Silverfish Wrote:

Write to Oprah with his story, and maybe she will have him on her show.

Stephanie

Maggers Wrote:I saw a very good one man show at the Public Theater tonight called "Intringulis." The young man who wrote and performed it, Carlo Alban, tells his story.

He was born in Equador (Susan, this one's for you!). He and one of his five siblings and his parents emigrated to America. Four of the children were left behind; how families can be split like that is incomprehensible to me, yet it happens everywhere around the world.

Carlo and his family arrive in America on visitor visas and never leave. They wind up in New Jersey. He tells us of his struggle to put his illegal immigrant status into some sort of context. The family was always in fear they would be found out. Yet, paradoxically, he became a young star on "Sesame Street," playing the character Carlo, for those of you who watched that show. When one of his siblings who stayed behind in Equador finally gets to America, 18 years after Carlo arrived here, Carlo is stunned to discover that his brother is angry, enraged, and seems to be bent on becoming a terrorist of some sort. After a falling out, Carlo's older brother leaves the family he only just returned to and hasn't spoken with them since.

Singing and playing the guitar, Alban uses moving South American folk songs to express his story, as well as his own written word. He's funny, wise, and opened my eyes to a world I, frankly, have never considered except in the most superficial way.

This is an understated virtuoso performance in a show that should be seen by many and probably won't. It's at the Public for a very short run. Hopefully, this young man will find many more venues for this interesting and informative show.