Late Night Mournings is a television drama series that depicts a Hispanic family-owned funeral home business
The series traces several of the characters over the course of years dating back to pre-Castro Cuba through the present operation of the business in Miami, Florida.
Real stories will introduce viewers to the dynamics of running a family business as well as the drama and comedy associated with the Hispanic community and its funeral customs
The series will also deal with issues such as the death care business and the role of religion in the Hispanic culture
The series will present 13 episodes of one (1) hour each
Original Idea and Script
Miguel A. Maspons
Third generation funeral home family
Grandson of Leopoldo E. Rivero, Founder of Rivero Funeral Homes in Havana, Cuba in 1948; exiled with family to Miami in 1963; opened Rivero Funeral Homes in Miami in 1965; sold business to Stewart Enterprises in 1994
Owner of Maspons Funeral Homes in Miami, Florida, which opened in 1997 and currently services over 700 families a year
Practicing corporate attorney at Maspons, Sellek Jacobs in Coral Gables, Florida
Graduate of Harvard University (B.S. in Sociology, 1985) and Boston College Law School (J.D. 1988)
Viewers will meet the Perez family, which has been involved in the funeral home business since 1952 in Havana, Cuba. The prominent characters are:
Federico “Paco” Perez obtained the original Perez Funeral Home business as part of an “arrangement” negotiated by his mother, Caridad “Aca” Perez and the owner of a struggling funeral home
The “arrangement” required that Paco end his relationship with the wife of the owner of the funeral home in exchange for the transfer of ownership of the funeral home and real estate to the Perez family
Aca is the shrewd, practical, yet compassionate matriarch of the Perez family, who guides and directs the family until her death in 2001
The rest of the characters include Julio and Maria Perez, the children of Paco and his American-born ex-wife, Barbara Bradley Perez, who is the daughter of a former American diplomat who was stationed in Cuba until 1960. Barbara lives in Miami but is not involved in the family business
Julio and Maria Perez, who were born in Miami, Florida, are the present day owners and operators of Perez Funeral Homes. They grew up in and around the family funeral home business.
Fr. Antonio Davila is an excommunicated Catholic Priest and longtime family friend, who is very opinionated on issues ranging from politics to religion. Although he was born and raised in Cuba, he is of Mexican heritage as his family fled Mexico after the Mexican Revolution of 1910
Juan Maldonado is a friend and confidant of Paco as well as a funeral home employee with drinking and gambling issues that lead to questionable decisions
Marta Calvo is one of the original funeral home mourners (“Lloronas”) hired by the funeral home in Miami, Florida to attend funeral viewings and grieve with families
Elisa Santos is the current leader of the Lloronas. Elisa created a successful, albeit illegal, local tourist bus business from funds obtained/extorted from grieving families.
Premise
The show follows the family and the business from Pre-Castro Cuba through the present day. Viewers will experience scenes and events from the early years of the business in Cuba through the exile to the United States and up through the current operations in Miami, Florida.
The series depicts the dynamics of running a family business, the unknown elements of the funeral industry, the influence of religion on the death experience and the idiosyncrasies of the Hispanic culture.
Structure
The series is comprised of 13 episodes of 1 hour each. The episodes are interspersed with scenes and events from Cuba in the 1950’s through the present day in Miami. On one level, the series is a typical family drama. On another level, it distinguishes itself by focusing on and highlighting Hispanic customs and death care rituals, which are explored on many levels.
Each episode begins by addressing family, business, political or religious issues. These issues are often explored from the comfort of Aca’s kitchen.
The series will incorporate scenery from locations in 1950’s Pre-Castro Cuba and from Miami from the 1960’s through the present day.
Major Themes
The series focuses on the family, the business of death, the crises associated with this environment, grief, religion and the Hispanic culture.
