Miguel Piñero (December 19, 1946 – June 16, 1988) was a playwright, actor and co-founder of the

Nuyorican Poets Café The Nuyorican (Puerto Rican New Yorkers) Poets Cafe is a nonprofit organization in Alphabet City, on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. It is a bastion of the Nuyorican art movement in New York City, and has become a forum for poetry, music, hip ...

. He was a leading member of the Nuyorican literary movement.

Early years

Piñero was born on December 19, 1946, in

Gurabo, Puerto Rico Gurabo () is a town and municipality in eastern Puerto Rico. It is located in the central eastern region, north of San Lorenzo; south of Trujillo Alto; east of Caguas; and west of Carolina and Juncos. Gurabo is spread over 9 barrios and Gurab ...

, to Miguel Angel Gómez Ramos and Adelina Piñero. In 1950, when Miguel was four, he moved with his parents and sister Elizabeth to

Loisaida Alphabet City is a neighborhood located within the East Village in the New York City borough of Manhattan. Its name comes from Avenues A, B, C, and D, the only avenues in Manhattan to have single-letter names. It is bounded by Houston St ...

(or Lower East Side) in

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...

. His father abandoned the family in 1954 when his mother was pregnant with their fifth child. His mother then moved into a basement and began receiving

welfare Welfare, or commonly social welfare, is a type of government support intended to ensure that members of a society can meet basic human needs such as food and shelter. Social security may either be synonymous with welfare, or refer specifical ...

. He attended four different schools, three public and one parochial. He would steal food for his family to eat. His first of many criminal convictions came at the age of eleven, for

theft Theft is the act of taking another person's property or services without that person's permission or consent with the intent to deprive the rightful owner of it. The word ''theft'' is also used as a synonym or informal shorthand term for som ...

. He was sent to the Juvenile Detention Center in the

Bronx The Bronx () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Bronx County, in the state of New York. It is south of Westchester County; north and east of the New York City borough of Manhattan, across the Harlem River; and north of the New Y ...

, and to Otisville State Training School for Boys. He joined a street gang called "The Dragons" when he was 13; when he was 14, he was hustling in the streets.The Truth About Miguel Piñero & The Problems With Biopics
/ref> He moved to Brooklyn, where he and three other friends committed robberies (according to Piñero, more than 100), until they were caught at a jewelry store. He was sent to Rikers Island in 1964. After this, he joined the

Job Corps Job Corps is a program administered by the United States Department of Labor that offers free education and vocational training to young men and women ages 16 to 24. Mission and purpose Job Corps' mission is to help young people ages 16 throug ...

, and was sent to

Camp Kilmer Located in Central New Jersey, Camp Kilmer is a former United States Army camp that was activated in June 1942 as a staging area and part of an installation of the New York Port of Embarkation. The camp was organized as part of the Army Service ...

for training. It turned out the opportunity was, as Piñero put it, "Dope City, Skag Town." He returned to New York City and became affiliated with the

Young Lords The Young Lords, also known as the Young Lords Organization (YLO) or Young Lords Party (YLP), was a Chicago-based street gang that became a civil and human rights organization. The group aims to fight for neighborhood empowerment and self-det ...

, a group similar to the Black Panthers. He was back in Rikers for drug possession not long after, and spent time at

Phoenix House Phoenix House is a nonprofit drug and alcohol rehabilitation organization operating in ten states with 150 programs. Programs serve individuals, families, and communities affected by substance abuse and dependency. History Phoenix House was ...

. After his second stint at Rikers, his mother sent him to Manhattan State Hospital, where he would receive his high-school equivalency diploma.

''Short Eyes''

In 1972, when Piñero was 25 years old, he was incarcerated in

Sing Sing Sing Sing Correctional Facility, formerly Ossining Correctional Facility, is a maximum-security prison operated by the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision in the village of Ossining, New York. It is about north of ...

prison for second-degree armed robbery. His first literary work was ''Black Woman with a Blonde Wig On''. Marvin Felix Camillo, the director of The Family, an acting troupe made up of ex-cons, submitted the poem to a contest, which it won. The warden of Sing Sing then became concerned that "contraband" was being taken from the prison and nearly put Camillo in jail after seeing an article in the newspaper. While serving time in prison, Piñero wrote the play '' Short Eyes'' as part of the inmates' playwriting workshop.

