools

           3- Four small chairs

           4- A night table

           5- A valet stand

           6- A wash stand

           7- Two tall hedges

           8- An air mattress with built-in frame

           9- A small steel furnace barrel

         10- A marble-brass telephone table

The following images show how this was done:

Clearly, this minimalist approach didn't detract from the grandeur of the sets. The same approach was applied to the props and decorations. Elements such as military communications equipment were reproduced in Photoshop using original army manuals and photographs as reference. The art was printed in two sections and pasted as shown on the image below. The props and set pieces were constructed by Muralmaster Studio at their shop.

Some props, such as the candlestick-shaped telephones used in several scenes, were 3D printed. For safety reasons, all props handled by the actors, including food items, were made out of cardboard, wood or plastic. Attention to detail was paramount. Even brand names and product labels from the 1930s were researched and reproduced. Everything looked incredibly real.

Stagehands

Stagehands, also known as backstage crew or theater technicians, are vital to the success of a theatrical production by ensuring smooth transitions, proper equipment operation, and the overall safety and well-being of performers and the audience. While working behind the scenes, stagehands play a direct role in supporting the artistic vision of the production by executing the director's and technical design's instructions. They are the unsung heroes in any production.

With seventeen scene changes and a large cast operating in a confined space, Trópico Macbeth required careful planning and a trained crew for its success. To avoid adding more people to the space, John´s first decision was to use the actors as stage crew. Other than two additional stagehands, one to help the female actors with costume changes and another to oversee the operation of the outdoor Pod, all scene changes were done by the cast.

But before assigning stagehand duties to the actors, John needed to know their physical location throughout the play. At all times, the actors focused on three areas: onstage during the performance, in the dressing rooms for costume changes, or sitting quietly backstage in their assigned chairs. Production assistant Valeria Rivera and costume designer Isis Quiñones Torres handled this task.

The next step was to prepare a list of all the props used in each scene and assign them to a prop box. The prop boxes consisted of five plastic containers and the military radio, which also served as a box, for a total of six. They were placed in different, easily accessible locations. Then, color-coded charts were created marking the position and movement of each piece of scenery and prop used in each scene. Finally, specific actors were assigned to handle the boxes during scene changes and their subsequent return. Others were also in charge of moving the scenery pieces.

A couple of days were spent rehearsing scene changes so everyone could become familiar with the process. This was critical to ensuring that set changes were carried out quickly and safely on a dark stage with dimly lit wings. A prop table was set up backstage, and the hedge scenery doubled as storage cabinets. The prop boxes were assigned to these locations.

The final piece of the system was the addition of a board with coat hooks on the side walls for hanging accessories like hats and weapons. Some actors were responsible for carrying their own personal props like tobacco pipes, cigarrete holders, eye glasses and so on. These were stored on the prop table or inside the scenery hedges, which also served as storage shelves. The hedges were equipped with a dimmable interior light and carpet pads were secured under to glide them silently across the stage floor.

During a scene change, the designated actors on stage would collect the props in the appropriate boxes, while others waiting in the wings would handle the moving of the scenery, etc. The brilliant aspect of the stage design was that the set pieces, built to be strong yet lightweight, remained hidden behind the black curtains in the wings until needed. They were concealed, yet just a few feet away.

John's production assistant and stage crew coordinator, Sylka Edmondson, oversaw the smooth running of scene changes during rehearsals and performances. She in turn was assisted by two other cast members who made sure every item was in its place before each performance. The black stage side walls were mark with fluorescent tape so actors would not bump into them and at all times the assistants carried pocket lamps to use as needed. Everyone performed brilliantly.

When designing productions like Trópico Macbeth, John always keeps in mind that theater audiences not only fall in love with the stories, the performances and the visuals. They also love the magic and the spectacle of the staging that produced it. But the most magical effect of the Tropico Macbeth set design is, without a doubt, the background plates projected on the screen. That's our next topic.

Digital Painting and Rear Projection

The principles of rear projection are quite basic: a projector is placed behind the screen, projecting an image, a video or an animation onto it, visible to the audience in front. Actors or objects can be positioned in front of the screen, and the projected image creates the illusion of a background. This technique is commonly used in film and entertainment to create the illusion of depth and realism.

Rear projection offers several advantages. Firstly, it is less intrusive than front projection, as the performers in front of the screen do not cast shadows. Secondly, it allows the stage to be illuminated (with certain provisions) without compromising image quality. And lastly, some of the projected light can illuminate the foreground subjects, creating a more realistic effect.

The screen used for rear projection is designed to be translucent, allowing light to pass through and creating a visible image in front. The images fed to the projector are known as "digitally painted plates" or commonly known as "plates" or "mattes" in filmmaking. These plates are created through digital painting techniques and used as dynamic and detailed backdrops in theatrical productions, replacing or complementing traditional painted scenery.

The plates used for projection can be digitized photographs, other visual art, or videos. However, for large-scale projections, the plate's resolution is crucial to achieving high-quality images. The larger the screen, the higher the resolution for greater clarity and detail. Therefore, to achieve the level of realism necessary for production, high-resolution images were needed.

However, the perfect image for projection must be created; it will never be found. For starters, unless you subscribe to a platform or service that offers access to a wide variety of digital images for purchase or licensing, you won't find one online with sufficient resolution to look good when enlarged with the projector.

Furthermore, to achieve realism and seamless integration with the real environment, the perspective and scale of the image must match. This last detail is what distinguishes the beginner from the professional. Making projection plates is an art that requires knowledge, experience, and technical skill.

