Miami's Favorite Cuban Family Is Back In '¿Qué Pasa, U.S.A.? Today!'

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MIAMI (CBSMiami) - It's a first look at the stage for some of the cast of "¿Qué Pasa, U.S.A.? Today!" which opens later this week at the Adrienne Arsht Center.

The live stage show, based on the hit TV show from the 70's brings back many original cast members such as Steven Bauer, Connie Ramirez, and Barbara Ann Martin.

For me, it's hard to control emotion. I've worked very hard but I'm trying to keep my calm and know that I'm surrounded by great actors and great people and these gals are just amazing," said Bauer.

The original TV series was truly the first bilingual comedy on American television. It followed the cultural mishaps of an exile Cuban family in Miami's Little Havana.

The cast rehearsed offset last week and said this stage show is all about where the Peña family and friends are now-40 years later.

"It continues and the friendships we had in the series has strengthened. We're still using a lot of Spanglish, it's bilingual and we still have the generations', said Connie Ramirez.

"What I feel is this is a Valentine to Miami and to those people who grew up watching us or living through the Peña family and it's the story of what happened to us and where we are going," said Bauer.

For Barbara Ann Martin, who played the 'gringa' friend Sharon, seeing Bauer on stage for rehearsal brought it all home.

"When we walked onto do his scene, I started crying for real -- which is good -- I need emotion in that scene so he brings that emotion," Martin said.

Bauer, who is from Miami is currently starring in the hit Showtime series Ray Donovan. He says this play couldn't have come at a better time. "I've been looking for a play to do and this fell from heaven with my ex-fellow actors," said Bauer.

"¿Qué Pasa, U.S.A.? Today!" is on stage at Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts, this Thursday through May 26th. For more info, visit www.arshtcenter.org