Mel Gussow Melvyn Hayes "Mel" Gussow (; December 19, 1933 – April 29, 2005) was an American theater critic, movie critic, and author who wrote for ''The New York Times'' for 35 years. Biography Gussow was born in New York City and grew up in Rockville ...

came to see it, and due to his review in ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...

'', the director of the Theater at Riverside Church wanted Piñero to present it there. When Piñero was released from Sing Sing on parole in 1973, he was able to present ''Short Eyes'' with The Family. The title comes from "short heist", the prison slang term for child molestation. The play is a

drama Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance: a play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a genre of poetry in general, the dramatic mode has b ...

based on his experiences in prison and portrays how a house of detention populated primarily by Black and Latino inmates is affected by the incarceration there of a white

pedophile Pedophilia ( alternatively spelt paedophilia) is a psychiatric disorder in which an adult or older adolescent experiences a primary or exclusive sexual attraction to prepubescent children. Although girls typically begin the process of puberty a ...

, considered the lowest form of prison life. In 1974, the play was presented at Riverside Church in

Manhattan Manhattan (), known regionally as the City, is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the five boroughs of New York City. The borough is also coextensive with New York County, one of the original counties of the U.S. state ...

. Theater impresario

Joseph Papp Joseph Papp (born Joseph Papirofsky; June 22, 1921 – October 31, 1991) was an American theatrical producer and director. He established The Public Theater in what had been the Astor Library Building in Lower Manhattan. There Papp created ...

saw the play and was so impressed that he moved the production to

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

. It went from Riverside Church, then to

The Public Theater The Public Theater is a New York City arts organization founded as the Shakespeare Workshop in 1954 by Joseph Papp, with the intention of showcasing the works of up-and-coming playwrights and performers.Epstein, Helen. ''Joe Papp: An American Li ...

, eventually to

Vivian Beaumont Theater The Vivian Beaumont Theater is a Broadway theater in the Lincoln Center complex at 150 West 65th Street on the Upper West Side of Manhattan in New York City. Operated by the nonprofit Lincoln Center Theater (LCT), the Beaumont is the only Bro ...

. The play was nominated for six

Tony Awards The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual c ...

. It won the

New York Drama Critics Circle Award The New York Drama Critics' Circle is made up of 22 drama critics from daily newspapers, magazines and wire services based in the New York City metropolitan area. The organization is best known for its annual awards for excellence in theater.Jone ...

and an Obie Award for the "best play of the year". The play was also a success in Europe. The play catapulted Piñero to

literary Literature is any collection of written work, but it is also used more narrowly for writings specifically considered to be an art form, especially prose fiction, drama, and poetry. In recent centuries, the definition has expanded to include ...

fame. ''Short Eyes'' was published in book form by the editorial house Hill & Wang. It became the first play written by a Puerto Rican playwright to be put on Broadway.

Nuyorican Poets Café

In the 1970s, Piñero co-founded the

with a group of artists including

Pedro Pietri Pedro Pietri (March 21, 1944 – March 3, 2004) was a Nuyorican poet and playwright and one of the co-founders of the Nuyorican Movement. He was considered by some as the poet laureate of the Nuyorican Movement. Early years Pietri was born i ...

and

Miguel Algarín Miguel Algarín Jr. (11 September 1941 – 30 November 2020) was a Puerto Rican poet, writer, co-founder of the Nuyorican Poets Café, and a Rutgers University professor of English. Early years Algarín was born in Santurce, Puerto Rico, and ...

, would become his closest friends. The Café is a place for performance of poetry about the experience of being a

Nuyorican Nuyorican is a portmanteau of the terms "New York" and "Puerto Rican" and refers to the members or culture of the Puerto Ricans located in or around New York City, or of their descendants (especially those raised or currently living in the N ...

or Puerto Rican in New York.

