Today’s Vegetarian Elite
will be presented
in Spanish,
with subtitles in Arabic,
Aulacese(Vietnamese),
Chinese, English,
French, German,
Indonesian, Italian,
Japanese, Korean,
Mongolian, Nepali,
Persian, Portuguese,
Russian, Spanish,
Tagalog, and Thai.
Welcome noble viewers
to our program
Vegetarian Elite.
Today we are pleased to
introduce
César Meléndez,
an accomplished actor
and author; and his wife,
actress Cristina Bruno,
whose works are always
reflections on important
social and spiritual matters.
With their co-founded
La Polea Theater,
César and Cristina
have traveled
to perform throughout
Central America
and the United States,
as well as several countries
in Latin America
and Europe.
The planet is shared
with the trees, with plants,
with minerals, animals,
shared with the air,
the rivers.
I’ve had enough of all
human beings trampling
on the rights of the planet
which are trampling
on our near future.
We are going to run out...
César Meléndez’s
illustrious career spans
film, television, music,
and theater.
He started professionally
with music in
the Dominican Republic,
singing with icons
like Grammy-nominated
Wilfrido Vargas.
Back in Costa Rica,
César was a member
of popular bands
of the 1980s
like Grupo Manantial.
He then expanded
his artistic repertoire
into movies, where
he participated in a major
Hollywood production.
César became
one of Costa Rica’s
most popular
and beloved stars, acting
in memorable roles on
several television series.
But it seems
César’s true calling,
however, is in theater.
He has demonstrated
his talent in theater
productions such as
“Chronicles
of a Death Foretold” by
Gabriel García Márquez,
and Henrik Ibsen’s
“A Doll’s’ House.”
In theater,
César is recognized
not only as an actor,
but also as a director
and writer of
several important works.
Among them is
the monologue
“The Immigrant,” which
has won major prizes
in Costa Rica
and internationally.
Within his
busy work schedule,
César has always found time
to participate in
many charitable events
and awareness campaigns.
On several occasions,
“The Immigrant”
served as a fundraising
event so that
a cherished friend
and colleague of the arts
could receive a
bone marrow transplant.
Last year in 2010,
he collaborated
with Nicaraguan singer
Luis Enrique Mejia Godoy
in a music outreach
project that exhibited
the music of
Costa Rica and
neighboring Nicaragua.
In 2009,
he served as moderator
for the global event
“2 Minutes to Change”
in Costa Rica’s
Plaza de la Cultura. READ:
Organized by
the Supreme Master
Ching Hai
International Association,
it was held simultaneously
in 22 countries
on February 22nd
to call attention to the
urgency of climate change
and the simple solution
of veganism.
The event coincided with
Supreme Master
Ching Hai Day
as a tribute
to her tireless devotion
in bringing peace to
the planet for all beings.
It was at this event that
César and Cristina decided
to become fully vegan.
We are vegan thanks to you.
Thanks to
your participation
in the (event in)
Plaza de la Democracia,
you started
to interact with all this.
Yes, in the event
that was called
“2 Minutes for Change,”
right?
And prior to that we were
working in this direction,
but it really is fair to say
that this marked
a part of this process.
César reminisces
on his youth
growing up with animals.
There has been
a preparation
throughout my life due to
a cultural reason from
my Nicaraguan-born
mom, dad, grandmas,
to share one’s life
along with animals.
Always, for as long as
I can remember.
I was raised
among chickens,
among piglets,
among puppies,
among kittens,
among little birds,
among cows,
among donkeys,
among earthworms,
among ants, among fleas,
among everything.
I don’t recall not having
one moment in my life
until this moment
away from animals.
Cristina tells us
a cute story of how
she and César first met,
and how their shared
affection for animals
was important
in their courtship.
Three questions
he asked me before
inviting me out were:
“Do you smoke?”
I told him, “No,
I have never smoked.”
“Do you drink alcohol?”
“No, I do not drink alcohol,
I do not like alcohol.”
“Do you like animals?”
“Yes I love them,” I said.
And then
he asked me to go out.
Cristina had actually
already been a vegetarian
since she was 13 years old.
Actually
I became vegetarian
I think it was in ‘87
when Pope John Paul II
visited Mexico.
I was watching the live
broadcast on television
and a video they had made
about the Pope
on negative
and the positive things
until this present moment
of humanity, all that had
happened in humanity.
And there was an image
for a split of a moment;
however, it changed my life
since then.
Quite simply,
there was a man sitting
with a calf at his side.
The man just grabbed
the calf’s neck
and cut him “slash”
with a knife, and
the calf kicked around
and fell down.
That 30 second image
convinced me that
I had to stop eating meat.
For César, spiritual beliefs
helped him to expand
his heart and understanding
to better embrace his love
for animals.
In my story,
since I was very young
I had been informed,
because my Nicaraguan
grandfather who traveled
to Costa Rica always
had some inclination
to study mysticism
within the Rosicrucian
movement at some point.
