[OutVoice] Emporia, KS: "Estrada cooks 'Tortilla Heaven'"

[TheChorusBoy at aol.com]

Emporia Bulletin
Emporia State University

ESTRADA COOKS 'TORTILLA HEAVEN'
By ADAM PEARSON
Staff Writer

April 20, 2006


Comedy Central's Jade Esteban Estrada presented "Tortilla Heaven" yesterday. 
The standup was hosted by the Spanish Club and the Hispanic American 
Leadership Organization. 

Photo by JAROD BERKSTRESSER

Read it online:
http://www.esubulletin.com/Bully/4-20/4-20-1.pdf


The man who NBC called "America's Prince of Pride" performed a one-man show 
in Memorial Union's Webb Lecture Hall last night, telling the story of a 
Mexican family in the United States.

Jade Esteban Estrada, a singer, comedian, actor and dancer, performed 
"Tortilla Heaven," a comedic, yet very real story of first, second and third 
generation Mexicans trying to relate to one another. 

The story revolves around Charles, or Carlitos, a third-generation Mexican 
immigrant whose mother abandons him, leaving him in San Antonio with his 
grandmother and uncle who speak little English.

Charles doesn't speak Spanish because his mother, a writer believes her 
bilingualism is the cause of her inability to write proficiently. 

Estrada played each character, giving each one their own voice and 
mannerisms.

Charles' grandmother and uncle live a very humble life in San Antonio. They 
don't even have air-conditioning. 

Charles' mother, Vera Mae Ruiz, has abandoned her roots in order to 
assimilate to big city life. She lives in New York and writes books urging people to 
speak only English. The play begins with Vera Mae and Charles flying to San 
Antonio to see her mother for the first time in years. 

Vera tells Charles, "Friends are a dime a dozen."

After the performance, Estrada addressed the audience, thanking them for 
coming and asking the audience to pay attention to current events like immigration 
reform.

"This is truly an amazing thing," Estrada said, talking about the Latino 
organization in response to the proposal.

"Find out what all the commotion is about so you can vote, if there is a 
vote, based on fact and truth," he said.

Estrada has appeared on "The Graham Norton Effect" on Comedy Central and HBO 
Latino. He is also a former lead dancer for Charo and a scratch vocalist for 
the Backstreet Boys. 

His music can be heard on the Golden Globe and Emmy award-winning television 
show, "The Shield" on FX.

"Tortilla Heaven" was sponsored by the Emporia State Spanish Club and the 
Hispanic American Leadership Organization. 

Admission to the show, which took place at 7:00 p.m. yesterday, was free but 
there was a table set up outside accepting donations to help Edgar Torres, an 
Emporia High student who was involved in an automobile accident, with medical 
expenses.

www.GetJaded.com