Myrna Vázquez (1935-1975) was a Puerto Rican screen, stage, radio,
and television actress. She later became an influential community
activist in Boston's South End.She was born in Cidra, Puerto Rico, in
1935, one of seven siblings. Sometime around 1945 the family moved to
Santurce, San Juan, Puerto Rico. As a child she showed a penchant for
the performing arts, using a box for a platform and giving recitals
for family and friends.While still a teenager, she belonged to the
comedy troupe of Ramón Rivero (known as "Diplo"). Through her work
there, she became friends with the composers Sylvia Rexach and Amaury
Veray. She studied Theater at the University of Puerto Rico, where she
was active in the university theater, and went on to appear in many
professional productions. At nineteen, she played Juanita in the world
premiere of "La Carreta" by René Marqués. She also appeared in
"Mariana or el Alba" and "Los Soles Truncos" by Marqués; "Doce
Paredes Negras" by Juan González-Bonilla; and "Tiempo Muerto" by
Manuel Méndez Ballester. In 1969 she starred in the premiere of "La
Pasión según Antigona Pérez" by Luis Rafael Sánchez, who wrote the
part specifically for her.In the 1960s, she co-founded the Teatro El
Cemà with actors Marcos Betancourt, Jacobo Morales, and ElÃn Ortiz.
She founded the Cooperative Theater Arts (COOPARTE) in the early
1970s, and rescued a theater in Villa Palmeras for use by the
organization. The Teatro COOPARTE offered theater arts classes to
young people, and organized and hosted the first Festival of Latin
American Theater. Vázquez served as its president for over four
years. She also worked for some time as a drama teacher for the youth
of the San José community in RÃo Piedras.
and television actress. She later became an influential community
activist in Boston's South End.She was born in Cidra, Puerto Rico, in
1935, one of seven siblings. Sometime around 1945 the family moved to
Santurce, San Juan, Puerto Rico. As a child she showed a penchant for
the performing arts, using a box for a platform and giving recitals
for family and friends.While still a teenager, she belonged to the
comedy troupe of Ramón Rivero (known as "Diplo"). Through her work
there, she became friends with the composers Sylvia Rexach and Amaury
Veray. She studied Theater at the University of Puerto Rico, where she
was active in the university theater, and went on to appear in many
professional productions. At nineteen, she played Juanita in the world
premiere of "La Carreta" by René Marqués. She also appeared in
"Mariana or el Alba" and "Los Soles Truncos" by Marqués; "Doce
Paredes Negras" by Juan González-Bonilla; and "Tiempo Muerto" by
Manuel Méndez Ballester. In 1969 she starred in the premiere of "La
Pasión según Antigona Pérez" by Luis Rafael Sánchez, who wrote the
part specifically for her.In the 1960s, she co-founded the Teatro El
Cemà with actors Marcos Betancourt, Jacobo Morales, and ElÃn Ortiz.
She founded the Cooperative Theater Arts (COOPARTE) in the early
1970s, and rescued a theater in Villa Palmeras for use by the
organization. The Teatro COOPARTE offered theater arts classes to
young people, and organized and hosted the first Festival of Latin
American Theater. Vázquez served as its president for over four
years. She also worked for some time as a drama teacher for the youth
of the San José community in RÃo Piedras.
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