Lucy Boscana
Encyclopedia
Lucy Boscana was an actress and a pioneer in Puerto Rico's television industry.
when she was a child because of the economic crisis in the island. She learned how to play the piano
at an early age. Boscana graduated from high school and decided to continue her education by enrolling in Oberlin College
located in Ohio
, where her cousin, Madeline Willemsen
, was studying a French language
degree. There she earned her Bachelors Degree in languages and theater.
teacher in her hometown she enrolled in the University of Puerto Rico
to study music and dramatic arts. After graduation, Boscana founded the Puerto Rican Tablado Company, a traveling theater. Among the plays which she produced with the company was "The Oxcart" by fellow Puerto Rican playwright René Marqués
. She presented the play in Puerto Rico and on Off-Broadway
in New York City
. Boscana participated in over 30 plays and also in various locally produced films. In 1950, she was part of the musical vocal group from Ponce: Las Damiselas, (The Ladies), with Sylvia Rexach
, and Marta Romero
.
On August 22, 1955, Boscana became a pioneer in the television of Puerto Rico when she participated in Puerto Rico's first telenovela (soap opera
) titled "Ante la Ley", alongside Esther Sandoval
and Mario Pabón, which was broadcasted by Telemundo
, Puerto Rico
. Since then she became a regular in the telenovela
circuit.
With the Puerto Rican Tablado Company, she produced and presented the works of Francisco Arrivi
, Rene Marquez, Tennessee Williams
, Alejandro Casona
, Federico García Lorca
and many others in Puerto Rico.
In 2000, the Government of Puerto Rico
honored Boscana by renaming the "Teatro del Patio" of the Puerto Rican Institute of Culture to "El Teatro Lucy Buscana", (The Lucy Boscana Theater). In 2008, the main stage of the Teatro Yagüez
in Mayagüez was also dedicated to her. Lucy Boscana died on May 24, 2001 in San Juan, Puerto Rico
.
Early years
Boscana (birth name: Lucy Boscana Bravo) was born in the city of Mayagüez which is located on the west coast of Puerto Rico. Her family moved to the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
when she was a child because of the economic crisis in the island. She learned how to play the piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
at an early age. Boscana graduated from high school and decided to continue her education by enrolling in Oberlin College
Oberlin College
Oberlin College is a private liberal arts college in Oberlin, Ohio, noteworthy for having been the first American institution of higher learning to regularly admit female and black students. Connected to the college is the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, the oldest continuously operating...
located in Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, where her cousin, Madeline Willemsen
Madeline Willemsen
Madeline Willemsen was a Puerto Rican actress and comedian, born in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico to a Dutch father and a Puerto Rican mother. She was also the first cousin of Lucy Boscana, considered by some Puerto Rican theater critics to be the finest Puerto Rican actress of all time.Her full name was...
, was studying a French language
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
degree. There she earned her Bachelors Degree in languages and theater.
Acting career
In 1940, Boscana returned to Puerto Rico. After a stint as an English languageEnglish language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
teacher in her hometown she enrolled in the University of Puerto Rico
University of Puerto Rico
The University of Puerto Rico is the state university system of Puerto Rico. The system consists of 11 campuses and has approximately 64,511 students and 5,300 faculty members...
to study music and dramatic arts. After graduation, Boscana founded the Puerto Rican Tablado Company, a traveling theater. Among the plays which she produced with the company was "The Oxcart" by fellow Puerto Rican playwright René Marqués
René Marques
René Marqués was a renowned Puerto Rican short story writer and playwright.-Early years:Marqués was born, raised and educated in the city of Arecibo...
. She presented the play in Puerto Rico and on Off-Broadway
Off-Broadway
Off-Broadway theater is a term for a professional venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, and for a specific production of a play, musical or revue that appears in such a venue, and which adheres to related trade union and other contracts...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. Boscana participated in over 30 plays and also in various locally produced films. In 1950, she was part of the musical vocal group from Ponce: Las Damiselas, (The Ladies), with Sylvia Rexach
Sylvia Rexach
Sylvia Rexach , was a comedy scriptwriter, poet, singer and composer of boleros .-Early years:Rexach was born and raised in Santurce, Puerto Rico. There she attended public school and received her primary education...
