National Theater Prize 2021 for Dagoberto Gaínza

March 27, 2021

He looks like a Don Quixote, both in appearance and spirit. And he has been a Quixote on stage. Actor and director Dagoberto Gaínza (Santiago de Cuba, 1940) was proclaimed this Friday afternoon as the 2021 National Theater Prize winner. He is one of the most recognized artists of the national stage, who has distinguished himself in his native city with a body of work that delves into national identity using important universal references.

Gaínza directs the theatrical group A dos manos, with which, alongside his wife Nancy Campos, he has obtained numerous accolades. He has participated in more than fifty stage productions and has taught workshops in Cuba and abroad. His interpretation of Santiago Apóstol has become a symbol in the most important Santiago festivities.

The award-winning artist has also ventured into radio, film, and television, but theater has been his privileged space. He has been part of emblematic collectives, such as the Conjunto Dramático de Oriente, the Cabildo Teatral Santiago, and Calibán Teatro; he is a regular presence at festivals in Cuba and around the world.

For his extraordinary community work, he is one of the most beloved actors in Santiago de Cuba, a city that has bestowed upon him the greatest honors in the cultural sphere.