For Michael Marrero, one creative medium could never be enough. A Key West native of Cuban descent, Marrero is a filmmaker, whose creations have been screened at more than 100 festivals; a playwright, whose “Locura” was staged in Havana as part of a historic Cuban-American theatrical exchange; a brilliant photographer, who characterizes his images as “Cuban Gothic Meets Florida Man”; an artist exploring and exhibiting distinctive woodcarvings; and an author, who recently completed his first novel.
“I’ve always worked across mediums, but it wasn’t strategic,” said Marrero. “If the story fits a photo, I’ll shoot it; if it’s better served as a play, I’ll write it.”
“I’m a big believer in following the idea,” he added.
Many of those ideas draw on his heritage and the Key West community that helps feed his creativity. His play “Locura,” for example, spotlights the island city’s mid-1900s “bad old days” through the interaction of a young Key West man and his Cuban-born uncle. The script touches on smuggling, an escape from Cuba, cockfights, physical confrontations and other elements that characterized Key West at the time.
“’Locura’ was about tracking where the island was, versus what it’s become,” said Marrero, who plans to stage a new production of the play to mark its 10-year anniversary. “Part of my work is about holding onto what’s disappearing — the culture, the history, the traditions — and helping preserve them as best I can.”
His latest play, “King Tide,” expands on that theme by dealing with gentrification, affordability and the impact of climate change on coastal communities — issues that loom large in contemporary Key West. He’s also working on a “King Tide” photo series that will be featured in an upcoming Key West Art & Historical Society exhibit.
Marrero’s best known photography includes a breathtaking monochromatic collection titled “Orisha: The Lost Saints.” Juxtaposing Key West’s disappearing Santeria culture and traditional Catholic saints, his evocative large-format images were exhibited both locally and at Cuba’s 2022 Havana Biannual.
The multi-talented artist is also the executive director of Key West’s Williams Hall, a center for spiritual and social activities, classes, lectures, meetings, cultural presentations, concerts and the popular Unity Table dining experiences. As such, he leads programming and manages operations while encouraging community interaction and exchange.
Marrero balances his creative work and his stewardship of Williams Hall with roles as the husband of Key West event management superstar Liz Love and the father of two daughters. Isabel is 10 and loves theater and acting, while Stella is a 7-year-old powerhouse who he describes as a mini-version of her mother.
Despite skills that could make him successful in much larger creative arenas, Marrero remains happy to nurture his family and pursue his career in the supportive community of Key West.
“I’ve been around, and there’s nowhere quite like this island,” he said. “It has a real sense of place. I know the people, the history, the culture — that depth is rare.”
His most recent artistic pursuits involve woodcarving, a means of expression long practiced on the island. The late folk artist Mario Sanchez, who chronicled early 1900s Key West in painted bas-relief carvings, lived across the street from Marrero’s grandmother.
“For me, it’s been a way to reconnect with my roots and ground myself in the older island traditions,” said Marrero. “It’s tactile, it’s off-screen — and in a world moving fast toward AI, that analog sensibility feels more essential than ever.”
Founder of the Key West Woodworking Society, he staged the society’s second annual showcase of members’ work at Wiliams Hall in March, celebrating the island’s rich tradition in the craft.
When it comes to filmmaking with collaborator Jon Rhoads, however, Marrero’s interest in offbeat experimentation and embracing the absurd takes center stage. His short films — some dealing with zombies, apocalyptic horror, and what he calls “the surreal slipping into the everyday” — have been screened at events ranging from the Key West International Film Festival to festivals in London, Amsterdam and Canada.
Despite his success in so many artistic disciplines, Marrero is soft-spoken and down to earth, addressing any challenges with an air of quiet confidence. What’s his secret for balancing multi-genre creativity and myriad projects without becoming overwhelmed?
“A lot of naps,” he joked.
Actually, the secret is far more about attitude than naps.
“I never consider the projects work,” Marrero said. “If I get the opportunity to spend a day creating something, it’s a good day.”