Two types of digital plates were created for the work: static and animated. Static plates were used when the background consisted of a fixed image that didn't move or change. Animated plates consisted of a sequence of static plates superimposed and manipulated to create the illusion of movement. See the following images to see how this is done:

Digital matte painters play a crucial role in creating believable and visually stunning environments and backdrops for live theater, just as they do in film and television productions. They offer a versatile and often more economical alternative to traditional painted backgrounds, allowing for a wider variety of settings, animations, and visual effects.

Becoming a digital matte painter requires a high level of skill and a combination of artistic and technical experience that is invaluable to any production. Each high-resolution plate is created to match the perspective and scale of the physical set, creating a seamless integration of illusion and reality. Without this expertise, complex productions like Trópico Macbeth would not be possible.

An in-depth look at digitally painted backgrounds.

Creating animatics

Theater directors need a tool that serves as a visual model to effectively plan, organize, and communicate their vision. These tools include storyboards, scale models, digital design software (2D and 3D), and visualization apps. These resources help directors conceptualize the staging, blocking, and overall aesthetic, while also facilitating clear communication with the cast and crew.

Since his early days in the theater, John has rendered storyboards for all of his projects. He did so traditionally with pencil and paper, but soon adopted a more painterly style using black and white ink and a small brush. However, since 2020, he has switched to 3D models and digital software to create renderings by using SketchUp and Photoshop.

With these new tools, John went a step forward and transformed his storyboards into 'animatics'. Animatics are created by stringing together a series of storyboard images, adding timing, sound effects, and dialogue to create a visual representation of how a scene will unfold in motion. Essentially, they are animated storyboards.

To complete the process, the storyboard images are imported into editing software, such as Adobe Premiere Pro or After Effects. To produce his animatic for Trópico Macbeth, John used DaVinci Resolve video editing and post-production software. The end result was an animated version of the entire play before any casting was done. What follows is a detailed narrative of how the animatics were created.

Using SketchUp, John created a simple 3D model of the Latinus Theater. He was already an expert in architectural modeling and had built scale model sets for previous projects. His 3D model showed the performance space, the backstage, and the projection screen that divided the two sections. Even the outdoor pod was depicted. He also added the blocking curtain and proscenium, the dressing room and restroom, the actors' chairs, and the prop table at the rear.

Once the architectural portion of the model was complete, copies of the set pieces were modeled in SketchUp. These were also scaled. Low-resolution files of the background plates were then made. These would be added to the model's projection screen. With everything needed to recreate each scene ready, models were constructed for each character in the play.

Design renderings and storyboards were created before the play was cast. John already had several actors committed to playing certain roles and used their likenesses for character portrayals. But the faces were mostly sourced from stock photos. Some images were retouched in Photoshop to add additional visual elements in a more practical way.

After completing all the panels to visually represent the story, a sound effects library and a dialogue track were created. All of these elements were combined in DaVinci Resolve to create the animatic. To create the dialogue track, John recorded all the dialogue from the script while acting out the scene to recreate the actual length of the performance. This was important to get a good approximation of the play's length by playing back the animatic.

The next section explains the process of manipulating and arranging images to create a final, coherent video animatic. It involves organizing, cutting, and combining clips, adding transitions, effects, sound, and other elements to convey a story or message.

Video and sound editing

John learned to edit videos before computers by working on student films in the late 70s and early 80s. Films were physically cut and spliced by hand in a cutting and splicing machine, usually a Moviola (a mechanical film editing device, primarily used from the 1920s to the 1970s), in order to make “edits”. Each edit required precise physical manipulation, making the process very time-consuming.

In 2006, he created his first animatic on an Avid Media Composer workstation, a non-linear editing platform using Avid's Media Composer software. In the last 20 years, video editing software has undergone significant evolution, moving from a specialized, expensive tool to a widely accessible and powerful platform. For Trópico Macbeth, John used DaVinci Resolve Studio.

An early 2006 animatic by John using ink painted boards on color paper, music, sound effects and narration.

Editing begins with loading all the necessary video, audio, and image files into the programs. This includes storyboard panels, sound effects, dialogue tracks, music tracks and placeholders. A "placeholder" is an image added to the timeline as a "stand-in" for the special visual effects sequences that will be created later during production. Their duration is adjusted to the length of the soundtrack.

There are several ways to construct an animatic depending on the person doing the editing. John's process begins by dragging and dropping the image files into a timeline. He works sequentially, scene by scene. After adding the chronology of the images, he adds the dialogue track. This will determine the flow of the images and their timing. Once the images and dialogue are synchronized, he adds sound effects. At this stage he doesn't have the score but might add a piece of music he likes to give an idea of what he envisions.

Over the years, John has built an extensive library of sound effects. Many of them he recorded himself. Most of the added sounds are composite, meaning that a specific sound is created by combining several individual sound elements or tracks. This layering effect adds a lot of substance to the sound. For example, in an ambient track for a stormy scene, he combines sounds of soft and loud rain, distant thunder, shifting wind, nearby thunder, rain hitting foliage, and so on.

Since the Tropico Macbeth production features actors and crew who communicate in two languages, John completes the animatic by adding subtitles. This eliminates communication barriers and makes the content accessible to everyone. The final animatic is essentially an animated storyboard that shows a clear visual representation of the project, facilitating better understanding and collaboration between the creative team and stakeholders.

This is a fragment from the Trópico Macbeth animatic. It´s the best way to see the entire play before committing to full production, saving time and money.