Television and films

In 1977, Piñero's play ''Short Eyes'' was turned into a film directed by Robert M. Young and Piñero played the part of "Go-Go," a prisoner. While on set, he and

Tito Goya Tito Goya (real name Andrew Butler) (April 4, 1951 – December 1, 1985) was a Puerto Rican actor known for his portrayal of "Cupcake" in the 1977 film '' Short Eyes''. Goya appeared in '' Marathon Man'' (1976), '' Andy Warhol's Bad'' (197 ...

were arrested for armed robbery and were arraigned in the same building where they were filming. The charges were dropped, but some thought Piñero had a "need" to go back to prison. The following year, Piñero was arrested and charged with armed robbery, but those charges were also dropped when state Supreme Court Judge Peter J. McQuillan ruled that the evidence against him and two other men was inadmissible in court, because there was no justifiable cause for the arrest. In subsequent years, Piñero would land supporting roles in such films as '' The Jericho Mile'' (1979), ''

Times Square Times Square is a major commercial intersection, tourist destination, entertainment hub, and neighborhood in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. It is formed by the junction of Broadway, Seventh Avenue, and 42nd Street. Together with adjacent ...

'' (1980), ''

Fort Apache, The Bronx ''Fort Apache, The Bronx'' is a 1981 American crime drama film directed by Daniel Petrie. The film is about a hard-drinking, lonely veteran cop, Murphy ( Paul Newman), and his young partner Corelli ( Ken Wahl), who work in a crime-ridden precin ...

'' (1981), '' Breathless'' (1983), '' Deal of the Century'' (1983), and ''Alphabet City'' (1984). Piñero was considered a talented writer who described the evils of society, even though he continued to be a drug addict. Piñero wrote the ''

Baretta ''Baretta'' is an American detective television series which ran on ABC from 1975 to 1978. The show was a revised and milder version of a 1973–1974 ABC series, '' Toma'', starring Tony Musante as chameleon-like, real-life New Jersey pol ...

'' TV episode ''The Gadjo'' in 1978 and acted in the episode ''Por Nada'' in 1977. He played the part of druglord Esteban Calderone in two episodes of the TV series ''

Miami Vice ''Miami Vice'' is an American crime drama television series created by Anthony Yerkovich and produced by Michael Mann for NBC. The series stars Don Johnson as James "Sonny" Crockett and Philip Michael Thomas as Ricardo "Rico" Tubbs, two M ...

'' in 1984 and drug cartel boss Esteban Revilla in another episode in 1985, as well as writing the 1984 episode "Smuggler's Blues". He also wrote the screenplay for the 1977 film '' Short Eyes''. In 1985, Pinero returned to Miami Vice, appearing in Season II, as the drug lord Revilla.

Writing career

His next play, ''Sideshow'' (1974), which would be a shorter version of ''Playland Blues'' (1980), and follows street kids as they decide to put on their own play about a social worker placing difficult teenagers in various living situations and their attempts to adapt. He followed that with a one-act play titled ''The Guntower'', premiered at the 1976

New York Shakespeare Festival Shakespeare in the Park (or Free Shakespeare in the Park) is a theatrical program that stages productions of Shakespearean plays at the Delacorte Theater, an open-air theater in New York City's Central Park. The theater and the productions ar ...

. Instead of following prisoners, like in ''Short Eyes'', this one is about two guards in the watchtower. In that same year was ''The Sun Always Shines for the Cool'' (1976) which follows the lives of players, operators, drug dealers, and thieves as they come together in a bar owned by a man named Justice. In 1975, he moved to

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania#Municipalities, largest city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the List of United States cities by population, sixth-largest city i ...

to star in

Bruce Jay Friedman The English language name Bruce arrived in Scotland with the Normans, from the place name Brix, Manche in Normandy, France, meaning "the willowlands". Initially promulgated via the descendants of king Robert the Bruce (1274−1329), it has been ...

