It wasn’t until 1512, the year in which Spanish colonizers landed in eastern Cuba, despite the fact that Cuba had been discovered in 1492 by Christopher Columbus on his first voyage. The Cuban aborigines were forced to work as slaves in the search for gold and silver.

Areitos were considered symbols of superstition and savagery, which is why, in the early years of the Spanish conquest, they were banned by the Spanish through one of the Laws of Burgos, on November 27, 1512. The Spanish genocide was applied to both the human and cultural aspects, as Spain needed to demolish all native expressions in order to exercise its dominance, its enterprise, and its theatrical imagery. Thus, a period of artistic underdevelopment emerged in the Cuban archipelago.

In a short period of time, the indigenous communities disappeared as a result of the mistreatment and epidemics they suffered. The disappearance of the aboriginal peoples also resulted in the succumbing of the areitos, which is why we no longer find in them the elements that define the theater we currently know as Cuban.

At the end of this five-year period, the massive introduction of Africans, brought as slaves, began to replace the native Cubans.

The minutes of the Town Councils constitute valuable sources from which we have been able to extract information. Through them, the existence of literary works has survived to this day; they refer to certain individuals who were paid for the preparation of plays presented at religious festivals held in the various towns. Among the names of those responsible for creating these plays are Pedro de Santiago, Pedro de Castilla, Juan Pérez de Bargas, Francisco Mojica, Jorge Ortiz, and Juan Bautista Siliceo.

The first theatrical performance of a Cuban play took place, titled The Good in Heaven and the Bad on the Ground. This also confirmed the existence of a theater company in 1588.

During this period, several religious and secular festivities took place, which formed the basis of Cuban theater. Among the first, we can mention Corpus Christi, one of the most important, and the Autos Sacramentales. Three Kings’ Day was another celebration that played a leading role in Cuban theater during this century.

16th-century Cuban theater was represented by modest dances, plays, plays, interludes, farces, car shows, games, and fine plays; these were the foundations of the evolution and development that later gave rise to Cuban theater.

We can affirm that the development of Cuban theater stems from the modest dances, plays, games, and other elements already mentioned; it is nothing more than the transplantation of European art to new lands.

In the 16th century, the Christian festival of Corpus Christi provided the backdrop for the emergence of the first theatrical expressions on the island. Scattered information in the Chapter Records mentions certain individuals among the colonizing troops who were responsible for organizing dances, plays, sacramental plays, interludes, farces, and comedies.