By Coral Gables Gazette staff
Graphic art, political memoir, documentary film, and live theater converge in a unique evening of visual storytelling when Cuban-American artist Edel Rodriguez is celebrated in Edel Rodriguez: From Page to Stage, taking place at the Coral Gables Museum on Friday, January 30 and Tuesday, February 3 from 6 to 8 p.m.
The program offers audiences an immersive journey through Rodriguez’s life and work, blending a screening of the acclaimed documentary Edel Rodriguez: Freedom Is a Verb with a theatrical performance inspired by Rodriguez’s first graphic novel, Worm. Together, the elements trace the artist’s personal odyssey from Cuba to the United States and explore how memory, politics, and art intersect across mediums.
Known internationally for his bold, satirical magazine covers and illustrated books, Rodriguez’s work has long pushed beyond traditional boundaries of visual art. This event brings that same boundary-crossing spirit to the stage.
A graphic memoir transformed into live performance
At the heart of the evening is Worm, Rodriguez’s powerful graphic memoir that recounts his childhood in Cuba, his family’s escape from the island during the Mariel boatlift, and the emotional complexity of growing up between two worlds.
Rather than presenting the book in traditional reading form, the program animates its scenes through live theatrical performance. Actors Vanessa Elise, Charles Sothers, and Jean Poll Roa bring selected moments of the graphic novel to life through staged readings and movement, allowing audiences to experience the narrative as both visual art and live drama.
The performance is directed and conceptualized by Oliver Gorf, who reimagines Rodriguez’s illustrated storytelling for the stage while preserving the emotional immediacy of the original work.
The result is a hybrid form that bridges literature, illustration, and theater — turning static images into living scenes.
Exploring the life behind the art
Before the live performance, audiences will view Edel Rodriguez: Freedom Is a Verb, an award-winning documentary directed by Mecky Creus and Adrienne Hall for the PBS American Masters series.
The film traces Rodriguez’s evolution from a Cuban immigrant child to a prominent American artist whose work has appeared on the covers of major magazines and in acclaimed children’s books. It explores how Rodriguez’s early experiences shaped his worldview and fueled his commitment to political expression through art.
The documentary has earned ten Best Documentary awards and has screened at multiple Oscar-qualifying festivals, gaining recognition for its intimate portrayal of an artist whose work often confronts power, injustice, and memory.
Together with the theatrical performance, the film provides context for Rodriguez’s creative journey — showing how personal history informs artistic voice.
An evening designed as a complete experience
The event unfolds as a carefully structured program that encourages both reflection and engagement.
The evening begins at 6 p.m. with an opening reception, offering attendees an opportunity to gather before the formal presentations begin.
At 6:30 p.m., the documentary screening introduces audiences to Rodriguez’s life and artistic development.
At 7 p.m., the focus shifts to live performance with the staged interpretation of Worm, transforming the memoir’s illustrated narrative into an emotionally resonant theatrical experience.
Rather than separating the film and performance as standalone events, the program weaves them into a cohesive storytelling arc — guiding audiences from biography to artistic expression.
A career defined by bold visual storytelling
Edel Rodriguez has built a career around powerful imagery that communicates complex ideas with immediacy and impact.
In addition to his graphic memoir, Rodriguez is widely recognized for his provocative magazine covers that address political themes with striking symbolism. His children’s books have also earned acclaim for their visual richness and emotional depth, reflecting his ability to speak to audiences of all ages.
Throughout his work, Rodriguez often returns to themes of displacement, identity, freedom, and resilience — shaped by his experience leaving Cuba and adapting to life in the United States.
Worm represents a deeply personal chapter of that exploration, allowing Rodriguez to recount his own story in graphic form while connecting it to broader immigrant narratives.
Blending mediums to tell a larger story
What sets Edel Rodriguez: From Page to Stage apart is its seamless blending of artistic forms.
Graphic novels typically live on the page. Documentaries capture stories on screen. Theater thrives in live presence. This program merges all three into a single experience.
By pairing film with live performance, the evening reflects the layered nature of Rodriguez’s storytelling — where images, memory, and emotion operate together rather than in isolation.
The approach also invites audiences who may be drawn to visual art, literature, film, or theater to engage with the material from multiple perspectives.
A timely exploration of art and identity
While rooted in Rodriguez’s personal history, the themes explored throughout the evening resonate broadly.
Questions of migration, political expression, cultural identity, and artistic responsibility remain central in contemporary discourse. Rodriguez’s work offers a lens through which to examine those issues not through abstract debate, but through lived experience and visual narrative.
The event’s combination of memoir, documentary, and performance underscores the enduring power of storytelling to bridge cultures and provoke reflection.
Program details
Edel Rodriguez: From Page to Stage takes place January 30 and February 3 from 6 to 8 p.m.
Program schedule:
6:00 p.m. – Opening reception
6:30 p.m. – Documentary screening: Edel Rodriguez: Freedom Is a Verb
7:00 p.m. – Worm theatrical performance (live reading and performance)
Concept and director: Oliver Gorf
Actors: Vanessa Elise, Charles Sothers, Jean Poll Roa