Creating the musical score

John's favorite soundtrack is Maurice Jarre's soaring score for David Lean's 1962 epic film, "Lawrence of Arabia." For him it was a revelation of the power of music to significantly enhance emotional impact, narrative, and the overall viewing experience. For his own productions, music is equally important. John says, "Music is one of the most powerful creative tools for evoking emotion, creating atmosphere, and capturing audience attention."

"A score" is original music written for a film or show. It is not the same as "the soundtrack", which refers to songs that are either licensed or created for the production by music groups and artists. Writing a musical score involves a combination of creativity, technical skill, and often collaboration. A strong foundation in music theory and knowledge of how to write for different instruments and vocal ranges is essential for composing effectively.

John had planned to use five original recordings from the 1930s for the gala orchestra sequence in Trópico Macbeth. These songs were old enough to be in the public domain, like Carlos Gardel's classic 1934 tango "Volver." It would have been impossible to recreate the Spanish Caribbean of the 1930s without its iconic music. But he still needed a score.

A few years earlier, while planning the production of "Tiempo Muerto," John had begun studying music to write the score, but time wasn't on his side. Fortunately, he met another fellow Clevelander, Uruguayan composer Pablo D. Gómez-Sandro, and that was the beginning of their first collaboration.

In films, musical scores are usually composed in post-production, after principal photography has wrapped. But in live theater, the score comes first. So, as soon as the animatic was completed, John gave Pablo a copy to begin working on. The value of animatics in this situation is that the composer can see and hear the entire story in real time, making scene composition and timing easier. The following video shows how Pablo composed the score:

Interview with composer Pablo Gómez-Sandro and his work on Trópico Macbeth.

Casting talent

Casting Trópico Macbeth was an exercise in frustration and originality. Up until a couple of weeks before the premiere, John was still looking for actors for various roles. Casting a play can be challenging for a variety of reasons, including finding actors who fit specific roles, managing competition, budget limitations and overcoming logistical obstacles.

For starters, the cast of Shakespeare's Macbeth is predominantly male: eighteen male characters and six female characters (or fewer if double-cast). John changed the casting dynamic in his play by adding more female characters to the story, but half of them also played double roles. The problem was that there were potentially more female actresses than male actors to choose from.

Then there was the language issue. The production needed Spanish-speaking actors, bilingual actors, and actors who only spoke English. The Spanish-speaking actors had to be fluent native Spanish speakers—that is, Spanish had to be their native tongue. This is because, in real life, English speakers who learn Spanish as a second language always sound like English speakers who learned Spanish as a second language. The opposite is usually true for native Spanish speakers; many speak English like native English speakers.

The next big issue was the extended run of the play. Many actors who contacted the production for roles were not available for the rehearsal and running schedule. This problem was endemic. It felt as though every potential actor in the city of Cleveland was leaving town on vacation at around the same time -from July to October. With a large cast, juggling schedules would have been a nightmare.

Another unexpected issue was immigration. With the changing political landscape, people chose to stay out of the spotlight. Furthermore, some with immigration or transition documents needed to renew them, but no one seemed to know when. Given this uncertainty, people couldn't be sure of their availability to commit to the production.

The situation worsened. An unexpected problem was what John called the "Hollywood wives syndrome." Thirteen actors and technicians (yes, thirteen), all of whom had been interested in the project from the moment it was revealed, flatly refused to participate because they didn't want to work with so-and-so in the cast. One actually backed out during a costume fitting.

And then, what John had hoped would be the easiest casting job —hiring English-speaking actors to play the "Americans"—turned out to be a daunting task. For starters, unionized Equity actors aren't supposed to be cast in non-union productions, which include Community Theater. Trópico Macbeth was a non-union production at a community theater. Consequently, many potential non-union actors dropped out for some of the reasons mentioned above or others simply because they belonged to the union. Financially, they were out of reach for the production.

Lastly, an angel investor who was going to be instrumental in funding the casting of three lead actors from other states sadly passed away. This was a harsh blow because among these actors were two John wanted for certain roles and was also willing to cast in the role of Macbeth! Considering the magnitude of the project and the unexpected problems with casting, that were demanding even more of his time, this was a sensible decision.

In the end, after months of frustration, John decided to do what he's done with practically seventy-five-percent of his projects: act "outside the box." He decided to start over and hire non-actors for the production. He would use the talent available from previous productions, but he would draw on the lessons learned from past experiences, follow his intuition and work creatively.

The result was a cast composed of two-thirds first-time or inexperienced actors and one-third seasoned actors with varying levels of experience. Being the writer, director, and producer of the production allowed John the luxury of breaking away from traditional or conventional methods without much resistance, opposition, fear, or anxiety. He then enlisted the help of competent and reliable people for key positions and moved on.

Rehearsals

John hates over-rehearsing a play! He believes it makes performances seem too practiced, stiff, or unnatural. This bores him completely, both as an actor and a director. He typically avoids the standard practice of having the cast do readings and then discuss the performance and character development. He doesn't direct by consensus.

Instead, once an actor is cast and before they begin memorizing lines, John works independently with the actor on character development, exploring their motivations, relationships, and backstories before doing group rehearsals. As soon as an actor gets the script, John gives them a detailed written backstory of the character and his relationship with other characters in the play. So when the actor starts memorizing lines, he/she has a mental image of who the character is.

John wants actors to embody the character he envisioned and voiced in the script. They do this by using their voice, body language, and emotional range to portray the character convincingly. John says, “I think a deep understanding of their character allows them to act more naturally. When they fully immerse themselves in the role, the performance feels more authentic and less like they’re just reciting dialogue.”

