QEPD/RIP Osvaldo Pradere

On March 14, 2016, the Cuban-born theater artist Osvaldo Pradere, who spent many years living in Madrid, Spain, before relocating in New York City, passed away.

A loving person that went out of his way to help others, he was very universal in his thinking and joined a multitude of friends from many different cultures. He never hesitated to help family, friends or those in need of support. One of the most active founding members of the Cuban Cultural Center of New York, he was also founder and president of the Don Quijote Experimental Children’s Theater, later called the New York Children’s Theater.

All his life he used theater to educate children. He was a director, producer, puppeteer and playwright. He produced plays like Take Back Our Planet, written by Susana Tubert and Gloria Zelaya, that dealt with issues of the environment; The Golden Cacao Bean, written by Manuel Martín, about the cultures of Central America and the Mayas; Abe Lincoln and the Cook Kid, written by Ed Portnoy; and Columbus, written by Pradere, about the life of Christopher Columbus; among others.

He leaves behind his siblings Orestes, Mario, José and Bárbara Pradere; his nieces and nephews, some of whom include Mayra Pradere Grille, Richard Pradere and Stefanie Grille. 

QEPD / RIP 

Osvaldo Pradere