In 2004, I wrote The Persistence of Memory, a fictionalized account about Salvador Dalí and his wife, Gala, seen from the eyes of a young man who was privy to their intimate lifestyle. This character is a compendium of the many and varied lovers Gala enjoyed, and who afterwards exposed their stories to the world.
The Persistence of Memory was a semi-finalist at the 2005 American Zoetrope Screenplay competition, and later earned the interest of notable Hollywood artists. The process of raising money and competing in Hollywood became uninspiring. So, I wrote a stage play version that then led me to embark on writing a novel. You may ask, why so much Dalí, and I tell you, because he covers so much of life, art, and mysticism. From materialism to the cosmos, from sex to psychology, from culture to politics. I couldn't get enough, and through this process I have learned so much, and my writing has also improved enormously.
Researching about Dalí is how I discovered Saint Teresa of Avila, and got to write a play inspired by her life and teachings. Teresa's Ecstasy was produced Off-Broadway in 2012, performed by the late, Shawn Elliott, the amazing, Linda Larkin and, yours truly. It was a very rewarding theatre experience!
DALI Esque-Apades is a short segment of my writings. Here, Phillip Giambri narrates it for you. If you want to follow along, you can read a PDF daliesqueapades. If you have enjoyed my work, I ask that you take a few more minutes to like, comment and subscribe on my Youtube channel. It really helps a writer to receive reactions, and support.
Such joy it is to explore the expansive adventure of life. We must never lose our faith in human kind, nor the ability to use our inquiring minds for enriching the hearts of others.
In these pages I share creative works I've completed, and others in progress.
May we transcend these troubled times through kindness, truth and a smile. My life experiences have proven that through creativity much can be understood and healed.
Salud!
You may recognize me in the roles I played in these films. Works I cherish for the lovely growing experiences that involved a creative process unfolding alongside the personal, while elevating my perspectives to poignant multi-levels.
For me, acting is a sacred experience because through the work I'm always honoring the human condition with better understanding and empathy for myself, and others. Working alongside generous and tenacious fellow actors has enriched my life as much as my craft.
I always steered away from fully being identified only for my profession. It was never enough, everything sparked my curiosity, which didn't fit with my intended stereotype. I am so much more than any label society tries placing on me and especially as an actor. Labels are created in order to undermine, and I knew that instead of narrowing my perspective what I needed was to peel away layers, break open boundaries, silence the noise and follow my deepest inner callings. The contradictions that one has to face in life, but especially as an actor are extreme, on the one hand the actor, while learning to pour out his heart and soul in order to reflect truths, exorcise demons, experience profound vulnerabilities while being present in the moment and fully receptive, also experiences a need to work, and be seen, thus forced to become desperately ambitious, and self-centered. I didn't want that to happen to me, I wanted a balance, I wanted a life, and believed that only through life experiences my work would really evolve organically. This awareness expanded my world and life horizons on so many levels.
I feel very lucky in that I worked with amazing artists, owning innate compassionate impulses, but the few who attempted discounting me, and ostracizing me I now see as angels in disguise because they informed my later actions, awakened my courage, and gave me the chance to practice resilience. For example, upon ending my second year of college in a three-year theatre academy, I was unexpectedly asked to leave because, "I didn't fit in." And this is after the head of the academy had placed his creepy hand on my shoulder (just a week earlier) while I was alone in the mezzanine one night doing lights for the third year's production of "Love's Labour's Lost." He whispered in my ear: Next season it's you on that stage. My scene final was from The Dutchman, and was a huge success. I got an A+, and still I was told, "I didn't fit in." I later heard that those same teachers were mentioning me as their exemplary student to their incoming freshmen, and taking credit for my professional accomplishments. By then I had already appeared in a major Hollywood film. That was a kind of bullying that could have broken me, but instead it forced me to figure out a way to pick myself up from my bootstraps and rise above the bullshit. Still, I feel robbed of my getting my BFA.
Once I started working professionally I moved to New York, and focused on studying with private teachers all over the city. While I waitressed at a private club at night, I studied during the day, first with Uta Hagen, and Herbert Berghoff, then Bill Hickey, and after auditioning for Julliard's acting program with two monologues and two songs, I was accepted into their music program, but like a fool I declined their offer, afraid that I would not be allowed to act. My bad!
Of course I was different, and everyone should be different and unique in their own special way. In College I had already read, Strasberg at the Actors Studio. The owner of the restaurant, La Strata, in Griffith Park, where I worked as a hostess and occasional singer, had given me the book, which I still review every now and again. That book was my bible because it gave me an understanding of the difference between acting from the outside where it's all appearance, as opposed to from the inside where deep truths are explored emotionally. Maybe that's why I didn't fit in, or perhaps it was my gypsy-like, unconventional upbringing, having grown up between many continents; a little town in Northern Spain, the capital of Colombia, and California.
Life is good and there are no coincidences. It may not always be exactly as you planned it, but if you follow your heart you'll be surprised at how much better life turns out, even beyond your wildest dreams. We've just gotta stay open and free to the magic that unfolds at every minute. A little suffering pays off.
