Lucy Boscana
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Lucy Boscana Bravo (1915 – May 24, 2001) born in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, was an actress and a pioneer in Puerto Rico's television.
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[edit] Early years
Lucy was born in the city of Mayaguez which is located on the west coast of Puerto Rico. Her family moved to the United States when she was a child because of the economic crisis in the island. She learned how to play the piano at an early age. Lucy graduated from high school and decided to continue her education by enrolling in Oberlin College located in Ohio, where her cousin, Madeline Willemsen, was studying a French language degree. There she earned her Bachelors Degree in languages and theater.
[edit] Acting career
In 1940, Lucy returned to Puerto Rico. After a stint as an English language teacher in her hometown she enrolled in the University of Puerto Rico to study music and dramatic arts. After graduation, Lucy founded the Puerto Rican Tablado Company, a traveling theater. Among the plays which she produced with the company was "The Oxcart" by fellow Puerto Rican playwright René Marqués. She presented the play in Puerto Rico and on Off-Broadway in New York City. She participated in over 30 plays and also in various locally produced films.
On August 22, 1955, Lucy became a pioneer in the television of Puerto Rico when she participated in Puerto Rico's first telenovela (soap opera) titled "Ante la Ley", alongside Esther Sandoval and Mario Pabon, which was transmitted through Channel 2. Since then she became a regular in the telenovela circuit.
With the Puerto Rican Tablado Company, she produced and presented the works of Francisco Arrivi, Rene Marquez, Tennessee Williams, Alejandro Casona, Federico García Lorca and many others in Puerto Rico.
[edit] Honors
In 1996, the Puerto Rican Institute of Culture dedicated its 33 International Theater Festival to Lucy. On July 1997, the Puerto Rican Senate paid tribute and awarded Lucy and her Puerto Rican Tablado Company with a special proclamation recognizing their silver anniversary.
In 2000, the Government of Puerto Rico honored Lucy by renaming the "Teatro del Patio" of the Puerto Rican Institute of Culture to "El Teatro Lusy Buscana" (The Lucy Boscana Theater).
Lucy Boscana died on May 24, 2001 in San Juan, Puerto Rico from cancer.
