Darcy Hernandez-Gil and Daniel Gil founded their local, small theater company in 2018 with one mission in mind they say: ” . . . To uplift local theater artists and present works that are new to the South Florida theater stage,” says Hernandez-Gil.
Last year, the company produced the world premiere of “Songs from the Brink” by Robyn Eli Brenner and Mackenzie Anderson, and “Hoo Hah!” by Armando Santana, both performed at Main Street Playhouse in Miami Lakes.
In 2023, the Gils’ children’s theater arm, Mini Mirage team put on a student performance of “Ride the Cyclone,” which Hernandez-Gil also directed. This time around, the cast is comprised of professional, adult actors making it the official South Florida professional premiere.
“It’s a hard show to describe to be honest, because there’s really nothing like it,” says the show’s director Hernandez-Gil.
“Ride the Cyclone” opens Friday, Aug. 9 and runs through Sunday, Aug. 18 at Main Street Playhouse, Miami Lakes.
On a recent Saturday, the cast of the Gils’ True Mirage Theater’s “Ride the Cyclone” gathered in a small black box theater, Artistic Vibes, in Pinecrest, surrounded by props and pizza boxes in the midst of a rehearsal break.
The original music by Canadian writers Brooke Maxwell and Jacob Richmond, first premiered in British Columbia in 2008 and over the years has found an online cult following on TikTok and social media. The premise centers on a group of teenagers, all part of a chamber choir, who go on a rollercoaster ride and die. They then awaken in purgatory and are offered the chance to return to Earth if they tell a compelling story — through song, of course.
“Through all that, we get to know every single character and what their dreams and aspirations were in life. It’s a very zany, out-there story,” says Hernandez-Gil. “But at its core, it’s really about appreciating what you had in life and not taking all the little things for granted.”
In addition to directing, Hernandez-Gil also stars in the production. She plays Constance, who she describes as the quiet one and the nicest girl in town.
“I never would think of myself as a Constance,” says the talkative and self-assured actor. “But there’s so much fun in being able to play with her character arc and starting low and ending with her true self coming out.”
While bringing the character to life is one challenge, Hernandez-Gil also has to navigate the challenges of being both on stage and on the sidelines.
“Two things have really helped me in this production. One is the fact that I did have the chance to direct the show before, so it’s all my choreography and all my direction and my vision. I still have all of that in my body and I’m now able to tailor it to this cast. And the second thing is I have someone in the show who is able to take my place on stage as a sort of body double when I need to step back and inspect the scene.”
Hernandez-Gil’s double-duty isn’t the only impressive aspect about the production. The music is surely to leave audiences enthralled.
“We’re seeing how it’s a show that attracts people of all ages, and I think that’s in large part due to the music,” says musical director Priscilla Blanco, the show’s musical director. “We have such a wide variety of arrangements; we have such a wide variety of genres.”
The 90-minute show features hip hop, jazz, pop, rock, folk, electronic, and even a moving ballad.
“It all fits really well to each character,” says Blanco. “Each individual song is tailored to fit the mood, to fit the personality of the character singing. It all serves the show really well.”
The show made its U.S debut at the Chicago Shakespeare Festival in 2015 and then headed for a 2016 run off Broadway. It then found a cult following online. But listening to the score without context might leave the listener confused on what exactly is happening – and why, according to the local producers.
“Once it’s all strung together, it makes so much sense,” says Hernandez-Gil. “The show really takes you on a roller coaster and by the end, you will hopefully have found this new appreciation for life.”
Blanco agrees: “Out of nowhere, it’s very heartwarming.”
WHAT: “Ride the Cyclone” by Brooke Maxwell and Jacob Richmond
WHERE: Main Street Playhouse, 6812 Main St., Miami Lakes
WHEN: 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 3 p.m. Sundays. Opens Friday, Aug. 9 through Sunday, Aug. 18.
COST: $40, $30 for seniors, students, and veterans. Tickets at
INFORMATION: (786) 484-4711 or .
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