Abel González Melo's 'OUTSIDE THE GAME' to Premiere in English in New York

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Pablo Andrade, Nairoby Otero, and Nate Betancourt will star in the six-performance limited engagement directed by Arnaldo Galbán.

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The Other's Theatre Project will present the English-language premiere of Outside the Game: A File for the Reconstruction of the Heberto Padilla Case , by Cuban playwright Abel González Melo, November 4-8 at IATI Theater.

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Translated by William Gregory and directed by Cuban theatre director Arnaldo Galbán, the limited six-performance engagement will feature Pablo Andrade as Cuban poet Heberto Padilla, Nairoby Otero as Belkis and Nate Betancourt as the Comrade.

Set in Havana between 1967 and 1971, Outside the Game reconstructs the events surrounding Padilla, whose criticism of the Cuban Revolution, arrest and subsequent public self-criticism ignited an international controversy that became known as the Padilla Case.

Moving between historical reconstruction, memory and theatrical fiction, the play explores censorship, artistic freedom, exile and the relationship between artists and political power. The Padilla Case ultimately marked a turning point in the relationship between the Cuban Revolution and a number of international writers and intellectuals who had previously supported it.

The creative team includes Rodri Hernandez Martinez on scenic and costume design, Emmanuel Delgado on lighting design and Gaurav Mishra /Enyn on sound design.

González Melo's work has been produced and published in more than 20 countries and translated into 12 languages. His plays include Carrusel , which received the 2025 Ciutat de València Max Aub Award; Bayamesa , recipient of the 2020 Casa de las Américas International Award; Epopeya ; Mecánica ; Talco ; and Chamaco . He holds a PhD in Literary Studies and a master's degree in Theatre from the Complutense University of Madrid and participated in The Royal Court Theatre 's International Residency.

Since 2022, González Melo has been part of the artistic department of Teatro de La Abadía in Madrid and serves as Artistic Coordinator of the Corral de Comedias de Alcalá de Henares.

Founded by Galbán, The Other's Theatre Project is an artist-led initiative focused on bringing contemporary Cuban plays to English-speaking audiences through translation, research, collaboration and performance. The initiative launched in 2025 with a staged reading of Yunior García Aguilera's ASCO at TheaterLab. Outside the Game will mark the company's first full production.

The production is supported by the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council, New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, Howard Gilman Foundation, EarSay, Open Jar Broadway Inclusion Project and Broadway Green Alliance Micro Grant.

Outside the Game will play Wednesday, November 4 at 7:30 p.m.; Thursday, November 5 at 7:30 p.m.; Friday, November 6 at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, November 7 at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m.; and Sunday, November 8 at 5 p.m. Performances will take place at IATI Theater, 64 E. 4th Street in New York City.

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_Originally reported by [BroadwayWorld](https://www.broadwayworld.com/off-off-broadway/article/OUTSIDE-THE-GAME-Will-Make-English-Language-Debut-20260914)._