, and Marta Romero
Marta Romero
Marta Romero is an actress and singer, who was one of the pioneers in Puerto Rican television.-Early years:Romero was born in barrio Machuelo Abajo of the city of Ponce, on the south coast of Puerto Rico. She is considered by many as a "natural performer" because she never took singing or acting...
.
On August 22, 1955, Boscana became a pioneer in the television of Puerto Rico when she participated in Puerto Rico's first telenovela (soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
) titled "Ante la Ley", alongside Esther Sandoval
Esther Sandoval
Esther Sandoval was an actress and a pioneer in Puerto Rico's television.-Early years:Sandoval was born Esther Maria Gonzalez in Ponce where she received her primary and secondary education...
and Mario Pabón, which was broadcasted by Telemundo
Telemundo
Telemundo is an American television network that broadcasts in Spanish. The network is the second-largest Spanish-language content producer in the world, and the second-largest Spanish-language network in the United States, behind Univision....
, Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
. Since then she became a regular in the telenovela
Telenovela
A telenovela is a limited-run serial dramatic programming popular in Latin American, Portuguese, and Spanish television programming. The word combines tele, short for televisión or televisão , and novela, a Spanish or Portuguese word for "novel"...
circuit.
With the Puerto Rican Tablado Company, she produced and presented the works of Francisco Arrivi
Francisco Arriví
Francisco Arriví , a.k.a. Paco, was a writer, poet and playwright known as "The Father of the Puerto Rican Theater."-Early years:...
, Rene Marquez, Tennessee Williams
Tennessee Williams
Thomas Lanier "Tennessee" Williams III was an American writer who worked principally as a playwright in the American theater. He also wrote short stories, novels, poetry, essays, screenplays and a volume of memoirs...
, Alejandro Casona
Alejandro Casona
Alejandro Rodríguez Álvarez, known as Alejandro Casona was a Spanish poet and playwright born in Besullo, Spain, a member of the Generation of '27. Casona received his bachelor's degree in Gijon and later studied at the University of Murcia. After Franco's rise in 1936, he was forced, like many...
, Federico García Lorca
Federico García Lorca
Federico del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús García Lorca was a Spanish poet, dramatist and theatre director. García Lorca achieved international recognition as an emblematic member of the Generation of '27. He is believed to be one of thousands who were summarily shot by anti-communist death squads...
and many others in Puerto Rico.
Honors
In 1996, the Puerto Rican Institute of Culture dedicated its 33 International Theater Festival to Boscana. On July 1997, the Puerto Rican Senate paid tribute and awarded Boscana and her Puerto Rican Tablado Company with a special proclamation recognizing their silver anniversary.In 2000, the Government of Puerto Rico
Government of Puerto Rico
The Government of Puerto Rico is a republican form of government subject to U.S. jurisdiction and sovereignty. Its current powers are all delegated by the United States Congress and lack full protection under the United States Constitution...
honored Boscana by renaming the "Teatro del Patio" of the Puerto Rican Institute of Culture to "El Teatro Lucy Buscana", (The Lucy Boscana Theater). In 2008, the main stage of the Teatro Yagüez
Teatro Yagüez
The Teatro Yagüez in Puerto Rico is a historic building that today is a performing arts theater. It is located at Candelaria and Dr. Basora Streets, in the city of Mayagüez. It consists of the Lucy Boscana Hall and the Roberto Cole Cafe Theater.-History:It was originally erected by Francisco...
in Mayagüez was also dedicated to her. Lucy Boscana died on May 24, 2001 in San Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan , officially Municipio de la Ciudad Capital San Juan Bautista , is the capital and most populous municipality in Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 395,326 making it the 46th-largest city under the jurisdiction of...
.
See also
- List of famous Puerto Ricans
- Marta RomeroMarta RomeroMarta Romero is an actress and singer, who was one of the pioneers in Puerto Rican television.-Early years:Romero was born in barrio Machuelo Abajo of the city of Ponce, on the south coast of Puerto Rico. She is considered by many as a "natural performer" because she never took singing or acting...
- Sylvia RexachSylvia RexachSylvia Rexach , was a comedy scriptwriter, poet, singer and composer of boleros .-Early years:Rexach was born and raised in Santurce, Puerto Rico. There she attended public school and received her primary education...
External links
Fundacion Nacional para la Cultura Popular Lucy Boscana on the Internet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie Database
Internet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...