Manifest Destiny

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Consider, if you will, an idea born in the 19^th century United States, claiming a preordained truth of America having the right to annex all of North America as its sovereign territory. This idea was promoted in the name of “Manifest Destiny,” a belief rooted in the concept of American exceptionalism combined with nationalism, overlaying a discounted but very real idea of white supremacy. It was an ideology that implied the spread of republicanism and the “American Way” as inevitable. It was an imperialistic expression at its core.

The United States did not fully realize the core of its professed destiny. However, it did acquire a large portion of Mexico and a smaller area of Canada. However, a more serious aspect was the idea becoming embedded in the American political ethos. The concept of promoting democracy in other countries differs significantly from attempting to impose democracy on them. The dark side of the United States’ humanitarian support around the world was its involvement in the internal political structures of the countries it was helping.

The Monroe Doctrine, established in the early 19^th century, became the ideological tool used by the United States in the 20^th century to define the type of political institutions that would be permitted in South America. The post-World War II view was one of anti-Socialism, specifically communism. Still, it did not play out on the ground as expected, where support for authoritarianism was accepted if it was opposed to Socialism, defined as Communism.

Manuel Ortiz’s masterful play Manifest Destiny lays bare the complicity of the United States in the overthrow of the Chilean presidency of Salvador Allende and the authoritarian repression of Augusto Pinochet in an engaging, thoughtful and entertaining way. Ortiz’s direction seduces the audience into the darkness of political repression with humor and edgy, light-hearted banter, delivering an unforgettable statement on what happened in Chile and the U.S. organizations bearing responsibility for those events. It is a skillful blend of past, present, and perhaps future, and a show to be experienced by everyone who loves a compelling story solidly presented by an outstanding ensemble.

The prologue, presented as a disclaimer, is a clever element in the overall seduction of the play. The four-member cast assembles on stage, breaks the fourth wall, and explains to the audience that the show’s lawyers have advised them not to reveal their real names, given the nature of the story. The names they choose, Hamlet, Horatio, Claudius and Ophelia, carry a certain measure of humor. In addition, the way they deliver the prologue implies a humorous aspect to the story, such as the extent to which the narrative is non-fiction.

ACTOR 4: “And that takes us to the second part of the disclaimer. This play is actually half fiction, half non-fiction. I mean, it’s not even half and half. It’s probably more like seventy-thirty, or even eighty-twenty.”

The story is one of revenge by Hamlet/Actor 1 (Francisco Arcila) for the disappearance of his father following the Pinochet coup in Chile. He is supported by a childhood friend, Ophelia/Actor 3 (Nefesh Cordero Pino), whose father also disappeared after the coup. Horatio/Actor 2 (John Evans Reese) is an American lawyer married to Hamlet. They live in a house in Brooklyn, and it’s refreshing to see their relationship presented as a matter of fact rather than a social issue. The target of revenge is Claudius Cownley/Actor 4 (Jesse B. Koehler), the double-agent assassin who was part of an operation run by Dirección de Inteligencia Nacional (DINA), the secret police of the Pinochet regime.

Arcila, Reese, Pino and Koehler are perfectly attuned to each other, giving a coherence to the performances that is not easy to achieve with the shifting of roles and the rhythmic changes between scenes. They are an essential part of the play’s power.

Ortiz’s use of flashback scenes establishes the historical context for the present-day scenes. The opening scene features Hamlet speaking to an empty chair, with a leather coat draped over its back, where the ghost of his father is seated. In talking to his father, Hamlet reveals some of his father’s backstory. Still, Ortiz introduces a surprise element into the scene, which softens the developing darkness.

A projection of the real name of the CIA/DINA agent responsible for his father’s disappearance appears on an upstage projection screen. Actor 1 breaks character and yells at the projection director for putting the real name of the agent on the screen. Actor 2 (Horatio) appears and apologizes to the audience for the mix-up, after which everything resets with the correct projection, and Actor 1 once again becomes Hamlet.

This moment, amidst a dark and dramatic scene, is Ortiz cleverly adding lightness to what is a very dark story. The scene with the ghost of Hamlet’s father transitions seamlessly into the backstory of Claudius Cownley, a critical element in the play. In this scene, Koehler, as Cownley, interacts with Reese, now playing a spy character, and Pino, playing Cownley’s wife, Mariana. Cownley and Mariana are revealed as superficially nice people. Still, it is done in an almost festive way, with lighted letters depicting the US and Chile.

As they discuss the actions taken against Allende’s government, Mariana sings badly, “I Can’t Get No Satisfaction,” and an explosion introduces the moment of the 1973 coup. At this point, the true nature of Cownley, Mariana, and their house is revealed using a toy house as a representation of the place, which was a torture chamber and execution site. In the end, all that is needed to know about Cownley is revealed, and the scene snaps to Hamlet speaking to the ghost of his father.

From this point on, the story turns to the interactions of Hamlet, Horatio, and Ophelia. She enters the story as a childhood friend of Hamlet’s, seeking revenge against Claudius and now actively helping him carry out his plans. A flashback scene provides the backstory for Hamlet and Ophelia’s relationship. It is done again in a way that softens the darkness at its heart as the conversation turns to the lost fathers and the desire for revenge.

Ortiz perfectly weaves the elements of the journey to revenge through a series of scenes that show what is factually true while filling in the gaps with fictional elements. Each step of the process is a masterful blend of the light and dark sides of the human character. Even the use of dramatic elements from the play Hamlet gives a tone to the production that anyone familiar with the story of the Danish prince will see and appreciate.

What follows from the backstory of Actor 1’s Hamlet and Actor 3’s Ophelia are scenes that deepen the historical evil being depicted but still with a disarming light touch, which in the final analysis leaves the viewer with layers of information demanding thoughtful understanding of darkness in the character of the United States without shutting the door on introspection to that darkness. It profoundly challenges some of the mythological aspects of what is considered the American character, particularly at a time when the concepts explored in Manifest Destiny are being revisited.

The technical aspects of the production, set, lighting, sound, and projections are beautifully executed. The set, designed by Attilio Rigotti, who is also responsible for the excellent sound and projection design, is comprised of cardboard boxes, implying a change in location for the owner of the boxes. It is a design that fits nicely with the time and location shifts of the scenes. The projections are a perfect complement to the storyline, adding visual context to the historical aspects of the production. The costume designer, Paco May, flawlessly provides outfits that fit the periods and the shifts in reality. A critical element in this production is the lighting designer, and Miguel Valderrama’s work is solid. He also provides technical direction, a crucial aspect of the show. Deby Kaufmann’s original music was perfectly integrated into the scenes, adding to the emotional feel of the show.

Manifest Destiny (through June 29, 2025)

split/decision

Teatro LATEA at The Clemente Soto Vélez Cultural Center, 107 Suffolk Street, in Manhattan.

For tickets, visit  http://www.teatrolatea.org/series/manifest-destiny/

Running time: 90 minutes without an intermission