His casting practice is also based on the idea that the actor must fully embody the role. So, instead of holding auditions, he approaches actors he has already seen on stage and finds compelling. Their physical attributes must fit the character. But John also pays close attention to the tone and rhythm of their voice, their body movements, their facial expressions, and their on-stage pose when not delivering lines, as well as how the audience reacts to them.

When he meets with someone he wants to cast, whether an experienced actor or someone who's never acted before, he does it in an informal setting, with food or refreshments. He asks them to talk about themselves and watches them closely as they do so. He looks for that elusive quality called charisma. That captivating flair that connects with others, that makes people feel drawn to or moved by a person. This is acting gold.

After a relaxed conversation, he mentions the character he has in mind and asks their opinions. Many express fear of not being able to live up to expectations, but John guides them step by step on how to achieve it. What's more, if he didn't already believe in them, they wouldn't be having this conversation.

Rehearsals began with the supporting cast, mostly first time actors. In Trópico Macbeth they played non-speaking roles but played more than one character. For example, actor Danny Castro played a communications officer, a guard and a photographer. All non-speaking roles, though he also played Chief of Police Juan Corcino with lines! John treats the supporting cast with the same attention as the leads. They are the ones who make the world around them believable.

After reviewing the fundamentals of stagecraft, they learn how to properly handle 1930s props, from weapons to a typewriter to an SCR-131 (a portable continuous wave (CW) loop telegraph that transmits and receives military radios). They then learn how to react to what's happening in each scene, whether through the actions of other actors or through sound or visual effects, such as being bombarded or hearing the sound of approaching footsteps that could mean instant death.

Once satisfied with the supporting cast, John forgets about them; they have flown the nest. They no longer need him, they know what they must do. In his experience, new actors bend over backwards not to let their director down. He trusts them to help each other from them on. They are hardworking, diligent and take their roles very seriously. "You are here because I need you. I can't do this without you. But together we are going to do magic." -John Rivera-Resto during their first group breakfast meeting at his home.

John then began rehearsals with the lead actors after a brief review of the protocol. Most, though not all, had already been on stage. He continued with scene blocking, a process that involves carefully planning and organizing the actors' movements, positions, and interactions within a scene. Everyone has been emailed a copy of the animatic so they could refer to each other's movements from scene to scene in relation to the story. Afterward, both the lead and supporting actors were brought together to run the movements. Once this was accomplished, performance directing began.

Directing

As presented in a previous section, John approaches directing as an auteur, a style where the director's vision dominates every aspect of the production. He is clear about his vision and communicates it effectively with the cast and crew. He expects actors to study the script, their characters, their relationships with other characters, the chronology of the scenes they perform, and learn their lines "before" the first rehearsal. Plain and simple, acting is work, it's collaborative work and an unprepared actor can slow the entire process. For this reason he says he directs "movie style".

John follows a consistent process with actors. It starts with emails with both language versions of the script as soon as they are selected. Except for last-minute casting calls, this is usually done months in advance. Actors are responsible for printing a hard copy if they wish. Some use digital tablets. This is a personal matter. The page numbers on all scripts (in Spanish, English, and one for the production technicians) are consistent for easy reference.

Renderings of the character's costume and a Costume Form are also included as an email attachment, which actors must promptly return with their measurements. Everyone also receives a copy of the animatic so they can see John's vision for the entire production and any special visual effects not available until later in the production. During this time, he is always available by email or for in-person discussions.

At the beginning of the rehearsal with lead actors, they take notes while blocking out scenes. An open conversation takes place while stage movements are carefully choreographed, and actors can ask questions to clarify any concerns. Then John sets aside time to rehearse individually with each one. In this intimate setting, actors feel safe to take risks and make mistakes without fear of criticism. Then he works them in small groups. One advantages of this process is that during that first group interaction, actors reactions are more genuine.

With a full cast on set, it can be difficult to focus on individual performances to tell the story. That's why John works separately with the leads, out of sequence, with those who typically share scenes. An important aspect that distinguishes him from other directors is that the script already includes his instructions. This helps the actors understand their roles and deliver nuanced performances aligned with the director's vision. They already know what he wants. And not having to waste time giving instructions cuts on the amount of rehearsals.

John understands that community theater actors have regular jobs, so they have little free time to dedicate to acting. Most only perform in one production a year, so they don't have much experience. They have the heart, but that´s not enough. That's way John does as much visual and preparatory work as possible to give everyone a detailed, intensive course on production and an understanding of where he is taking them. He also maintains a relaxed set. As long as they deliver, he overlooks traditional conventions.

When an actor does well, John doesn't add much, other than a nod or a smile. He might utter one word: "Good." He doesn't over explain things but he gives clear and concise direction in English or Spanish. If he is satisfied with a performance, he moves on to where guidance may be needed. He believes that actors who need constant reassurance during rehearsals are trying to counteract self-doubt, often a result of being unprepared. So he encourages them to seek help and comfort from other actors on their own time, not during rehearsals.

"When an actor comes prepared (knowing their lines, their cues and their characters), I focus on shaping the performance. This helps everyone in the cast. But actors who skip their homework and constantly try to remember their lines, struggle to fully embody their characters. It becomes impossible to develop a believable and engaging performance with the rest of the cast. And when an actor misses cues and starts making excuses, it disrupts the rhythm and flow of the scene. This causes other actors to falter or lose focus. This wastes everyone's time." -John on actors.

