The playwright Norge Espinosa and several theater artists visited the teacher and director Nelda Castillo this Friday to present her with the distinction from the International Theatre Institute (ITI), which cultural authorities had prevented from being awarded publicly during the celebration of International Theatre Day in Cuba.
The delivery took place at the artist's own home, founder of the company El Ciervo Encantado, in an intimate gathering that brought together close colleagues and collaborators.
In a video shared through his Facebook profile, Espinosa explained that the award was supposed to be presented at an event organized by the Cuban ITI Center, but the ceremony was canceled following the intervention of cultural authorities.
"Yesterday we were at his house to present him with the award that we couldn't give during the planned ceremony," wrote the playwright in his post.
During the meeting, Espinosa spoke about Castillo's career, describing him as an essential figure for several generations of Cuban theater artists.
In her speech, she recalled past productions of the Teatro Buendía group and reflected on the meaning of theater as a space where memory, present, and future converge.
"Theater is an act of presence where the past, present, and perhaps the future say certain things," he expressed during the tribute, in which he also highlighted the ethical dimension of the director's artistic work.
The playwright stated that Castillo has meant a lot to those who have followed his work and highlighted his consistency within the Cuban theater scene. “Being part of that ethics means being coherent and consistent,” he said.
The gesture of presenting the recognition at his home occurs after the National Council of Scenic Arts (CNAE) challenged the tribute that the Cuban ITI Center intended to bestow upon Castillo during the celebration of International Theatre Day on March 27.
The general director of Teatro Vivarta, Antonia Fernández, explained that the state institution vetoed the recognition for what she called "very narrow reasons," which ultimately forced the complete cancellation of the event.
The planned event also included words from representatives of ITI and UNESCO, as well as recognition for the Camagüeyan director Freddy Núñez Estenoz and his group Teatro del Viento.
The decision generated numerous reactions among artists and workers in the theater sector, who interpreted the ban as a form of censorship and an attempt to undermine the legacy of one of the most influential figures in contemporary theater on the island.
In the comments on the video posted by Espinosa, several creators praised the initiative to hold the tribute outside of the official channels.
Some regarded the gesture as an act of symbolic justice toward an artist who, they noted, has dedicated her life to theater.
The controversy arises just weeks after El Ciervo Encantado announced its departure from the Centro de Teatro de La Habana, the CNAE, and the Ministry of Culture, stating that they would no longer subject their work to the evaluation and control mechanisms of state cultural institutions.
Founded 30 years ago, the collective led by Castillo has established itself as one of the most recognized groups in the contemporary Cuban theater scene, with a body of work characterized by aesthetic experimentation and a critical perspective on the country's reality.
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