's ''

Steambath A steam bath is a steam-filled room for the purpose of relaxation and cleansing. It has a long history, going back to Greek and Roman times. History The origins of the steam bath come from the Roman bath, which began during the height of the R ...

'' as God. ''Eulogy for a Small-Time Thief'' (1977) was set in his new hometown. It regards a small-time thief who does not really know his place in the world and thinks he can manipulate it to his liking. He wrote two one-act plays, ''Paper Toilet'' and ''Cold Beer'', around 1979. The former is set in a subway men's room and involves a series of events framed by the voice of a man asking for toilet paper from inside a stall. The latter examines the role of the dramatist and writer through an alter-ego protagonist.

Later years

Piñero played an important role in acquainting his writing partner and erstwhile lover, the Chinese-American

gay ''Gay'' is a term that primarily refers to a homosexual person or the trait of being homosexual. The term originally meant 'carefree', 'cheerful', or 'bright and showy'. While scant usage referring to male homosexuality dates to the late 1 ...

artist

Martin Wong Martin Wong (; July 11, 1946 – August 12, 1999) was a Chinese-American painter of the late 20th century. His work has been described as a meticulous blend of social realism and visionary art styles. Wong's paintings often explored multiple ...

, with the Lower East Side, becoming a benefactor at a time when Wong found it difficult to meet his rent. Several of Wong's paintings are illustrations of poems given to him by Piñero. "The Annunciation According to Mikey Piñero (Cupcake and Paco)" (1984) pictures a scene from ''Short Eyes''.Ramirez, Yasmin. ''Sweet Oblivion: The Urban Landscape of Martin Wong'' (New York: New Museum Books, 1998). pp. 38-47. Miguel Piñero died on June 16, 1988, in New York City from

cirrhosis Cirrhosis, also known as liver cirrhosis or hepatic cirrhosis, and end-stage liver disease, is the impaired liver function caused by the formation of scar tissue known as fibrosis due to damage caused by liver disease. Damage causes tissue rep ...

. Piñero's ashes were scattered across the Lower East Side of Manhattan, as he asked in his 1985 "Lower East Side Poem". The homage to his beloved neighborhood concluded: Leading up to his death, he was working with Papp on a new play to premiere at the

. ''Every Form of Refuge Has Its Price'' his unfinished piece, is set in an intensive care unit. He also had another unfinished play, ''The Cinderella Ballroom''. Typescripts for Piñero's ''The Guntower'' and ''All Junkies'' are in the

Billy Rose Theatre Collection The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center, at 40 Lincoln Center Plaza, is located in Manhattan, New York City, at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts on the Upper West Side, between the Met ...

at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.

Legacy

The life of Miguel Piñero was portrayed in the 2001 Hollywood production ''

Piñero ''Piñero'' is a 2001 American biopic about the troubled life of Nuyorican poet and playwright Miguel Piñero, starring Benjamin Bratt as the title character. It was written and directed by the Cuban filmmaker, Leon Ichaso, premiered at the ...

'', directed by Leon Ichaso and starring

Benjamin Bratt Benjamin Bratt (born December 16, 1963) is an American actor and producer who has worked in film and on television. He had supporting roles in the 1990s in such box office hits as ''Demolition Man'' (1993), ''Clear and Present Danger'' (1994), ...

as Piñero. In the film, Piñero's love life is displayed, ranging from his interactions with men and women, including his protégé Reinaldo Povod. The relationships are secondary to the life of the writer as an individual, as the movie shows a non-chronological portrayal of Piñero's development as both a poet and a person. The movie blends visual and audio segments shot in short, music/

slam poetry A poetry slam is a competitive art event in which poets perform spoken word poetry before a live audience and a panel of judges. While formats can vary, slams are often loud and lively, with audience participation, cheering and dramatic delivery. ...

videos with typical movie narratives to show Piñero's poetics in action.

Awards and nominations

; Awards * 1974 Drama Desk Award, Outstanding New Playwright * 1974

New York Drama Critics' Circle The New York Drama Critics' Circle is made up of 22 drama critics from daily newspapers, magazines and wire services based in the New York City metropolitan area. The organization is best known for its annual awards for excellence in theater.Jone ...