John strictly adheres to the script and does not allow the actors to make changes. He expects actors to deliver the lines as he wrote them. However, he will change a word or phrase in a line if necessary. And, although actors cannot modify the script, he may allow the addition of some exclamations or expressions proposed by the actor, as long as it improves the story and then remain the same in each performance. This rule is crucial because, in a bilingual play like Trópico Macbeth, an audio translation is transmitted to the audience via wireless earbuds. The taped dialogue has to match the actor's dialogue on stage.

After having gone through all the scenes with the lead actors, John added the supporting cast and began full-cast rehearsals in chronological order, starting with the first act. With such a large cast of new actors, John enlisted the help of director Dante F. Larzabal (Babel Box Theater) to perfect their performances. So, after working on stage with John, most actors spent their free time working with Dante, polishing their scenes.

During the final weeks of rehearsal, John focused on storytelling and the technical aspects of the production. Dante oversaw the rehearsals when John played Macbeth on stage. As an actor, he has no problem concentrating on his character while leaving the overall direction to the designated director. As a producer, he kept everything running smoothly, splitting his time between the theater and the production studio, working sixteen hours a day and sleeping four. The off time was for meals, reviewing notes from the previous day and making new ones for the next.

John drives himself hard but he also selected people he could trust to lighten the load. For example, Dante is a director John deeply respects, having directed his performance in "Death and the Maiden." John knew Dante could do what he didn't have time to do, namely, coach new actors into becoming great performers. And he had to do it in a matter of weeks. From start to finish, rehearsals were a marathon.

The rehearsal period lasted eight weeks, with rehearsals weekday evenings and Saturdays, a remarkably short time considering the size and scope of the production. Everyone exceeded expectations, including their own. It was a remarkable thing to watch the transformation someone who had never been on a stage transform into a solid actor. One example was Fernando Ramos, who played Malcolm after twice rejecting John's offer for this key role.

John persisted; Fernando was perfect casting as Malcom: bilingual, matinee idol handsome, with a magnificent voice, and very charismatic. He had to play the son a dictator and an American socialite, someone who moves easily between two worlds: the Hispanic and the Anglo-Saxon. Fernando nailed the role! John's final observation on direting is this: "Sometimes a director's main task is to keep the fear of failure at bay, inspire others to believe in themselves, and prove the skeptics wrong."

Setbacks

There were many setbacks during rehearsals. As already mentioned, most community theater actors are not professionals. They have day jobs and family responsibilities to attend to. Some barely had time to travel from work to attend rehearsals. Others travelled in rush hour traffic from the nearby city of Lorain to the theater in Cleveland. A few had to drop unexpectedly due to illness or changing schedules at their jobs.

John understood the nature of the game well, so to speak. For the production, he made sure everyone kept him informed of conflicts and planned accordingly, using stand-ins for absent actors. He maintained a relaxed atmosphere to ease tensions. He pushed everyone to hit their marks, but he made sure they had fun and enjoyed the work. And he led by example. But while he managed well on the performance side of things, he had serious issues to contend with on the technical side.

Knowledge of stagecraft, lighting, sound, costume design, and set design are crucial for effectively leading a technical team, especially in cinematic theater. But equally important is that a director values ​​their contribution. "Ten actors for a tech!" was one of John's laments (paraphrasing Shakespeare's famous line from Richard III: "My kingdom for a horse!"). He would add, "Actors are found, technicians are made." In other words, technical knowledge and skills cannot be faked.

The lack of sufficient technicians for a theatrical production can be a challenge. For Trópico Macbeth, more than for others, good sound and lighting were critical, especially during rehearsals. The actors used sound cues in almost every scene and visual cues for scene changes. In the past, John was used to having a temporary light board and sound box on the director's table to key cues during rehearsals. But the technicians he'd hired (and their equipment) left the project before it began, and it proved impossible to replace them.

"No hay mal que por bien no venga" ("Every cloud has a silver lining") is a Spanish proverb that means something positive can always emerge from a bad situation. John had to work until the last minute to resolve the technical issue, but thanks to lighting designer Jaemin Park, he came out on top. But perhaps the most frustrating problem of all was finding English-speaking actors to play "the Americans." In a two-month period, John received over thirty-five rejections, ranging from issues with the actors' union to vacation plans.

So he called or visited other theaters asking for help, and they posted calls for actors on their roster. But no one called, and the few who did backed out due to scheduling conflicts. So John did what he'd done before: he cast non-actors, and he couldn't have been happier. Finding these actors proved extremely difficult, but in the end, everything worked out wonderfully. The "americanos" scene was one of his favorites.

One actress he didn't have a hard time casting was Nancy Lewis-Rivera, John's wife, who was making her acting debut. She played Frances Meggy, "the second richest heiress in America." John wrote the role for her, considering that he would otherwise have seen little of her during that year of production. Nancy worked as a research and development chef during the day, so their schedules didn't match up. Being on the production solved that problem, and she turned out to be a natural!

Visual Effects

Video Effects (VFX) are techniques used to manipulate and enhance video footage, adding visual interest, improving quality, or creating a specific mood or atmosphere. These effects can range from simple adjustments like color correction to more complex manipulations like Computer-Generated Imagery (CGI) or special effects. In essence, VFX is the umbrella term for all post-production visual enhancements.

On the other hand, Special Video Effects (SFX), also known as "Practical Effects or Mechanical Effects" in the theater, specifically refer to physical, on-set effects created during performances. Essentially, SFX are hands-on, real-world effects, whereas Video Effects (including Chroma Key Compositing and CGI) are typically created using computers with digital tools.

