Neighbors
Elisa de la Roche
Occupation: Actress
Elisa de la Roche has lived in Lower Manhattan for over 30 years. She has been acting, singing and dancing since she was a teenager. Now though March 18 she is appearing in a new play downtown “Three on a Match” at IATI Theater at 64 East 4th Street.
“Three on a Match” by Rhett Martinez is an allegorical drama examining the legacy of state terrorism in Latin America. It will be the 50th Anniversary production of IATI Theater Todo Vanguardia, a performing arts organization located at 64 East 4th Street, which is devoted to contemporary, cutting-edge Latino works. The drama examines, absurdly and gravely, the terrifying plague of “disappearances” during Argentina’s “Dirty War” of 1974-83 and similar experiences of countries across South America in ensuing decades. Written and performed in English, it will be directed by Eric Parness.
The play opened February 23 and will run through March 18.
Go to iatitheater.org for tickets.
And neighbors: use the code: “Colinas” for half price tickets!
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We sat down and asked a few questions about her life Downtown:
Q: How long have you lived downtown?
A: 32 years in Battery Park City
Q: What do you do all day?
A: Every day I do something different. But I always start with physical and vocal exercises. I usually swim and bike.
Q: How much time in front of a computer screen?
A: If I am writing, I might spend 8 to 10 hours at the computer. But when I am rehearsing, I spend less than hour a day checking emails and reading the news.
Q: What about your family?
A: I have raised three children downtown, and my two grandchildren are also downtown.
Q: What’s the best thing you like about downtown?
A: If I have to choose one best thing, I would have to say the Hudson River. It is majestic in every season. Even when chunks of ice are floating downstream, I bundle up and come out to watch the sunset.
Q: Where are some of your favorite places Downtown?
A: Chinatown, the weeping willow trees in South Cove, the library, Poets House.
Q: What’s a perfect afternoon or weekend activity you do downtown?
A: An hour or two bike ride along the river with my daughter, and then having a picnic of poke and soba under the cherry blossoms in the circle garden ( aka Oval Lawn )
Q: What’s a pet peeve about life downtown the annoys you the most?
A: I don’t like the crowds of people who are not thoughtful of others around them.
Q: What’s the one thing you would change if you could down here?
A: Less cars, buses and trucks, and slower speeds
Q: What’s the favorite thing you like to do and favorite time of each day?
A: Each season and time of day has its special treat! In the spring I love the excitement of each new flower that appears. In summer I like to kayak on the river, walk at night and eat outdoors. In the autumn I love to, yes, I’ll admit this, jump in the crunchy leaves! And in the winter I love to photograph the snow and ice.
Q: What are you reading lately? Favorite TV shows?/Radio Shows?Internet entertainment?
A: Books: When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi; Lab Girl by Hope Jahren, and The Body of the World by Eve Ensler (who also recently performed a one-woman show with the same title). TV series: “The Crown“, “Grace and Frankie“, “Call the Midwife“.