Characters
Caridad “Aca” Perez
Matriarch of the Perez family
Born in the Pinar del Rio province in Cuba in 1908 to a family involved in the cigar industry. She grew up very poor
Met Jose Perez in 1926 and they married in 1927
They moved to Havana soon after they married and opened a flower shop
She and Jose had their only child Federico “Paco” Perez in 1929
Widowed in 1930 and never remarried
She took over operations of flower shop after Jose’s death. Their main customers were funeral homes
Family is her main concern. Devoted her life to raising her only son
She negotiated the “transfer” of funeral home from Jose Diaz to Paco as part of “arrangement” where Paco ended his relationship with Diaz’s wife
Helped Paco manage the funeral home business in Cuba and later in the United States
Exiled from Cuba in 1960 when family business was “nationalized” by Castro government
Very simple yet elegant woman; proud and practical
Small in stature but commanded respect
Not educated beyond high school but has much real world experience; common sense astute businesswoman
Lived on second floor of funeral home in Miami until her death in 2001
Federico “Paco” Perez
Only son of Jose and Aca Perez
Born in Havana in 1929
Jose, his father, passed away when Paco was an infant
Brought up by Aca, who was a single mother. She was his role model and mentor
A poor student that was restless in school
Worked in family business (flower shop) throughout his early life
Delivered flowers on his bicycle as a youth and took on more responsibilities as he matured. Very mature for his age
Had few friends his age and spent most of his free time socializing with other (older) flower shop employees
Very passionate about his interests; principal interest was making money
Fiercely loyal
Relatively handsome but his most attractive qualities were his fearlessness and his outgoing personality
Made a point of dressing well despite his limited means
Attracted to older women
Involved in controversial affair with wife of Jose Diaz, owner of Diaz Funeral Home, whom he met when delivering flowers to Diaz Funeral Home
Affair ended when Aca brokered a deal in which Paco ended affair in exchange for transfer of Diaz funeral home business and real estate
He and Aca took over a failing business and grew it into one of the largest and most successful in Cuba
Met and married Barbara Bradley, daughter of American diplomat
Lost his business when Castro government “nationalized” funeral home in 1960
Remained in Cuba until 1963 hoping to regain his business. Was able to send his family to Miami in 1961 with help from his diplomat father-in-law
Exiled to United States in 1963
Worked odd jobs in Miami until he was able to open his first funeral home in 1965
He was obsessed with succeeding in United States
He and Barbara had 2 children, Julio and Maria
Divorced in late 1960’s and never remarried
Turned over business to Julio and Maria in 2002 after Aca’s death but remained involved
Julio Perez
First-born child of Paco and Barbara Bradley
Born in 1960 in Cuba and emigrated with his mother in 1961
Spent much of his youth at funeral home
Very quiet but organized and efficient
Lacks Paco’s passion and personality
Educated at finest private schools in Miami and attended local college
Initially not interested in working in family business
Studied engineering in college and first job after college was at aviation repair business
Joined family business after company he worked for relocated out of state
Obtained funeral director’s license at local college
Married to Esther Estevez in 1985 and they have 2 children, Mayra (1987) and Barbara (1989)
Lives modestly
Very conservative (socially, politically and economically)
Very close to his mother, Barbara Bradley, who also lives in Miami and divorced Paco in late 1960’s
Maria Perez
Second child of Paco and Barbara
Born in 1964 in Miami after family exiled from Cuba
Rebellious child who always questioned authority
Very close to Aca but not particularly close to her mother, Barbara or Paco
Attended finest private schools In Miami but constantly in trouble
Attracted to “bad boys” throughout her teenage years
Very intelligent but not motivated in school
After high school, she attended junior college where she studied business
At the insistence of Aca, she obtained her funeral director’s license and began working in funeral home
Fascinated by embalming
Never married although involved in many relationships
In the family business, she is constantly challenging the traditional ways of running a funeral home
After Paco decided to “retire” from the funeral home, at Aca’s insistence, she assumed primary responsibility for the funeral home business
Has a decent relationship with Julio but does not like his conservative style
Juan Maldonado
Born in Cuba in 1945
Left Cuba as a Pedro Pan child in the early 1960’s
First job in Miami was as an attendant at the funeral home and eventually became manager overseeing staff
Lives life “hard”
Divorced twice with no children
Heavy drinker and small-time gambler
Despite faults, considered pseudo-family member of Perez family
Frequent visitor to Aca’s home at the funeral home
Lives well beyond his means
Becomes “close” with Elisa Santos, current leader of the Lloronas, and provides her with information regarding deceased clients
Fr. Antonio Davila
Born in 1933 in Havana to family of Mexican descent
Became a Catholic priest in 1957
Passionate and opinionated on all topics, particularly politics and religion
Was excommunicated by Catholic Church for refusing to leave Cuba after Cuban Revolution
Joined the resistance against the Castro regime and was caught and jailed
Was released from prison in early 1970’s and came to Miami
Despite being excommunicated, he wears his clerics every day
Hired by Paco and Aca as “spiritual advisor” to funeral home
Daily visitor to Aca’s apartment where they would debate political and religious topics
Marta Calvo
Born in Havana in 1940
Engaged to a young Cuban policeman in late 1950’s, who was arrested and imprisoned during Cuban revolution
Left Cuba in 1960 and lived in Miami until her death in 2005
Aspiring actress in Cuba
Very attractive in her youth and remained an elegant woman as she aged
Despite limited economic resources always made enough money to survive
Worked at beauty salon in Havana where she met Aca
Aca hired her to be one of the original professional mourners (Lloronas)
Recruited other Lloronas
Elisa Santos
Born in 1969 in Miami to Cuban-born parents
Tall,lean and very attractive
Always used her beauty to manipulate and control
Attended acting school after graduating from high school
Was recruited at acting school by Marta to become a Llorona, who became a surrogate mother to her
Worked with and reported to Juan Maldonado in Llorona program and they had a brief romantic relationship
Became aware of Juan’s gambling issues and used this information to obtain personal information about family of deceased in order to extort money
Opened a Miami tour bus business where she has laundered much of the money that she has extorted from the families at the funeral home
[ PILOT SCRIPT ]