As I had access
to that information,
I started studying
Rosicrucianism,
and one of the most
interesting arguments
that I liked and
that opened the universe
for my whole life,
was the chance
to study other cultures,
other religions, and
to be able to understand
that the source is one,
and beyond the source
one can find the Truth by
following a specific path.
When I got close
to Eastern teachings,
I discovered a love
for animals, let’s say
the state of consciousness
for the animals.
Cristina and César’s
relationship
blossomed through
their common beliefs,
ideals, and affinity.
With one another’s
mutual support,
they decided to
become vegan together.
Between the two of us,
gradually we gave up
meat completely.
Because it’s been
about 5 years?
( Like 5 years.)
Five years ago that we
became fully vegetarian.
It wasn’t that hard.
There was just
an agreement
in our thinking,
together of course
with an inside study
of the soul,
of the development
of the consciousness,
to seek, to find
inner communication
with our inner being,
doing the proper meditation
to achieve
the daily amount wisdom
in accord to every moment
of our life, until
we arrived at this point.
At this point in our life,
through determination,
we became vegan
for the sake of our state
of consciousness.
As a young boy,
César’s parents fled
Nicaragua to seek asylum
for the family
in Costa Rica.
Through humble jobs
and great sacrifice,
they managed
an honest living and were
able to send him college.
César exhibited
promising artistic skills
early on.
Together,
César and Cristina
founded La Polea Theater
Company in 1999
to explore
human relationships
in modern society and
translate their findings
into a theatrical language
for presentations.
The primary purpose is
to raise funds for works
relating to social welfare
and for communities that
have little or no access
to art and cultural events.
Well, we’ve been
all over America.
We have presented,
rotated our shows all
around Central America,
South America,
North America;
in Europe we have been
in Spain, the Netherlands,
France.
With Cristina as
an actress and producer
of their theater company
La Polea, they travel
to convey messages
of love, compassion, and
tolerance for all beings
in their performances.
We are La Polea Theater.
We are La Polea Theater,
yes, indeed.
All this has been a process,
which is really an excuse
for us to be together.
Prior to what is now known
as La Polea Theater,
Cristina was
an independent actress
and elementary
school teacher, and I was
also an independent
theater actor, developing
artistic and musical work.
It’s a full project
aiming to give art,
to share art and culture
in communities,
especially in those
where there is none,
not much access
or limited access
or no access to allow
(That the theater
can access.)
this possibility.
La Polea Theater presents
a range of shows
and creative
supporting materials that
foster a culture of peace
within a framework
of respect
for the human condition,
gender equality, ethnicity,
religion, and belief.
César’s major work
“The Immigrant”
touches on immigration
and appreciating
the diversity of cultures.
In “Margarita’s Party,”
he addresses the issue
of climate change
and the importance
of respecting animals.
And for “Flora,”
the main focus is
having a higher regard
for women.
Our role as a theater group
was considered
from the beginning.
(Always, we always
work for others.)
Yes, always following
an exercise
in social, human, and
animal responsibility.
All of our projects are
directed to raise funds
for social good works
for human
or animal welfare.
We have a project that
we considered calling:
“Exercise of
social transformation.”
What we try to do from
our humble viewpoint is to
enable self-management
in each community
that we visit.
As previously mentioned,
César has been
internationally recognized
for his role
in the monologue
“The Immigrant,”
or “El Nica,”
which reflects on the life
of an immigrant
in Costa Rica.
The issues presented,
however, also occur
in many other parts
of the world.
There was a persisting
problem for many years
between Costa Rica and
Nicaragua at the border,
for example.
Or at the cultural level,
there is an encounter
between cultures, there is
an exercise of political
and historical inclination
that allowed
many immigrants
to come to Costa Rica
from Nicaragua, etc.
We understood that
there was a responsibility
to speak, Since
I am from Nicaragua.
(And I’m also a foreigner.)
Regarding the issues
surrounding
the environment, diet,
respect for all living things,
we also try to generate
the same share of respect,
having in mind
those people in front of us
who eat meat.
This charismatic actor
who can fill theaters
wherever he goes,
offered a message
to consider:
We are a part of the planet;
and we are a micro-part
that works
in the big machinery
supporting a planet
that is alive.
And each of us is a reason
that generates life
within this planet,
and if there’s anything,
if something is not working
as it should, then
the planet begins to react
as it is reacting [now].
We invite you
back April 16
for the second part
of our interview with
the charming couple,
César Meléndez
and Cristina Bruno.
We will be treated
to some of their
special performances,
and learn more about
their inspiring stories
on saving the world
through theater
and veganism.
For more information
about César Meléndez,
Cristina Bruno,
and La Polea Theater
Please visit:
www.TeatroLaPolea.com
or email:
teatrolapolea@gmail.com
Cheerful viewers,
thanks for joining us
today on Vegetarian Elite
Coming up now is
Between Master
and Disciples,
here on
Supreme Master Television.
May love and laughter
decorate your
blessed paths in life. .