Whenever someone contemplates running for public office, we often hear that they're throwing their "hat in the ring.”
That expression dates back to a time when boxing rings were circular spaces surrounded by noisy champions and challengers. If a contender thought he had a chance, it was easier to toss his hat down in the center of the ring than shout over the din of the crowd.
It’s become apparent over the years that American politics and pugilism have some similarities. But what about professional wrestling?
Miami New Drama's latest production sees a lot of parallels between the world of WWE and Washington D.C.
"The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity" follows a young Brooklyn-born Puerto Rican wrestler named Mace, who wants desperately to be a star. But he's continually forced to lose his bouts to a perennial crowd pleaser, African-American star wrestler Chad Deity. When Mace pitches an Indian-American friend to a manipulative promoter as a perfect wrestling partner, the promoter casts the friend as "The Fundamentalist," employing every possible anti-Islamic stereotype in the book that might rile an audience. Mace finds himself restyled as an undocumented Mexican immigrant.
"Professional wrestling has always trafficked in stereotypes," says the production's director and choreographer, Jen Wineman. "We create heroes, we create villains. And often, heroes and villains that get created are a reflection of what's going on in America at large."
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If you go:
The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity
Playing now through Sunday, Feb. 18
Colony Theatre
1040 Lincoln Rd., Miami Beach
305-674-1040
colonymb.org