To celebrate the 20 year anniversary of our original production, David Zayas and I perform a reading from, "In Arabia We'd All be Kings." by Stephen Adley Guirgis
GERNIKA LIVES
The calamities that force change both, torment me, and inspire me to dig for stories of understanding. Ever since I was a child hearing my father tell his childhood tale of horror with tears streaming down his cheeks, I asked myself, how come. Why such malice? And how can we learn from our history, and how is my life intertwined with the world history, the secrets of humanity, and the nature of reality? How can we solve the root problems and live a life of highest potential throught art, spirit, and quantum physics.
A visual poem, "Invisible Catalyst" for New York City at the onset of Covid-19 Pandemic.
Benefit performance at First Unitarian Church, hosted by Ed Asner. Songs: Lost in the Stars and Listen to my Song by Kurt Weill, Gracias a la Vida by Violeta Parra.
Life works in mysterious ways, and one never knows if an enriching acting job will come along and shift my life again in another remarkable direction.
One-Woman theatre piece, "In her mouth lingers the taste of another man"
Bertolt Brecht's erotic songs and poems, performed at NYU's Deutsches Haus and the Gas Station, an iconic avant-garde art space (also called 2B) in New York City's, East Village. Conceived for Vienna's theater company, Sparverein Die Unzertrennlichen, directed by Kurt Palm, musical director, Josef Reiter, Production design: Ursula Huebner, production manager, Martin Fritz. Many papers refused to print the title, in 1990. Because of its raciness, the video on youtube is restricted to mature audiences.
Begonya Plaza is a bilingual actor, writer, and filmmaker. At age nine she starred in the independent Hollywood film, "Big Sister".
For most of Begonya's formative years she bounced around between: Guernica in Northern Spain, (where her father and her mother's father are from), Colombia, where she was born, and the United States.
Some of the directors Begonya has worked with, in film, television, and stage, include: Walter Hill, Oliver Stone, Michael Mann, Amy Jones, Tim Hunter, Clint Eastwood, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and Ellen Kuras. She has acted opposite, Tom Cruise, Nick Nolte, Robert De Niro, Willem Dafoe, Roddy McDowall, and Carroll O'Connor, among others.
Begonya has worked with the Labyrinth Theatre Company, originating the role of Ms. Reyes in Stephen Adly Guirgis' "In Arabia We'd all be Kings" directed by Philip Seymour Hoffman. At the Beverly Hills Playhouse she originated the role of Rose in "Old Friends" written by Martin Zurla, directed by Richard Zavaglia, and produced by Dan Lauria. At New York City's avant-garde Gas Station, Begonya performed erotic songs and poems of Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill, in a one-woman musical with Austria's theatre company, and directed by Kurt Palm. Begonya originated the role of Hannah, in Ronensbourgh at IATI theatre, directed by Ignacio Garcia-Bustelo, and at the Ensemble Studio Theatre West, she played Garcia Lorca's, Yerma. Begonya has collaborated with Culture Clash, Rachel Rosenthal, and Barry Gifford.
While in high school Begonya wrote and presented the news in English and Spanish for the Emmy Award television news program, Student News. In college she studied at Los Angeles Theatre Academy, and in New York with the National Shakespeare Company, Geraldine Page, Bill Hickey, Herbert Berghof, Eric Morris, and Michael Howard. Begonya studied dance at Alvin Ailey, and voice with Graham Bernard. She attended independent writing courses at NYU, UCLA, AFI, and with Robert McKee.
Between acting jobs, Begonya spent a year in the Basque country, writing, producing, directing, and editing alongside Emmy Award winning editor, Jack Tucker, her documentary, "Gernika Lives". The 40" film is about the bombing of Gernika and the 50th anniversary remembrance ceremonies. Begonya interviews family, and distinguished survivors of that tragic event during the Spanish Civil War. The documentary is narrated by, John Randolph, with whom Begonya collaborated on many socially conscious projects. Begonya played the female lead in the CBS television series, "Dark Justice". A co-production with Catalán tv, and shot in Barcelona, where also her daughter, Caterina, was born.
Begonya wrote, filmed, edited, and produced the documentary, “Souvenir Views” about a young man's self-imposed, rite-of-passage experience in New York, post 9/11. The film premiered at the 2003 Tribeca Film Festival, Los Angeles Film Festival, La Habana International Festival, aired on The Independent Film Channel throughout two consecutive years, and traveled to East Coast universities, including Wagner College and Dartmouth University.
Begonya wrote “Teresa’s Ecstasy” a three-character, full-length play, and also performed in the Off-Broadway run opposite, Shawn Elliott, and Linda Larkin, at Cherry Lane Theatre. Directed by Will Pomerantz and produced by Jack Sharkey and Jim Weiner. Is published by Broadway Play Publishing, Inc.
Begonya wrote the screenplay, The Persistence of Memory, about one year in the life of Salvador Dalí and his wife, Gala, seen from the eyes of a young lover. The script garnered letters of interest from celebrated actress, Glenn Close, and director of photography, Juan Ruiz Anchía. Instead of pursuing funding and a film production, Begonya wrote a rendition for stage, and is currently completing the novel version.