By Tim Takechi

Along the idyllic beaches of Spain, where fantasy and reality are often indistinguishable, a long-needed reunion between a father and daughter from two different worlds opens deep wounds and unearths unspoken feelings.

“Beauty of the Father,” the newest joint production by Latino Theatre Projects and Burien Little Theatre is a fervently written character-driven drama by Cuban-American playwright Nilo Cruz (who also penned “Anna in the Tropics,” a production LTP and BLT produced last year).

The story centers around a young American student named Marina (Emily Feliciano) who visits Spain to be reunited with her estranged father, Emiliano (Fernando Luna, who delivers a touching performance), a painter who is an “artist” in every sense of the word.

As if Marina and Emiliano’s relationship were not thorny enough, Marina falls in love with Karim (Matt Aguayo), a young Moroccan man who lives with Emiliano and also shares a complicated relationship with him. Rounding out this family is Paquita (Heather Ward), a woman who is Emiliano’s companion but not necessarily his lover.

As one can tell, this is a very convoluted “family” structure happening here.

The play is told through the eyes of a dead Spanish poet named Federico Garcia Lorca (Santino Garcia, who adds a nice balance of mysteriousness and omnipotence to his performance), whose ghost mostly talks to Emiliano, but occasionally interacts with the other characters. Federico was murdered because the Franco regime found him and his poetry to be dangerous to the state, along with other reasons.

It is quite appropriate this story is told through the voice of a poet, whose passionate, wise-beyond-his-years perspective is desperately needed to sort out through this situation. Federico offers the audience a bird’s eye view of these people’s lives while occasionally throwing himself into the action.

Marina is smitten with Karim because he brings freshness, energy and vibrancy to life that she knows she lacks. But when she learns about a possible fling between this charismatic Moroccan boy and Emiliano, Marina begins to question whether she really knows her father at all. Meanwhile, Emiliano slowly discovers that he has a big heart, perhaps too big to allow so many people into it.

Director Michael D. Blum draws out very honest and loving performances from his actors in a story where there isn’t a whole lot of plot. Playwright Cruz gives us characters that are full of love, but probably love for the wrong people. And as Marina learns as she attempts to repair her damaged relationship with her father, sometimes it is the people who love us the most who hurt us the most.

This is a lesson that the presence of Karim doesn’t make any easier to learn.

The beautiful set designed by Maggie Larrick transports us out of the city of Burien and into Andalusia, a paradise where the colors seem brighter, the emotions run deeper and history permeates through every fiber of every individual. If you’re looking for a stirring and provocative drama to enjoy on a late summer evening, “Beauty of the Father” should be your glass of wine.

“Beauty of the Father” runs from Aug. 2-25, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. Burien Little Theatre is located at 14501 4th Avenue SW, Burien, WA 98166. For ticket information, visit burienlittletheatre.org or call 206-242-5180.