Ivan Garcia Guerra (San Pedro de Macorís, Dominican Republic, February 26, 1938 – Santo Domingo, March 22, 2025) was a prominent theater actor, playwright, director, narrator, journalist and Dominican professor, considered one of the most influential figures in the history of Dominican theaterIn 2015 he received the Gran Soberano, the highest distinction of the Soberano Awards, in recognition of his artistic career.
Iván García's beginnings in dramatic art
He began his career in 1955 playing the character of “El Pobre” in the play The great theater of the worldSince then, he has remained active for seven decades, being applauded for his talent, depth, and commitment to the arts.
Theatrical and film career
Iván García starred in more than 200 plays, including:
- Waiting for Godot
- Oedipus Rex
- Kiss of the Spider Woman
- Letter to Trujillo
- Beauty and the beast
- Amadeus
- Duarte, founder of a republic
In cinema, he participated in films such as Dreaming of Julia, The Lost City, The curse of Father Cardona, The color of the night and Duarte: Betrayal and GloryHe also acted on television, standing out in the series Tropic.
Director, playwright and writer
He made his directorial debut in 1958 with Julius Caesar Shakespeare's. He wrote plays such as Beyond the search, Pilgrimage, Interiors, Pride and Memories of April, many of them presented in Latin America, the United States and Europe.
He published more than ten books, including:
- War is not for us (stories)
- Narrative anthology
- Andromache
- The Great Tale (autobiography in seven parts)
- Portraits of a war
He left several technical and literary texts in the process of being published, such as Manual of dramaturgy, History of Dominican theater, Encyclopedic Dictionary of Dominican Theater and Screams and meditations.
Master of the theater
He founded the Dramatic Arts Department at the Santiago Institute of Culture and Art and taught at institutions such as PUCMM, UNIBE, SUNY Oswego (USA), UASD, and the National School of Dramatic Arts. In 2010, he founded the Iván García Theater School, in honor of Arisleyda Beard, dedicated to the training of new theatrical talents.
Social and political commitment
Participated in the June 14th Movement and in the April War of 1965, actively opposing the Trujillo dictatorship. Although he retired from partisan politics, he remained committed to patriotic and social causes.
Personal life
He was married to Frances Brenes Guridi. He was the father of four children: Lakshmi, Surya, Buddhanjali, and Ramakósmiko, and the grandfather of seven. In his later years, he served as artistic advisor to the Juan Bosch Foundation and as a theater teacher at St. Michael's School.
Awards and Recognitions
- Great Sovereign (2015)
- Cristóbal de Llerena National Theatre Award
- Lumiere International Award (2002)
- Decoration with the Order of Juan Pablo Duarte
- Honorary Doctorate (UTESA)
- Declared “National Glory of the Theater” (Ministry of Culture, 2011)
- Winner of multiple Casandra, Silver Talia and El Dorado awards