Trópico Macbeth used video effects to create animated backdrops, scene transition sequences and other visuals used for projection. No practical effects, such as theatrical pyrotechnics (flames, smoke), fake blood or fog were used during performances. They were simply not practical or required for the production.

Cinematic theater is all about audience immersion. A play set on a historical setting and with a different cultural context, needs to establish a recognizable landmark to inform the audience of the physical location of the narrative. This also helps viewers orient themselves within the play's world and provides a foundation for understanding the story that is about to unfold. To accomplish this, John opened Trópico Macbeth with a video preamble.

The preamble, which features three Santería sorceresses (similar to the three witches in Shakespeare's Macbeth) walking through a tropical rain forest, immerses viewers in a journey that provides implicit information about the play's genre, tone, and cultural context. It is extremely effective and rapidly captures the audience's attention and imagination. To create the sequence, John used a combination of special effects.

The production had over two dozen video sequences and animated backdrops with over one hundred special effects. They needed to be done in a short amount of time and they needed to be created inexpensively. This type of work requires time and the skills of artists, video composers, editors, and directors of photography. This is where it gets expensive, but an advantage for the production was that John had professional experience in all these areas. And he also knew how to save money.

He only hired a few important technicians he couldn't do without: a Videographer to video record, a Chroma Key Artist, and a CGI artist. Through Muralmaster Studio, more artists contributed their time to single tasks, such as providing certain effects or imagery for compositing, or acting as a second videographer. John, in addition to doing the matte paintings, did video compositing and editing and also some camera work.

Recording the green screen shots was a priority, as they are a vital component of the special effects scenes. John converted the theater stage into a green screen studio by projecting a solid green color onto the screen and covering the floor with green fabric and paper. Two wooden platforms and sawhorses (sawbucks) were used for all setups. The first recordings took place in early April, followed by two more days in July to record the orchestra and dancers in various scenes.

Nearly the entire cast participated in these recordings, and volunteer actors were added to the group for action sequences or as musicians. Actors Pablo de la Vega (Argentina), Rodney Lewallen (Cleveland), and Luis Galicia (Venezuela) played so many roles during the recordings and performances that they had more stage time than most of the lead cast.

It takes time, resources and many skilled artists to do a production of this scale. But Trópico Macbeth demonstrates that incorporating cinematic techniques into live performances creates a captivating narrative that draws audiences in. This is what cinematic theater does. It engages multiple senses with images, lighting, sound, music, props, costumes, and powerful characters, so the boundaries between performance and reality are blurred, creating a state of immersion that makes the audience feel integrated into that world.

The Santa Marina Orchestra

As mentioned earlier, there were some who told John they could not see the staging of Trópico Macbeth as it was written. So far, we have seen and learned how he did it. But the one thing skeptics got a good laugh from, was when John said he wanted a twenty-piece orchestra from the 1930s, and couples dancing the rhumba (rumba). This was for the most spectacular scene in the play: The Governor's Inaugural Gala.

John planned to videotape the orchestra's performance for projection. That still left many issues unresolved, such as hiring an orchestra to record both video and sound. What's more, John wanted to record four musical numbers, which involved the additional problem of obtaining sheet music for the musicians to perform—and tuxedos! The dancers were feasible, but there was one thing that invalidated the entire issue: there was no money to do it.

The 1930s, often called the Swing Era, was a golden age for big bands and orchestras. In Latin orchestras, traditional Caribbean percussion instruments played a more prominent role, with the addition of bongos, congas, timbales, maracas, and güiros, which emphasized Afro-Cuban rhythms and sounds. This was the orchestra John wanted.

To sum up this story, suffice it to say that John, as usual, got his way. He created a 17-piece orchestra from scratch! He played the congas, and his wife, Nancy, played the piano. The musicians were filmed in silhouette against a green screen in April 2024. In July, John filmed the dancers, which came mostly from the production's cast and crew.

To ensure the orchestra scene felt authentic, John asked his friend, actor and musician Tim Keo, to direct it. The recording session took around four hours. But the most remarkable thing about the whole experience was that the only additional expense to the production was the low cost of a dozen tuxedo jackets from an online used clothing store. All the production secrets for this remarkable achievement are revealed in the video below.

An in-depth look at how to create an orchestra in one day with no musicians, no musical instruments, and no money.

Lighting tips

To enhance the realism and three-dimensionality of subjects on stage, it's necessary to master lighting. A master creates a powerful emotional impact that helps convey the psychological depth of the character; a beginner makes characters appear as flat, two-dimensional cutouts. Painters have known this for centuries, and photographers imitate them. Have you heard of "Rembrandt lighting"?

Lighting designers are artists and technicians. They learned lighting lessons from the masters, but they also learned the science that explains why these techniques work. In short, without going into details, the combination of the eye's pupil size adjustment, the two photoreceptor cells in the retina and visual salience (parts of an object or image that stand out) determine how we see things.

When applying this knowledge to theatrical lighting, we learn that the eye is drawn to bright areas of the stage, especially those with contrasting colors and movement, and tends to ignore dark areas. In a black box theater, with black curtains and walls obscuring visual stimuli, the mind is activated, generating a psychological effect that amplifies imagination and anxiety, contributing to a unique form of immersion.

By understanding how the brain processes light and dark, good lighting designers follow the motto: "Light the actor, not the stage." In other words, lighting design prioritizes illuminating the performers, their actions, and expressions, minimizing light on the stage or surrounding background. And when the audience's attention is focused on the actors, an unspoken and personal experience is created.

