HISTORIC PLAYS
About
My name is Bob Rossi
Author and composer of The Young Lords - The Musical
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Background
Bob Rossi of HISTORIC PLAYS has always been excited by the arts. From a young age, he loved consuming written and visual material, always paying attention to the underlying story. As he grew up and experimented with his creative ideas, he developed a passion for writing and music and hasn't looked back since. While attending college in Miami he was captivated by the Latin community - falling in love with both the culture and the love of his life who was visiting from Puerto Rico - and they married. Learn more about his work, process, and upcoming projects.
Upcoming Projects
The Young Lords - The Musical
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Staged Reading May 12th - May 16th
The Producers Club New York, New York
Director - Alex Sanchez
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Casting Director - Elle Jones
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Music Director - Robert Barrett Smith
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Project support assistant - Diana Rosario
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Cha-Cha Jimenez pencil sketch by Tyra Crumb
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THE YOUNG LORDS
(Agents of Change)
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RADICALISM- REVOLUTION-RESISTANCE
With war raging in Vietnam, a resistance movement spread to the streets of Chicago and New York circa 1968. Streets ridden with garbage, abandoned vehicles, boarded-up buildings wrapped in graffiti and placards of anti-war messages framed the landscape of neighborhoods housing the poor, working class families, people of color and those of Latinx heritage.
Children are readily exposed to lead poisoning, access to public health services and emergency treatment is limited, and health inequality runs rampant.
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Police brutality is the norm and racism, and prejudice rule the day, with local government officials turning a blind eye. The grand scheme to control the undervalued neighborhoods by increasing rents by over 400%, forcing mom-and-pop stores to close, including sending Latinos “back” to their islands of origin. The conditions set the stage for the birth and organization of the Young Lords and their crusade of social justice and one-time gang member Cha-Cha Jimenez.
The Young Lords – The Musical © - is a stage play that tells Jimenez’s story and that of his organization, the Young Lords comprised mainly of Puerto Rican and Latinx members. It follows Jimenez from the time he is incarcerated in Chicago and introduced to the writings of Malcolm X, and Martin Luther King Jr., to the beginnings of the Young Lords Party in New York City and their dramatic takeover of Lincoln Hospital in the Bronx in 1969 led by party leader Felipe Luciano.
The musical, with its 22 original musical scores and diverse genres, follows a historical sequence of events. It adds a new dimension to the perception of these young radicals, and their many amazing accomplishments which impact and benefit our lives today.
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Let the story of the Young Lords inspire all those who thirst for social equality.
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Contributions are always welcome.
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