‘Stir’ takes the stage for world premiere at the Old Globe

The smells, sounds and ambience of “Stir” make it stand out among other plays, said playwright and actor Joel Perez.

“I think what’s exciting is the kind of four-dimensional experience where we’ll cook and you’ll smell the onions and the garlic and the peppers,” Perez said. “And I hope the audience feels a little hungry at the end of the show.”

Perez and Melinda Lopez co-wrote the play and are the play’s main characters – siblings Henry and Mariana.

Lopez said the piece was a product of the COVID-19-related shutdowns. It originally premiered on the East Coast in a virtual setting in 2021.

“We created a fictional universe where Henry and Mariana cook on Zoom to honor their mother,” Lopez said. “Mariana who has the recipe and Henry who wants to learn the recipe — and we did a play on Zoom and then thought it could work in person.”

Now “Stir” gets a proper stage for its world premiere at the Sheryl and Harvey White Theater at the Old Globe.

“The play is really about family. And it’s about a family struggling with the loss of a loved one,” said director Marcela Lorca.

In the play, Henry and Mariana are separated by distance and circumstances, but meet to share their late mother’s favorite black bean recipe. Meanwhile, his ashes await a final resting place.

“As we cook together live, you realize why Henry actually came up with this plan — to do something a little impulsive, and I’ll leave it at that,” Perez said while laughing.

Lopez said the play emphasizes ritual, in this case cooking. She said rituals like this keep people together and grounded and make our lives sacred.

“We all know what it’s like to experience family from a distance over Zoom when we can’t get into the room, and the play tries to navigate that separation and desire for connection,” Lopez said.

The play takes place during the pandemic and recreates a feeling of distance in a unique setting with a real working kitchen.

“We have a kitchen that has two counters. And these counters can rotate and move,” Lorca said. “We create the illusion that this brother and sister are cooking in separate spaces, but they can also fluidly invade each other’s space.”

Perez said much of the plot is based on the playwrights’ experiences with grief during the pandemic and the passing of their own grandmother.

“She was the type of cook who never followed a recipe. She was super intuitive, but she always had the same taste,” Perez said. “We lost that. And it will never come back. And there’s something so sad, but also so special, about how food can make us feel and bring us back to a memory.”

In “Stir,” their mother’s black bean recipe starts as a simple project but leads to a surprising connection as the brothers reminisce and reveal their own secrets.

Although the play deals with the loss of a loved one, it is still a comedy that aims to be funny and moving.

“It’s this closeness between the brothers and the kind of language they use, where they can laugh about touching and difficult things,” Lorca said. “It’s a very intimate piece, so I think it allows a lot of humor to come through.”

Lopez and Perez have a nearly decade-long bond that serves as brothers on and off the stage.

“We have total brotherly banter, we like each other,” Lopez said. “We just had fun together. I really admire Joel’s artistic career and he was in some of my pieces.”

The play also focuses on Latino identity in America, in roles that defy stereotypes.

However, its message is universal for people of all cultures – breaking bread with loved ones after a long period apart.

“Of course you’re not Cuban, but I’m sure there’s some type of food that you remember fondly as a child that your parents, grandparents or loved ones used to make,” Perez said. “I hope this reminds people to honor that legacy, honor those memories.”

Lorca agrees. She hopes her message impacts audiences beyond the set.

“To reflect on your own family and your loved ones and what’s important in life — which is sharing love, being kind to each other and communicating honestly with each other,” Lorca said.

As for the food, it is probably just for show. But the recipe is in the program for anyone who wants to try cooking the beans themselves.

For those interested in family, food and healing, performances of the four-week play run May 4-26.