MDCA Away From Home: FUNDarte presents “The Dog in the Magner” (El Perro del Hortelano)

FUNDarte, the City of Aventura, and Miami-Dade County Auditorium present “The Dog in the Manger” (El Perro del Hortelano), a celebrated palace comedy by Spain’s Golden Age master Lope de Vega, on Friday, October 9 and Saturday, October 10 at 8:00 pm and Sunday, October 11, 2026 at 2:00 pm at the Aventura Arts & Cultural Center.

“The Dog in the Manger” (El Perro del Hortelano) features a bold contemporary adaptation by dramatist Norge Espinosa Mendoza and directed by Carlos Díaz. Beyond its glorious verse form, The Dog in the Manger is a comedy about a woman who has created a kingdom of her own. Countess Diana of Belflor is the mistress of this small world, visited by suitors whom she rejects, wary of marriage and its rules, until jealousy takes hold of her. When she learns that her secretary, Teodoro, is courting Marcela, one of her ladies in waiting, she reveals herself to be a skillful schemer of intrigues, ultimately ending up as the one who marries Teodoro.

In times when the effects of the MeToo movement are still being felt, when cancellations and the tensions of fake news abound, we can read The Dog in the Manger as a game of half-truths that intersect among these characters, reminding us that human beings, and theater itself, operate as creators of fictions. Women and men, jealousy and honor, desires and delusions: through these, words and bodies devour one another, or allow themselves to be devoured, depending on the interests that all of this conceals. Stripping Lope bare to reveal the faces of his characters and unveil their inhibitions is the game proposed by director Carlos Díaz, culminating in an ironic vision of the play’s happy ending, saved by that count who desperately seeks a son.

Cast: Ysmercy Salomón, Enmanuel Galbán, Laura Alemán, Guillermo Lavandera, Frank Ledesma, Luciano Cortés, Frank Ledesma, Reinier Díaz, Joel Sotolongo

Presented in Spanish with English supertitles

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This performance is part of Miami-Dade County Auditorium’s Away From Home Series. Programming continues to thrive during this period of renovation through the Away From Home Series. The series consists of off-site performances presented at alternative venues with community partners, ensuring that the magic of the performing arts continues to captivate audiences throughout this transition period. The Away From Home Series presents dance, theatre, and music performances that take place at a variety of South Florida facilities and cultural centers. MDCA remains committed to keeping the spirit of creativity alive during this monumental endeavor and invites you to join us away from home!