In cinematic theater, stage lighting must adapt to the importance of the projection screen, a fundamental factor that requires special attention when planning the design. To prevent stage lights from washing out the projected backdrops, it is crucial to strategically place and focus the lights. No lights can be pointed at the screen or placed in an angle that bounced into it. In this situation, side lighting becomes a powerful technique to illuminate performers without affecting the backdrop.

One of John's rules for the Trópico Macbeth staging, was to focus lights approximately eight feet away from the screen. The Latinus Theater lacked enough ellipsoidal fixtures with louvers (barn doors) to precisely shape and direct the light beam. Therefore, the few ones available were used with extreme care, concentrating their placement to the lower half of the performance space.

Another challenge was that the cinema projector's light output was insufficient for the large screen. In other words, its lumens (the brightness of the light source) were low. Purchasing a more powerful projector would have been a significant investment. To compensate, the front lighting had to be carefully adjusted.

One characteristic of rear projection is that the screen diffuses light and allows it to pass through, which means it effectively backlit performers. This is important because it introduces John's most effective uses of light dispersion from the screen: the addition of color. It most cases, it is the color of the image coming from the projection that determines the color palette of the stage lighting. But above all, color is used to indicate the time of day or the setting of a scene. This is an important consideration because it shows the passage of time from scene to scene.

Understand the psychology of color and its impact on the audience is a crucial to help create mood and atmosphere, highlight specific areas or actors, and enhance the overall visual appeal of a performance. But perhaps the best use of color in lighting in Tropico Macbeth is during the transition scenes seen in silhouette. John's use of silhouettes in transition scenes has become a hallmark of his work. Their stark contrast with a colorful background can evoke strong emotions and create a sense of drama, mystery, or even romance.

In this narrative silhouette style, subjects are instantly recognizable, even in simplified versions, even without intricate details. The viewer's imagination is sparked, prompting them to interpret the story and emotions of the scene. But it is the color of the background that can convey a sense of energy, passion, or warmth, or evoke feelings of tranquility, sadness, or mystery. Inspired by cinematic techniques, directors and lighting designers can establish a distinct visual style allowing for a wide range of creative possibilities in live theater.

Breaking the language barrier

Language barriers in live theater negatively affect audience understanding and enjoyment, and various strategies have been tried to mitigate these challenges. While some theatrical elements, such as music and dance, can transcend language, dialogue-based performances are often unappealing to those unfamiliar with it. Beyond language, cultural differences can also pose a challenge, impacting how audiences interpret the performance and its themes.

These challenges were on John's mind with Trópico Macbeth, which was performed primarily in Spanish. He never considered switching to an English-language production because he wanted to tell a story from a Latin American perspective. For him, the stage "was" Santa Marina, the spectators were silent observers of that Spanish-speaking world.

Furthermore, he argued: "It would have been ridiculous for Hispanic actors to play Latin American characters who only spoke English. The audience's immersive experience of being in a Latin American country would be been lost."

The most common solution to addressing the language problem is "supertitles," a caption projected on a screen above the stage. This had been John's solution in previous productions. But supertitles also have their problems. Audiences complain of having to constantly focus on the reading and missing the nuances of the performances. Furthermore, supertitles can distract from the setting and interfere with the immersive experience. And lastly, some people are not good readers or want to read at all.

For Trópico Macbeth, John decided to forgo supertitles and experiment with a wireless transmission system. And, although some missed the reading, the system worked perfectly. It was not a simple process to produce the audio tracks, but the audience was delighted with having a language choice for the production. John still favors supertitles for special performances for the deaf or hard-of-hearing. But for his future productions, wireless dialogue transmission provides the best option.

This is a step-by-step overview of how to translate and transmit theatrical performances into any language.

Promotional videos

To effectively promote a live theater production, a mix of online and offline strategies is crucial. Social media marketing, email campaigns, and engaging content creation are key for reaching a wide audience. Many ideas where discussed to promote Trópico Macbeth. For example, one idea was to have a Kiosk selling Santa Marina souvenirs at city events. Other ideas were just as inventive.

Thanks to John's prolific ability to produce visual content, Muralmaster Studio had a wealth of material to work with. The highlight was a series of interesting and informative promotional videos (which already appear on this website). Below are the two first videos, produced in early April, 2024.

Lack of time and resources limited the implementation of the planned promotional projects. However, templates were retained to recreate some of these ideas for future productions. Nevertheless, the videos proved popular with viewers, especially those that offer a behind-the-scenes look of a theatrical production. John also wrote scripts for more videos that he plans to produce for the upcoming revival of the project.

John created two versions of an introduction video in different languages to invite people to see the play. This is the English version.

In addition to being an alumnus from the prestigious Washington Centre Leaders Fellowship Program at our Nation's capital, John earned an M.F.A. in Studio Arts from Vermont College of Norwich University, Vermont, USA. His specialty is Propaganda Art. This influenced his decision to produce in April 2024 an early promotional video dealing with the subject of immigration.

In early April 2024, Muralmaster Studio produced a longer, different video that addressed the topic of immigration. A Spanish version was also created.

The Trópico Macbeth video

Trópico Macbeth premiered at the Latinus Theater in Cleveland in August 2024. The second part was scheduled for October, but was postponed to a later date. John had planned to record the production film-style on a closed set, similar to the BBC Television Shakespeare Series, using single-camera setups, diverse camera angles, and possibly more nuanced lighting and sound design to create a visually richer, more cinematic aesthetic.

