When fellow rising comic Glorelys Mora and I first met within the comedy scene — it was an prompt connection. I used to be in awe of her potential to seize and materialize individuals’s want for expression by way of comedy. Her dedication and contagious, guttural chortle drew me in, and we shortly bonded over our shared experiences and challenges as Dominican comedians. As comics, we spent hours discussing how tough it was to achieve help and recognition in an trade that always overlooks voices like ours. Our conversations sparked a imaginative and prescient: to create a devoted platform that may elevate Dominican voices in comedy.
After we began Morir Soñando, it was a enterprise born out of necessity and a deep love for our tradition. I would lengthy felt comedy was lacking one thing essential — an genuine illustration of Dominican voices. Whereas the comedy scene is vibrant and various, Dominican comedians usually lack a platform that celebrates our distinctive views and experiences. This hole in illustration motivated us to create an area the place our tales could possibly be instructed unapologetically.
I generally joke about being emotionally constipated. What I imply by that’s I do not know easy methods to cry, however I do know easy methods to make a joke about it. Laughter grounds the second and transcends individuals’s id and standing. It is the very factor that reminds us we’re alive and current. Comedy is like feeding drugs with sweet; it brings consciousness to tough matters with levity. And in consequence, it usually helps us with our psychological well being and thru a few of life’s most difficult moments, together with loss and trauma.
Rising up, I usually felt lonely as a child who struggled with melancholy, however humor was the one factor that stored me from feeling utterly remoted. Humor and laughter carry individuals collectively. It does not matter what you are going by way of; laughter acknowledges that you’re current within the second with others, whether or not you realize them or not. Making jokes about being an affair little one makes me really feel like much less of a burden to my household as a result of I get to carry levity to such a critical concern. It additionally lets individuals like me know they don’t seem to be alone. A chortle can heal somebody’s ache and struggling.
On the subject of comedy, comedy is such a necessary approach of communication in my household. That is how we handled our trauma. I did not know I used to be humorous till individuals instructed me, and I used to be in a position to develop and notice I may make a residing off of this. However I additionally do not see many individuals like me making strides on this trade. After I first noticed Aida Rodriguez on “Final Comedian Standing” in 2014, I felt an prompt connection as a result of her experiences have been so relatable to mine. It wasn’t till I grew to become a comic that I spotted how underrepresented we’re.
However that additionally means we consistently face a crossroads on this trade: will we assimilate or pave our personal approach? Within the American market, stand-up comedy is usually seen as both Black or white. As an American, I embrace my Blackness, however what about my dad and mom’ Dominican id and my upbringing at dwelling? Ought to I shut down that a part of me to be extra palatable for the “mainstream”?
Glorelys and I wished to create an area for individuals like us to navigate these questions — much like what Def Comedy Jam did for the Black American neighborhood. I at all times associated extra to Black American comics as a result of their comedy was trustworthy and uncooked, reflecting struggles much like mine. Nonetheless, there was restricted house for individuals who appeared like me and in addition spoke Spanish.
In the end, the inspiration for Morir Soñando got here from a profound have to see ourselves mirrored on stage, not simply as a token presence, however as the principle occasion. Over 42 million individuals in America converse Spanish. It is inevitable for individuals to be bilingual and converse Spanglish on this nation. We wished to create one thing that evolves the dialog round Latinidad, exhibiting that it’s not a monolith however as various as each American on this nation. Our comedy reveals should not meant to exclude any nationality; fairly the other. We need to embrace others whereas creating a spot the place expertise like ours can join with individuals who won’t have recognized we exist.
We launched our first present in 2019 to focus on and have fun Dominican comedians, showcasing our wealthy cultural heritage and the humor that springs from it. Final yr, we made historical past with a present on the United Palace, an achievement that underscored the significance and influence of our mission. We’re returning to United Palace for our subsequent present on July 26 and are thrilled to be shifting to the venue’s primary theater, which seats audiences of as much as 3,350, for our November present.
Nonetheless, producing these occasions has not been with out its challenges. Financially, it has been extremely demanding. Securing help from the neighborhood is essential to maintain and develop these occasions. It is notoriously tough to get Latine occasions sponsored, so Glorelys and I financed it ourselves, which displays broader problems with illustration and help for minority communities within the arts.
Regardless of these challenges, we’ve got had important wins. Our previous reveals’ success and growing viewers help give us hope and motivation. However the highway forward requires a concerted effort from our neighborhood. We have to come collectively to help and uplift one another, recognizing the significance of cultural occasions like Morir Soñando.
I need to be candid about our frustrations — securing funding, discovering the correct venues, and battling stereotypes — as a result of these obstacles make our victories sweeter. We’re happy with what we’ve got achieved up to now and are excited for the long run.
Morir Soñando is not only a comedy present however a celebration of Dominican tradition, a platform for underrepresented voices, and a motion in direction of larger inclusivity within the comedy world. Your help is significant in serving to us proceed this journey, and we look ahead to sharing many extra laughs and tales with you.
Sasha Merci is a first-generation Dominican American actor, comic, and viral digital creator. She showcases over a decade of various expertise in leisure with roles in movies like “Righteous Thieves” and “De Lo Mio,” together with collaborations with famend manufacturers corresponding to Goal and Bumble. She shares her Bronx roots and fervour for Latine tradition by being vocal about psychological well being and navigating comedy.