Award, Best American Play * 1974 Obie Award, Best American Play ; Nominations * 1975

Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ce ...

for Best Play Pinero was inducted into the

New York Writers Hall of Fame The New York State Writers Hall of Fame or NYS Writers Hall of Fame is a project established in 2010 by the Empire State Center for the Book, which is the New York State affiliate of the U.S. Library of Congress's Center for the Book, and the Em ...

in 2013.

Work

Filmography

* ''

Kojak ''Kojak'' is an American action crime drama television series starring Telly Savalas as the title character, New York City Police Department Detective Lieutenant Theodopolis "Theo" Kojak. Taking the time slot of the popular ''Cannon'' series, ...

'' (1977, TV Series) – Rudy * '' Looking Up'' (1977) – Mugger * '' Short Eyes'' (1977) – Go-Go * '' The Jericho Mile'' (1979, TV Movie) – Rubio * '' The Streets of L.A.'' (1979, TV Movie) – 2nd Duster * ''

'' (1980) – Roberto * '' See China and Die'' (1981, TV Movie) – Gonzalez * ''

'' (1981) – Hernando * ''

Exposed Expose, exposé, or exposed may refer to: News sources * Exposé (journalism), a form of investigative journalism * '' The Exposé'', a British conspiracist website Film and TV Film * ''Exposé'' (film), a 1976 thriller film * ''Exposed'' (1932 ...

'' (1983) – Man in the Street (New York) * '' Breathless'' (1983) – Carlito * '' Deal of the Century'' (1983) – Molino * ''

'' (1984–1985, TV Series) – Esteban Calderone / Esteban Revilla * ''

Alphabet City Alphabet City is a neighborhood located within the East Village in the New York City borough of Manhattan. Its name comes from Avenues A, B, C, and D, the only avenues in Manhattan to have single-letter names. It is bounded by Houston St ...

'' (1984) – Dealer * ''Almost You'' (1985) – Ralph * '' D.C. Cops'' (1986, TV Movie) – Pablo

Plays

* ''All Junkies'' (1973) * ''Straight from the Ghetto'' (1973) * '' Short Eyes'' (1974) * ''Sideshow'' (1974) * ''The Guntower'' (1976) * ''The Sun Always Shines for the Cool'' (1976) * ''Eulogy for a Small Time Thief'' (1977) * ''Paper Toilet'' (1979) * ''Cold Beer'' (1979) * ''NuYorican Nights at the Stanton Street Social Club'' (1980) * ''Playland Blues'' (1980) * ''Midnight Moon at the Greasy Spoon'' (1981)

References

Bibliography

*''Short Eyes'', 1975. New York: Hill and Wang. and (paperback) *''La Bodega Sold Dreams'', 1985. Houston: Arte Público Press. *''The sun always shines for the cool; A midnight moon at the Greasy Spoon; Eulogy for a small time thief'', 1984. Houston : Arte Público Press. *''Outrageous: One Act Plays'', 1986. Houston: Arte Público Press. *''Nuyorican Poetry: An Anthology of Puerto Rican Words and Feelings'', (co-editor, with Miguel Algarín) * Roger S. Platizky. "Human Vision in Miguel Piñero's Short Eyes." Americas Review. 19. Spring 1991. pp. 83–91. Ariel Ruiz.

External links

* *
Audio link

"Leon Ichaso", ''BOMB'', Lynn Geller, 78/Winter 2002
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pinero, Miguel 1946 births 1988 deaths People from Gurabo, Puerto Rico LGBT writers from Puerto Rico Deaths from cirrhosis Puerto Rican criminals Puerto Rican dramatists and playwrights Puerto Rican male writers Gang members LGBT dramatists and playwrights 20th-century American dramatists and playwrights 20th-century American male writers Inmates of Sing Sing American Spanish-language poets American Spanish-language writers Young Lords 20th-century LGBT people