Instead, he decided to do it in 2026, with more funding and some cast changes, with most of the original cast reprising their roles. As of this writing, in July 2025, John is moving forward with those plans. In light of the changes, John decided to use several recordings of the shows to create an edited, cinematic-style version and use it as a marketing and fundraising tool. He would use digital methods that mimic the look of film to give the video recordings a cinematic appearance.

The available recordings, which were never designed for editing, weren't ideal. The soundtrack was the worst, as the recorder picked up the loud hum of the air conditioner and barely any dialogue from the actors farther back on stage. But the videos were recorded in high resolution, allowing John to remaster most of them, thus improving their visual quality.

The dialogue audio was isolated from other sounds and restored using excerpts from all recordings, with soundtracks and music added. To improve accessibility, subtitles were added to the dialogue in both Spanish and English. John worked for several months on the restoration and editing at his home in Lakewood, Ohio (part of the Cleveland Metropolitan Area) and in Puerto Rico.

The finished video of Trópico Macbeth: the rise to power, is an excellent visual representation of the work and John's original vision for the project. It has been posted unlisted in YouTube. However, the link below, in the caption (in yellow), allows you to access it so you can view it. Enjoy the video!

Trópico Macbeth: the rise to power

What's next

Currently, John is doing what he's meant to do, something he enjoys and something he hates: storyboarding and fundraising. Creating a new production requires a new stage, which will be converted into a green screen studio, a small team of creative artisans, the return of a large cast, and financing to fund it. That´s the hard part. But then then comes the fun: putting it all together and capturing it on a video.

A play is meant to be seen, not read. Countless people enjoy exploring timeless themes like love, ambition, betrayal, and revenge—the fundamental aspects of human existence that we all experience and that define who we are. Currently, video streaming is the best option to reach the largest audience. This is where John wants to move forward with this work before embarking on his next project.

During a recent interview John was asked what drives him to do this work. His answer is as sincere and revealing as the man he is: "I wish I could stop. I really mean it. I can't go on like this for much longer. Theater doesn't make money. You do it because you love it."

Appendix:
What do you need to create a cinematic theater?

Cinematic techniques and aesthetics can be incorporated into any production, large or small. Simply visualize a work in your mind, as if it were a movie, and images and ideas will emerge. This is the best way to recreate events that would be impossible to physically represent on stage. It can be a setting, a memory, a transition, or any visual stimulus that enriches the narrative, engages the audience, and creates a fluid and sensorially dynamic experience.

Theaters can differ in several key ways, from their architecture, size, stage type, aesthetics, and technical aspects. Most have different artistic visions and distinct relationships between performers and audiences. But everyone has the ability to produce cinematic theater, regardless of the type of show they wish to produce. And while not all theaters can or should integrate cinematic techniques into their productions, most will reap significant benefits from doing so. For those considering it, below is a checklist of what's required to do so.

Space Requirements and Equipment:

Which most theaters may already have

Any stage space that can be completely darkened

Walls treated with sound absorption material (curtains, acoustic panels, etc.)

A good combination of stage lights with many spotlights

A rear projection screen

A projector with high brightness and a short-throw lens

A second projector for supertitles (optional)

A sound system with multi-speaker setup paired with a subwoofer

Key People on Set:

In addition to actors, directors, stage managers, set, lighting, sound and costume

designers, prop masters and set builders already operating in a theater

sound designers, prop masters, and set builders already operating in a theater

A videographer with a high resolution camera: -a professional who records videos

A lighting technician: -a professional who works with lighting equipment for video production

A sound technician: -a professional who works with sound equipment (capture and plays audio)

A green screen technician: -a specialist in using green (or blue) screen technology

Note: some professional videographers do all the above

Optional: a costumer and makeup artist on set (it depends on the project)

Production studio:

To produce art, graphics and videos

A digital artist: -illustrations, paintings, animations, and graphic designs

A video editor: -cut, arrange, enhance footage, add visual effects, sound, music, and graphics

A sound effects editor: -finds, creates, and edits the sound effects

Or, someone who can do all three (many professionals do)

Additional Talent:

To take it to the next level

A music composer: -creates original music

Or a music supervisor: -obtains permission to use other people’s music

(It keeps you out of legal trouble)

Where to find affordable skilled and experienced talent:

Connect with students and recent graduates:

Colleges and high schools have art and video production programs

Community filmmaking clubs:

Their members share a passion for filmmaking and contribute to the local scene

Music Schools and music events networking:

Aspiring composers interested in gaining experience or looking for opportunity

Professional retirees:

They often volunteer their time and expertise in various capacities

Pro bono services:

Freelance and studio professionals may provide services free of charge if you ask

In-house training program:

Apply for grants to pay professionals to train volunteers and purchase equipment

Just one more thing:

Even with a single performer, visual elements can significantly enhance the impact and memorability of a one-person play. Instead of a complex set, use a visually interesting backdrop to add texture and depth to the stage. A single chair, a flexible set or an image can be rearranged or adapted to represent different spaces or moments within the narrative.

Transport the audience to different locations, illustrate concepts, or provide historical context. Integrate sound effects and music with visuals to create a multi-sensory journey that amplifies the performer's message and creates an immersive environment. The methods and techniques presented in this book allow you to complement the narrative and enhance visual storytelling.

The sky’s the limit if you allow yourself dream. You can create a rich experience for the audience, even with a single actor on stage. That’s what cinematic theater does. But don’t just stop there. Leverage technology to expand access to reach a greater audience, attract new fans and extend the lifespan of your show beyond four walls. Take advantage of other revenue streams, such as merchandising or subscriptions. And, ultimately, make theater a more inclusive and dynamic experience for everyone young and old.

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