Clean, and: The Last Angry Brown Hat (review)

Beginning in 1998, the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History has sponsored programming under the title Encuentros: Latino America at the Smithsonian. As part of its 1999–2000 programming year, and in conjunction with Hispanic Heritage Month, the Smithsonian brought a traveling company performing Alfredo Ramos’s 1993 play, The Last Angry Brown Hat, to the DC area for a weekend of shows at various venues. While Ramos’s play explores Chicano history and culture, the provocative, ambitious plot line of gay Nuyorican playwright Edwin Sánchez’s 1995 play, Clean, poses challenges to actors and audience alike. The play made its (and its author’s) auspicious DC debut run at the Studio Theatre’s Secondstage in April of 1999. The two plays explore contemporary issues, though their points of focus differ significantly.