One of the Good Ones

By: Dana Jacoviello

With her immense undeniable talent, Gloria Calderón Kellett is expanding her horizons from television to the live stage with her new play, One of the Good Ones, which made its world premiere at Pasadena Playhouse this month. Who would not be excited about this feat? If you are a theatre lover, like me since I was a child, who also did theater, you ran to see her debut as a now distinguished playwright. My thoughts are, “Who is ready to laugh? Who is ready to see some diversity in theatre? Who is ready to see representation, which matters?” We need more of it both on the screen and in live performances. Calderón Kellett has been unbelievably successful in her career, including her reboot of “One Day at A Time,” and the most recent “The Horror of Dolores Roach.” Her resume is most impressive. If you do not follow her work, I suggest you start today. My guess is that this play is going to be a game changer for Pasadena’s long reign.

One of the Good Ones follows a wealthy Latin family that is both chaotic and loving at the same time as they are preparing to meet their only daughter’s “serious” boyfriend for the first time. The mom Llana (Lana Parilla) agonizes over not being Latina enough for her family and the rest of her community that she comes from. Llana is half Mexican and half Puerto Rican but speaks no Spanish at all and can’t cook. However, she has a highly successful PR firm which granted her generational wealth. The dad Enrique (Carlos Gomez) is not too fond of his daughter’s new attitude, behavior or the fact that she is bringing home a “serious” boyfriend that neither parent seemed to realize was the case. Things take a turn for the worse when Yoli (Isabella Gomez) brings home her boyfriend named Marcos (Nico Greetham), a white boy who speaks fluent Spanish born and raised in Mexico. One can imagine how this is going to play out with all the discourse that is occurring with Yoli’s new perspective on politics and life as an adult who just graduated from college.

There were a few moments that got packed into a 90-minute show which could have been overwhelming, but it was in a good way – if that makes sense. The ensemble cast was fun and had chemistry. And though it was full of laughs, there were also moments of truth about culture, individuality, and society. These moments were multifaceted in a way where one minute you were laughing and the next listening intently to some heart tugging truths about our own identities and backgrounds, and possibly some tears as well. The play focuses on important topics that revolve around not only opening our minds up to our friends and family around us, but intergenerational trauma within our families and ancestors. Yoli, causes her father to have both breakthroughs and a heart attack. Now that she has graduated, she is concentrating on being an influencer – something Enrique does not approve of as he is very old-fashioned. It is crucial for him to pass down traditions and culture within the family and practice them regularly. He is adamant about his feelings as Yoli continues to push the envelope with her parents from her Gen Z point of view.

What we see in this storyline is a family that is close but stubborn, especially when Marcos arrives at the house to greet the family with a giant pinata. The look on all of their faces says enough about that entrance. Marcos truly is a fun and enjoyable character who seems to be digging his own grave, metaphorically. Greetham’s performance was stellar and on point the entire show. Plus, his comedic timing could not have been better. Carlos Gomez was also exceptional in this part as he dazzles on stage. Isabella Gomez was a delight. Her portrayal of Yoli was there to push and question her parents and to examine their behavior and test them throughout the show, which was done successfully. Some moments could have been a bit more natural in certain instances. However, Parilla was a brilliant surprise to see live on stage. Her character was probably one of the most complex being that she lived in California when it was still part of Mexico. The speech Parrilla gives is one of the standout lines of this play. But she also is awkward, seeming a bit lost in her identity by not speaking Spanish like the rest of her family and the white boy, but also you see her love for her only daughter, her family and what she has accomplished in her career. She is somewhat of a hot mess in not being able to handle conflict without going into a menopausal anxiety attack constantly, but relatable to many for the same reasons I mentioned above. It’s a joy to see how she manages to hold her family together throughout the nonstop questioning and fighting that ensues in the Gomez household. Parilla shines on a live stage, and it very much suits the talented actress.

Gloria Calderón Kellett’s intentions of this play hit every note. This ninety-minute performance, directed by Kimberly Senior, will pull at heart strings while raising awareness about a problem that many families will find relatable – the fact that times are changing. There is all this new age vocabulary they are learning as well as being stuck in their ways. Full of laughs, while also pulling at some heart strings. One of the Good Ones is also the first Latine play at the Pasadena Playhouse ever. In fact, there is a deep discussion about the use of the terms Latinx, Latina, Latino and Latine within the play.

One of the Good Ones has, unfortunately, closed already, but we hope to see the Gomez family again. I feel sorry for anybody that missed this tribute to Latine culture and the laughs you could have had. There is nothing like live theatre. I would highly recommend this play all day every single day. I would see it again and again. That feeling of being on the edge of your seat, guessing what will blow up this family dynamic next or knowing and being like, “Oh no! Here it comes,” is exhilarating, but also so much pure fun. What better way to spend an evening? And that, my friends, is the “F*CKING ENCHILADAS!”